bid on brick wall(quick)

[washit]

I have to put a bid in on brick wall and was needing some help on how to come up with the price. The wall is 20 feet tall and 195 feet long. 17 feet of the height of the wall is brick and the other 3 feet is concrete. It is also 100 feet in the air but the lift will be provided. It is for a university football stadium. I know that you price it by the square foot or linear foot or something. I just want to get that straight before I come up with the number. I think that gunn mann said that he does brick for 45 cents a square foot so I guess that would apply here. Thanks for the help.

 

[ron]

there is a big diffrence

between cleaning up morter smears[gunn man] and cleaning off dirt and mold.
What are you cleaning off the wall?
Also the gunn man is not up on a lift.
Do you have a helper?
What chem are you going to use?
The more info the better someone can help you.

 

[the_GUNN_man]

When I wash brick it is new masonry. I clean off the mortar smears. I do use a lift but most of what I do is no more then 30 feet high. I do get 45 cents a sq. ft. but I tell them that the lift and acid is extra. If you are 100 feet in the air are you aware of how heavy that hose will be? You will have to have it tied off really good to the lift. If it ever shakes lose it will rip the wand right out of your hand. Cleaning off mortar smears is much more time consuming then just cleaning dirt or mold off of a wall. There is no way someone would pay me 45 cents a sq. ft. to wash dirt or mold off of a wall. I can clean up mortared smeared walls at about 250 - 300 sq. ft. an hour depending on how bad it is. I also have to scrape the wall for large mortar tags. Every brick wall is different. The type of brick, the skill of the masons, type of mortar used, how long since it has been laid, did they lay any of it in the rain, etc. Let me know if it is mortar you are cleaning or just dirt. If it is brick that has been there for a long time you can use some good pressure on it because the joints should be good and hard. This doesn't apply to sand faced brick though. With too much pressure you can discolor the brick and take off the sand finish. Like I said if it is just dirt or mold you probably won't get 45 cents a sq. ft. but you should get more then an average brick wall on the ground. The risk of being up 100 feet is where hazard pay kicks in. If I was to wash mortar smears that high I would probably charge up around 65 to 70 cents a sq. ft. What kind of lift will you be on?

 

[washit]

We are just going to be cleaning dirt and mold. I don't know what kind of chemical that we are going to use, never have cleaned brick before. I would assume that the hot water and a good degreaser would get it clean. I haven't thought about that hose thing, that is a pretty good point. It will be one of those boom lifts with the four wheels and the boom. I need to know how to price the thing as far as figuring up square feet, or linear feet or whatever it takes. I will figure the rest out after I put the bid in. I will have a helper but that doesn't cost me much. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Gwas]

ACID MAN ACID !!!!

 

[Mike Hughes]

I think maybe one of those hand held surface cleaners would work well on this job...........with two guys in the lift..........one to drive, one to wash.

The one I had in mind is made by Mosmatic, but I believe there are others...............

 

[the_GUNN_man]

Hey Mike,
I was wondering about those hand held surface cleaners. I was wondering how they would work for me doing my brick. I have seen the ones on a wand too. It seems like it could make it a lot easier on me. The thing I am not sure of is my Sure-Kleen getting on it. That hydrochloric acid in it can cause some damage. You know anyone that has used one?

 

[ron]

Washit, the safest way to bid the work is by the hour.
"time and materials" is what it's called.
$100 per hour or whatever you need to get.

 

[Mikespowrwash]

I have washed brick all my life and acid is not the way to go to remove mold and dirt. Make sure the walls are very wet and use an alkaline soap just like any other surface. If the mold is severe mix in some bleach in your mix and it should clean right off. Acid on brick should only be used when cleaning new masonry or trying to remove rust or oxidized paint bleeding in from another source. Make sure to rinse very well to assure all the cleaner has been removed from the brick. Remember, brick are very porous and if any cleaner is left behind it can and most likely will result in efflourescense. Charge by the hour and price of lift (what ever you need to 75 - 100 per hr). Make sure you aren't around too many vehicles, 100 feet up your spray will carry a long distance.

 

[Max_rob]

I would bid it at .20 a square, or 1.00 a linear. Then I would use prosoco's soap on it. I have had excellent luck with thier brick cleaner.

 

[Max_rob]

i should say that if I go with a linear foot price, then I add a service fee, for gas, soap, etc... The linear foot price covers labor only. It's just the way I do it.