IS IT WOOD ROT? - Not Everything That Looks Like Rot Is Rot.

Wood rot gives itself away in three different ways, and checking all three catches more than relying on any one alone. Visually: discoloration that's darker, grayer, or has a bleached look compared to surrounding healthy wood, a cube-like cracking pattern across the grain, paint that's bubbling or peeling in one specific spot rather than evenly, and any visible softness or crumbling at joints, corners, or where wood meets another material. Physically: the Poke Test is the single most reliable check, press a flathead screwdriver firmly into the suspect wood. Solid wood resists. Decayed wood gives way easily, often sinking a quarter inch or more with barely any pressure. Tapping the wood and listening for a dull, hollow sound compared to a sharper sound elsewhere on the same piece is a useful second check. By smell: a persistent musty, earthy odor near an exterior wall, window, or crawl space, especially one that's stronger after rain, often means active decay is already underway even before any visual sign is obvious from the outside.

Rot doesn't stay small, and it doesn't pause because addressing it isn't convenient right now. It's an active, living fungus that keeps consuming wood as long as moisture is present, and it can go dormant during a dry spell and reactivate the moment the same spot gets wet again, meaning a finding you decide to "keep an eye on" doesn't actually stop progressing just because you're watching it. The good news is that an early, contained finding is almost always the cheapest and simplest stage to address, usually a straightforward epoxy consolidation rather than a full replacement. The only way to know which stage you're actually at, rather than guessing from the outside, is a documented moisture-meter reading at the specific location, which is exactly what a free 20-point inspection gives you before any repair decision gets made.

The most reliable check is the Poke Test: press a flathead screwdriver into the wood. Solid wood resists. Decayed wood gives way easily, often sinking a quarter inch or more. Look for discoloration, a cube-like cracking pattern, or a musty smell, especially at windowsills, deck boards, and siding near ground level.

Wood rot and mold often show up together but aren't the same thing. Mold grows on the surface and is mainly an air-quality concern. Wood rot consumes the wood itself and compromises its structural integrity.

It depends entirely on the extent, which isn't something you can judge by eye. A documented moisture-meter reading tells you whether the affected wood is repairable with an epoxy consolidant or needs replacing. Early findings are almost always repairable. The only way to know for certain is an actual reading, not a guess.

Vancouver's roughly six-month wet season, mild temperatures that don't freeze decay dormant the way colder climates do, and, in many neighbourhoods, mature tree canopy that keeps siding and trim shaded and slow to dry, combine to make this a persistent issue here in a way it isn't everywhere in Canada.

It depends on how far the decay has progressed, and that's decided by a moisture-meter reading, not a visual guess. If sound wood remains, epoxy consolidation restores structural integrity. If decay has compromised the wood beyond that point, replacement is the honest answer. We tell you which one applies to your specific finding, in writing.

No. Painting over active rot traps moisture in rather than letting it escape, and it hides the wood's condition from view, making it harder to track whether the problem is getting worse. It's a common, well-intentioned mistake, not a fix.

Moisture control is the only thing that actually halts fungal activity. While arranging a proper repair, address any active leak source immediately, improve airflow to the area, and keep it as dry as possible. This buys time, it doesn't replace finding and fixing the actual cause.

Windowsills, brickmold, deck boards and ledgers, siding near ground level, fascia and soffits, and door thresholds, anywhere wood sits in repeated contact with water without a clear way to dry out.

Rot doesn't stay small. It's an active, living fungus that keeps consuming wood as long as moisture is present, and it can even go dormant when dry and reactivate once it's wet again. A small, contained finding today is the cheapest and simplest stage to address it.

A full 20-point check covering the most common failure points on a property, an actual moisture-meter reading at each relevant location, and a written report with our findings and a quote within 15 minutes of finishing the inspection if work is recommended. No charge, no obligation.

It depends entirely on the extent of decay and whether the fix is a repair or a replacement, which is exactly why we don't quote a number without seeing the wood and taking a real reading first. The free inspection gives you an actual, written price for your specific situation, not a rough estimate.

It ranges from a same-day fix for a contained repair to about a week for a larger job like a full deck replacement, depending on scope. Your written quote includes a realistic timeline for your specific job.

Yes. Every job comes with our 2-year craftsmanship guarantee. If our workmanship fails during that time, we repair or replace the work at no charge. Full terms are in your written quote.

We serve Vancouver and the surrounding Metro Vancouver area. If your community isn't specifically listed on our service area page, call us, we likely still travel there.