rservices

I do mostly repairs in restaurants, Re-grouts , and tile replacements usually around 10 to 20 square feet. I've been doing these type of repairs for 5 years the most I've done at one time was 110 sq/ft at one time

I've been given the chance to bill on a whole floor.
Here are the spec's

it's an older building with pretty good floors, currently covered with VCT, with a plywood sub floor.

here's the plan
335 sq/ft
6x6 quarry tile, 6" base cove
quick setting mortar and epoxy grout.

remove damaged or loose VCT
level low areas
fresh 5/8 plywood
cement board
tile and grout

I've roughed out materials at 4500.00
labor 4000.00

tolal 8500.00

This would be just the cost of the floor, and other time involved with equipment removal, of waiting on the other contractors (plumbers, electrical)

Am on target or am I giving this away (I haven't turned in the estimate yet)

Floordude

That is almost $12 a foot for labor. For what your doing, that would be a very high bid, if you were going by retail pay scale, around here.

It depends who is bidding against you. You may be right in line, for your area. I can get it done all day long, here, for $3-6 a foot, but it will be a green card sub contractor, that uses illegal labor.

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Grumpyplumber

Repairs/replacements are generally more expensive per capita than new.
Also, from what I know, make DAM sure the subfloor is solid enough to keep the grouted seams & tiles from cracking.
You may be more accustomed to laying tile onto existing flooring, I've seen some nightmares when the subfloor wasn't secured/prepped right.

firemike

It sounds like your proposal includes the subs (???) or just your time needed for them to complete their work?

Also, have you determined that the floor will support that additional weight and still meet the L/360 deflection rule? What about using Ditra or another uncoupling membrane to save weight? It will also provide some waterproofing to the floor versus cement board.

How much equipment has to be moved, and what is the general shape/layout of the floor?

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-Mike-

Demonseed

let me try to understand the situation, you basically have a 16 x 21 area, and you are charging $8500, and you think you are giving away the job?

If you need a partner call me. What has me baffled is what type of area could this be, that they could add the extra height to the floor without any type of transition problems? Why bother repairing loose VCT when you are putting an INCH of subfloor over it? If there is a fear of the floor failing due to a some loose VCT, you may as well take out all of the VCT.

I do not get the 4500 in materials, are you adding in a jet ski?

Chris G

I just blew snot out my nose when I read that.

As to the original question. It almost sounds like your taking you 10 square foot rate and multiplying it by 33. Which would give an inflated price since there are many efficiencies to be had with a 335 sq ft job over a 10 sq ft job.

GoodHouse

Your estimate is high. 25 bucks a sqaure even for tear out and materials is extremely high. Those quarry tiles are not that expensive, niether is plywood or backboard. And you only need about $120 bucks in quick dry mortar and grout.
I agree with demonseed, way too many subfloor height issues. Quarry tile is a 1/2" thick itself.

Please tell us HOW you think your giving the job away? I dont think there is any way in hell you would be given the contract for the job since the tile your using suggests the area its being put in is probably kitchen/bath/utility which lends itself to more function then aesthetics. No one will pay that.

rservices

The reason I posted this was, when I have been up against other bids I blew them out of the water. I've started to wonder whats fair market value for the work I do. One example is that a company bid 2500.00 on a job that I made money on while charging only 700.00. On top of that I can't ever member losing a bid.

There that line of thought, that if all of your bids are excepted then you could be underbidding or at least not asking true market value.

As far as answering some of the questions that have come up in other post,

This is an epoxy job (high material cost)

There is some sub flooring that may need to be cut out and replaced.

I don't plan on repairing the VCT just clearing out the loose sections, or damaged pieces so I get a good solid sub-floor.

There is a limited window that the work has to completed in (they don't want to close any more then they have to). It would start on a Sunday and they want to open for dinner on Monday.

I've asked him to arrange for the sub's, but from my experance I can add at least 2 hours of down time per sub, some just don't seam to care for the other trades, and for them this is a small job,(remove and re hook up a 4 compartment sink, and move a few outlets)

anyone know where I can get a good price on a jet ski

rservices

On another note...

I want to thank all those who have posted a response. I post the same question a day earlier on another forum (which will remain nameless) and have received zero response.

I do believe that their are some real arrogant people in flooring industry when it comes to tile work. I guess they feel that if you haven't spent 20 years on your knee's you shouldn't be allowed to earn a fair living laying tile. they mite be ok with some one doing repairs that they wouldn't even touch with a ten foot pole, but actually making some money on a floor. its best left to them

Grumpyplumber

Depth of my knowledge on flooring prices = 0
However, if you haven't lost a bid yet, you're either very new/part time, correct that you price too low, or a combination of both.
Sounds like you have nothing to lose, if so, hit 'em hard.

rservices

not new, or part-time. my business focuses more on repair and general building maintaince (7 years toatl % of whihc has been full time) , Maybe with a few of these larger types I could go after new construction.