Villa Rica, Carrollton & Carroll County
Deck Repair in Villa Rica and Carrollton, GA
Rotted boards, soft joists, loose rails, tired stairs. We repair what is sound, rebuild what is not, and tell you which is which.
Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm, Sat 8am to 1pm, closed Sunday
CompletedThe short answer
Fix the frame first. Boards come second.
If the posts, joists and ledger are sound, a deck is worth repairing: new boards, rails and stairs, or a full re-deck. If they are rotted, new boards laid over them only hide the problem. We look under the deck before we quote, and we say which job you have.
Most deck repair calls start with a soft board or a wobbly rail, but deck repair usually starts out of sight, in the posts, joists and ledger. The permit rules are different in Villa Rica, in Carrollton and in the county, and a few neighborhoods add their own, so we sort that out too.
What we repair
Jobs like these.
Boards, rails and lights
New deck boards, handrails and deck lights over a frame that is still good.
Rotted framing
A new post and joist where the old ones rotted, the insulation put back, a new floor and a new threshold. When the problem was the structure, we fixed the structure.
Handrails and stairs
Handrails and stairs torn out and rebuilt, including a deck that needed both. The rules behind them are in the railing, stair, and footing code guide. Rebar handrails on a screened end, with new screens and paint.
Re-decking in Trex
Existing framing covered in Trex, set 12 inches on center, wrapped with a facial board and finished with gutters.
In progress
Completed
CompletedRepair or replace
How to tell which deck you have.
Repair it when the rot stops at the boards, the stair treads or a rail section, and the joists below are firm all the way along. Prying up one board and finding solid framing under it is a good sign. The longer version is our guide to repairing or replacing a deck.
Rebuild the structure when a screwdriver sinks into a post or joist, when the deck sags or bounces, when posts are soft at the ground, or when the boards at the house are stained and pulling away. Those point to wet framing, and wet is how rot starts. The Forest Products Laboratory's Wood Handbook puts the line at the fiber saturation point, about 30 percent moisture on average. Above it, serious decay can start. Kept air dry, wood does not decay, and decay already there stops progressing.
Composite does not remove the question. Trex and similar boards sit on a wood frame. The same handbook notes that decay fungi can hollow out wood-plastic composites once water gets in through cracks in the surface. Either way, we check the frame before new boards go on.
The ledger gets extra care. That is the board bolted to the house. If it pulls away, the deck can come down, so staining, gaps or moisture at that wall are not cosmetic. Georgia amends the deck chapter of its residential code to spell out how ledgers are fastened, down to how the lag screw holes are drilled (Georgia DCA amendment packet).
Rules that change a repair
Who has to hear about it first.
Villa Rica
The city says repair work, additions and remodeling usually require a permit. Initial plan review can take thirty business days, and the permit checklist asks for a homeowners association approval letter where one applies.
Source: Villa Rica building inspections and residential permit packet
Unincorporated Carroll County
The county requires a permit to "alter, repair" a structure. Its exempt list names finish work such as painting, tiling and cabinets, and does not name decking, so a structural deck repair gets a call to the county first. Inspections run in three stages, called in before 4:30 pm the day before.
Source: Carroll County Code Sec. 18-15 and inspections
Inside Carrollton
A Carrollton address can sit in the city or in the county. The city's building and codes office handles lots inside the limits, and we find out which side of the line you are on before we quote.
Fairfield Plantation
Replacing and refinishing decking under 50 square feet needs no permit. Damaged decking over 50 square feet needs one, with no fee or deposit, and replacing an existing deck needs one too. The committee decides within thirty days of a complete application.
Rules change and lots differ, so confirm yours with the office that covers it. The full picture is in our deck permit guide, or see decks in Villa Rica, decks in Carrollton and Fairfield Plantation.
How it goes
From photo to final walk.
Describe the damage
Tell Ambrose about the damaged spot, the stairs, the rail, and the view from underneath if you can get one.
We check the frame
Posts, joists, the ledger and its flashing. You get a plain answer on repair or rebuild.
Permit and HOA check
City, county or association, whichever covers your lot. If the repair needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with that office.
Repair
Rot out, sound framing in, new boards, rails and stairs.
Finish
New pressure-treated boards need time to dry before stain holds, so we tell you when to coat them. See when to stain a deck or book deck staining.
Questions
Deck repair questions.
How much does deck repair cost?
It turns on how much framing is bad, the deck's height and size, wood or composite, and whether stairs or rails are in play. We price from photos or a visit. Any number given without seeing the frame is a guess.
Can you replace just the boards?
Yes, when the joists under them are sound. New boards will not match old weathered ones at first, and a stain evens them out once the new wood has dried.
Do I need a permit to repair a deck?
Often, and it depends on who covers your address. Villa Rica says repair work usually does. The county's exempt list does not name decking. Fairfield exempts small board replacement. Ask before work starts.
Is it safe to use a deck with soft spots?
Stay off any section that flexes, and keep people away from a rail that moves or a deck that shifts at the house wall. Those can fail without warning. Describe it in a quote request; Ambrose may ask for photos when he replies.
Can you put Trex on my old deck frame?
If the frame is sound, yes. We have covered existing framing in Trex, set at 12 inches on center, and wrapped it with facial board. Read composite vs pressure-treated to compare.
Tell Ambrose what the deck is doing.
Send Ambrose a quote request that says where the soft spot, the rail or the underside problem is. The board where it meets the house matters most.