Wood Rot Repair Cost Calculator
Get a realistic price range in under 60 seconds. Answer four quick questions and we'll show you what to expect — no inflated contractor quotes, no guesswork.
Free Cost Estimator
What's your repair situation?
Not sure? A standard door frame sill is ~3–6 sq ft; a deck section is typically 50–200 sq ft.
What Affects Wood Rot Repair Cost?
The single biggest driver of wood rot repair cost is repair type. A window frame sill involves a small, precise area and minimal structural risk — labor is the primary cost. A structural repair (floor joist, rim joist, porch post) requires temporary shoring, removal of finished surfaces, and code-compliant replacement lumber. Those are fundamentally different projects with fundamentally different price tags.
Square footage scales cost linearly once you account for setup. The first 20 square feet of deck board repair involves most of the same setup as 40 square feet — mobilization, staging, prep work. Beyond that threshold, additional area adds mainly material and labor time. St. Louis-area decks typically see rot concentrated in the ledger board zone and around post bases where water pools.
Wood species matters more than most homeowners expect. Matching pine or pressure-treated lumber is inexpensive and readily available. Matching old-growth cedar, redwood, or true hardwood trim requires sourcing specialty lumber — sometimes custom-milled — and adds meaningful cost. If an exact match isn't possible, we'll use epoxy consolidant and filler to restore the original profile without replacement, which is often the more cost-effective path on character wood.
Finally, damage severity determines how much prep work is required before any fill or replacement goes in. Cosmetic surface rot can be treated with consolidant, filled, sanded, and painted in a single visit. Moderate damage requires probing for hidden rot pockets, removing compromised material, and treating surrounding wood with borate. Structural damage requires a thorough assessment, temporary support in some cases, and full section replacement with approved lumber. Getting the severity assessment right is exactly why our free inspection matters — and why rough online estimates always come with a range rather than a single number.
Common Cost Questions
How much does wood rot repair cost in St. Louis?
Costs range from around $200 for minor door frame repairs up to $8,000 or more for structural work. Most homeowners in the St. Louis area spend between $500 and $3,500 for common repairs — deck boards, fascia, siding, and window sills. The calculator above gives you a personalized range based on your specific situation.
Is wood rot repair cheaper than full replacement?
In most cases, yes — often 60–80% less. Repairing rotted deck boards averages $800–$4,500; replacing an entire deck runs $15,000–$30,000. We always present both options in our estimate. When replacement genuinely makes more sense (damage exceeding 50% of the structure), we'll tell you.
What factors affect the cost of wood rot repair?
Four main factors: repair type (structural vs. cosmetic), square footage affected, wood species (pine vs. hardwood or redwood), and damage severity. The calculator weighs all four. For structural repairs especially, an in-person inspection is the only reliable way to get a firm number.