Piece work pay - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

tnt specialty · 04-30-2008, 07:27 PM

We're a GC. Have an employee that want's to install pre-finished 4" hickory....What do you guys pay your pc. workers, if youn pay that way? I was thinking aprx. $ 1.00/SF.....

What would be a std. production rate for an 8 hr. man day?

Thanks!

Mike Costello · 04-30-2008, 08:52 PM

personally i wouldnt take my truck out of my driveway for 3 a ft

deffed · 04-30-2008, 09:03 PM

Is it glue down or nail down? What kind of floor prep needs to be done? Are you providing all the material? You might want think twice about letting someone inexperienced doing this. That is alot of money if he screws it up. Not to mention your reputation

tnt specialty · 05-01-2008, 07:12 AM

$ 3.00/sf for pc wk? I'd have to charge $ $ 5.00+! Wouldn't get much work here!

The typical rate charged by contractors for pre-finished, in this area, is $ 2.85/sf.

My employee is very knowledgable and experienced with hardwood floors.

Does anybody pay pc wk?

Thanks

PrecisionFloors · 05-01-2008, 07:48 AM

If he's very knowledgeable and experienced why would he accept $1/ft when, by your own admission the market will bear at least $2.85??

A buck a foot is a slap in the face to any legitimate installer anywhere in the country my friend

tnt specialty · 05-01-2008, 09:33 AM

OMG!
What am I dealing with here?
$ 2.85 is Contractor price....not installer/pc wk/employee pay.

He said he could install the 722 sf in two days, His hrly rate is $ 23.00. That works out to $ .50/sf. I was going to double it!

Bud Cline · 05-01-2008, 10:04 AM

That being the case why don't you do it yourself?

Floordude · 05-01-2008, 10:04 AM

If he is your employee and on the books, you pay him what ever you think he is worth. If it is $1 a foot, so be it.

Retail flooring dealers here in Central Texas, dictate a low price of $1.25 a foot for glue down over concrete, and will only pay a total of $67.50 for any and all floor prep. Guess what happens.........

tnt specialty · 05-01-2008, 05:36 PM

So, to answer my own question.....It appears flooring contrators pay thier employees mostly hourly?

An ex-employee of mine used to pc wk wood flooring....that kid knocked-down $100k a year, consistantly.

PrecisionFloors · 05-01-2008, 05:50 PM

I may just be confused here....

Is this an employee you're talking about or are you subbing the job out to him? Is he 1099'd?

tnt specialty · 05-01-2008, 10:46 PM

Oh boy........I'm getting naucious(sp?).....

We don't play the sub-game......

Just never-mind.....................omg................

Bud Cline · 05-02-2008, 08:59 AM

If you don't "play the sub game" then pay those guys hourly and YOU take the lumps when they occur. Why are you even considering piece work? That'll bring the IRS into your business quicker than anything you can think of.

If your going to be an hourly-employee-staffed-company, then be one.

By the time you meet burden and fix a few screw ups and fire a few backsliders you'll still be money ahead of where you will be with paying them piece work.

nwtile guy · 05-02-2008, 09:36 AM

The sub game?

Bud Cline · 05-02-2008, 10:40 AM

I think the "sub game" he is referring to is the game most everyone has played from time to time by hiring an individual that would usually be hired as an hourly employee but this time claiming him to be a self employed subcontractor so as to circumvent the tax laws and withholding requirements in this country.

That person is then issued a Form 1099 rather than the usual Form W-2 required by law.

It is done all the time, the nation is built on this so-called illegal situation.

tnt specialty · 05-02-2008, 01:47 PM

The "sub-game"; Not the nation...it's typically common in states w/o licensing...

Most of our labor was always piece-work, (80+ employees at times), when we did roofing and framing...heck, it was 95% pc-wk.

There's nothing wrong with pc-wk;;;it's when idiots/crooks confuse pc-wk with "subbing"....That's when the IRS should get involved....

PrecisionFloors · 05-02-2008, 06:37 PM

Well if he is in fact an employee, and you're wanting to pay piece work, I'd say a buck a foot is fair. Maybe even a little more than fair....that equates to 35% of gross. My helpers generally consumes 15-25% of my gross, and my guys are paid pretty well for this area. A mechanic would obviously rate more, but not 35%.

tnt specialty · 05-03-2008, 04:53 PM

At last! That's what I was expecting!

Thanks Capt. Chaos!