Iam a small contractor in Springfield Va. building additions Every time I price a deck
We never get the job. What is a Sq. Ft. price for P.T. or how do others come up with there prices. We are paying about $6.00 per foot for material as far as I can tell.
We can build a 14×24 deck with stairs ,top quality work in 3 days. (With permits)
Three men for 3 days cost me about $1,056.00 And I work all day my self.
Any input would be awesome at this point.
Thanks Kel
Replies
My neighbor in Fairfax had a deck installed recently of about 2/3 the size mentioned. Cost was ~$4500.00.
Daniel
It's not the price, it's the client. If it's not the client, it's the workmanship. So assuming you have your collective shizzle all in a single sock, are u trying to build for people that can't afford the post holes, much less the deck?
Theres no answer to any pricing question here. Not in terms of sf/lf. Like any biz, u gotta decide what you need to do it, and if you don't get it, mosey on down the trail to the next one. Sooner or later you'll either find the right fit for what you do or you'll be broke and do something else with life.
I can give you examples here, none of which amount to much other than just an example. Framers will build a deck on new construction for $4/ft labor only. You get what you pay for.
Middle of the road is more like 6-7, for labor only again. And you can get a decent job for that. Here.
But now do a nice deck, out of composites, with rails, stairs, benches . . . no sense even thinking in terms of sf for the job anymore. I'm going to come in at about $40 a foot for that, including materials. But that's not how I figure it. I think in terms of time expenditure. What's my level of involvement, what's my time committment, and how much $, as a business, do I need in order to justify me spending that time.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Just completed a deck of similar size but included demo of an existing deck. Very simple railing, all pt, one large set of stairs.
Materials- $1800 or $5/sf
Labor-$3000 or $8/sf
This job was for me, so it actually will cost a little less, but this is what it would bill out for.
It takes me by myself three days to build the same deck as long as it's less than six feet off the ground. Four days if I have to set the sono tubes.
My going rate for any PT rectangular deck less than 5 feet high is $5. per square foot labor only.
Dig and set four sono tubes $300.
It's $75. per step, no more than 3 ft, wide for the stairs.
Bsaically , a deck thats 4 ft. of the ground has five treads with an 8 inch rise so that's $375. The tubes are another $300. and the deck and rails are $1680. for a grand total of $2355.00.
Hope this helps. It's what I'm getting from builders who don't want a framer hacking up their decks in the Hudson Valley NY.
By the way , for every foot increase in the deck off the ground I add $1. per additional foot.
I'm sure some here will find this cheap or underpriced but I personally think that is a fine wage for one guy for four days.
Edited 5/25/2005 11:07 pm ET by jaxstraw
Edited 5/25/2005 11:08 pm ET by jaxstraw
The reason you're not getting the deck jobs is that most smart-azz HOs think they can do it themselves. Decks are easy, right? Anybody can build a deck. I mean, it's not like a roof, right? Duh....
So they call you in for a 'free estimate' and pick your brain on how you'd do it while you think your're finding out how they want it done. And then you send in your quote, and they call their BIL and say, Hey bubba, c'mon over and we'll have a deck-building beer party....
You need a better class of clients.
You also need to start charging for estimates. How much more of your valuable time you gonna waste doing free brain work for douche-bags?
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
NICE POST DINO! ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
Now... this might just upset some of you guys but I get 125$/hour on site to consult with people about their deck... about 5 a week this time of year.
I also charge for the design work-normally between 400-1500$
We build decks depending on options, materials and detailing between $20-100/square foot. (Yikkes huh).
TRUE...
Price means nothing... marketing, salesmanship, details, reputation and a killer website doesn't hurt.
And... BTW, None of our guys will touch composite with a 10' pole. None of the composite companies will give us references of happy clients more than 3 years old.
We have to... but the composite companies don't.
Here's my plea to the composite companies for references
... you bet most of them have seen it because it ranks first page in Google for "Composite Decking".
Composite Decking Vs Wood Decks
Good luck gang...
L
GardenStructure.com~Build for the Art of it!
lawrence.... me... i love composites.... especially Trex...
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 5/26/2005 7:15 am ET by Mike Smith
Is that one of yours Mike? Great spot for trex... even exposure to sun.
Nice work !
Maybe I should just come down and have you tour me around to see 3+ year old decks huh?
L
GardenStructure.com~Build for the Art of it!
Mikey--
I thought you built the old bridge, not the new one.... ;-)
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
Hey Mike, what kind of wood are the posts made off?
Is that the jamestown bridge?
Will be spending my timeshare week in Newport next weekend (6/3 -> 6/10), Oceancliff on Ocean drive. Praying for better weather that the cr**p we're soaked in now.
Thanks.
charles, north of Boston
charles... the posts are red cedar....
the bridge is the Newport Bridge.... that's Newport we're looking at
weather should be great by that timeMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Wow, three men three days for $1056? That's about $117 per man per day and assuming you are legit and have labor burden of 35%, then your guys make about $10 per hour. If you can't compete with labor costs that low, something is definitely wrong. Skilled carps cost a lot more in many parts of the country, and decks routinely go for $25 per foot and up (way up in some cases). Of course a lot of it depends on the railing and decking materials and details.
Based on the numbers you're giving I would sell your deck at $4500-5000. What are you pricing it at?
Kel, here in coastal Alabama a basic deck for something like the size of yours, 3-5 feet off the ground would run about 4K including labor (myself and one helper) and PT materials (HDG nails/hardware), and one set straight stairs. That's about $12/SF.
My standard labor rate for basic decks is $6/SF.
Don't sell yorself short...if you're bidding to build these decks correctly, you're the better person; the cheapskate HO's who go with the lowest bidder may wind up dead or injured because of their cheapness one day.
Jason Pharez Construction
Framing & Exterior Remodeling
Kel,
I'm south of you in Fredericksburg and I know there's more money in Springfield than what you're getting.
If I understand your post correctly you're bidding a 14x24 deck (336 ft²) deck for $3,072 ($1,056+(6*336))? That is less than $9.14 a foot.
You need a sound marketing strategy. I know there is enough money in your area to double you rate. What do you focus on when you present a proposal?
Jon Blakemore