How much does it cost to rescreen a pool cage?
In Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte County, a full rescreen of a sound pool cage typically runs $1,200 to $3,500. A single torn panel is a different job: $150 to $650. Those are our own written estimates, not a national average, and the number on your quote comes from an on-site measurement.
Rescreening is the cheapest way to make a tired cage look new, and most homeowners who call us about replacing a cage need this instead. Below is what sets the price, which mesh is worth paying for, and how to tell a rescreen from a frame problem.
Typical rescreening prices (2026)
| Job | Typical range | What sets it |
|---|---|---|
| One or two torn panels | $150–$650 | Number of bays, height, whether a door is involved |
| Full rescreen, small to average cage | $1,200–$2,200 | Panel count, single-storey height, standard fiberglass mesh |
| Full rescreen, large or two-storey cage | $2,200–$3,500 | Tall spans, more panels, lift or scaffold access |
| Rescreen with upgraded mesh | add 15–40% | No-see-um, pet-resistant or polyester instead of standard |
| Screen doors rehung and rescreened | $150–$400 each | Rollers, closers, handles and frame condition |
| Rescreen together with a repaint | $3,500–$9,000 | Done as one restoration, one mobilization |
These are typical ranges, not a quote. Every project we price is measured on site and comes back written and itemized, so you can compare it line for line against anyone else’s.
Why we do not quote by the panel
A per-panel price sounds transparent and hides the parts that matter. Two cages with the same number of bays can differ by a thousand dollars because one is eight feet tall over a deck and the other is eighteen feet over water, or because one needs new spline and stainless fasteners throughout and the other does not. Ask any contractor quoting by the panel what happens when they find corroded fasteners on the second day.
The five things that move a rescreening quote
- Size and panel count. The single biggest factor. A cage over a pool plus a wide deck has far more screen than one hugging the water’s edge.
- Height and access. Two-storey cages and tall gable or dome roofs need lifts or scaffold, which is labor before any mesh goes on.
- Which mesh. Standard fiberglass is the baseline. No-see-um, pet-resistant and polyester each cost more and each solve a different problem.
- Spline and fasteners. We install new spline rather than reusing the old, and we replace corroded screws. On coastal and canal lots this is a real share of the job.
- Doors and hardware. Rollers, closers and latches wear out on the same clock as the screen and are usually worth doing in the same visit.
Which screen to pay for
| Mesh | Expected life in Florida | Worth it when |
|---|---|---|
| Phifer 18/14 fiberglass, woven in Alabama | 8 to 10 years | The default for most cages. What we quote and what we install. |
| Imported fiberglass | 3 to 4 years | Never, at our prices. It is where a cheap quote comes from. |
| No-see-um 20×20 | 7 to 9 years | Waterfront, canal and preserve lots where tiny insects get through standard mesh. |
| Pet-resistant | 8 to 10 years | The bottom row where a dog leans, pushes or scratches. |
| Perfect Screen polyester | 10+ years | Wide bays and windy exposures where fiberglass stretches. |
| Florida Glass / Glas-Shield | 10+ years | Kick plates and lower panels, for privacy and to stop splash. |
Ask whoever quotes your cage which brand goes on it, and ask them to write it down. Mesh is the one part of this job where the difference between cheap and good is invisible on day one and obvious in year four.
Rescreen, repair, or is it the frame?
- Panel repair ($150–$650): one or two torn bays with an obvious cause, and the rest of the screen is still tight to the touch. How screen repair works.
- Full rescreen ($1,200–$3,500): the mesh tears at the spline on its own, sags when you press it, or has gone chalky and grey. The frame is fine; the screen is finished.
- Restoration ($3,500–$9,000): sound aluminium with a tired finish, rust streaks at the fasteners and hardware to replace. Usually rescreened in the same trip. How restoration works.
- Replacement (five figures): corrosion through the anchors, an upright that flexes by hand, or storm damage to the structure. New mesh on a failing frame is money wasted. New pool cage costs.
We tell you which of the four you have during the estimate, including when the answer is the cheapest one.
How long a rescreen takes
Most full rescreens are a one-day job for an average cage, two days for a large or two-storey one. No permit is required to rescreen a sound structure, so there is nothing to wait for: scheduling is usually within the same week. Panel repairs are a single visit.
What a real rescreening quote should say
Before you sign anything, the quote should name four things. The mesh brand and specification, not just “new screen”. Whether the spline is new or the old spline is being reused. Whether fasteners are being replaced where they have corroded. And the warranty, separated into labor and material. Ours is one year on workmanship plus the Phifer manufacturer warranty on the mesh, and it is written into every estimate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost to rescreen a pool cage in Florida?
For a sound cage in our three counties, $1,200 to $3,500 covers most full rescreens, with small single-storey cages at the bottom and large or two-storey cages at the top. Quotes far below that range usually mean imported mesh, reused spline, or both.
Is there a rescreening calculator?
We do not publish one, because the honest inputs are not things you can measure from a chair: panel count, height, access, spline and fastener condition. The measurement is free and takes about twenty minutes.
How often does a pool cage need rescreening?
With Phifer fiberglass, roughly every eight to ten years in this climate. Sun and salt do the damage, so a west-facing or waterfront cage reaches the end sooner than a sheltered one. Ten signs yours is due.
Can I rescreen only part of the cage?
Yes, and sometimes it is the right call. The catch is that new mesh next to eight-year-old mesh is visibly different, so on a cage where the whole screen is the same age we usually recommend doing it all at once.
Can I rescreen it myself?
The screen work itself is a genuine DIY job on a low cage, and the tools are inexpensive. What sends most people to a contractor is height, the length of an unbroken run of mesh, and getting the tension even so it does not sag in a season.
Can a rescreen be financed?
Yes. Projects up to $65,000 can be financed through Wisetack with up to six payment plans, and checking your options does not affect your credit score. Subject to credit approval.
Get a number for your cage
Call or text 2H Rescreening at (941) 961-0162, or request an estimate online. We measure on site, check the frame and the anchors before quoting the mesh, and send a written, itemized scope. Licensed Florida contractor CRC1334065, 4.9 stars from 375+ Google reviews, serving Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte County since 2017.