I have an estimate for a new deck
– It is to be 400 sf, w/almost no railing–just one step all around.
– Mahogany flooring/step.
– The new PT for the structure.
– Deck will wrap around an existing structure and require 13 new cement footings.
– It will require some additional beams underneath, as it has one side nearly 38′ and
another nearly 21′
– the contractor says about $12 Grand (We are in central Mass., around Framingham)
– Does this price sound possibly reasonable?
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Welcome to Breaktime, you probably will not get much of a useful responce when asking a question about pricing here. It's to hard to give any useful advice with out more information, seeing the site, and locality makes a difference.
That said, a very general comment that price sounds more then fair, I couldn't build a deck of that size and material here in KS for the amount you were quouted.
KAGIV, thanks for your reply.
Actually, you told me a fair amount, as I don't think there is any place in KS as expensive as Eastern (or Boston-Metrowest) Massachusetts.Go KU!
Oh I could name a few areas in Kansas City KS that compete with Boston for high prices, certainly not as high as some of the areas I've been to in Boston though.
How did you hear of this contractor?
How did you come up with 400 sqft?
I assume he's given you or you have a plan of the deck?
look at the SF variance...
12Kis less than I'd do it for...
a lot less....
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I'm wondering if it's an L shaped deck or something?
Assuming a standard environment and uncomplicated deck layout, I would build in the Cleveland, Ohio area for $25 psf... you are at $30 psf with no consideration for the added perimeter step.
The lumber alone is expensive. I typically use stainless steel fasteners or other specifically approved types due to the corrosive nature of the newer ACQ treated lumber... this is another added expense. There is also excavation, footings and inspections/permits/licensing to consider tohe cost of... not to mention the cost of doing business.
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As you were describing it, I was thinking , "Boy, that is all chopped up to need that many piers for such a small deck"
Your area of the country is not cheap either, and the materials mentioned are amoung the best.
The new PT lumber must be installed with specially rated hangers and nails/screws or stainless steel. None of that is cheap.
So you have a lot of labour for a complex design, and high quality materials in an expensive area of the country.
The price doesn't sound out of line to me
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Thanks, everybody!It is indeed an L-shaped deck. I came up w/402 sf by carefully measuring via scale the precise drawings I have. The contractor has drawn the required drawings w/specs for construction, using the minimum # of footings for a sound and permitted deck.- The contractor is one who has already done major work for us. So I hop eyou all don't think I wasted your time; it's just that we thought this was rather more than we'd been led to expect... and he's getting used to seeing us talk about spending--despite the fact that we are not wealthy. So we wondered if he might have bumped it up some. H:e did mention the extras that the new PT requires.- Let me know if you have other thoughts.Thanks for all the great feedback!!
hey...while i don't doubt anyone else here, to me the price does sound high...besides the expensive materials, the deck layout is nothing special, and there aren't even any stairs...
i bet if you got a couple other estimates, they would be lower, but of course if u already know this guy and trust his work, it may not be worth taking a chance on someone else...
I work out of Metrowest.... Newton, Wellesley, Weston, Natick, Lexington.....
It's a fair price for a legitimate company in this area.... registered, licensed, insured, and permits pulled.
And thank you for pulling a permit and using a legitimate company.View Image
No--thank YOU. I feel, again, just that much more reassured. And thanks for reminding me to go check on the Sox game.
The new pt is really nasty stuff. There is "Z-max" galvanized hardware that is "aqc compliant" but, the only thing that will hold up is stainless. BUT, Z-Max is way cheaper. And stainless is way expensive. For instance post bases go from 6ish to 60ish. Yikes.
I was going to put a 12 x17 platform with trex on 8 piers for my inlaws, and it was going to be about 1900 in materials, with 900 being stainless fasteners/ hardware
At that price I would be VERY VERY sure that stainless is being used, also, even if there is an upcharge for stainless, Pay it!!
Jeff
Thanks, Jjeff. I'll go with stainless, rather than cheap it out w/zmax and then watch the deck go to hell. No use paying through the nose later to fix a giant problem caused by a desperate attempt to save $$.
Sounds good to me, for what we've been told. I just finished refurbing a 400 sf deck where the pt decking was removed, composite decking installed, and all new vinyl rails installed. 15 grand. Free standing porch earlier in the spring, 11 piers, 210 sf, 17 grand. Again, composite decking and vinyl rails. FWIW.
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Thanks, NickNukeEm, for the NE rough price comps. I'm feeling better about this while my contractor sees just how tight he can pull it with the materials costs. Still, that 400 sf deck refurb w/COMPOSITE sounds like it might not be the most favorable comp to my project. But I may be underestimating the labor for footings and ground-up structure, vs expense for composite.
Thanks again for your kind input.