Competitive rates for a drywall crew - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

airborneSGT · 02-27-2007, 08:58 AM

I am trying to work up some numbers to charge for a drywall crew. Purely based off of time and materials what is a competitive hourly FL rate for the following:

1. Drywall Hanger
2. Drywall Finisher
3. Drywall punch work

Keep in mind these will be my employees and covered under my payroll and workman’s comp.

Rates from anywhere else in the country would be great also as I am trying to expand out of FL.

1KingOfDrywall · 02-27-2007, 09:20 AM

my suggestion is to hire a "journeymen" or "crew leader" (non-union....lol) and put a crew of 2 laboreres under him.
The crew leader getspeice rate (like between 6-7.25 a sheet) a sheet is defined as a 4x12 or ,48 sq ft. area. Now this cost is what I pay the finisher. Than the same goes for the hangers. Here's my problem. With hourly there is no incentive, No rush to get it done. Here's my payment set up with my employees. The "crew leader" gets $6.75 a sheet for the hang. He has 2 workers which he pays hourly (we start them at $7/Hr.)
Now the crew leader knows his total budget before he starts the job and the laborers $$ comes outta his piece rate. So if he can hang 300 sheets in 4 days he'd gross $2700 and when he turns in hours to me I cut his 2 workers the checks. Further more, I tell them If we get any call backs....it's at their own expense.They go back and fix it for free. It's forces them to do it fast but do it right. It is ethical to "charge back" your employees. They do need to be held accountable. I apply that policy to the finishers and it works great. No problems.Good luck

airborneSGT · 02-27-2007, 09:47 AM

That sounds like a great plan. My friend who is also a G.C. says that his drywall contractor charges $1.50 a foot per wall to install.

Mud Master · 02-27-2007, 11:30 PM

Here in Maryland, Most piece workers are getting between $7.00-$8.00 a sheet to hang and $2.00-$2.50 a board per coat. and usually $1.50 a board to sand. A full time finisher makes between $15.00-$17.00/hour. I charge the builder $32.00/board if they supply material, $43.00/board if I supply it. Thats to Hang,Tape,Block,Skim,Sand and point up after primer. I also have a clause in my contract that allows the builder to opt for a final point up during the punch out period for an additional $2.00 a board.

THINKPAINTING · 02-28-2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KingOfDrywall

my suggestion is to hire a "journeymen" or "crew leader" (non-union....lol) and put a crew of 2 laboreres under him.
The crew leader getspeice rate (like between 6-7.25 a sheet) a sheet is defined as a 4x12 or ,48 sq ft. area. Now this cost is what I pay the finisher. Than the same goes for the hangers. Here's my problem. With hourly there is no incentive, No rush to get it done. Here's my payment set up with my employees. The "crew leader" gets $6.75 a sheet for the hang. He has 2 workers which he pays hourly (we start them at $7/Hr.)
Now the crew leader knows his total budget before he starts the job and the laborers $$ comes outta his piece rate. So if he can hang 300 sheets in 4 days he'd gross $2700 and when he turns in hours to me I cut his 2 workers the checks. Further more, I tell them If we get any call backs....it's at their own expense.They go back and fix it for free. It's forces them to do it fast but do it right. It is ethical to "charge back" your employees. They do need to be held accountable. I apply that policy to the finishers and it works great. No problems.Good luck

Where do ya find empoyees like that? $7 dollars an hour?

LennyV-NHSNOLA · 03-01-2007, 02:53 AM

Mejico!

1KingOfDrywall · 03-06-2007, 03:19 PM

Well.....those are new recruits. We advance them quick. If they burn out, than drywall is not for them. After 3 months of doing 600 sheets a week they catch on....LMAO. the crew leader still does all the cuts etc. Ultimately he is responsible for the quality. I do have a method to that madness.
They need a job, they got no skill. I explain it will be the toughest 3 months they ever lived,but if they get through it they will be on to better things.After 3 months I bump them up, maybe they can even "split" with another crew leader 50%-%30% the next line of new recruits comes in, work them hard.....and IF they stay......they will advance also. It weeds out the bad ones......we call it BOOT CAMP.....lol

CheckmateOhio · 03-06-2007, 04:27 PM

Wish I could find $7.00 hr help. Guys with no knowledge at all think they are worth $10 on the books. And now they are opening a new Wal Mart that is paying 10.75 for overnight help. There goes half of my perspective weeds.

Greg Di · 03-06-2007, 11:27 PM

Boy, just reading this thread makes me wince...

I can't imagine paying a guy $7/hr to haul debris, let alone install drywall. Are these guys ex-cons or something?

Are you doing residential occupied homes or strictly commercial or new construction? The reason I ask is that I'm sure you must get some pretty unsavory types that Mrs. Jane Smith probably wouldn't want lingering around her suburban home. Especially since the washout rate is high and these guys are strangers to even you.

I'm too much of a nice guy for my own good. I tend to overpay everyone that works for/with me since I'd rather pay a guy a little more and have him be uber-loyal than underpay him and have him looking for shortcuts and ways to steal from me.

nailum · 02-11-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KingOfDrywall

my suggestion is to hire a "journeymen" or "crew leader" (non-union....lol) and put a crew of 2 laboreres under him.
The crew leader getspeice rate (like between 6-7.25 a sheet) a sheet is defined as a 4x12 or ,48 sq ft. area. Now this cost is what I pay the finisher. Than the same goes for the hangers. Here's my problem. With hourly there is no incentive, No rush to get it done. Here's my payment set up with my employees. The "crew leader" gets $6.75 a sheet for the hang. He has 2 workers which he pays hourly (we start them at $7/Hr.)
Now the crew leader knows his total budget before he starts the job and the laborers $$ comes outta his piece rate. So if he can hang 300 sheets in 4 days he'd gross $2700 and when he turns in hours to me I cut his 2 workers the checks. Further more, I tell them If we get any call backs....it's at their own expense.They go back and fix it for free. It's forces them to do it fast but do it right. It is ethical to "charge back" your employees. They do need to be held accountable. I apply that policy to the finishers and it works great. No problems.Good luck

you must have problems most of the time and turn out poor workmanship

BattleRidge · 02-12-2008, 12:09 AM

7 bucks an hour is mad cheap, but I can't beleive paying someone 7 bucks a sheet, I usually pay 2 hangers like 8.50. I don't like non-experienced people working on my rock crew. Having good screws is very important, and a decent size building can be left to be scraped in like an hour or less after finishing. I don't pay well at all to begin with either, I make people earn their money, I start people at 9 and either they are gone in a week or they are making 15 in 3 weeks.

lou5577 · 06-05-2009, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KingOfDrywall

my suggestion is to hire a "journeymen" or "crew leader" (non-union....lol) and put a crew of 2 laboreres under him.
The crew leader getspeice rate (like between 6-7.25 a sheet) a sheet is defined as a 4x12 or ,48 sq ft. area. Now this cost is what I pay the finisher. Than the same goes for the hangers. Here's my problem. With hourly there is no incentive, No rush to get it done. Here's my payment set up with my employees. The "crew leader" gets $6.75 a sheet for the hang. He has 2 workers which he pays hourly (we start them at $7/Hr.)
Now the crew leader knows his total budget before he starts the job and the laborers $$ comes outta his piece rate. So if he can hang 300 sheets in 4 days he'd gross $2700 and when he turns in hours to me I cut his 2 workers the checks. Further more, I tell them If we get any call backs....it's at their own expense.They go back and fix it for free. It's forces them to do it fast but do it right. It is ethical to "charge back" your employees. They do need to be held accountable. I apply that policy to the finishers and it works great. No problems.Good luck

ampman · 06-05-2009, 08:44 PM

tree fitty

Boycer88 · 06-06-2009, 08:36 AM

37.40 an hour in the envelope another 23 in bennies( pension, annuity,healthcare, and vacation fund)

cyberfiend · 06-29-2009, 09:20 AM

i have been doing high end work here in northwest florida for 17 years and in this area a good drywaller whether hang finish or punch out gets 20-25$ an hour it was strictly 25 until recently when the underbidding began hope this helps

bwalley · 06-29-2009, 04:45 PM

I had some guys show up looking for framing and hanging, we are framing it in house, yet these guys keep showing up looking for work, they said they wanted to hang the job.

I asked them if they would do 9' boards stand up for $3.00 a board (I was joking with him), he said tree fiddy, so that must be the going rate.

Darren@Partners · 06-29-2009, 04:52 PM

Lebbenty-lebben cents per foot, scrapped

jmr · 06-29-2009, 07:52 PM

yeah 7 an hr is sick. no drywaller with any integrity or citizenship what so ever will work for that.. unless there illegal. so by all means, keep lowering the standard.

i should heed my own advice though. on the low end, i just got doing a 150 sheet (8'' sheets) for .17 a sq ( with over .06 in material cost) for tape. needless to say i still feel like ripping the tape off the walls... my bad i guess

Elite_Drywall · 06-29-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KingOfDrywall

my suggestion is to hire a "journeymen" or "crew leader" (non-union....lol) and put a crew of 2 laboreres under him.
The crew leader getspeice rate (like between 6-7.25 a sheet) a sheet is defined as a 4x12 or ,48 sq ft. area. Now this cost is what I pay the finisher. Than the same goes for the hangers. Here's my problem. With hourly there is no incentive, No rush to get it done. Here's my payment set up with my employees. The "crew leader" gets $6.75 a sheet for the hang. He has 2 workers which he pays hourly (we start them at $7/Hr.)
Now the crew leader knows his total budget before he starts the job and the laborers $$ comes outta his piece rate. So if he can hang 300 sheets in 4 days he'd gross $2700 and when he turns in hours to me I cut his 2 workers the checks. Further more, I tell them If we get any call backs....it's at their own expense.They go back and fix it for free. It's forces them to do it fast but do it right. It is ethical to "charge back" your employees. They do need to be held accountable. I apply that policy to the finishers and it works great. No problems.Good luck

All I have to say is you are one cheap S.O.B.!! you should try and pull **** like that in California, see what happends to your ass!! Union rates here in California are $37.57 per hour not uncluding annuity, 401k or health care. With all that included the total package is about $55.98. You get what you pay for, so all you jobs must look like royal ****!!

Elite_Drywall · 06-29-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1KingOfDrywall

Well.....those are new recruits. We advance them quick. If they burn out, than drywall is not for them. After 3 months of doing 600 sheets a week they catch on....LMAO. the crew leader still does all the cuts etc. Ultimately he is responsible for the quality. I do have a method to that madness.
They need a job, they got no skill. I explain it will be the toughest 3 months they ever lived,but if they get through it they will be on to better things.After 3 months I bump them up, maybe they can even "split" with another crew leader 50%-%30% the next line of new recruits comes in, work them hard.....and IF they stay......they will advance also. It weeds out the bad ones......we call it BOOT CAMP.....lol

And you think its funny!! Wow, you are one of those people that I would like to meet, Just to put my fist through your skull.

You are just taking advantage of people in a bad position.