charging for faux finishes - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Humble Abode · 04-18-2005, 12:22 PM

Our company is just starting to branch out into faux finishes. With this and wallpaper I am trying to offer complete wallcovering.

Does anyone have any special pricing for the different kinds of finishes? How much, per sf for venitian plaster, ragging, etc. I know that all of them require different time and knowledge of techniques, some are easy and some are very difficult.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Joe

Exroadog · 04-18-2005, 05:31 PM

Decorative finishes have a lot of variables. No simple answer. Price is dependent on experience and geography. If you do just ok work, you cant charge as much as the holy cow work!!! Venetian plaster is the same. Are you talking real VP (lime putty and marble dust) or the "faux" (fake) VPs or synthetics. Big differance. But to give you an example for real VP....NY area and Florida around $16-$20 a sq ft. Some states, lucky to get $8-$12 sq. ft. If you wish for the country average and what you could get away with being new.........e-mail me.

shawn47 · 04-28-2005, 11:08 PM

Hello,

Can you tell me the national rate for a siimple faux finish, in addition can you send me the rate for the seattle area.
Thanks

**Teetorbilt** · 04-28-2005, 11:47 PM

I once saw what a guy charged for a 'marble' finish, whooowhee! I was real tempted to go into that business yesterday. Unfortunately, I'm not that kind of artist. The guy that did the job certainly was, totally realistic, the walls looked like one giant slab of marble and scaled perfectly to the size of the room.

**ProWallGuy** · 04-29-2005, 07:11 AM

Quote:

With this and wallpaper I am trying to offer complete wallcovering.

For the love of GOD, please use a good quality pre-wallcovering primer on these jobs.

Humble Abode · 04-29-2005, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProWallGuy

For the love of GOD, please use a good quality pre-wallcovering primer on these jobs.

We aren't quite ready for wallpaper yet, but I'll remember that. Actually my girlfriends father was a paper hanger for about ten years. We figure if we get any requests for paper we can hire him to do it and show us the ropes as well. Needless to say I won't be taking on any Casino jobs any time soon.

Exroadog · 04-29-2005, 03:42 PM

Anyone interested in learning to "marble & woodgrain", our business is sponsoring Cait Whitson of Scotland to teach at our studio this summer. Great deal. Shes one of Europes best and you will know how to do this technique when all is done! Her web site (to see her work) is www.carteblanchecait.co.uk and more info about the class is at our web site at www.decoartisans.com The cost of the class is usually paid back to you after graining one door.!!

**Teetorbilt** · 04-29-2005, 07:17 PM

roadog, you are balancing on an ad. I'm going to let it stay because it is so relevant to the thread. Nate may come along and say otherwise.

Exroadog · 04-29-2005, 08:57 PM

Feel free to remove it. Not trying to be an ad, just thought, since you mentioned how good the money was, that if someone wanted some, we are sponsoring a person that is an expert in the field. And we dont get one penny. Honestly. Our studio is in a non profit organization that promotes art for and to the community. (Lincoln Street Center for arts and Education.) Rockland Maine. Part of our lease agreement is to sponsor and teach educational classes.
I have all the respect for this site and dont want to break any rules and really, it wont hurt my feelings if its removed. Just sharing! And by the way, where are the "rules"? I did try to look for them figuring that this could possibly taken as an ad for me.

**Teetorbilt** · 04-30-2005, 12:15 AM

roadog, sorry if it seemed like I whizzed on you. I'm a former biker and not one of the Rolex dudes with a cel phone. Still have my first scoot, A65 BSA Spifire MKII Special with the 810 Dunstall kit. Also have my first scratch bike, Knucklehead, built from swapmeet parts. Project took over 6 yrs. to complete. I was so poor that I lived in a '62 Buick Invicta stationwagon for a few years
I need a road trip!
All my rowdy friends have settled down, HW,Jr.

Exroadog · 04-30-2005, 05:55 AM

Nice bike. My last was a 42 Indian Scout. Was a basket but had all the parts but triple tree. Found that from Indian Joe. Toke 3 years to build and $10,000.00 in beer.!!! Getting ready to build another, not sure of power plant yet, but will be Indian style lines with a side car. Left hand throttle, right hand shift, foot clutch. Gonna go on a Road trip for a while and show my daughter Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

ppmc · 07-10-2005, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exroadog

Decorative finishes have a lot of variables. No simple answer. Price is dependent on experience and geography. If you do just ok work, you cant charge as much as the holy cow work!!! Venetian plaster is the same. Are you talking real VP (lime putty and marble dust) or the "faux" (fake) VPs or synthetics. Big differance. But to give you an example for real VP....NY area and Florida around $16-$20 a sq ft. Some states, lucky to get $8-$12 sq. ft. If you wish for the country average and what you could get away with being new.........e-mail me.

Actually I was wondering if you would not mind sending me average .I clicked on your name to e-mail you but I must have done something wrong?only got a instant messenger....

CoastalCoatings · 10-11-2005, 09:23 PM

I have a lady that wants to put a Faux Finish on her kitchen cabinets. Has anyone ever done this before and how much did you charge? Appreciate it.

George Z · 10-12-2005, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoastalCoatings

I have a lady that wants to put a Faux Finish on her kitchen cabinets. Has anyone ever done this before and how much did you charge? Appreciate it.

We have done a variation of the following
http://www.ecopainting.ca/images/4b.jpg
the colours were more subtle and the cost was about $120
per outside of flat cabinet doors.
It looked incredible!
It is also very durable as the top colour is mixed with glaze
and acrylic urethane.

AAPaint · 10-12-2005, 09:52 PM

Did you use lace to do that pattern? I have no idea about those fake finishes..

George Z · 10-12-2005, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAPaint

Did you use lace to do that pattern? I have no idea about those fake finishes..

Yes

driver · 04-29-2006, 02:45 PM

As far as faux finishing and specalty painting (murals, reliefs, etc...)When coming through a general contractor, square footage pricing is the norm. However, when dealing with homeowners I try to work hourly, with payment weekly. Most projects are so subjective and involve so many variables that I can convince the homeowner that hourly rates are the fairest way to go. Of course ballpark estimates are discussed and potential variables are pointed out. This way I am protected from the endless list of tweeks and changes that always happen. Tweeks also do not create any tension. Money making potential depends on the rate you can charge, which is based on both your portfolio and current local demand on artists. It is a win-win situation since the homeowner pays for exactly what they want done, and I don't get burned in the end.
Tom

Humble Abode · 04-29-2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humble Abode

With this and wallpaper I am trying to offer complete wall covering.

-Joe

A year later and I chucked that idea.

Now we just paint stuff...

I met a great faux finisher and I subcontract her for stuff more complicated than ragging, sponging etc. For wallpaper same deal I found a good guy with tons more experience than me and I bring him in and let him fly...

I appreciate all the help I was given though.

phinsher · 04-30-2006, 10:57 PM

Humble Abode, LOL sounds alot like us. I spent a small fortune in faux finish training to find out there really isn't much of a market for it here. Our regular old painting makes us more than anything. But I still keep getting these "great ideas". One of these days i'll learn

Jonesey · 07-11-2006, 06:17 AM

Should try simple murals. I get nice change for simple characters. There are only two other people in my area doing this that I can find. It's really simple. You remember how sign painting used to be done? Exactly like that.

Total investment in the department was an overhead projector and some nice brushes/acrylics from Utrecht. Can average twice my regular hourly rate doing this.