Tub to custom shower, price and technq ?
One of my better customers now wants me to take out the upstairs tub with existing tile surround and ceiling and put in a walk-in shower.
The existing tile floor (outside the tub, old and probably difficult to match) remains.
The house is probably fifty years old or a bit more. The existing tile is, as near as I can tell, on top of sound plaster on board.
I’m assuming that I demo to the studs. Anyone disagree?????????
More importantly, this is exactly the situation that I screw up the pricing on – a job I’ve not done before.
Remove the tub, demo the tile surround (having to do so very carefully at one edge to preserve the remaining field of tile on wall outside of the shower). Demo the plaster with the same consideration of the wall tile that remains. Demo the ceiling tile.
Install new plumbing fixtures, run drain out to the middle.
Build the shower.
Seal the tile.
The question is: what labor $ do you charge to remove a tub and put in a custom tile shower??????????????
I have my ideas, but this would be a big help to me.
Thanks.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Replies
I'm finally off to bed.
how are we going to 'build the shower"?
and .. what does "seal the tile" mean?
anyways ... demo ... myself ... a day and a half from start to clean up.
so that's 2 days there.
plumbing ... I dunno ... call my plumber?
ok .. I redneck it myself ... it's a day. Guaranteed 2 trips to the supply house. Plus .. something leaks at least once. One full day.
so we're up to 3 (8 hr) days now.
btw ... my 8 hr day includes how ever many breaks happen to fall in and a decent lunch. If for some odd reason yer stuck on hours ... maybe 6 to 7 hrs a day.
I'll build ya my backer walls and mud bed shower floor. Walls backered and preslope ... a day.
(4 now)
thinset seams and membrane, mesh, top coat mud bed ... another day
(5 now)
tile walls and floor ... a day(6 now)
grout and trim out ...
a day.
(7)
good previous customer ... $300/per.
7 x $300 ... $2,100. (ya wanna see something funny ... ok .. good old customer ... we'll drop to the min of $250/day. But .. now we're adding our 20% ... $250x 7 is $1,750 ... + 20%($350) is $2,100.) ( my off the shelf/list prices bring me a hair above $2,500)
so $2,100 it is.
someone will be by shortly to say 3 days max!
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
"how are we going to 'build the shower'?"Ummm...kind of like..."I'll build ya my backer walls and mud bed shower floor. Walls backered and preslope""what does 'seal the tile' mean?"Sorry. I meant seal the grout.Thanks for the post. I must confess I am surprised you don't charge more.I figured it would take me ten working days (since I've never done one before)(think I'll tell the customer three weeks). So I was thinking $3,000. But I don't think I can bring myself to charge more than you do!! $2,500 then.I know you charge less for the good customer, but this customer has gotten so many good deals from me...(really, REALLY good deals!!)Thanks again.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
You and Jeff are both tankin.
The whole save this part of the job is for the birds.
It's a do-over.
The work you are describing.......I wouldn't touch it for less than $4500.00 and that comes with a 2 year gaurantee.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
"But I don't think I can bring myself to charge more than you do!!"
well .. there's yer first problem!
never think your first number is too high ... we both know it's usually the other way around. Ok .. now I'm at $3K too!
remember to mark up the materials too. Or if it's customer supplied ... add the "allowance" mark up into the labor.
I charge $45/hr. I add 20% to labor and materials.
I keep telling myself I'm going up to $50 ...
which actually I kinda/sorta did ... I used to charge $40/hr for sub work.
going to a meeting tomorrow to look at some prints .... hopefully 2 small high end kitchen installs for a guy I've been wanting to start working with ... already told him $45/box which equates to $45/hr ... so if I've just upped my sub rates by $5 ...
Better remember to tell the regular customers $50, huh?
10 days .. sounds safe. We both know if I said 8 .... it's be two full weeks in the end ... maybe warp it up early the second Fri.
btw ... Eric's probably right!
let us know how it goes ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I wouldn't commit to keeping existing wall and floor tile....too much trouble & room for hack work....the cost of the extra headache to retain, plus the mix& match end result, push for a complete remodel, IMHO