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I own and operate a Home Improvement company in Atlanta. One client has asked if i would like to trim out a house he is building. I am curious as to what the going rate is in this market. The house is about 3700 sq.f. The moulding will consist of hanging prehung 6 panel doors, installing 6″ base, and a 6″ crown. All moulding is paint grade. The windows will also be trimmed out. Do most guys charge a lineal ft. price and then a fixed rate for mitered/coped corners?
Thanks.
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Replies
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Hey Vern, (I always wanted to say that.)
How long have you owned and operated that there home improvement company of yours ? (Just curious whether it has been a couple days, a couple months, or just long enough to have written, "I own and operate a Home Improvement company in Atlanta."
The answer is actualy as simple or as complex as you want it to be. You can walk the house, (even if it's still just on paper), and make up some sort of estimate, giving yourself a particular rate per board foot for installation of certain kinds of trim, for the hanging of any particular type of door, for hanging of cabinets, with an inclusion for 'unknowns', etc....
You can just ask for a complete list of the work to be done, figure out how long you think it'll take, add for all the usual unknowns, then double or triple it, and estimate based on that.
You can get ahold of one of the local competition and ask them what the fair market rates are in you area for any particular aspect of the job.
Or.... You can take the easy way out, go to an online forum where carps hang out, and ask a fairly open ended question, and hope that someone there will set your answer in your lap as easy as pie.
Looks like you chose option 'the last'.
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HAHAHA Calm down, Vern, I'm yust yanking yer chain here. I do think there will possibly be someone here who may be able to help you to figure out an average going rate for your area, for any of the particular aspects you care to name, (as above). It'll be up to you to figure out the rest. And also to figure out whether you want to do the work for that rate.
b : )
*I have a friend who trims a house by the square foot. One simple formulae. Some he makes out on, the others he is working 7 twelve hour days to get done.So his hourly rate varies, but he has a good weekly income at the price of family.I used to trim houses and I would use one of Lukas suggestions by doing a walk through, either physically or on paper, and figure out an estimate for time-----then double it. Most people that I have dealt with would rather have a price locked in than turn a carpenter loose on ah hourly rate.A perfect example is years ago, I was off work with a hernia operation for a month. After 10 days, I went out and moonlighted a small stair job. A set of basement stairs with only 5 steps. The owner wanted to know what it would take to do it. I said $20 and hour. He responded "I cant pay those kind of wages. How much would you charge to build those steps?" I thought about it, and told him $375. He said that will be fine. I ended up building those in 8 hours. When I gave him the bill, I told him that it did not take as long as I thought and I knocked it down to $325. He was as happy as can be. I made over $40 an hour instead of $20. NOTE: It of course could have taken me twice as long as I estimated, but since I doubled my time, I still would have made over $20 an hour.
*Vern,I'll make it simple for ya. I do all mine piece rate. I charge the following:Hang & case single door $40 Hang & case double door $60Hang $ case pocket door $60Baseboard up to 4.5" $.65 per footBaseboard over 4.5" $.75 per footCrown up to 5" $3.25 per footCrown over 5" $4.00 per footJamb & case windows $50.00 eachHope that helps. I used to do it per s/f of home and ended up getting screwed most of the time. These prices are pretty average for here in utah.Sam MorganS. W. Morgan Fine Homes
*S.W. Morgan, You said "baseboards up to 4.5"." Did you mean up to 4.5'? Also is this labor only or does that cover material?
*I think a 4.5' baseboard would then be considered wainscotting.
*Oh, I thought he was talking length not width. I'm bad. Thanks for clearing that up
*I have also seen base and crown molding rates where they charge a $ per ft cost plus a $ per corner/joint cost.Like .75/ft + $25/cornerPersonally I think this would be more accurate.
*Vern- I'm basically with Stan on this one. I think that it's pretty much human nature to want to know what to expect- per hour is too open ended and unknown/uncomfortable. People just want the bottom line. My best jobs have ALWAYS been when I've taken the time to walk through or study the plan, make notes and look at the details, build it in my head (2 or 3 times) and get a real good idea of how long it's REALLY gonna take- then double it. Don't sell yourself short- the doubling will help this, and will also serve to cover the UNFORSEENS. And when,as Stan points out, you ask for LESS than your original estimate, your customer is gonna love ya, and the door is open for even more work with them!
*Vern - Also when doing those walk throughs be sure to remember that those there walls may look square but they never are. In a perfect world you may be able to do a room in 5 hours but if everything is "off" just a bit, that 5 might get you half way through the job.Just a thought.SJ
*Vern,Just to second Luka's comments for a sec.How long ya been doing this? I'd be more than happy to send you a complete take-off, pricing and all, ( just tweek your numbers a bit to suit) but atleast give your whole name for this info that has taken years to compile.
*Vern, Lots of variables but since it seems as though you are "Bidding" a job in an area you need expertise at might I make a suggestion. Call me. I'm up in NE Gadoing nothing but finish work in upscale homes. Pricing is the HARDEST part of this job. Its also the EASIEST place to screw it up. E Mail me if you want hard earned, accurate, down to the nickel ways of pricing this stuff. I'll send you my phone # and we can talk. Nothing wrong with the numbers that have been given here, its just that they probably will not really work. Not LOCAL enough. At least not Atlanta and surrounding areas local. JIM
*Check this site out. Really helped me out.http://www.get-a-quote.net/
*Thank's for all of the suggestions. For Luka's interest I have been in this business fulltime since '95. The majority of our work is with real estate agents, doing minor repairs. But as most of you know there are slow times. When a client approached me about doing this job I was interested. I have the skills and tools necessary to perform the work, but as many have mentioned, estimating the job is the hardest part. Our average job is a half day repair, not something that might take a week, that is why i asked my original question. Not many clients want you to work T&M for a week.
*vern... the only way to make money in the trades is to specialize in one and learn all the tricks that make the job fly... Your first job will take 2 to 4 times longer than the fastest guys out there.I have seen doors go up in five minutes... and five hours.near the stream,aj
*Panty... the materials are bought by GC.near the stream,aj
*vern Ive recieved estimates for seamless gutters and wondering what is the going rate per foot? what should i be paying?
*job... something between 3 & 10... the closer you get to 10.. the better the job....maybe
*Mike.... My gutterman.... $2.25/ft. And his work is tops. He does all the gutters in our area for all the builders. Best priced sub trade we have. Just asked the Dad of a framer what his son is getting to frame... $2.75/sqft for all wood framing, windows, doors, and felt paper on the roof.near the stream,aj
*aj... i guess if job lives near u , he can get it for 2.25....not here...2.25 get him spike & tube.. tailight warranty by hacks
*Mike I'm with you on the $2-3 being low. Southern MA here, same neck of the woods. SJ
*Mike. What is your gutter if not spike and tube? And what is with the warranty? My guy hangs em and that's it. Call em and he'll come back always. Now if the builder doesn't use subfacia, then the cheap builder does himself in.near the stream with no gutters as I really despise them unless covered with a foolproof cover.ajI like ground based water collection...and gables over doorways. The other neat last resort trick is to reverse a piece of drip upwards slanted to a side to divert drip from and entry area.
*aj.. i hate gtters too, but at least if we use them we do a decent install... spike & ferrule is just bogus..... looks like crap.. usually won't last a winter.. is commonly installed by guys who could care less if the spike is going into any solid wood..want a good install?use a fascia hanger with ss. screws 2' OC.. or a roof hanger with bar and rod , again 2' OC..want a heavy duty gutter.. the heaviest one on teh market is Alcoa.. want an upgrade? get a 6' gutter..are your corners boxed or mitered?there are a lot of little things that differentiate a good gutter install from a 2.25 one...you figure it out.. how could you make money installing gutter for 2.25?the best ones won't even install now.. they gave up trying to compete with the $2/ft guys.. all they do now is fabricate and drop on site.. we do the install as part of the job...we pay $1 for them to fabricate on siteor $3 for 6".. anyways.. i'm with you.. design the gutters off the job..
*Cripe. I'm charging four dollars a running foot to install gutter from Lowes (labor and material). Not that I've got customers lining up, but still.I do use the screw/bracket. "Spike & ferrule is just bogus", agreed.Rich Beckman
*Rich... What do you make at that low rate? I would think from opening door at your home to leave...to arriving back to door...(working hours) that you may make $15/hour tops.near the stream getting them up by others,ajMike...I hear you about poor work. My guys work to me looks fantastic. I have never seen better work ever. Now.. maybe I just don't know great gutter work. He does use spikes like crazy. and they do stay on houses. If needed he uses specialty brackets and charges more. I like his work the best of all my subs.. and he is the easiest going guy walking the planet. And... he is my bartender winters at Gore where I ski... Seasons pass this year again.. Cost $40 clams! And will ski this afternoon. Beer with my gutter sub... in 5 hours.near the stream with skis in hand,aj
*i he is my bartender winters at Gore where I ski.As long as he pours those doubles and tops off your beer.......... all his work will look good.
*I hang gutters in SE PA for at least $6/ft + $ for mitres and spouts to cover costs. That includes removal of old gutters and new gutters hung along a chalked line with hidden screw hangers.I almost forgot,that also includes three yr. warranty.