Dry Rot Repair in Mercer Island, WA
Rotted siding, soft trim or water-damaged wood? We find the source, repair the damage and protect your home from future moisture.
- From $600
- Free on-site estimate
- 24-month warranty
Before
AfterCorner rebuilt, sided and painted
Prefer to talk? Call (425) 600-7002
We find where the water gets in, cut out every soft spot and rebuild it so it stays dry. A soft window sill or a bubbling corner board is usually the last sign of water that has been getting behind the paint for years. We open the area, follow the moisture back to where it came in, remove every piece of decayed wood and rebuild the framing, sheathing, flashing and trim so the wall can shed water again. We serve homeowners across Mercer Island and nearby Bellevue and Seattle.
Why rot repair comes up so often in Mercer Island
Steep, shaded lots and lake exposure combine to make dry rot a regular issue on Mercer Island homes. Older houses in East Seattle and the North End often have siding with little or no flashing behind it, while newer homes can hide rot behind complex wall intersections. We look closely at lower walls near landscaping, areas beneath windows, and joints where decks or roofs meet the house. Once we find decay, we remove every soft piece of siding, sheathing and framing, correct the water entry point, and rebuild with proper flashing and weather barrier.
Mercer Island’s homes range from 1940s and 50s cottages in East Seattle and the North End to mid-century ramblers in neighborhoods like Mercerwood, and many large newer houses built on the island’s slopes and shoreline. Older homes often have cedar or wood lap siding, while newer ones use fiber cement, stucco or mixed cladding. Lots tend to be sloped and wooded, with daylight basements and decks that step down toward Lake Washington views. Waterfront homes along East and West Mercer Way often have docks, boathouses and multi-level terraces.
Surrounded by Lake Washington, Mercer Island gets wind from almost every direction depending on the storm, and lake-facing walls take wind-driven rain. Steep, wooded slopes keep many homes shaded and damp, and dense trees around Pioneer Park and along the Mercer Ways drop needles that clog gutters. Long wet winters mean wood rarely dries out between fall and spring. Large windows and decks oriented toward the water are the most exposed parts of most homes.
Our crew comes out from our Woodinville office, and we also work in nearby Bellevue, Seattle, Medina and Kirkland.
What else we fix in Mercer Island homes with rot problems
When to call about rot repair in Mercer Island
- Wood that feels soft when you press it with a screwdriver
- Mushroom-like growth, stains or a musty smell near walls
- Rot found by a home inspector before a sale
- Siding that bows, pulls loose or is stained below windows
- Gaps, cracks or swelling at corners and window sills
Our rot repair process, step by step
Probe and document
We test soft areas with an awl and a moisture meter and photograph everything before we quote.
Find the leak
We trace where the water comes from, so the repair fixes the cause, not just the wood.
Cut out all the rot
Damaged siding, sheathing and framing come out back to solid, dry wood.
Rebuild and flash
New framing and sheathing, house wrap, and the flashing that was missing.
Close up and paint
Siding and trim to match, caulked and primed or painted. Debris hauled away.
Recent rot repair projects near Mercer Island
What we do in Mercer Island
Deck ledgers and rim joists
Where the deck meets the house, poor flashing rots the rim from inside.
Sill plates and lower walls
Soil, bark and splash-back rot the framing at the bottom of the wall.
Fascia and soffits
Clogged gutters and no drip edge keep the fascia wet all winter.
Siding at the corners
Corner boards and the bottom course hold water against the sheathing.
Columns and porch posts
Posts set on concrete wick water up and rot from the base.
Roof-to-wall joints
Missing kick-out flashing sends roof water straight into the wall below.
Neighborhoods and permits in Mercer Island
North End homes near I-90 and Luther Burbank Park include many older houses with original siding and small decks. East Seattle and the west side face Seattle across the lake, catching weather on west walls. Mercerwood and the central island have mid-century homes under heavy tree cover. The South End and properties along East Mercer Way sit on steep, wooded slopes where tall decks and daylight basements are common.
Patching small areas of trim, siding or decking with identical material rarely needs a permit. Steep-lot deck rebuilds, structural work and larger replacements usually call for one. The City of Mercer Island handles that review, and we confirm the requirements with them up front, submit what is needed, and keep inspections on the calendar.
Repair options for rotted wood
| Option | When it fits | How long it lasts | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidate and fill | Shallow soft spots in trim that has not gone through the board | A few years, longer with good paint | $ |
| Replace the damaged section | Rot limited to part of a board, sill or corner | As long as new wood, when the leak is fixed | $$ |
| Replace the full board or trim run | Rot through the board or spread along it | 20+ years with flashing and paint | $$ |
| Rebuild framing and sheathing | Rot that reached studs, plates or sheathing | For the life of the wall, when the leak is fixed | $$$ |
What rot repair typically costs in Mercer Island
| Project | Typical scope | Price range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small repair | A window sill, a corner board or one short trim run | $600 – $1,800 | 1 day |
| Medium repair | A section of siding and sheathing around a window or corner | $2,000 – $6,000 | 2–4 days |
| Large repair | Part of a wall opened up, with studs or plates replaced | $6,000 – $15,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Whole-house rot work | Several areas around the house plus flashing upgrades | $15,000+ | 2+ weeks |
These are typical 2026 ranges we see for rot repair in Mercer Island and nearby cities. Your price depends on what we find once the area is open, access and height, and the materials you choose. Every estimate is free, in writing and based on an on-site inspection with photos.
Rot repair in Mercer Island: cost and timing
Most common causes
Missing or failed flashing
Roof-to-wall joints, window heads and deck ledgers without proper flashing feed water straight into the wall.
Wood too close to the ground
Siding, trim and posts that sit in soil, bark or splash zones never get a chance to dry.
Paint and caulk that gave up
Once paint cracks at joints and end grain, wood soaks up rain and stays wet through the winter.
What drives the price in Mercer Island
The price of rot repair in Mercer Island depends on how far the damage goes once the wall is open, how much framing has to be replaced, how high the work is and what siding and trim have to be matched. A window sill or a single corner is a short job; rot that has spread behind a whole wall takes more. You get a written price after the free inspection, and we show you photos before any extra work.
Typical timeline
Small rot repairs are usually done within a few days. Bigger jobs with framing, a full wall or several spots around the house tend to run a week or two, with weather and paint cure time setting the pace.
Backed by a 24-month workmanship warranty
Written scope
You know exactly what is included before work starts, with photos of what we found.
Our own crew
The people who quote your job are the people who do it, start to finish.
Clean site daily
Debris is hauled away and your yard is left the way we found it.
24 months covered
If our workmanship fails within two years, we come back and make it right.
What homeowners near Mercer Island say
5.0 average from 113 reviews on Google, Thumbtack, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Yelp. Read all our Google reviews · Leave a review
Questions Mercer Island homeowners ask about rot repair
Do you serve all parts of Mercer Island, including steep South End lots?
How much does rot repair cost in Mercer Island?
How do I know if I have rot and not just peeling paint?
Will the rot come back?
Does homeowner insurance cover rot?
More from our crew in Mercer Island
Rot repair near Mercer Island
Rot repair services for Mercer Island homes
Tell us about your rot repair project in Mercer Island
- Licensed, bonded & insured
- Free on-site estimates
- 24-month workmanship warranty
Book a free rot repair inspection in Mercer Island
We inspect the damage on-site, show you photos of what we find and give you a written price before any work starts.