Every spring, Bay Area homeowners search for the most up-to-date cost to restain a deck. Weathered boards, fading stain, and peeling rails not only hurt curb appeal—they can shorten a deck’s lifespan. CountBricks is here to demystify the numbers and hand you a crystal-clear path to a flawless finish, all backed by our AI-driven residential construction estimating platform.
The typical California homeowner spends between $3 and $6 per square foot on a professional restain. For a 300 sq ft deck, that equals $900–$1,800. Prices pivot on multiple variables, so treat the following as a baseline that CountBricks can refine in seconds:
• Labor: 60 – 70 % of total cost, reflecting prep work, sanding, and application time
• Materials: 20 – 25 % for premium stain, brushes, sprayers, and masking supplies
• Repairs & prep extras: 5 – 15 % for board replacement, fasteners, or mildew treatment
More surface area means more sanding discs, stain gallons, and labor hours.
Intricate rail systems can double the application time compared to open designs.
Oil-based stains strip faster than thick, film-forming paints—affecting prep costs.
Softwoods like redwood soak up more stain; aged cedar often demands extra milling.
Second-story decks require safety staging and raise labor rates.
San Francisco’s skilled trades command higher hourly wages than many U.S. metros.
Rather than juggling spreadsheets, homeowners and contractors launch a real-time voice session inside the CountBricks app. Our AI listens, measures, and builds an itemized proposal on the fly. Within minutes you receive:
• Square-foot calculations pulled directly from blueprint uploads or smartphone scans
• Live material pricing sourced from local suppliers
• Labor hour benchmarks matched to regional wage data
• Automatic markup, tax, and contingency line items
• A ready-to-send branded quote plus future invoice scheduling
Visit CountBricks.com/services to see a sample deck restaining estimate.
1. Initiate a voice call in the app and describe deck dimensions.
2. Upload photos or PDF plans; CountBricks AI traces and quantifies every board.
3. Select stain quality—good, better, or premium—based on desired durability.
4. Review the dynamic cost table populated in real time.
5. Approve the scope; CountBricks emails a PDF proposal to your client instantly.
A DIYer can spend as little as $2 per sq ft for tools and stain, but factor in:
• 10-20 hours of weekend labor
• Rental fees for a drum sander or pressure washer
• Risk of uneven finish or warranty voids
Professional crews deliver speed, warranty, and flawless coverage—often saving money long-term by avoiding premature reworking.
• Schedule work in the off-season (late fall) when labor demand dips.
• Choose semi-transparent stain: fewer coats than solid color, less material.
• Bundle minor repairs with restaining to leverage contractor mobilization.
• Use CountBricks to compare supplier pricing in seconds instead of driving store to store.
Don’t rely on guesswork. Unlock fast, data-driven pricing—and keep your deck looking showroom-new—by starting a free estimate session at CountBricks.com/consultation today.
A San Francisco homeowner recently turned to CountBricks to tackle a weather-beaten redwood deck overlooking the Pacific. The client needed an accurate cost to restain a deck before an upcoming open-house listing.
• 400 sq ft main deck plus 60 linear ft of rail
• Existing solid stain flaking after 5 years of coastal fog
• Minor rot on three stair treads
1. The contractor launched a five-minute voice session while onsite. Our AI mapped surface areas from smartphone photos and suggested 9 gallons of premium marine-grade stain.
2. Live pricing pulled from two local suppliers showed a $2.30/gallon difference. The user chose the lower-cost vendor with one tap, saving $20.70 instantly.
3. Labor hours auto-calculated at 26.5 based on rail density and stair repair complexity. Regional wage data set the labor line at $1,460.
4. The homeowner received a polished PDF quote—$2,420 total—before the contractor even packed up his ladder.
• Accepted quote within 24 hours
• Project completed in three days, inspected and signed off via the CountBricks mobile checklist
• Home sold above asking; realtor credited the refreshed deck as a key curb-appeal booster
The case illustrates how CountBricks eliminates pricing delays, aligns material selections with real inventory, and gives both contractors and homeowners confidence. Whether your project is a cozy 200 sq ft patio or a multilevel entertainer’s deck, our platform scales instantly—no spreadsheets, no surprises. Explore additional success stories at CountBricks.com/portfolio and see how effortlessly you can generate, send, and win more residential construction bids.
