Can deck posts or footings stay for the replacement?

Provide the proposed replacement layout and identify which posts or footings you hope to retain. Their location may not suit new stairs, spans or deck dimensions. Ask the receiving builder what evidence is needed before relying on them.

The visible post does not establish the complete buried support or its condition. Treat unknown depth, construction and concealed deterioration as assessment questions. This page supplies no footing-size rule or approval for reuse; that decision belongs to the responsible designer and applicable municipal review.

Mark supports that must remain untouched for assessment separately from those already accepted in the replacement plan. A label saying “keep” should explain which meaning applies. Otherwise, demolition can finish with an assumption the next builder has never agreed to.

If the exposed condition changes the decision, obtain a revised instruction before extending removal. Agree who assesses the finding and how the temporary area will be protected. The deck and fence permit guide covers the separate approval question for the overall project.

If footings are removed, define what happens to the resulting holes and who prepares the site for the new work. If they remain, document their location and keep them identifiable until the builder takes over. Neither outcome should leave the next contractor guessing where buried pieces are.

Also identify the house connection, retained paving and planting beside the work. A request to preserve a footing does not imply that the ledger, framing or other old components are suitable for reuse. Keep each retained element tied to its own acceptance decision.

For deck and fence removal, request an estimate with the replacement plan and the supports marked for review or retention.