Replacing a deck in Denver costs $40–$70 per square foot for composite plus roughly $1,500–$3,500 for teardown and disposal in 2026 — about $14,500–$28,500 for a 16×20. If the framing is sound, re-decking runs $20–$35 per square foot instead, or $6,400–$11,200 for the same deck.
If your deck went up in the '80s or '90s — and plenty across Centennial, Littleton, and the south metro did — you're not researching a luxury. You're pricing overdue maintenance on the most-used room of the house. Here's what deck replacement actually costs across the Denver metro in 2026.
Replace, or re-deck?
Two very different projects hide under the phrase "deck replacement":
- Re-decking (resurfacing). The framing underneath is sound, so the old boards and railings come off and a new surface goes on over the structure you already own. Typical Denver-metro range: $20–$35 per square foot installed for capped composite; our deck resurfacing cost guide has the breakdown.
- Full replacement. Teardown to grade, haul-off, new engineered footings and framing, new surface and code-current railings. This is new-deck pricing plus demolition: $40–$70 per square foot for composite, plus roughly $1,500–$3,500 for teardown and disposal, depending on size and access.
Against the three most common sizes:
| Size | Re-deck (sound framing) | Full replacement (with tear-out) |
|---|---|---|
| 12×16 (192 sq ft) | $3,800–$6,700 | $9,500–$16,500 |
| 16×20 (320 sq ft) | $6,400–$11,200 | $14,500–$28,500 |
| 20×24 (480 sq ft) | $9,600–$16,800 | $20,500–$40,500 |
On the average 16×20, the framing verdict is worth roughly $8,000–$17,000 — not a preference, a structural fact. That's why every replacement quote we give starts with a real inspection: ledger, footings, posts, joists, hardware. If the bones are good, we say so and quote the cheaper job.
Which job your deck needs
The inspection, in decision-rule form:
- Re-deck qualifies when joists pass the screwdriver test (a blade that sinks in means rot), the ledger is bolted and flashed, and footings sit at frost depth.
- Replacement wins when rot has reached more than one or two framing members, the ledger is nailed or unflashed, or footings poured shallow have heaved.
- The 16-inch catch. Most composite boards require joists at 16 inches on center (12 inches for diagonal layouts). Plenty of older wood decks were framed at 24 inches; sistering new joists in sometimes fixes it, but past a point the "re-deck" quietly becomes a rebuild.
Want a preview before anyone shows up? Our 10-minute deck safety inspection guide walks the same checkpoints.
What pushes the price up
- Height. Walk-out and second-story decks carry taller posts, bigger footings, and engineered railing loads. Elevated builds run 20–40% above a ground-level deck of the same size — our second-story deck cost guide breaks this down.
- What the old deck is hiding. Rotted rim joists, an unflashed ledger, or footings poured shallow of frost depth get discovered at teardown, not before. A builder who inspected first will have warned you; one who bid off a photo will change-order you.
- Code, since your last deck. Today's rules: guardrails required above 30 inches of height, at 36 inches minimum, with no opening that passes a 4-inch sphere; stair rises capped at 7¾ inches; footings at 30–36 inches for Front Range frost depth. A replacement brings all of it current — it's permitted and inspected like one, typically $150–$500 in permit fees and three inspections (footing holes, rough framing, final).
- Add-ons. Railing runs $30–$90 per linear foot installed and stairs $150–$400 per step — same as on a new build. Our stairs and railings cost guide has the full numbers.
Deck removal and demolition cost
Tearing out an old deck runs roughly $1,500–$3,500 in the Denver metro, and a replacement bid should show it as its own line.
A teardown means pulling the boards, railings and stairs, cutting out the framing, and hauling everything off the property. In the 16×20 example below, that work is the $2,000 demo and haul-off line. A lump-sum price hides it, so ask for it separately before you compare bids. Our deck replacement service covers the full scope.
A real replacement bid
For a common project — a worn 16×20 wood deck replaced with capped composite, mid-height, 36 linear feet of aluminum railing, four steps — an itemized quote lands around $18,800: roughly $900 for plans and permit, $2,000 demo and haul-off, $2,600 footings and posts, $4,900 framing, $4,300 decking, $2,300 railing, $1,100 stairs, $700 lighting rough-in. The full line-by-line version is in our deck cost guide. If your bid can't be broken into lines like these, you can't compare it to anything.
Timeline runs shorter than most people expect: 1–3 weeks for the permit, then a one-to-two-week build from tear-out to final inspection. Plan on four to six weeks door to door — which is why the smart replacements get signed in winter and built before the first barbecue.
Is replacement worth it?
Against the alternative — annual patch-and-stain triage on a dying deck — almost always. A pressure-treated deck wants a $400–$900 clean-and-restain every 2–3 years plus board and fastener repairs; call it $3,000–$5,000 per decade on a surface that's aging anyway. A capped-composite rebuild resets the clock to soap-and-water upkeep, carries 25–50 year fade-and-stain warranties, and reads as an asset on an inspection report, not a red flag. For reference, the 2025 Zonda Cost vs Value report puts a national-average 16×20 composite addition around $25,000, ~68% recouped at resale. Unlike the original builder-grade deck, a replacement is designed for how you actually use the space, not the cheapest line on a spec sheet.
Want a planning number for your square footage? Run it through our deck cost calculator. Ready for a real one? We'll come look at what you've got — if it's a re-deck, we'll tell you that too.
