Vct and glue down carpet $$$$?? help - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

shaane · 10-25-2008, 10:39 PM

I am new to the site and have been installing floors for 15 yrs (My father 50 yrs). I have been working for a contractor for over a year now who I have jumped for every time he needs something. 6mo ago I priced a new commercial bldng slab on grade. It contains 280yds glue down cpt and 1,300sqft vct. He recently began complaining about my pricing and got 2 bids from 2 different contractors. He baisically told me if I don't match their prices he is going with them. They priced it out a follows 3.50 yd carpet, .40C base and .40C vct. when I do the math that becomes an awful cheap job. I contacted my supplier about this and that was his reaction too. He told me the only reason flooring contractors charge .40C for vct is if its a whole safeway store, otherwise it's going for around .80 to 1.00 psqft. What does this sound like to you out there?? Here is an example: for this job its going to take three buckets of wall mastic to adhere the vinyl base to the wall, @ $25 per bucket I don't start making any money untill I install 187 lin ft base. Do theese figures add up in your world or am I way off???

CrpntrFrk · 10-25-2008, 10:58 PM

Well I would bring up the fact that you have been there for him for a while and ask him if these other guys would do the same. But be nice about it of course. Then ask him if he has been satisfied with your work so far and again ask him if those other guys would do the same. I find that if you feel you do a good job for a decent price then you might just have to let this dude see for himself does the better job. I'm sure it will only take one job to find out if he made a mistake. Good luck man!

shaane · 10-25-2008, 11:15 PM

Oh yeah I tried that but he is the superintendant for his boss who honestly knows nothing about construction and only sees the bottm dollar. This guy only knows numbers and assumes that he is going to get the same kind of service and quality from the other contractors (which I know) and have seen their work. You mentioned service: I pulled off of an elk hunting trip on Thurs, drove 2hrs home because based off of his other bids he didn't think I supplied him with the correct figures for carpet. I remeasured the whole job again and based on their figures they would have been short. But I guess that kind of service doesn't mean anything because some hack bid the job lower.

Floordude · 10-26-2008, 09:19 PM

Sorry, but for me to stay in business, I cannot match illegal immigrant pricing. If you feel the bottom dollar is all that matters, I do excellent repairs and corrections, as you have seen by my work over the long relationship we have had in the past. Good Luck and keep me in mind when your expectaions are not met.