What is the cost of replacing a deck ledger board in New Brunswick?

Replacing a deck ledger board in New Brunswick typically costs $800–$2,500, depending on the size of your deck and the extent of the damage.

The ledger board is the single most critical connection point on an attached deck — it's the piece of lumber bolted directly to your house that carries half the deck's load. Because it sits against your home's rim joist and is often hidden behind flashing and siding, ledger replacement is more labour-intensive than it looks from the outside. This is not a DIY job.

What drives the cost

The biggest variable is what the contractor finds once they open things up. A straightforward ledger swap on a 12x16 deck — remove old board, inspect the rim joist, install new pressure-treated lumber, re-flash, re-seal — runs roughly $800–$1,500. If the rot has spread into your house's rim joist or band joist (very common in NB when flashing was missing or failed), you're looking at $1,500–$2,500+ because the contractor now has to repair structural framing inside your home's floor system before the new ledger can even go in.

Labour typically accounts for 60–70% of the cost. The ledger board itself — properly rated pressure-treated lumber (UC4B minimum where it contacts the house) — is relatively inexpensive material. What you're paying for is the skill and time to do it right: removing decking boards to access the connection, pulling the old ledger, inspecting and repairing what's behind it, installing the new board with proper lag bolts (not nails — ever), and installing continuous metal flashing that directs water away from the house. That flashing step is non-negotiable in New Brunswick's wet Maritime climate.

Why NB conditions make this repair urgent

Our 100+ freeze-thaw cycles per year are brutal on a compromised ledger connection. Water gets behind a poorly flashed ledger, soaks into the rim joist, freezes, expands, and quietly destroys the wood over several winters. By the time you notice soft spots or movement in your deck, the damage is often well established. If your deck was built before 2010 or you've never had the ledger inspected, it's worth having a contractor take a look — especially before another NB winter hits.

Practical tips before you call a contractor

Check for early warning signs yourself: push firmly on the deck where it meets the house — any flex or movement is a red flag. Look for dark staining, soft wood, or gaps between the ledger and house wall. Also check inside your basement or crawlspace at the rim joist area directly behind the deck connection for any signs of moisture or rot.

Because ledger replacement involves structural framing and typically requires opening up the deck-to-house connection, a building permit may be required depending on your municipality — worth confirming with your local building department in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John, or wherever you're located.

This is firmly in the "hire a professional" category. An improperly attached ledger is the leading cause of deck collapse in Canada. A qualified contractor will use the correct lag bolt pattern, proper flashing, and ensure the connection meets NB Building Code.

New Brunswick Decks can match you with a local deck builder for a free estimate on your ledger repair — it's a quick way to get eyes on the problem and an accurate number for your specific situation.