Help working on deck prices in new location.

[nlantz]

Hey everyone, after a couple year hiatus and moving to a new location. I am jumping back into the game.
Back when I pressure washed I did everything but selling/bidding.
My plan is to start out with residential and new construction brick.
Figuring out deck prices I came up with this,
Deck, basic 30ft X 10 ft has 10 stairs 60 ft of railings deck has been unmaintained for 5+ years. Gray with some signs of a semi transparent coating. They supply water.
--------
Cleaning @ $2.50 per sf - $750
railings @ $2.25 per lf - $135
steps @ $2.00 per - $20
Sealer Behr 17.7ltr @ 167.88
Sub Total 1072.88
Canadian HST .13% - 139.47
Total $1212.35
---------
I figure 2 hours to clean and 4 hours to seal. that would come out to around $178 a hour.
I know prices vary from place to place and am shooting for a in the ballpark price.
Some discounts and promotions I am thinking about are 10% discount for new customers, hst tax free if paid within 2 weeks.
Thank's for any input.

 

[New Look]

I don't do wood but BEHR? I have heard so many horror stories about their products.

Any woodies care to chime in???? Fenner....where you at?

 

[nlantz]

behr is more of an example, Not sure what i am going with just opened home depot to grab a price

 

[New Look]

behr is more of an example, Not sure what i am going with just opened home depot to grab a price

Ohhh..okay!

 

[PressurePros]

How did you come up with $2.25 per LF or rails? There are 6 plus square feet in every foot of rail counting spindles, caps and posts. Not only that, they are more difficult. Strangely, $1200 is about what we would charge for the deck so though your formula is flawed, it worked here.

 

[nlantz]

Hey Ken, I think it was your post in a different thread but i may be mistaken. Someone on here gave a rough estimate on what they charge for decks and said they do railings by the liner foot. $2.25 to $2.50. I talked to my old boss back on the other side of Pa in Pittsburgh and he said my quote is average. To figure out the railings i doubled the width, one side for length and not really having a deck on hand I estimated 10 ft of railing for 10 steps. 1 ft per step. 30+10+10+10=60@2.25 is $135

So your saying charge by the square ftX6 per ft of railings ? so 60ft of railings X 6 sq per ft is 360 total sf of railings at lets say 2 bucks per sq because yes they are a pain. that would total at 720 bucks just for railings at 12 bucks a sq?
My total would come out to $1873.40 I would think thats pushing it. Esp if I ever come across a wraparound deck with 100+ ft of railings. Im new to selling and thing I would have a hard time bidding a deck at over 4 grand.
If you dont mind me asking Ken, What is your method for pricing Wood restoration judging by the deck I described above ?

Also judging by being in Canada now I should be able to get away with raising prices by 20% of what I could have got back home. Gas is about $4.51 a gallon up here. A pack of smokes cost around $10. Gota head back to Pa to get a skid unit. $2500 from my old boss. Around 10 grand here for anything close to 3000psi @5gpm

 

[PressurePros]

nl, the formula you described is correct. Keep in mind every spindle has four sides. Flatten those out and your square footage starts adding up. Your prices are whats high (for my market) and would take your bids out of realm. My cost is approximately $2 per s/.f (of all wood) and that includes washing, sanding handrails, staining and all materials. My square footage is a measurement of everything including support posts, stair treads, risers and stringers, benches, pergolas, planter boxes, etc.

 

[nlantz]

Thanks for the input Ken, this year is when I can get a feel for my market and honestly am unsure of whats within my realm. I may need to call some other contractors in the area and see what there going rates are. If its anything like home was they will end up telling me 3 grand is good, while they charge 1500. Hate to do it but I may just need to have them bid on some decks my friends own.

Its really for there own good for me to have a comparable price. I dont think they have "fleet wash" up here to come in and underbid the crap out of them. I remember we took on cleaning 6 taunt liners, chemical cleaned /brush all the tarps, brightened rims, zep-o-shine waxed all the cabs because thats what they wanted. Cost like 40 bucks each, after the 45 min drive there, waiting for them to come in so we could clean them before they get loaded then driving back to the shop wile paying 2 guys about 13 per hour. there was really no room for profit. but we took them on because we had a fedex account close by so it make it worth wile when they were all in on time. never happens that was of course. Fleet Wash under bid us on it 6 months later and did them for about 5 bucks each ? We used over 20 in chemicals. Still ticks me off! But we did get 4-5 accounts off them due to there hack job of a 2 step cleaning. I heard they get paid by "time the machine is running" So they drive around with the machine going and just drop the hose in the tank. Franchise pressure washing with guaranteed territory.
Anyway, thanks again for the input ken, Sorry for rambling.