Deck Replacement in Fort Collins CO

Deck replacement in Fort Collins CO runs from about $7,900 to $12,500 or more, and about $10,000 to $11,000 for a 20 by 20 deck on Angi's 2026 figures. Pineridge Deck Pros tears off decks whose frames are past saving and rebuilds them from new 30 inch footings and a flashed ledger up, in composite or wood, under a City permit.

Deck replacement in Fort Collins CO

A deck replacement starts where repair stops making sense. When the ledger has rotted behind missing flashing, when several joists are soft, or when the footings were poured a foot deep and the deck has been heaving every winter, patching costs nearly as much as new framing and leaves an old structure under new boards. Replacing it resets the clock and brings the deck up to the 2024 code Fort Collins adopted in April 2026.

It is also the moment to change the deck. A rebuild can be bigger, lower, move the stairs, switch to composite decking, or add blocking for a future cover or hot tub.

Repair or replace: the deciding signs

Rot in the ledger board or the house rim behind it.
More than a few joists soft at the ends or along the top.
Posts set directly in the ground, or footings well above 30 inches deep.
A deck that has drifted away from the house or racks when people walk on it.
Old railings, stairs and boards that would all need replacing anyway.

If only one or two of these apply, a deck repair may be enough.

Person driving screws into new deck boards around a tree trunk — Fastening new boards on a deck, cut around a tree.

Permits and inspections for a rebuild

A replacement is permitted like a new deck. Fort Collins requires a permit for decks that are attached, over 30 inches above grade at any point, over 200 square feet, or serving the front door, and inspects in four stages: setbacks and footings with the pier holes open, post connections, rough frame before any decking, and final. The 2024 code changes in the City's guide include flashing and water-resistive barriers at the ledger, which is where many old decks failed.

The full process is in the Fort Collins deck permit guide, and footing sizes in the footing depth guide. City source: Residential Deck Guide.

Replacement costs

Deck replacement costs (2026)

Item	Cost	Source
Full deck replacement	$7,900 to $12,500+	Angi national
20 x 20 deck replacement	$10,000 to $11,000	Angi national
New deck, installed, Denver market	$22 to $55 per sq ft	Angi Denver
Labor share of a deck	50% to 60%	Modernize, August 2026
Fort Collins deck permit	$110 plus tax	City of Fort Collins

Tear-off and disposal are priced by the job. Quotes vary by site.

Sizes from 12 by 12 up, in wood and composite, are on the deck cost in Fort Collins page.

Concrete being pumped into a square footing hole, with steel reinforcing bars beside it — Concrete going into a footing hole.

How a deck replacement goes

1
Decide it's a replacement
When the ledger, several joists or the footings have failed, repairs cost about as much as a new frame. The inspection makes that call.
2
Draw and permit the new deck
A new deck can change size, shape or height. Plans go to the City with the new ledger, footing and lateral details.
3
Tear off and haul away
Boards, railings and framing come off down to the ground; the house wall behind the old ledger is opened and checked for rot.
4
Footings and ledger
New piers 30 inches deep, inspected open, and a new ledger with code fasteners, flashing and water-resistive barrier at the wall.
5
New frame and surface
Treated framing, joist tape, then composite or wood boards, railings and stairs, with a final inspection.

Worked example

Rebuilding a 16 by 20 treated-pine deck in a 1990s Fort Collins subdivision

In this example the original deck was nailed to the house with no flashing, and the rim behind the ledger is soft in two places. The posts sit on 12 inch footings and the deck has dropped an inch at the outer beam.

After tear-off, the damaged rim is repaired, a new ledger goes on with flashing, and five new piers are poured 30 inches deep. The new frame is sized for composite boards, keeping the same footprint so the stairs still land on the existing patio. A cedar deck on the same frame would cost less.

320 sq ft new deck at $22 to $55 per sq ft (Denver)	$7,040 to $17,600
City deck permit	$110 plus tax
Example total before tear-off	$7,150 to $17,710

A worked example, not a past job or a quote. Rates: Angi 2026 Denver deck building guide; City of Fort Collins fees.

Deck Replacement in Fort Collins: Questions

Three workers building new deck framing, with joists and blocking set on posts in a backyard

New deck framing going in: joists, blocking and beams before the boards.

How much does it cost to replace a deck in Fort Collins?

Angi puts a full deck replacement at $7,900 to $12,500 or more nationally, and about $10,000 to $11,000 for a 20 by 20 deck. In the Denver market new decks run $22 to $55 per square foot installed, which is the better guide for a rebuild because the new frame and boards are priced like new work. Tear-off and haul-away of the old deck are on top.

How much would a 20x20 deck cost to replace?

About $10,000 to $11,000 on Angi's national replacement figure, or $8,800 to $22,000 at the Denver-market rate of $22 to $55 per square foot for 400 square feet. Pressure-treated wood on a low deck lands near the bottom; composite boards, aluminum railing and a second-story height push it toward the top.

Can I keep the old footings when replacing a deck?

Only if they're deep enough, sized right and where the new posts need to go. In Fort Collins an attached deck's piers must reach 30 inches below grade, and many older footings don't. Because footings are inspected open before concrete is poured, reusing old ones usually means proving their depth and size first, so most rebuilds pour new piers.

Does a deck replacement need a permit?

Yes. A new deck that is attached, more than 30 inches above grade or larger than 200 square feet needs a Fort Collins permit, and even partial rebuilds of joists, posts, beams, stairs or guards do. The fee is $110 plus sales tax.

How long does a deck last in Colorado?

It depends on the material and care more than the calendar. Wood decks dry out fast in Fort Collins' high, dry sun and need sealing every year or two to last; skipped maintenance and shallow footings are what end most of them early. Trex backs its capped composite boards with 25 to 50 year limited residential warranties.

Deck Replacement in Fort Collins CO