Skip to content
LoclisBeta
Sign up
HiringScreens & Screen Repair

Should I rescreen my porch myself or hire someone?

Do it yourself if the porch is at ground level, the mesh sits in spline grooves or simple wood trim, the framing is sound, and you have a helper. Hire someone if the panels are high off the ground, the wood is rotted, there are many large panels, or you want to change the porch itself. For a job over $1,000, check the business's Virginia contractor licence.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Inspect the framing first

    Press on posts, rails and the wood the screen fastens to; soft or cracked wood means a carpenter before any new mesh.

  2. Step 2: Pull the old spline

    Lift one end of the spline with pliers or a utility knife and pull it out until the old screen comes away.[1]

  3. Step 3: Measure each opening

    Measure each panel from the outside edge of the spline channel, length then width, and add 2 to 3 inches per side.[1]

  4. Step 4: Cut on a flat surface

    Roll the screen out flat and cut each piece with a utility knife against a straightedge.[1]

  5. Step 5: Hang the new piece

    With a helper holding it, set the screen over the opening with at least 1 to 2 inches of extra all round.[1]

  6. Step 6: Roll in the spline

    Press the spline into the groove with a spline roller all the way around, keeping the screen stretched tight.[1]

  7. Step 7: Trim and repeat

    Cut the spline, remove any tape, trim the spare mesh, and move to the next panel.[1]

Rescreen the porch yourself if it is at ground level, the screen sits in spline grooves or simple trim, the wood is sound, and you have a helper. Hire someone if the panels are high off the ground, the framing is soft or rotted, the panels are very large, or the job is really about rebuilding the porch. Phifer's installation guide is honest about the effort: "Typically, replacing pool and patio screening is a two-person job."[1]

A raised screened porch with tall screen panels between light-coloured columns along the side of a house, with shrubs and lawn in front
PKM, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

A quick way to decide

Walk the porch and answer four questions.

How is the screen held on? According to Phifer, the common ways to put screening on a porch are securing it into the groove of a frame with spline, stapling it to a wood structure and covering it with furring trim, or using a screen porch system.[2] Spline grooves and screen porch systems are friendly to a first-timer. Stapled screen under trim is doable too, but the trim has to come off without splitting and go back on straight.

Can you reach every panel from the floor or a short step stool? If yes, that is a point for doing it yourself. If some panels need a ladder, or the porch is on a second floor, that is a point for hiring.

Is the wood sound? Press a screwdriver into posts, rails and the bottom of each opening. New mesh will not hold well on soft wood, and replacing posts or rails is carpentry, not rescreening.

How many panels, and how big? A few small panels are a weekend job. Tall, wide panels are hard to keep straight and tight without a second person.

If you do it yourself

The steps on this page follow Phifer's method. Two details matter most. First, measure each opening from the outside edge of the spline channel and add 2 to 3 inches to each side,[1] so every piece is big enough to grip while you roll. Second, when you hang each piece, leave at least 1 to 2 inches of extra screen around the edges,[1] and keep the mesh stretched evenly as the spline goes in so it does not ripple.

Buy mesh by the roll for a porch rather than in small packs, and pick the material before you start. Standard fiberglass is the usual choice; pet-resistant polyester resists clawing; fine no-see-um mesh keeps out tiny biting insects. For window and door screens, the same skills apply; see how to rescreen a window screen.

If you hire someone

Phifer's own advice is that a reputable installer/contractor will be more expensive than DIY but, depending on the complexity of the job, hiring one may be the better option.[2] It adds that a good installer can also advise on things you may not have considered, such as electrical needs, fixtures and frame system types.[2] Hiring makes the most sense when:

  • The porch is high. For a porch that is hard to reach on a second level or 15 to 20 feet off the ground, Phifer suggests aluminum, bronze or stainless steel wire mesh, which under normal conditions can last for decades and will keep you off ladders.[2]
  • The framing needs work. A business that does carpentry can fix rot before rescreening.
  • You want it done once and done right. A pro is quicker on stapled-and-trimmed porches and on large panels.

Virginia licence and contract basics

Virginia's contractor law covers this work once the price climbs. Under Va. Code § 54.1-1100, Class C contractors are those whose single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $30,000.[4] A licence protects you as well: "By hiring a licensed contractor, you become eligible to receive monetary compensation from the Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund in case of improper or dishonest conduct."[3]

Before you sign:

  • Check the licence yourself. DPOR warns: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor’s license is valid."[3] Look it up on DPOR's site; see how to check a contractor's licence in Virginia.
  • Compare like with like. DPOR suggests you get at least three written bids based on the same specifications.[3] Name the mesh by brand and product so the quotes match.
  • Get it in writing. "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work."[3]
  • Keep the deposit modest. DPOR's rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[3]

For typical price drivers, see what rescreening costs in Virginia.

Stop and call a pro if

  • Posts, rails, beams or the porch floor are soft, cracked or rotted. Repairing them is structural work, and the Uniform Statewide Building Code requires a permit for alterations involving any structural component, with an exemption for some ordinary repairs, so ask your local building department before starting.[5]
  • You want to enclose the porch with walls or windows, change the roof, or add a ceiling fan or lights; that is a building and electrical job, not rescreening.
  • Panels can only be reached from a ladder or the porch is on an upper floor.
  • Storm damage has bent an aluminum enclosure frame or torn screens loose from the structure.

Getting help

To find someone local, browse screen repair businesses, look up exterior pros around Blacksburg, or read the other exterior answers. To get quotes, describe the porch rescreening job once, with the number and size of panels, and licensed local businesses will reply.

Common questions

How long does it take to rescreen a porch yourself?
It depends on the number and size of panels and how the screen is fastened. Spline panels go faster than screen stapled under wood trim, and two people work much faster than one; Phifer calls this typically a two-person job.
Do I need a permit to rescreen a porch in Virginia?
Replacing the mesh on an existing porch is repair work. A permit comes into it when the job touches the structure: Virginia's building code requires a permit for work on any structural component, so ask your local building office before replacing posts, beams or the roof, or enclosing the porch.
Does a porch screen business need a contractor licence in Virginia?
Under Va. Code § 54.1-1100, Class C contractors work on single contracts over $1,000 but less than $30,000. For a job in that range, ask for the licence number and check it with DPOR before you sign.
What screen should I use on a porch?
Standard fiberglass is the common choice. Pet-resistant polyester stands up to dogs and children, 20x20 mesh keeps out tiny biting insects, and metal mesh suits porches that are hard to reach because it lasts longer.
Can I hire someone just for the high panels?
Yes. You can redo the ground-level panels yourself and hire out the ones that need a ladder. Say so when you ask for quotes so each business prices the same panels.

Sources

  1. [1] How to Replace a Window, Door or Patio Screen, Phifer Incorporated. Checked October 26, 2026.
  2. [2] 6 Questions to Answer Before Choosing Porch or Patio Screens (published March 31, 2023; updated December 10, 2025), Phifer Incorporated. Checked October 26, 2026.
  3. [3] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 26, 2026.
  4. [4] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Definitions (contractors), Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Checked October 26, 2026.
  5. [5] 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code), Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System. Checked October 26, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.