Repairing a deck with termite damage - Please help!

[Natalie Hahn]

A termite company found extensive termite damage on the deck of our house and is offering to do a repair/remodel and bringing it up to code for $15,000. Our deck is very old and needs a lot of work, but this still seems like an awfully high price. They did not say what type of wood they would use. We don't have any experience in deck repairs though, so wanted to ask if this is normal amount?

I haven't measured the deck size, but looking at pictures of similar sized decks this one seems like it's around 12x20 or 12x24 at the most. This particular termite company also has a general contractor license so they are also able to do remodels and certify them as being termite-free. The house is located in the SF Bay Area, if that makes any difference. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Below is a picture of a deck that is similar in size/layout to the deck of our house:

[Bob H.]

Termite companies in California typically charge ridiculous amounts for repair work. There is an implied threat that, if you don't use their repair service, you will have to pay again for an inspection after the repairs. It's a racket. In other states, termites are no big deal -- just a routine problem that comes up occasionally and can be dealt with economically. In California termite inspection is more like extortion. Make your own repairs or find another contractor.