What a failing deck looks like
We check the surface first for boards that lift or flex between joists. That usually means the fasteners have loosened or the joist hangers have shifted, so a board no longer sits tight to every joist.
Railings that move when you push on them point to loose posts or connections. Stairs that rock or sit uneven tell us the stringers have moved at the base or where they meet the deck frame.
Once we open the job, we measure how far the movement has gone and decide whether the existing fasteners and hangers can be tightened or need to be replaced.
Why the seasons are hard on decks
Seasonal temperature swings work on every joint and fastener. Periodic winter freezes add some freeze and thaw movement on top of that, and it loosens connections you can't see until a board lifts or a stair starts to rock. A small gap in the fall can be a loose tread by spring, which is why we'd rather tighten things up before another winter goes through them.
Where moisture gets in
Seasonal moisture cycles move the soil around here, and that stresses footings and the posts that sit on them. On a Marietta deck we start at ground level, checking each footing for settling or heave and looking for strain at the house connection where that movement shows up. If a post has moved, we fix the support first. New boards on a shifting footing won't stay flat.
Do you need a permit
Yes, deck work here goes through a permit, and the fee runs $50 to $450. That fee is a line on our quote, not something you find out about later. We schedule the framing inspection while the structure is still open and the final inspection before we close out the job.
What replacing stairs and railings involves
A set of stairs with four risers runs $700 to $1,300. We install railings and stairs only after the deck surface is complete, so the new pieces line up with the finished boards.
That keeps the surface tight where the stairs and railing posts tie in.
That stair range is something we can talk through on the phone, and the final figure gets set once we've stood at your deck, counted the risers and checked what the stairs land on.
Good to Know First
Expect total project costs driven by labor ($8,100–$12,100), decking ($3,200–$4,800), framing ($1,800–$3,000), and railings ($1,400–$2,600). Obtain multiple itemized bids and verify the contractor carries insurance. Avoid unusually low quotes that may indicate shortcuts.
Related Services
Our Process
Concretely, the work goes like this:
- Install and flash the ledger board where the deck attaches to the house.
- Set joists at code-compliant spacing and spans, fastening them with appropriate hangers or connectors.
Pick up the phone and run it by us, and there's no pressure to book.
Updated October 2026