I’m fresh to pricing work and need some help with ballpark $ figures for this job:
Concrete counters cast upside down in melamine molds, a la’ Cheng, and set in place on new cabinetry. I will build molds, pour, finish and set in place. 2 tints, no fancy grinding/polishing.
Kitchen: 3 counters (4 molds) 1 range, 2 sinks and one 4′ square that has a cant. overhang 18″
Utility: 1 counter (1 mold) 1 sink.
Whole mess totals 56 sq. ft.
What is a starting point $/sq ft, retail, to the customer, for concrete cast in the mold like this?
And–I have a few panels of galv pig/cattle fence left from previous work. Seems like this would replace remesh/rebar well, with some chicken wire in there too?
Any input welcome! Thank you.
Replies
Hello,
Not knowing your shop rate, the first part of estimating the job is hard to nail down. But one thing I do try to take into account is what granite countertops go for. I try to make the job look attractive, cost-wise, to a granite version.
But don't go only on that ..you must take your shop rate into account.
Good luck
Gerald
I'm going to respectfuly disagree with car. Granite is so cheap in Metro Detroit area, $29.00 per square foot sometimes, you will take a pounding at that rate.
Considering the custom nature of the job, I wouldn't think of doing it for less than $70.00 per square foot, the price of engineered stone.
I'll take Kowboy's posting as good advice as I've just started doing the concrete countertops..thought granite here in BC is usually about $50 sq/ft. But I like $70 much better..As for the pigfencing or chicken wire...don't get it too close to the surface. Even if it's fully embedded, if it's too close the wire pattern can come thru..Cheers
Gerald
Aha!
Thanks, I'll go with barnyard containment reinforcing in the tops. I have about 4 panels left over. I have Cheng's book and have read it--I saw his warning on ghosting from the reinforcements.
How many tops have you done? What sort of configurations? Cast in molds? What were your bids like? Happy with the money?
I have done one top--cast in place in my old house. It was industrial grey/blk, did not crack anywhere and didn't really stain badly. It had 'character.'
Thanks for your post!
Pat
can't give you any pricing help...
but pictures... yeah, pictures..
would love to see some of your progress once this gets rolling
If this is a “working” kitchen where the homeowners are really into cooking, the concrete tops are not for them. A friend of mine has a fabrication shop and so far this year they have ripped out about 6 of the concrete tops. Cracking, staining and the maintenance were the main reasons for rip out. If this is your first, you will loose money. You will have to charge around $100 to $150 a foot to make it worth you wile. The price of granite keeps coming down every year. To date the average in our area is around $55 foot installed. The concrete materials may be cheap, but it is VERY labor intensive. Good luck with your venture!<!----><!----><!---->
If your pricing is in linear ft., it matches my square foot pricing very closely.
Sorry...that was square feet, not lin feet.
Thanks folks. Helpful values.
What about my question about the pigfence--you know the stuff. Is it appropriate to reinforce a 2" thick counter slab--along with chicken wire to net it all together? Or should I use rebar and remesh?
As for what to do--the cust. understands that the cc tops will be more 'rustic' or 'industrial' My first cc counter, my own, was cast in place. Looked funky and 'used' for the 4 years we were in that house, did not crack anywhere, not even around the sink, and we got nothing but compliments on it. My customer is seeking my bid based on this counter. It's just on such a larger scale, I need input!
Thanks again!
Pat