I don’t normally bid crown by the running foot, but I’ve heard a lot of guys do it that way. Or by the cuts, joints, corners etc. I’m looking at a job tomorrow where they want a price by the foot. any ideas? Just basic crown, nothing too fancy. and yes, I will cope the inside corners. thanks
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I normally price by the cut. If I were asked for a running foot price I would still price it by the cut. Then figure out the footage and divide, that will give you a ONE JOB running foot price.
An inch to short. That's the story of my life !
bstcrpntr --- I hope to grow into this name.
if I'm not too nosy, how much per cut?
Pete,
Just by going east or west of me one hour I can see a 50% variation in pricing for things like crown.
I suggest you figure out how many feet you can REALISTICALLY average per hour and then divide your hourly rate by that number of feet. Now you know how much per foot.
Now remember that you will need to adjust that price depending on each job. I've been to jobs where I could run a thousand feet a day all alone and I've been to jobs where two guys struggled to run 200 feet. Thats why some guys price it by the cut.
By the cut is often a more honest representation of how much work is really involved.
I've seen crown priced a hundred different ways. It's all what you are comfortable with.
It also depends on things like how high is the cieling, and where is your saw located in accordance to the room where it's being installed. Stain grade, paint grade, hard maple, poplar or easy soft pine? How big is the moulding? All these little things take up that much more time. Price by the cut.
I have always priced by the foot but it's not X per foot. Paint grade is one price, stain is another. hardwood more than pine.
Then, I add for things like the saw being far away, more than a certain number of corners per room, ceiling hight and the like. In effect my per foot price is a compilation of all the factors involved.
I've never lost money on crown that way. But, like I said it's what you become comfortable with. I know at least one trimmer that gives his price by the room. Go figure.
I price by the day. Even a simple crown job will eat a whole day for me!
Seven dollars per wall.
ok, thanks everybody, but I was afraid of this -- vague enough that I'll have to carry on with what I've been doing. I know there is no simple formula, but I just wanted to hear a little feedback. $7 a wall is a VERY LITTLE. It's just that I've had a dry spell, and because I'm notoriously expensive, a lot of guys are undercutting me and staying busy. Well If I have to make $35 an hour instead of $65 (what we're all worth by the way -- you guys that are bringing it down need to tighten up) then fine, I'll suck it up until the sun shines.
I think too many of us are forgetting that even when we take an hour to drive to the job to look at it, then measure it up , drive to Home Depot, come back, set up our truck full of very expensive overhead, actually do the work and then clean up and wait forever to get paid, we need to be billing every minute that we spend on that job. I can stay home and lose money.
$7 a wall? what color is the sky on your planet?
thanks again
Seven dollars a wall allows a good carpenter to make 35$ per hour. If you think that that is a poor wage, try teaching. The number of carpenters that make 65$ per hour is very small. I find those that demand a wage far above the average, tend to be difficult to work with as well. Sorry you're having a slow time in this booming economy.
Do you actually install crown often? And do you bill out at $35 per hour when you do? And when you say 'make' $35 per hour is that before or after overhead? If it's $7 per wall I'm going back to bed.
Anyone who wants some sensible crown installation pricing needs to search for Jerrald Hayes' posts either here or on JLC. He has footage prices for various sizes plus cut/corner adds also.
Apparently all have assumed this is interior. I have applied crown at 30' up, on scaffold in the snow...yadda yadda..
7 bucks a wall? I agree, staying home is more cost effective. Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
You think that's funny? Watch THIS!...I can only do it once tho'
yeah, you're right, I am difficult to work with. people who insist on perfection generally are.
thanks everybody, I just got back from looking at the job -- quoted the homeowner my "toned down" daily rate -- $400 and he was pleased as punch.
I generally price by the foot. Last job I did was a three member crown with dental. I charged $7.00 a foot. This was for a hall that had 8 walls, 2 returns, 11 foot ceilings, a very crooked window to go around and make look right, radiator pipes that had to go through the crown and ceilings that waved up and down. In total it took me and a helper 8 hours. I consider myself to be fairly fast at hanging crown, but some of these old homes can be a challange. Customer didn't blink at the total and was thrilled with the work. Total labor was $525.00. At $7.00 a wall (or $21.00 for 3 member) I would have made $168.00.Coming to you from beautiful Richmond, Va.
I don't suppose you're looking for any work? I definitely need to know more guys who can do that in a day. Got any photos of the pipe penetrations?
I will be back at the home this week and can take pictures of the pipe penetrations. And, yes, always looking for work, but aren't you in Wa.? LOLComing to you from beautiful Richmond, Va.
oh yeah, while I'm on a rant, as a post script:
once I had a customer bitch at a $300 bill for my work, even though he approved the quote. He said " $300! -- it only took you 2 hours!"
I said "no, it took me 25 years"
many years ago (I was a sign writer) and I quoted a doctor $250 to letter his window -- when he saw how rapidly I completed the job he said "It only took you an hour! -- I'm a surgeon and I don't make $250 an hour!"
I said "I know, neither did I when I was a surgeon"
ar, ar, ar
Ray
I'm terrible at giving bids, so that's why I'm interested in what others have to say.
If I hired you to come out and do crown in my three bedrooms(assume all 12' X 12') with standard 3 1/2" crown, all my BR's have just 4 walls. Are you telling me that you'd do it for 12 walls @ $7.00 = $84.00 !!!
I know that I can do crown about as fast as anybody but I don't think I could do the three rooms for $84.00. My off the top of my head guesstamate for the three rooms would be closser to $250.
Am I missing something here?
Just curious
Doug
I,ve never done piece work ,but I was thinking $15 a cut might work. Mike
I usually figure 10ft/hr, and 1/2 hr per miter. You have to account for set up time, clean up time, and travel time. Nothing worse than rushing a crown job. As soon as the thought, "I'm not making any money" creeps into your head, all is lost. Price every job to eliminate that, and you will have happy customers.