Paver patio cost in San Francisco, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $3,800 – $6,950
- Per sq ft
- $12.50 – $22
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +27%
- US $4,250
- Rank of 300 metros
- #3
- 1 = most expensive
A paver patio in San Francisco, CA usually costs $3,800 to $6,950 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $12.50 to $22 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,150 more. Construction laborers earn a median of $34.91 an hour in the San Francisco area, 54% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in San Francisco, CA, standard level
$4,750 to $6,000
About $15.50 to $19 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 66% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $1,750 |
| Labor | $3,150 | $3,950 |
| Permits and fees | $120 | $280 |
| Total | $4,750 | $6,000 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in San Francisco, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $1,650 | $1,950 | 30% |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,550 | $4,600 | 66% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $200 | $400 | 4% |
| Total | $3,800 | $5,350 | $6,950 | 100% |
Why San Francisco prices look the way they do
Labor is 66% of the midpoint bill here, against 60% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), brickmasons and blockmasons (30%), landscaping and groundskeeping workers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In San Francisco the blended ratio comes out at 1.39.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. San Francisco is at 108.5 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,500 nationally becomes $1,650 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 115.6: $0 to $400.
Extras that change the San Francisco total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.24 for San Francisco, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.39) and goods price index (1.08). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Excavation and haul-away | $370 – $1,850 |
San Francisco against nearby metros and the rest of California
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. San Francisco is the priciest of the group. Santa Cruz is the cheapest at $4,800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CAthis page | $3,800 – $6,950 | $5,350 | |
| Vallejo, CA40 miles | $3,450 – $6,350 | $4,900 | −9% |
| Napa, CA50 miles | $3,450 – $6,300 | $4,850 | −9% |
| Santa Cruz, CA55 miles | $3,400 – $6,200 | $4,800 | −11% |
| Stockton, CA55 miles | $3,400 – $6,200 | $4,800 | −10% |
| Santa Rosa, CA65 miles | $3,500 – $6,350 | $4,900 | −8% |
| California (statewide) | $3,450 – $6,300 | $4,850 | −10% |
| United States | $3,000 – $5,450 | $4,250 | −21% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, San Francisco ranks #3 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, San Francisco is 11% above the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $3,350 – $6,150 | $4,750 | −12% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $3,300 – $6,050 | $4,650 | −13% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $3,350 – $6,100 | $4,750 | −12% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $3,650 – $6,700 | $5,200 | −3% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $3,450 – $6,300 | $4,900 | −9% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $3,300 – $5,950 | $4,650 | −14% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Francisco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $2,900 – $5,300 | $4,100 | −23% |
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $3,700 – $6,750 | $5,200 | −3% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $3,700 – $6,750 | $5,250 | −3% |
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $3,700 – $6,750 | $5,250 | −3% |
What local crews earn in San Francisco
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For San Francisco the blend is 1.39.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 50%) the local median is $34.91 an hour, which is 54% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $40.50 an hour. BLS counts 11,620 of them working in the area, 48.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021, weighted 30%) the local median is $37.19 an hour, which is 25% above the national $29.87. The middle half of them earn between $30.88 and $51.96 an hour. BLS counts 340 of them working in the area, 1.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 20% of the weighting: a median of $23.10 an hour, 23% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $22.12 and $28.87 an hour. About 12,270 work in the metro. That is 51.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $310 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $390. That is a swing of roughly 7.2% to 5.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has 2,373,920 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 12th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $28.03 | $34.91 | $40.50 | $22.66 | 1.54 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 30% | $30.88 | $37.19 | $51.96 | $29.87 | 1.25 | metro |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 20% | $22.12 | $23.10 | $28.87 | $18.82 | 1.23 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.39 | |||||
San Francisco: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to San Francisco. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 12x12 (144 sq ft) to pool deck (800 sq ft).
Basic
$3,800 to $5,050
Basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard
Standard
$4,750 to $6,000
Mid-grade pavers, a border or curve, some regrading
Premium
$5,700 to $6,950
Natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,850 – $2,500 | $2,350 – $3,050 | $2,850 – $3,550 |
| 16x16 (256 sq ft) | $3,250 – $4,350 | $4,050 – $5,150 | $4,900 – $6,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $5,050 – $6,700 | $6,300 – $7,900 | $7,500 – $9,100 |
| pool deck (800 sq ft) | $10,100 – $13,200 | $12,400 – $15,500 | $14,800 – $17,800 |
San Francisco weather and the paver patio calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, San Francisco Dwtn (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in San Francisco: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
San Francisco gets about 23 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (4.8 inches in December). The station averages about 3 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 47 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 60 | 48 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 62 | 49 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 63 | 50 | 1.6 | Workable |
| May | 64 | 51 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 67 | 53 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 66 | 54 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 68 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 54 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 64 | 51 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 47 | 4.8 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for San Francisco
Jobs that often go together with paver patio are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same San Francisco wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+36%) and concrete slab lowest (+26%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,550 – $5,250 | +30% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $4,050 – $10,200 | +27% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $9,400 – $16,800 | +28% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $9,500 – $19,100 | +26% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $3,150 – $6,450 | +26% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,850 – $12,600 | +36% |
Paver patio: what moves the price in San Francisco
Pattern
Herringbone and curves take longer to lay and waste more stone than a running bond.
Permit
At-grade patios often need no permit; add a retaining wall, a cover, or a connection to the house and that changes.
Paver material
Pavers alone average $2-$4 per sq ft but the full range is $1-$15 depending on concrete, brick, or natural stone (HomeGuide).
Get 3 local quotes
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Multi-page report for San Francisco, CA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Paver patio in San Francisco: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a paver patio in San Francisco?
For 300 sq ft, expect $3,800 to $6,950 in the San Francisco area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,750 to $6,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for paver patio in San Francisco?
About $12.50 to $22 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $400 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $17.
+Is paver patio cheaper in San Francisco or Vallejo?
Vallejo is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $4,900, which is 9% less than San Francisco ($5,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Francisco?
About 66% at the midpoint, or $3,550 out of $5,350. Materials are 30% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 60%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in San Francisco?
$5,050 to $9,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does paver patio need a permit in San Francisco?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $400 for fees in the San Francisco area (our national range of $0 to $350 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Francisco expensive for paver patio compared with the rest of California?
San Francisco is 11% above the California statewide estimate ($4,850 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $34.91 an hour in the San Francisco area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.03 to $40.50.
+What do basic and premium paver patio work cost in San Francisco?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $3,800 to $5,050 and premium work $5,700 to $6,950. Basic means: basic concrete pavers, simple pattern, level yard. Premium means: natural stone or clay brick, complex pattern, slope or retaining edge.
+Is there a bad season to install a paver patio in San Francisco?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "excavation and haul-away" add in San Francisco?
$370 to $1,850 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Paver patio near San Francisco
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Paver Patio Cost | Paver Installation Costs (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Stamped Concrete Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020