wood fence estimate

[deckrock]

What is the going rate for wood fences? We're putting a proposal in next week for....

pressure treated, 2 year old fence, never washed/sealed, boards are finger spaced apart.

6 ft high. 115 full panels (8 feet wide) 230 panels total.

Wants washed and sealed (both sides)


We're figuring 2 machines running, workers making $10 an hour. Sealer is approximately $15.00 a gallon.

We figured 90 gallons will be used.

Fair rate????

 

[Cat Powerwash]

I usually get $.75-$1.25 per square ft.

 

[RogerG]

Down here people don't pay $1.25 a square foot to get a fence BUILT, much less stained, and definitely not for PT.

New PT fencing, stockade style (percarb wash, dry, stain) ends up pricing out at about no more than $1.50 - $2.00 linear foot

 

[TheHoodGuy]

If you use RogerG's number of $2.00/LF (PER SIDE) and the job takes you 80 hours you will net about $40 per hour. Decent enough money but not enough in my estimation for two machines and the aggravations of water supply issues, plant life etc. The going rate for painters is $5-$6 per LF almost everywhere in the country on a fence (except where Roger G lives I guess). The problem is when you walk up to the homeonwer with a ten thousand dollar bid in your hand and they fall over dead.



1840 LF of fence * $4 = $7360

Employee $800
materials $2750 (figuring .25 per square)
Misc Fixed $200

 

[RogerG]

Whew! Our materials costs are less than .10/sq (cleaner & stain), labor for helper, $6.50/hour. I think I like where I live 80 hours using 2 machines? Ouch.

Celeste

 

[deckrock]

Because we have washed smaller fences, we figured it would take 28 hours to wash and that one gallon of material SHOULD last 3 panels (Deckscapes or Olympic, clear)

With the numbers we've been working on... 2 guys at $10.00 per hour...
1,840 linear feet....

between $2.70 and $2.85 per linear foot. Does that sound fair?

It's for a condo association and the fence is at the end of the property line (water is accessible).

Any opinions on giving them the option of just sealing the fence and not washing it??

I can't imagine anyone wanting to spend $5,000 on a wash and seal. It's 2 years old, never washed or sealed.

At the same time, we're putting in a bid for the decks too.

 

[PressurePros]

Here is how my costs break down. cleaner and brightener (sodium percarbonate cleaner like EFC-38 and oxalic acid factoring in shipping) =$.05/sf. This is if you spray it once. When you have to rewet you eat more chemical.

Ready Seal $28 per gallon at 125 sf per gal cov rate average (factoring in shipping) =$.22/sf

$.22+$.05 = 27 cents per square foot for materials. I charge my customers $.30/sf to factor in markup, wasted chemical etc.

Celeste? $.10 per square, thats good. I still can't see how unless you water down your sealer and skip the brightening. Even if you get your chemicals locally, there is sales tax to figure in.

As far as time, ur right, with two machines it will go quicker depending on how they apply the chemical. factoring in being a newbie, water supply issues, spraying and back rolling, and all the usuall mistakes that arise from performing a new task on a large scale, I think 40 hours is probably more accurate including setups, dwell time, smoke breaks, eating or whatever else can divert you from your task.

I'd do it for 5 grand and be happy if it meant getting the bid for other projects where I could make up the cash.

 

[RogerG]

For new fencing, never been touched, we use a pure percarbonate (not the EFC-38) which will not need neutralizing. Wood Defender fence stains (12.59/gallon) at 200 sq ft/gallon costs .07 to apply, undiluted. We avoid sales tax by ordering and usually manage to avoid shipping or order enough that it is quite minimal, given the # of jobs it will be divided between.

As far as sealing dirty wood - NO NO AND NO! Just because it hasn't had a prior sealer put on does not mean it's not dirty from atmospheric pollutants and microbial growth that may not be evident at a glance. NO NO NO!

11,040 square feet - we clean pretty quickly - with the WD sealing, goes just as fast. $5,000 would do it for us and call it a good couple days work That's less than .50 sq ft.

Celeste