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Hey all - its been awhile - we've been busy - this is good...

Walked thru a remodel job with a builder yesterday. He has faxed me a list of items that need to be done and he wants some pricing for each room where work is needed. I am having trouble on how to put this pricing together because this is quite a job. The house is HUGE. There is a 400 amp service on one end and two 100 amp panels in two differnet locations at the other end. There are some room additions going in and some room enlargements and transformations.

Here is my problem...if he wants pricing how are we supposed to "estimate" how long all this work is going to take? We are going to have to delete things where additions are being built and walls are being removed. On top of all that ther is low voltage EVERYWHERE. Almost all of the existing switches are low voltage running through transformers at various locations in the walls.

I guess what I am asking is - how would you estimate pricing on this job? Any, I mean ANY ideas would be helpful...

Take your best educated guess and double, maybe even triple it.

Works for me!

Did you say he wants pricing for each room? I would give a very rough estimate and work T&M. Otherwise I would not even bother. If that doesn't fly and you need the work go high and don't let him beat you down.

The ONLY safe way to touch work like rthis is "T&M".....it's fair & equatible to ALL Parties involved.
HotLine1
John

the thing about remodeling is there always seems a point where somebody opens up the unknown, and let loose the pack of angry flying monkey's........

How about 10-16 man hours per room +material
and dont forget to add O&P

I just finished the rough on the remodel project from hell. In the end I was glad I hadn't bid the job. We did it T&M, if I had bid the job I would've lost big time because it was much worse than I thought.

Sometimes you can look at a project a "see" exactly what it will take, other times you can't. If I can't, I do T&M only and try not to even guestimate because it will come back to you if you go way over. If the contractor won't do T&M, walk or bid so high you think they'll laugh at you. You'd be suprised how many "I don't want this job" bids I actually win. Good Luck.

Just finished (I hope) the worst remodel I have ever been involved with today (9 months long). I have learned that people who can afford to do a massive remodel are usually the loopiest. The total job ran $400K and our part was about $18K on a 3000 sqft home. We did the addition at standard pricing but the remodel part was T&M. If you are trying to give a guestimate triple your time and money and keep in mind that youll have ten times the trips to that job. I turn down remodels every week because it really slows down the other new construction jobs.

Have you guys ever been asked, "Just give me a ballpark figure." Another quote I use to get a lot while you are in the middle of a job was, "Gee, while you're here." or "I have a list." Boy if I had a nickel for everyone of the times I heard those quotes, I would be a rich person.

Caper

"Just shoot from the hip"

"OK, how about a million dollars..."

"Could ya aim just a little better than that?"

(Actual Conversation Once...)

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 07-20-2002).]