Replies

1. 
   JohnT8 | Feb 22, 2006 01:10am | #1

   I'm on the other side of the equation.  I think this is the thread where I was asking price:

   http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=67994.1

   jt8

   "Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame."  -- Erica Mann Jong

1. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Feb 22, 2006 11:25pm | #2

        Thanks for the link.  This is one of the few useful answers I've recieved.  People sure know very little about estimating around here.-T

1. 
   DanT | Feb 23, 2006 05:13am | #5

   Nope, we know what we need to know about estimating.   You can tell we cause we ain't askin the questions.  DanT

1. 
   BobKovacs | Feb 23, 2006 05:30am | #6

   Tell the truth Dan- you learned tons from this thread- he just asked the question that you were afraid to....lol.

   Bob

1. 
   dgbldr | Feb 23, 2006 08:45am | #7

   I wish you guys would give him the answer he's looking for, so he can move on to the next question: what exactly IS drywall and how do you get it to stay up on the wall all by itself?

   DG/Builder

2. 
   DaveRicheson | Feb 23, 2006 01:56pm | #8

   Dan, using my WAG method, if his sq. ft. for the ceiling is correct, and this is a normal home (not an open floor plan), he is going to be about 1,000 sq. ft. short anyway. Using a high or low estimate for an under estimated amount of board is going to be a looser before the ink dries on the contract.

    

   Dave

1. 
   txlandlord | Feb 28, 2006 12:40am | #14

   I agree with Dave, he is short.

   Quick figure for our homes, volume ceiling 9' walls with some at 10' and 12' our quick figure multiplier is 3.9 x floor footage (or ceiling footage) 3900 Sf x 3.9 = 15,210 

   Recently had one 4430 SF floor / 9' 10' and 12' walls / four volume ceilings

   18,400 SF drywall @ $0.75 per Sf = $13,800.00

   Journeyman needs bids from locals. Currently down here drywall is on allocation. Supplier says no new accounts and all receivables are sold. 

2. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Feb 28, 2006 07:03am | #17

        "I agree with Dave, he is short."

        Sharp.  Take that 9 in the 3,900 and turn it right side up.  It all comes together now:  3,600.

        Well, almost.  I forgot to take my vertical measurements when I was on site.  I ended up using an 8' height for both the shorter basement and the taller garage.

        I'd love to hear more about your "quick figure multiplier."  Sounds interesting.

        "Journeyman needs bids from locals."

        Funny you should suggest that.  I bid it at .40 a square foot.  Then I tacked on an extra thousand because I was afraid he'd think I was cheap.  Shortly afterward I received my The 2006 Complete Construction Estimator from craftsman-book.com.  I freaked when I saw it suggested I was $1,500 too high.  Then I crunched some numbers as suggested, and realized I could get the job done for $3,500 less than my original bid.  Then I freaked some more.  That was Friday night.

        I re-visited the job site at day break just this morning.  The superintendent wasn't there, so I got his number from one of the subs.  After I explained that I thought I bid way too high, I was promptly informed that not only was I correct, but the job was already taken.

        Since I didn't get the bid, I asked him if he could just tell me what drywall hanging goes for in this area, so I would know for next time.  He said about half of what I had.  That would be $1,500 less than The 2006 Complete Construction Estimator, but $500 more than my minimum possible bid.  At least now I have a better hold on my competition.

   -T

   Edited 3/1/2006 11:30 am ET by JourneymanCarpenterT

3. 
   txlandlord | Feb 28, 2006 09:50am | #20

   You bid .40 per SF

   Drywall here in Texas is .27 per SF. $13.15 for a 4 x 12 = 48 SF

   $13.15 divided by 48 = .27 per SF

   No tax, no tape, no mud, no corner bead, no screws, no nails, no texture, no labor, no clean-up,.

   Here at ,40 per SF you'd have .13 per SF left for tax, tape, mud, corner bead, screws,  nails, texture, labor, clean-up, profit, bookkeeping, insurance, supervision, etc.

   You must have cheap labor or great drywall prices. Our South of the Border labor is usually a price advantage. 

4. 
   txlandlord | Feb 28, 2006 06:39pm | #22

   Does Journeryman sound a lot like Johnny, the Southwest DIY home builder who built his dad's home, and figured contractors make 233% profit? Remember, he called us all crooks. I think I asked the question once, but I am old and forgetful.

   He does to me, especially when confronted with the truth.

   Just asking, no offense Journeyman. I hope you learn how to bid and are successful.

   Getting BTers help with bidding is a plus, but no substitute for doing your own / local to your area Due Diligence.   

    

5. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Mar 01, 2006 01:39am | #24

        "Does Journeryman sound a lot like Johnny, the Southwest DIY home builder who built his dad's home, and figured contractors make 233% profit? . . .He does to me, especially when confronted with the truth."

        Sounds like I should move to Texas.-T

6. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Mar 01, 2006 07:25pm | #25

   Ps:<!----><!----><!---->

        "How much would you charge to hang" was my original post.  Where I am, drywall is divided into two trades:  "Hanging," and "tapping" or "finishing."  The carpenters generally only hang in this location (except for the occasional fire tapping), and the tapers (as we call them in commercial construction), or finishers (in residential), are a trade of their own.  I hope to acquire the skills to of a good finisher some day, but I don't do it at present.  I should have clarified, but to me it's just like "cut" as opposed to "rip."<!----><!---->

        While The 2006 Complete Construction Estimator suggested drywall would be 0.23 SF, the GC was going to provide the drywall, any adhesive, and the dumpster.  The only material costs I would've provided were screws and nails.<!----><!---->

        The 2006 Complete Construction Estimator recommended 0.31 SF labor for walls, and 0.40 SF labor for ceilings.  Wages were suggested at 22.05, with a total of 2.14 for fringe benefits.  In the particular city I was biding in however, wages generally max out at 15 an hour, no fringe benefits.  I can hang 40 sheets a day (8 hrs) with two helpers on ceilings, and one on walls.  Hence, my lower, minimum possible bid.-T

7. 
   txlandlord | Mar 02, 2006 08:43am | #26

   Well, as I understand your last post it sounds like you are right on. good job.

   I will be gald to share additional info, but beware, local pricing can vary greatly.

8. 
   DaveRicheson | Feb 28, 2006 02:26pm | #21

   I use 3.5 times the square footage of the home  with 8' walls. txlandlord is using 3.9 for 9' and 10' walls. Do not take out anything for window walls or large openings.

   I rarely run short due to wasteful hangers. If I am hanging the board myself, I usually end up with a few extra sheets that I can leave for the HO or throw in as a bonus  for an unfinished area. It's a goodwill builder.

   I don't work for GCs', so don't face your situation.

    

   Dave

9. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Mar 01, 2006 01:19am | #23

        Thanks.-T

2. 
   teasea | Feb 27, 2006 04:23pm | #9

   wow

3. 
   JDRHI | Feb 27, 2006 04:52pm | #10

   How much would charge to hang 12,500 square feet of drywall?  3,900 square feet of ceiling.  9,000 square feet of wall.

   People sure know very little about estimating around here.

   Hey Mr. Journeyman......3,900 + 9,000 = 12,900.

   Remodeling Contractor with no ties to the Glass City

   Edited 2/27/2006 8:54 am ET by JDRHI

1. 
   mrmojo | Feb 27, 2006 08:28pm | #11

   cmon now whats 400' i just gave you this gravy job you should be happy to have work

   then the next one that i love to hear (not) ive got all the work you can do for the next couple of years, just help me out on this one and i'll look out for ya one the next onesDue to recent budget cuts the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice.

1. 
   JDRHI | Feb 27, 2006 08:40pm | #12

   The last contractor I worked for used my all time favorite regularly.

   "If we get this job, we're all going to make out."

   Loved to dangle that carrot. 2/3 of the way through each job...."I'm taking a beating!"

   LOL

   Remodeling Contractor with no ties to the Glass City

2. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 27, 2006 09:36pm | #13

   He is talking about the amount of DW, not that wall ceiling space. He can use the scraps of dw from the wall on the ceiling.Seriously I wish I could find the pictures of a DW done by "patches". IIRC no piece of DW was bigger than 10 sq ft. It was posted here a while back.

1. 
   JDRHI | Feb 28, 2006 12:49am | #15

   Whether its DW needed, or space being covered....his math is off.

   What he needs is a calculator.

   Remodeling Contractor with no ties to the Glass City

3. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Feb 28, 2006 05:47am | #16

        "Hey Mr. Journeyman......3,900 + 9,000 = 12,900."

        Very funny guys.  That was a typo.  My records add up, honestly.  Hard for even me to beleive though, seeing as how I posted it the same way two more times at JLC.-T

2. 
   SamT | Feb 23, 2006 04:22am | #3

   I think he's talkin' 'bout Bob.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Kovaks

1. 
   BobKovacs | Feb 23, 2006 05:08am | #4

   Someone talking about me again? lol

   I think I pretty clearly replied to T in the "Estimating Garages" thread.  I don't think I've seen a response from him yet, though.

   Bob

2. 
   JourneymanCarpenterT | Feb 28, 2006 07:07am | #18

        "I think he's talkin' 'bout Bob."

        No Sam, I wasn't talking about Bob, nor did I even realize who that was at the time.

   -T

   Edited 2/27/2006 11:07 pm ET by JourneymanCarpenterT

1. 
   SamT | Feb 28, 2006 08:03am | #19

   T,

   Heck, I knew that.

   I was just having fun with Ben at Bobs' expense.

   SamT