EXAMPLE AT A GLANCE
This fictional Victoria, British Columbia deck staining example has 7 itemized costs and a C$3,263.00 total before tax or markup. The PDF, quantities, unit rates and scope assumptions match the table below.
Use this completed deck staining document to see how a specific job becomes a client-facing estimate. The project, business, customer and amounts are fictional. For the 320 sq. ft. accessible deck in Victoria, British Columbia, the example uses the measured trade units shown in its PDF. Residential jobs may mix square feet, linear feet, counts and supplier units; keep each line’s measurement basis visible. Check access, grades, drainage and seasonal site conditions. Confirm any property-line, utility, design or municipal requirements that apply before committing to the work. The figures are fictional CAD inputs, not a local price survey.
Project scope: 320 sq. ft. accessible deck
Prepare and stain 320 square feet of accessible deck walking surface plus 90 linear feet of railing. Include protection, cleaning, limited sanding allowance, stain material allowance, application labour and cleanup. No board replacement or full stripping.
- Example location
- Victoria, British Columbia
- Prepared by
- Cedar & Beam Builders · fictional business
- Prepared for
- Jordan Taylor · fictional client
- Issued / valid through
- September 25 / October 25, 2026
Measure this work on the actual property before using any quantity. The illustration separates supplied products or materials from installation where the selection could change. A client should be able to compare each line with the agreed work, the selected products and the limits recorded in the notes.
The 7 itemized costs in Canadian dollars
Every row below is taken from the corresponding app-exported PDF fixture. Multiply the quantity by the unit rate to check the amount. These rates were chosen for this fictional example; they are not advertised prices or current averages for Victoria, British Columbia.
| Work item | Quantity | Unit rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site protection and setup | 1 job | C$245.00 | C$245.00 |
| Deck cleaning | 320 sq. ft. | C$1.25 | C$400.00 |
| Limited sanding allowance | 6 hours | C$81.00 | C$486.00 |
| Stain material allowance | 1 job | C$605.00 | C$605.00 |
| Walking-surface application | 320 sq. ft. | C$2.45 | C$784.00 |
| Railing application | 90 linear ft. | C$6.20 | C$558.00 |
| Cleanup | 1 job | C$185.00 | C$185.00 |
| Subtotal / example total | C$3,263.00 | ||
Two calculation checks:
- Deck cleaning: 320 sq. ft. × C$1.25 = C$400.00.
- Limited sanding allowance: 6 hours × C$81.00 = C$486.00.
The PDF shows a 0% tax entry, so the illustrated tax is C$0.00 and the total remains C$3,263.00. This only describes the example. Confirm the applicable tax treatment and any markup for the real job before issuing your estimate.
Assumptions that change the price
Measure walking boards, stairs and railings separately. The 320-square-foot deck area does not automatically include 90 linear feet of railing detail.
Record peeling coating, bare wood and damaged boards. This sample allows limited sanding, not a complete strip or carpentry repair.
Identify product, colour and application requirements before ordering. The fictional material allowance does not represent universal coverage.
Outside this example: No board replacement, structural repair, full coating removal, furniture moving or guaranteed colour match to aged wood.
Check access, grades, drainage and seasonal site conditions. Confirm any property-line, utility, design or municipal requirements that apply before committing to the work. An allowance is a stated placeholder, not a promise to cover all work discovered later. If a selected product, quantity or hidden condition changes, update the affected line and explain the revision before proceeding.
Download the actual app PDF
The linked PDF was exported from Estimates for this fictional Canadian project. It carries the project scope, customer, work items, quantities, CAD rates and subtotal used in this table, plus a short note on tax, markup and one key exclusion. The detailed exclusions above remain important when adapting the example. Preview every PDF page, including the final totals and note.
Use the structure for a real job
- Replace Victoria, British Columbia and the example scope with the actual site and customer details.
- Measure the work and confirm the product schedule with the client.
- Replace every fictional CAD rate with your own labour, supplier and subcontractor inputs.
- Check exclusions, approvals, tax, markup and the document’s validity period for the real project.
- Preview the final PDF and recheck the total before sharing.
- Measure deck, stairs and railings.
- Record coating condition and board repairs.
- Select stain product.
- Agree furniture, access and weather assumptions.
Common questions
Does deck staining include cleaning?
Only when listed. This sample includes a measured cleaning line and limited sanding allowance.
Can railing be included in deck square footage?
Railing is better measured and described separately because its detail work differs from walking boards.
For the planning steps behind this document, read the deck staining estimating guide.
