Project example: refinishing a two-bedroom rental between tenants — what happens and what it costs

The scenario

Picture a two-bedroom apartment in an older building, about 900 square feet of oak strip floor. The last tenant had a dog, and there are scratches by the door, a darkened corner by the kitchen and visible paths between rooms.

The owner has about ten days between leases. A recoat would not hide the scratches in the wood, so the floor is sanded. Pet-related stains are checked; the corner has not gone through the boards, so it sands out.

The building is old, so the installer tests the paint on the baseboards and any old adhesive near the kitchen before sanding. A schedule is agreed with the building so that the work fits the allowed hours.

What the job involves

1. The unit is emptied, and the floor is checked for staples, nails and stains.
2. Paint and adhesive in old layers are tested before sanding.
3. A vacuum-connected sander and an edger take the floor down in grits.
4. Gaps and nail holes are filled, and the floor is vacuumed.
5. Two coats of a durable finish with a satin sheen are applied.
6. The unit stays closed until the finish maker's times allow light use.

Materials and prep

• Sander with a vacuum hose and an edger
• Wood filler and test kits for old paint
• Durable waterborne or oil-modified finish
• Plastic sheeting and tape

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Moving fixtures or furniture out and back — +$300–$1,200. Moving furniture or fixtures out and back is included as a flat line.
• One extra finish coat, whole floor — +$500–$2,200. An extra finish coat is a separate line.
• Baseboards, shoe molding and thresholds — +$300–$1,200. New baseboards and thresholds are a separate line.

Why it is done this way

Rental turnovers are priced by the day as much as by the foot. A job that takes a week costs the owner a week of rent, so the schedule is part of the quote.

The tenant condition is the swing factor. Wear paths and pet damage together add about $2–$5 per square foot in this calculator, and that is a bigger move than the choice of sheen.

The lease and California law decide who pays for damage beyond normal wear. This site does not give legal advice. For an owner with several units the repeating part of this job is the paperwork: a written scope that lists what is sanded, what is recoated, what is replaced and who moves what. The same list can be reused for the next turnover, and comparing it with the final bill makes it clear whether the work was done as quoted. Keep the photos taken at move-in and at move-out, since they are the owner's record if a deposit is ever disputed, and note the sheen and the finish product so the next recoat matches.

What would change the price

• Pet stains go through the boards and need replacing.
• Old paint or adhesive tests positive and special handling is needed.
• The floor is waxed and a recoat would not have stuck anyway.
• The unit is vacant for fewer days than the job needs.
• The owner chooses a color change.