A friend of mine called me to ask if I would help him run crown in a new house that he bid the trim package. I can run a boatload of crown fast! I dont usually get involved with new construction or sub contract work but this guy helps me out now and then and when he does I pay him handsomely ($60 an hour). He’s a very capable guy and worth every penny.
When he tells me how much he bids work I cringe. For example he just completed a 12 x 16 addition for $9,000 complete. thats right I said nine thousand! I would get 5 times that amount.
He says he bid the trim package on a 4500 sq.ft. house at $8,500- labor only. the first floor will have 4 5/8 crown everywhere and also in a couple of rooms upstairs. I don’t know if he’s installing the kitchen, I’m afraid to ask. What’s the going rate based on sq.ft ? This job is in central Ct.
Replies
Oh boy this is gonna be GOOD!
1) Can he build me a house (or ten)
B) <2$/# in CT!
either he is very fast or very poor. (and very busy)
III)@ 60$/hour your help will eat his whole bid in 2-1/2 weeks.
He needs to talk to some of the pricing gurus here.
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
Thats what I told him. I want to put an addition on my own house so I said you do it and I'll just go to work.
for his price I would put a house on my addition!!
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
Here we go with the "it all depends". I can put together a crew of 5 which will work for a flat rate of $300 per day each. We could trim out an average 4500 sq/ft house in 2 days... crown ain't no big deal we give'm 3 rooms included in a buck a square foot price every extra room is a flat $200.00.
So figuring your bud is getting a total of $8500 less out of pocket $2400 for help I'd run crown and put the kitchen in for that price.... working 4 days averaging a grand a day ain't bad pay at all... I wish I could get that much for trim.
As a side note I was on a job last week running bead board for the builder cause his trim guys are slower then slugs. They had 3 trimmers working in different sections of the house with 1 saw set up. I watched 1 "carpenter" (hahahah) walk down the steps 4 times trying to get a pc of door casing cut the correct size. He no doubt was losing money on the job and had no idea why.... Oh and he had 1 guy hand nailing adams window casing cause he wouldn't or couldn't buy enough air hose to reach...
So how'd his guys take to you showing them up? Or is it one of those crews that just plain don't care. I started work ing with a great group of guys that are really pretty slow. The pace in which i have grown accustomed too is a tad bit speedy for the company. I guess not as slow as you're describing. I know that this company is much more concerned that it's done very well at a decent pace. Their quality shows in every house, but the most senior trim carp is a snail with an attitude to boot. Quality, Craftsmanship, Detail
Iv'e known a couple of guys like that.
act like they are building Beethovens piano seat all the time.
Don't realize that you need to produce to be a carpenter.
Other wise it is just a glorified hobby.
I also have followed some "Hang a kitchen in a day and a half" types.
filler every where blackscrews on white cabs etc.
no finesse just slap em up and leave...
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
I don't know about Ct, but here in Knoxville....my partner & I have been sub-contracting high-end custom homes for 5 yrs. We started at about $1.50 per sq.ft., but found rather quickly that that left alot of gaps and grey areas when asked about up-grades. We then sat down & came up with a per-item bid list, detailing everything from doors and windows, to cabinets & punch. For example, we charge $35 for a prehung door, and 1.25 for 1-peice crown up to 5 1/4". This has made the bid process much more accurate. By bidding by the foot, you can loose out when the house is very cut-up. We just finished a 4800 sq. ft. that had 12 doors in the master suite alone, with 3-pc crown, 2-pc base, and a vaulted ceiling. At 1.50 pr sq ft, we'd have lost $$! When we get busy & have to bring in outside help, we pay them the same pr ft price, less 20% . That way we don't care if they want to sit around drinking coffee & bsing, it's their time & money. Good luck!