Deck ledger board repair cost when buying a house

How much does it cost to repair a deck ledger board?

Deck ledger board repair runs $2,000 to $7,000 nationally, according to a national cost guide. Get a licensed deck contractor's written bid before you put a number in your request. The price depends on how far water damage has spread, because the fix can also mean new joists, flashing, or sections of the rim joist.

Key takeaways

• Almost every collapse the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) reviewed happened while the deck was occupied or under heavy snow.
• Spacers or siding left between the ledger and the house weaken the connection even when the fasteners look right.
• Homeowners insurance typically excludes rot, so a rotted ledger is yours to fix after closing.

The rows differ in scope. The last row is an add-on to a job already underway, not a stand-alone repair.

Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

This finding is one of several the outside of a house can turn up; the exterior findings hub covers the rest.

How serious is a deck ledger problem?

The ledger is the board fastened to your house that carries the house end of the deck. Of everything a deck can put on your report, it is the line tied to collapse. InterNACHI says "about 90% of deck collapses occurred as a result of the separation of the house and the deck ledger board." It adds that "almost every deck collapse occurred while the decks were occupied or under a heavy snow load."

If the report says the ledger is pulling away, or the deck moves where it meets the house, keep people off it. Have a licensed contractor inspect the structure before your deadline and before you talk money.

What are the building code requirements for a deck ledger board?

The American Wood Council's DCA 6 deck guide lays out the deck rules of the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC). For the ledger, it requires:

• At least a 2x8 of pressure-treated lumber, and at least as deep as the deck joists. A 2x8 works only if your joists are no deeper.
• Lag screws or bolts, staggered.
• Flashing or caulk that keeps water off the house band joist.
• No attachment to brick, stone or other veneer, hollow masonry, a cantilevered floor overhang, or a bay window. DCA 6 calls these "prohibited."

Three phrases in a report point to a weak connection. A ledger held on with nails is "a big red flag," says Complete Building Solutions, which describes itself as a structural engineering firm. Missing flashing lets water get behind the board. Trex, a decking maker, says the rot that follows can "compromise the ledger-house connection and cause a deck to fail." Spacers or siding between the ledger and the house "significantly reduce the strength of the ledger connection," per InterNACHI.

DCA 6 itself says it cannot promise its designs meet "the requirements of any particular jurisdiction." Your local building department answers which code edition applies at your address.

What about the railings and stairs?

Put loose railings and stairs on the same contractor visit as the ledger. InterNACHI notes that "many more injuries are the result of rail failure, rather than complete deck collapse." DCA 6 requires a guard on any deck more than 30 inches above grade. It also requires a handrail, 34 to 38 inches high, on any stair with 4 or more risers.

How do I get a real number before my deadline?

Call a licensed deck contractor and ask for one written bid that covers the ledger, the flashing, and any railing or stair work. Ask whether it includes the permit, since ledger board work often needs one. If the ledger is fastened to brick veneer, bring in a structural engineer. The fix may mean turning it into a freestanding deck. For how fast you can get a visit, see how to get repair estimates during the inspection period.

Here is one example with the Durham-area contractor's figures. Fiferum puts permit fees at $100 to $500 for replacement projects and says some towns require a permit for extensive repairs too. If yours does, the ledger plus permit runs $2,000 + $100 = $2,100 at the low end and $5,000 + $500 = $5,500 at the high end. A loose railing on the same deck adds $300 to $1,500, for $2,400 to $7,000. If rot has reached the joists beside the ledger, Fiferum lists joist replacement at $1,000 to $3,000, for $3,400 to $10,000.

What do I ask the seller for?

Ask for the bid amount as a credit, or for the repair itself by a licensed contractor with a permit. Name the scope and the trade, and attach the written bid. For example: replace the rotted ledger and its flashing, licensed deck contractor, per the attached bid. If the seller does the work, ask for the permit sign-off and the invoice before closing.

What to ask for after a home inspection shows how this line sits next to the rest of your list. The buyer repair request letter template has the wording around it.

What if the seller says no?

You still have three moves. Take a price cut instead of a repair, fix it yourself after closing with the bid in hand, or cancel, if your inspection contingency allows it. A ledger with rot nobody has sized yet is the kind of unknown covered in when to walk away after a home inspection. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm with your agent or attorney.

Do you need a ledger board for a deck?

Only if the deck attaches to the house. A freestanding deck stands on its own posts and beams, so it has no ledger to fail. Complete Building Solutions asks: "Is your deck design freestanding? If not, then you need a ledger board."

Can a rotted ledger board be repaired?

The cost guide says a rotting deck can often be repaired when the damage is localized. Rot that has spread to the ledger, beams, or posts may mean major repairs or a partial rebuild. Structural work like this is the most expensive kind of deck repair. The contractor's bid tells you which case you have.

Don't count on homeowners insurance to pay for rot after closing. Liberty Mutual, for one, lists "normal wear and tear, maintenance issues, and gradual damage (e.g., rot, mold from long-term leaks)" among typical exclusions. Its dwelling coverage typically includes an attached deck damaged by a covered peril such as fire, wind or hail.

If the deck is one line of many, upload your inspection report and spend your remaining days on the contractor's visit.

Sources

• Modernize, Deck Repair Cost Guide
• Fiferum Construction, Deck Replacement and Repair Costs
• Mr. Honey Do, Deck Replacement Cost
• InterNACHI, Inspecting a Deck, Illustrated
• Complete Building Solutions, Deck Ledger Boards 101
• Trex, How to Install a Deck Ledger Board and Attach Flashing
• Liberty Mutual, What Does Home Insurance Cover?
• American Wood Council, DCA 6: Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide