How to charge

[woodguy1]

Hey guys.........I appreciate all the info being freely shared on this forum. Keep up with the posts. I am a newbie in the deck cleaning world and would like some suggestions to two questions.

1. Do people charge by the hour or by the square foot?

2. How much do you guys charge? (I know this question is a white elephant, but it would still be interesting.)

Thanks in advance for your response, The woodguy1

 

[PressurePros]

$1 per s/f to strip and seal plus materials. That is true square footage not just floor. Counting every rail, spindle, post, bench, tread, riser, etc.

A ground level, 20'x20' deck with a few steps and rails on three sides would start at $950. I offer a two year waranty on work.

 

[ericw]

Does that include you sealing the deck as well Ken?

 

[steve r]

decks

Does that include you sealing the deck as well Ken?

depending on area youlive in .i getbetween $1.50 to $2.85 sq ft.i also charge linear ft on railings .and figure each picket 1 sq ft.and $10.00 per step.my prices may seem high but my clientel is mostly word of mouth.ive been restoring decks for 7 yrs now .

 

[PressurePros]

Yes Eric, that includes sealing. Using an HVLP sprayer and the right detergents we would have about 7 hours into it. No killed plants, no overspray on siding or anywhere. If the deck is pressure treated and I didn't need a ton of dwell time on the stripper we could have it done in one day before 5pm (using Wood Tux Wet tinted to customers color preference)

 

[woodguy1]

Thanks for all the replies! I was thinking 1.50 to clean and seal if I didn't have to strip, and 1.75 for a pre sealed deck....Ken, would it be ok to call you some time this week and a few more questions? Tom (woodguy1)

 

[PressurePros]

Sure, Tom. 610-662-4036

 

[jrwem]

Thanks for all the replies! I was thinking 1.50 to clean and seal if I didn't have to strip, and 1.75 for a pre sealed deck....Ken, would it be ok to call you some time this week and a few more questions? Tom (woodguy1)

You should research your area and see how much other contractors are charging. That should be your base number to start with. When I first started, I charged the low end, until I got a few decks under my belt and knew what was up. After a while you will get a chance to see how other companies operate. I found out that I was doing a better job than most of the competition and my referrals reflected that. That's when I started inching the price up. I try to get a minimum of $60 per hour, usually ends up quite a bit more if the job goes smoothly. I charge between $1.25 - $3 per sq ft depending on how hard the job is...not all strip jobs are the same and you shouldn't just charge an arbitrary number or you will get screwed...a lot!!!


I count each linear foot af rail system as 3 sq feet.