Stair Treads

mmike032

i was wondering if anyone cared to share how they charge on stairs. currently i charge per tread i have to install because 9 times out of 10 the framing is so bad .yesterday i had to cut 1/2 to nothing on alot of treads to get them to fit properly.i currently charge from 25 to 35 per tread and i am catching alot of flack from builders b/c they say im making to much for the time it takes me. but i have a system to make things alot faster then the rest of the jack legs.for the handrails i try to figure how much time itll take and make it worth my while.Are these prices in line or am i way off.and dont tell me to check with other trim carpenters around b/c they wont reveal nothing. i know prices differ from different areas but just wanted to get an idea how other pros do it.

A W Smith

If they're still hiring you, then you are not charging too much. keep charging what you know you are worth. "making too much for the time it is taking you" has nothing to do with you overcharging for what the job is worth. If they can get someone cheaper they would have already in this market.

__________________
Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

mmike032

yea i went through that when i first started , i had a builder that was trying to get me to go under my boss and do his work and i wouldnt.then a few months later i was on my own and this builder contacts me and says he is fireing my old boss and wants me. after alot of consideration i decided to do a house for him.come to find out my boss didnt know anything about it untill i called him and discussed it with him but he gave his blessing and said good luck hell do the same to you, and i knew this already but needed to eat.fast forward about 3 houses and i pull up to trim a house and guess who already started it. yep my old boss.this builder had fired me and not told me either.Reason being i wouldnt bow down and do it cheaper than my old boss. i was charging what i felt i was worth. he thought i was going to do it for nothing or by the hour.anyway a few weeks later i call the builder to see if he has any repair work i can do. He gives me about 10 houses that need exterior doors replaced and trim around columns replaced. I do the work and then turn in the bill and he goes ape ****.tells me theres no way i should be making this much money at my age and so and so on. he says he cant make that in a day and a half and it just isnt right.He then tells me i should of done work on an hourly basis.I explain my self and my charges and proceeds to tell me and i qoute"ya know mike, sometimes you just gotta do some stuff for FREE to get more work"at this time i left the bill on the hood of his truck and walked off. hadnt spoke to him sense nor do i care to. and i see him regularly.and yes i did get paid. Just thought id share this

leakygoose

032 Throw that builder under the bus .Talk to the trim suppliers and find out who the good guys are and approach them ,life is to short to deal with morons . No one has the right to tell you what to charge . If you get 35 a tread and a builder complains , then show him his rough carpenters mistake and explain your only going charge a little more then 40 each to make them right. Always have a come back that will cost them more, this shuts them up but be a pro about it .

Trimwerx

I take more offense to those kinda comments than if he were to call my mom a whore.

mmike032

i have already cut my ties with that builder, and done damn good without him. although things are really slow right now for me. but up to now it seems like a higher power has intervened when work got slow , so maybe He'll help me out again.I already know who all the good builders are and they are taken by my old boss and a guy that used to sub some of his trim out to me. i dont feel right going and bidding on their work.Im am trying to get my own clientel which is mostly newer builders that dont do alot of houses but most of them are a pleasure to work for. Let me mention 1 other thing, this guy that was subbing his work to me ended up hireing my helper.He was always asking me about him and how good was he etc....I told him he cant have him, hes mine. well 1 day my helper says hes not getting enough hours and hes going to work for the other guy.since he left me i havent gotten any more work from this guy. He wont even return my calls now.WTF, would this be grounds to bid some of his jobs or would that still be wrong morally.What would some of you do?Would you continue to try not and make enemys of just say F<<K it i gotta eat to

Tom F.

If the guy stole your man, and now won't return your calls, he IS an enemy. There's no morality question left to ask. Go get the work. Revenge is a nice motivator.

orson

last builder I trimmed for on production specs was paying .65 SF for sill/apron only windows, and .70 SF for sill/apron/jambs. How's that stack up? seems low to me.

www.rubycon.us
Ruby Construction LLC
Lancaster Kitchen Remodeling
Lancaster Bathroom Remodeling

mmike032

spec house here .45 a ft lucky to get .50 thats with stools and skirts.i charge per window to case it out

orson

wow, that's insanely low, how the hell do you make a living doing that?
how much do you charge per cased window?

www.rubycon.us
Ruby Construction LLC
Lancaster Kitchen Remodeling
Lancaster Bathroom Remodeling

mmike032

25 per window unless its 8' . cost of living here must be the reason were behind everybody.but if you want to compete here thats what oy have to charge. but .45 is just for base, doors, and lockout. crown and everything else is extra.it works out fine for me, i could make a great living if i could just get some of the better GCs but there all taken.