Wood Rot & Dry Rot Repair Berkeley, CA 94704

Carpentry in Berkeley, CA (94704) · Local Professionals

Oakland Carpentry · Fast response in Berkeley and the Oakland area · Free estimate 24h

✅ CSLB Insured Contractor - C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry / B General Building 🛡️ Fully Insured 💸 Free Quote 24h 🕐 Mon-Sun 7am-7pm

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Berkeley's brown-shingle Maybeck homes and craftsman bungalows in the hills are built on steep, wooded lots where wood-frame construction meets old-growth coast live oak, redwood, and eucalyptus trees. Oakland Carpentry has been repairing and restoring the wood structures in these homes since 2016.

Homeowners in Berkeley (94704) call us when wood rot appears in a sill plate or fascia, when termite damage shows up after a pest inspection, when a floor goes soft or bouncy, or when structural framing needs sistering or replacement. We're local, we show up, and we explain what we find before we quote the work.

Residential Carpentry in Berkeley (94704)

Berkeley sits east of the fog belt in the Bay Area's warmest microclimate. That means dry summers, mild winters, and less fog-driven rot than San Francisco sees. But it also means termites are active year-round, and wood shrinks and moves with seasonal swings. The hills around Berkeley climb steeply toward the Hayward Fault ridgeline, and many homes are built on steep wooded lots with redwood and coast live oak overhead. Older Victorians and Edwardians near the bay have settled framing and ground-line rot from moisture and age. Craftsman bungalows and brown-shingle homes in the hills face different pressures: seismic movement, wood-shrinkage cracking, sticking doors and windows, and the occasional branch load on a structure.

We've been serving Berkeley and the surrounding Oakland area since 2016. Our team handles wood rot and dry rot repair, structural framing, termite damage restoration, floor joist and subfloor work, beam replacement, finish carpentry, trim and crown molding, door installation, built-ins, deck and porch repair, and exterior trim work. We work from your own pest inspection report and explain the pathology honestly. Repair when the wood justifies it, replacement when it doesn't.

Our services in Berkeley

Wood Rot & Dry Rot Repair in Berkeley · Rot in Oakland is usually local: a leaking gutter, a failed flashing…
Termite Damage Repair in Berkeley · Subterranean and drywood termites are a bigger threat to Oakland wood-frame…
Floor Joist & Subfloor Repair in Berkeley · Bouncy floors in Oakland's Victorians and post-war bungalows trace to a cracked…
Beam Replacement & Load-Bearing Wall Removal in Berkeley · Opening up a wall in Oakland means thinking about the Hayward Fault as much as…
Framing & Structural Carpentry in Berkeley · New walls, garage and basement build-outs, openings…
Finish & Trim Carpentry in Berkeley · In Oakland's Victorians and Preservation Park stock nothing is plumb or square…
Crown Molding & Baseboard Installation in Berkeley · Crown, base, chair rail and window trim with coped joints and clean caulk lines.
Custom Built-Ins & Shelving in Berkeley · Bookshelves, window seats, media walls and closet systems built for Oakland's…
Interior Door Installation & Repair in Berkeley · Doors that stick or swing open on their own are an Oakland signature…
Exterior & Entry Door Installation in Berkeley · Entry, back and French doors set plumb…
Cabinet & Vanity Installation in Berkeley · Most of Oakland's older housing stock has floors that have moved and walls that…
Stair & Railing Repair in Berkeley · We repair and rebuild the staircases Oakland's Victorians and Edwardians climb…
Deck & Porch Repair in Berkeley · Oakland decks fail at the connections and the ground line long before the…
Fascia, Soffit & Exterior Trim Repair in Berkeley · Soft fascia and peeling paint at the roofline are the first sign water is…

How a Job Works in Berkeley

You call us at (510) 694-8835 or reach out online. We schedule a free on-site assessment, usually within a few days. We show up on time, look at the damage, ask questions about water entry or pest activity, and explain what we see. We don't pressure you or invent urgency. We give you a clear, itemized estimate and answer your questions.

If you hire us, we schedule the work around your calendar and any HOA approvals that might be needed. Many Berkeley properties sit on steep lots with tight access or near power lines, so we plan carefully. We bring our own tools and materials, do the work cleanly, and protect your landscaping and interior finishes. Structural work like beam replacement or load-bearing wall alteration commonly requires a permit from the Berkeley Building Department and may require a licensed structural engineer. We'll tell you upfront what permits apply and help you coordinate with the city.

When we're done, we clean up, walk through the finished work with you, and leave your property ready to use. We document the work for insurance claims if you need that help.

Wood rot repair typically starts around $650 for a small area and scales up with the extent of damage and the structural member involved. A sill plate repair costs more than surface rot in fascia. Termite damage repair starts around $1,200 because the wood is often compromised throughout a framing bay. Floor joist or subfloor work starts around $1,800 and depends on how much wood needs replacing and whether the house needs temporary support during the work. Beam replacement or a load-bearing wall alteration starts around $3,500 and depends on the span, the load, and the complexity of the framing. Finish carpentry like crown molding, baseboard, or trim casing starts around $450 to $550 per job and scales with the linear footage and the detail required. Door installation ranges from $350 for an interior door to $850 for an exterior or entry door, depending on the frame condition and whether the opening needs adjustment. The biggest cost drivers are the extent of damage, whether we're repairing or replacing, site access, and whether permits and engineering are needed. Call us at (510) 694-8835 for a free estimate. We'll look at your specific situation and give you honest pricing.

✅ CSLB Insured Contractor - C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry / B General Building, fully insured for work in Berkeley and nearby areas.

I have a brown-shingle home in the Berkeley hills and noticed soft wood in the fascia. Is this an emergency?

Not necessarily an emergency, but it does need prompt attention. Soft or spongy fascia usually means water is getting in behind the trim or the gutter is overflowing. The wood will continue to deteriorate if moisture keeps entering. We recommend a free inspection within a week or two. Once we see it, we can tell you whether the damage is surface-level or has reached the rafter tails and soffit. If it's localized, repair is usually the honest answer. If it's widespread, fascia and soffit replacement makes more sense. Call us at (510) 694-8835 to schedule a look.

My pest inspection found termite damage in a floor joist. Do you treat the termites?

No. We repair and replace the wood that termites have damaged. Termite treatment and pest control are a separate licensed trade, and that's not what we do. Your pest control contractor handles the active infestation. Once they've done their work and you have clearance, we come in and replace the damaged joists or rim board. We work from your pest inspection report and replace the wood to code. The two trades work in sequence, not together.

How much does it cost to remove a tree from a Berkeley lot?

We don't do tree removal or tree service. We're residential carpenters. We repair and restore the wood structures in your home, including damage from trees (like a branch load on a roof or wood rot in siding). If you need a tree taken down, that's a job for a tree service company. Once the tree is gone and the wood damage is visible, call us to repair the framing, fascia, or deck that was affected.

Do I need a permit to replace a beam or remove a load-bearing wall in my Berkeley home?

Almost certainly yes. Beam replacement and load-bearing wall removal are structural work and require a permit from the Berkeley Building Department. The threshold and specific requirements vary, so you need to verify with the city. Structural work commonly requires a licensed structural engineer to size the beam or header and produce engineered drawings. We can't provide engineering services, but we can tell you upfront that a permit and engineering are likely needed and help you coordinate with the city and your engineer. Call us at (510) 694-8835 to discuss your specific project.

My neighbor's redwood tree is overhanging my deck. What are my options?

You have the right to trim branches that cross the property line, but you must stay on your own side of the line and you can't damage the tree. Many Berkeley properties have HOA rules that govern tree work, so check your CC&Rs before you cut anything. If the branch is a genuine hazard (dead wood, storm damage, or a real load risk), document it and notify your neighbor in writing. If it's just overhang, trimming it yourself or hiring a tree service to do it is usually the path. If you're worried about branch load on a structure, we can look at the framing and tell you whether reinforcement or bracing is needed.

Is your crew fully insured for work on my Berkeley property?

Yes. We are fully insured with general liability and workers' compensation coverage. We carry the insurance your homeowner's policy expects to see, and we can provide proof of coverage before we start work. If you have an insurance claim related to the damage we're repairing, we can help you document the work and the repair scope for your adjuster.

What should I do to prepare my home for the dry season in Berkeley?

Summer in Berkeley is hot and dry, and that's when wood shrinkage and movement show up most visibly. Check gutters and downspouts in late spring to make sure water is flowing away from the house. Look at the siding, fascia, and trim for gaps or cracks that opened over the winter, and caulk them before the dry months. If you have older foundation work or settled framing, you might notice doors sticking or windows binding as humidity drops. That's normal seasonal movement, but if a door won't close or a window won't open, call us. We can adjust jambs or rehang doors without a big rebuild. In fall, before the rains come, inspect the roof, gutters, and any exposed wood trim for damage or soft spots. Catching small problems in fall saves money in spring.