The cost to replace deck railings ranges from $950 to $1,800, with an average of $1,100. You’ll pay more if you choose high-end, custom materials or have a large deck.
The cost to replace deck railings is $1,100 on average but can range anywhere from $650 to $3,400. Homeowners may want to replace their deck railing for any number of reasons—young ones playing outside, aging pets, security, or even aesthetics.
While a decent-sized project, replacing deck railings doesn’t need to break the bank. Let’s break down budget factors so you can understand the true price and value of the project.
Deck railings come in a variety of materials, and it all depends on your personal aesthetic preference. If you are looking for a sleek modern look, go for a glass deck surround or stainless steel railings. If you prefer a more traditional aesthetic, painted wood or wrought iron may be up your alley.
| Material | Cost per Linear Foot |
|---|---|
| Wood | $40–$50 |
| Vinyl/PVC | $20–$40 |
| Aluminum | $40–$70 |
| Composite | $15–$30 |
| Trex | $20–$35 |
| Cable | $50–$200 |
| Glass | $100–$600 |
| Wrought Iron | $50–$120 |
| Stainless Steel | $30–$80 |
| Poly or Plastic | $25–$70 |
While other jobs may have specialized, licensed pros—think mold removal—deck railings should be sourced and installed by a deck repair professional. They will have extensive experience with railings and will usually give you a general overview of the state of your deck, which can be invaluable in avoiding future damage.
Hourly rates will range from $50 to $120, but some pros also base their labor costs on a percentage of the project. For deck railings, a deck repair pro may charge 20% to 40% of the project. While this may seem high, remember that material costs are lower here, so labor percentages will be higher.
We recommend using the proper professional for the work, and we do for this project as well, but a general contractor isn’t a bad fit to replace deck railings. The work requires expertise but not deep knowledge, and a general contractor would do a solid job. Pricing is similar to deck repair pros, so expect to pay a general contractor around $50 to $150 per hour, or 15% to 35% of the project cost.
Deck railing repair and replacement can vary significantly depending on location. Railing materials are heavy, so the further they’re shipped from their manufacturing zone, the more expensive. Add extra costs for major cities where labor costs are higher than in rural zones. Competition and demand both contribute to price differences. While this is a negative if you need a replacement right away, you can use it to your advantage in order to save.
Weather also plays a factor. Extreme cold or heat will drive up costs, as will natural disasters.
| Location | Average Replacement Cost |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | $1,200–$2,100 |
| Portland, OR | $900–$1,600 |
| San Diego, CA | $1,100–$1,900 |
| Nashville, TN | $750–$1,300 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $800–$1,300 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $650–$1,250 |
| Austin, TX | $1,000–$1,900 |
| Denver, CO | $950–$1,850 |
| Seattle, WA | $1,000–$2,000 |
You should budget around $7 per square foot for demo work. However, if you’re careful and don’t mind some heavy lifting, doing some demolition work can save you on labor costs and disposal.
However, we don’t recommend this for decks that are raised more than a foot or so above the ground as this increases injury risk. The prep work for deck railing replacement is usually the demolition of the old railing and can involve removing rust, old paint, and structural debris.
Whether you need permits depends on your city, the height of your deck, and the exact work being done. However, not many cities will require permits unless there are mitigating circumstances. Homeowners who are required to source a permit should expect to pay between $300 and $2,000, with most permits falling on the lower end of the spectrum.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has certain railing requirements. While the requirement for an ADA-compliant railing isn’t something most homeowners need, it’s important to understand that ADA-compliant deck railings require extra materials and features in order to be in compliance. You can expect to add around 15% to the cost of your railing if this is a requirement. Know that it’s common for a separate railing to be installed on your existing deck railing, so you may need to part this project out into individual railings—the main railing, and the ADA-compliant one.
You can replace deck railings yourself, but it’s a large job and isn’t the safest, which is why we recommend hiring a pro. They will have the correct (and often very expensive) tools for the job, and years of experience which results in higher-quality work. If you need permits, they can also pull them without much trouble—an often difficult thing for the average homeowner to do.
Talk to a deck repair pro near you to discuss the cost of the project and the timeline for completion. The last thing you want to do is DIY a job that needs to be torn down and built a second time.
The cost of deck repair depends on the size of your deck and the damage, but for more deck railings themselves, it’s better to replace them. This is mostly because you can readily find premade railings so removing the damaged railing and installing a new one can actually be faster and less expensive than repairing an existing railing.
The only instances in which we’d recommend repairing a railing are if it isn’t easily replaced (a common problem on older homes) and you want to keep the original style or if the cost of repair is less than 50% of the cost of a full replacement.
With deck railing replacement, you can negotiate labor somewhat, but you’ll only see real savings when you cut costs on materials. Some ways to save when replacing a deck railing are:
Choose recycled and cost-effective materials.
Hire a pro for work during their off-season.
Do any safe demo or prep work yourself.
Try to negotiate a bulk deal for materials if purchasing locally.
If not, use coupon codes and membership discounts for materials.
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Whether it’s less expensive to replace or repair depends on the extent of the damage, but for most decks, it often costs less to repair. However, matching wood is difficult, and if you want the deck to match, the entire deck will need to be sanded and refinished.
Repairing can be more expensive if you need to give extra care to existing parts of the deck. Replacing also resets the lifespan of the deck. Talk to a pro to decide which is best for your unique situation.
When it comes to rotten deck wood, there really is no fixing it in the traditional sense—it needs to be removed and replaced. While you can certainly do this yourself, we don’t recommend it as some of the issues causing wood to rot could have spread throughout your deck and an untrained eye may not be able to notice. The good news is that replacing deck wood isn’t the most expensive project, and can seriously increase the quality and aesthetics of your home.
