Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello
My husband has been asked by a man to turn his unused attic space into an office. The area measures roughly 150 sq. feet. It will need insulation, flooring or decking, sheetrock for the walls, 3 electrical outlets, 1 light fixture, move one dryer vent, rewiring.
How much would you charge for this? The guy wants a quote by tomorrow including labor and materials??
My DH is very skilled but he just doesn't know how much to charge this guy.
Any input would be helpful. He wants the quote by tomorrow.
Thanks in advance.
PS. The homeowner will do all the texture, paint, and finish job on the space.
Last edited by CTR36; 03-03-2010 at 05:51 PM..
Reason: added the ps.
CTR no one here can give you an honest answer. Do you really want a guess by any of us who have not seen this house? Then what? I mean no disrespect at all but if anyone does not know how much to charge then he should not be doing the job. In addition a customer needing the work is a complete kook for allowing a non licensed contractor in his home.
Do you know that by law in every state that if an unlicensed contractor does work in a home for money that the homeowner legally has no obligation to pay? And the contractor has no recourse because he is being pursued by the contractors board as well as the city inspectors for working without a license and failure to obtain a permit. Do you know what the fine is? You ever see those signs that say: "don't drink and drive, you can't afford it"?
What if you are all sheetrocked in and a city inspector notices you did it without a permit. They issue a stop order and make you tear it all back out so they can look. And believe me, they will rip you a new one all the way in this case. And I know you are not getting a permit because you said 3 outlets for 150 SF. That is at a least 10" X 15' room. Code calls for an outlet every 6' from the door opening and every 3' or 4' in the kitchen.
Please walk away from the job. You may lose much more then you had before you started.
I know you already blew me off cause you don't want to hear it so try this. Figure out your exact cost of materials. Just making a materials list and going to the rip off big orange store you can write down the prices to come up with a total.
Now what is your time worth? $8/hr? $40hr? A hint is homeowners expect non licensed people to work for minimum wage. Now you MUST add 10% to your number for fluff. Because every job, bar none goes over. It just is that way. Happens to the best of us.
I wish you luck. Can your hubby call on a licensed contractor friend and take a finders fee or help and split the profit with his contractor friend? It's safer.
No I will not blow you off. I value your advise but my husband is just starting out his business and yes he will get permits. My husband has worked for builders before he just doesn't know how much to charge!! He worked for contractors and builders in the past and this was quite a few years ago. Things and prices have changed. He is getting bonded and insured tomorrow! He is not one to cut corners. I guess it was a little unrealistic to just come here for a ballpark figure. But he will base it on an hourly rate. Thanks for your input though.
No I will not blow you off. I value your advise but my husband is just starting out his business and yes he will get permits. My husband has worked for builders before he just doesn't know how much to charge!! He worked for contractors and builders in the past and this was quite a few years ago. Things and prices have changed. He is getting bonded and insured tomorrow! He is not one to cut corners. I guess it was a little unrealistic to just come here for a ballpark figure. But he will base it on an hourly rate. Thanks for your input though.
Thanks for not getting pizzed off at me. My thumbs are up to your hubby for doing it right. He appears to be well experienced but maybe just maybe he is taking on too big a job for his first one. Times are tough and most good contractors would give up their left ummm for a nice job like that. He will do fine. Just do that number right. Nothing worse then giving a price and the cost goes higher and you have to eat it. Man does that hurt.
Yeah, that's exactly what he DOESN'T want to do. He is registering with the residential construction commission in our state tomorrow!! HA! He wants to have all his ducks in a row and has talked to the homeowner and stated that he'll give him the quote but will not start on the job until he has all his licenses, etc, approved. Yes, he does need the job! I am looking up some info on our state's licensing site and he cannot go over the $5,000 ceiling without depositing some of it into a special bank account
I am a goventment accountant, so I know how retainage works, etc. I am very thankful that people who have hired him as a handyman think so highly of him as to ask him to do this remodel
And, no he is not going to give this to another contractor, the homeowner trusts my husband and wants him to do it, another plus
So I will tell him that after the quote comes in for all the materials to add another 10% padding to that plus his approx. hourly rate and we'll be good to go.
I learn so much from these forums don't you?
Yeah, that's exactly what he DOESN'T want to do. He is registering with the residential construction commission in our state tomorrow!! HA! He wants to have all his ducks in a row and has talked to the homeowner and stated that he'll give him the quote but will not start on the job until he has all his licenses, etc, approved. Yes, he does need the job! I am looking up some info on our state's licensing site and he cannot go over the $5,000 ceiling without depositing some of it into a special bank account
I am a goventment accountant, so I know how retainage works, etc. I am very thankful that people who have hired him as a handyman think so highly of him as to ask him to do this remodel
And, no he is not going to give this to another contractor, the homeowner trusts my husband and wants him to do it, another plus
So I will tell him that after the quote comes in for all the materials to add another 10% padding to that plus his approx. hourly rate and we'll be good to go.
I learn so much from these forums don't you?
Great!!!!!
I also just noticed you too are from Texas. It's my adopted state. As you may know we didn't even need licensed contractors here till after IKE hit us. It was after Hurricane IKE that all the idiots came here and ripped off homeowners and insurance companies. The state quickly adopted some licensing laws here. And you said you were following the state licensing site. Good luck. If I didn't have some one to do it for me I would be SOL because I have no patience for any govt red tape. I have no patience for any govt in my life.
Sounds like you are on your way. Sorry my friend I can not answer your last sentence on the grounds that people will get mad at me for what I say. Lets just say I am so happy and content to help others on here, in my classroom, my book and on the job where I guide those who wish to achieve something special. I wish your hubby much luck. We need good people to show up all the clowns out there and hopefully put them out of business while also educating the consumer.
UNless he has a really good idea of exactly how much materials will be needed, he might be better off doing a materials plus 10%, and a hourly labor rate. The added 10% of the materials usually covers going to get the stuff, etc.
Maybe that will work on this job and get him on his way. It sounds like he might benefit from a class in basic contracting and learn about "OVERHEAD COSTS". Its probably the most overlooking concept in contracting and where most companies fail. If you only bid jobs on the cost of materials and your labor rate, you will be losing money.
There are so many cost associated with running a business that can really hurt you in the end if you don't plan for them. I'll list just a few..
Business license
Insurance
Cost of tools and maintaining and replacing them when they break
Cost of truck, maintenance, and the gas used to get to the jobs.
Taxes.
Those incidentals that you end up using from the back of the truck, and never seem to bill the customer for.
Did I mention taxes?
There is a much longer list, and I don't mean to be preachy, but overhead is a very important cost of running a business.
Good luck.
UNless he has a really good idea of exactly how much materials will be needed, he might be better off doing a materials plus 10%, and a hourly labor rate. The added 10% of the materials usually covers going to get the stuff, etc.
Maybe that will work on this job and get him on his way. It sounds like he might benefit from a class in basic contracting and learn about "OVERHEAD COSTS". Its probably the most overlooking concept in contracting and where most companies fail. If you only bid jobs on the cost of materials and your labor rate, you will be losing money.
There are so many cost associated with running a business that can really hurt you in the end if you don't plan for them. I'll list just a few..
Business license
Insurance
Cost of tools and maintaining and replacing them when they break
Cost of truck, maintenance, and the gas used to get to the jobs.
Taxes.
Those incidentals that you end up using from the back of the truck, and never seem to bill the customer for.
Did I mention taxes?
There is a much longer list, and I don't mean to be preachy, but overhead is a very important cost of running a business.
Good luck.
Oh, what about heat & air for this attic office?
The guy has an a/c buddy who will be doing that. My DH will just put in the vent.
Hello
My husband has been asked by a man to turn his unused attic space into an office. The area measures roughly 150 sq. feet. It will need insulation, flooring or decking, sheetrock for the walls, 3 electrical outlets, 1 light fixture, move one dryer vent, rewiring.
How much would you charge for this? The guy wants a quote by tomorrow including labor and materials??
My DH is very skilled but he just doesn't know how much to charge this guy.
Any input would be helpful. He wants the quote by tomorrow.
Thanks in advance.
PS. The homeowner will do all the texture, paint, and finish job on the space.
I know he may not have the time right now, but when he does he can look here at some estimating software..
Tell him to quote the guy an hourly wage, and the owner buys all materials. He becomes an hourly employee and has no money tied up in expensive materials..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
He worked for contractors and builders in the past and this was quite a few years ago. Things and prices have changed. He is getting bonded and insured tomorrow! He is not one to cut corners. I guess it was a little unrealistic to just come here for a ballpark figure. But he will base it on an hourly rate. Thanks for your input though.
