Suspended Ceiling

Big Dave

Does anybody do suspended ceiling and if you do what do you get per square foot in your area for an 8 foot ceiling?

Dave.

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joasis

$2 a sq/ft if we are installing the grid, placing the panels, ect. Insulation is a little more.

Bob Kovacs

A lot depends on which grid system and which tile are selected. 2x2 takes a little more time than 2x4, and tegular edge tiles can burn up alot of tilme when cutting in border tiles. Tile prices also vary wildly.

Here in NJ, we see ceilings as low as $2/SF and as high as $5-6/SF or more.

Also bear in mind that if the area is small or cut up, you're not going to gain any speed as the job progresses- 10 100SF areas takes longer than one big 1,000 SF area.

Bob

theworx

I'm charging around $4.50 a sqr ft supply and install for 2x4 because the price of the grid has jumped about 1/3 in the last year... 2x2 add 25%. For reveal tile add another 25%... This is what I charge for commercial installs...

go dart

double the cost of drywall, includes tile allowence of 55c per ft

DaveH

Never throw a square foot price at something unless you know exactly what materials you are using. Here's how to estimate your cost....

#1 Figure your total square footage. When working with suspended ceilings (as with most construction materials) they come in even 2' incraments so always round up to your next even foot. Example -11' 3" becomes 12'. Take length times width rounding up. This is your footage of ceiling.

#2 Figure your main runners. Take your total footage and divide by 48 sq.ft. You have 1 12' main per every 48 SF. Always install your mains on 4' centers. Remember if you come up with 12.35 mains round them to 14 pcs. Always use comercial grid it cost about the same but with much better performance than residential grid.

#3 Figure your tees. You will have 6 tees for every main runner. 12 mains equals 72 4' tees and 72 2' tees (If it's a 2'x 2' ceiling).

#4 Figure your wire and lag screws. Your main runners will need to have a wire every 4'. If you have 12 main runners you will need 36 wires and lag screws. Figure the length of your wire by determining how for you are dropping. Example. your structure is at 10' your ceiling at 8' so you will need 2' for the drop plus an additional 1' each end for tying coming out then to a 4' wire. Your wire needs to be a 12 gauge galvenized. You can use stronger I.E. 8 or 9 gauge but it is not needed. Never make the "hobbiest" mistake of using 18 ga wire. it is not strong enough. Next comes your eye lag screws. Always use a eye lag in lieu of a nail or regular screw. Nails will pull out and regular screws or nails will not hold the wire in place. Use one eye lag per wire.

#5 Figure your wall angle. Measure all of your walls that are connected to the system. Example 130 lf of wall. Then divide it by the length of your angle. 130 feet divided by a 12' angle will come out to 10.833 pcs. I would round this to 12 pcs to make sure you have plenty.

#6 Figure your tile. This will be your total square footage minus any 2'x 2' lights or diffusers or 2'x 4' lights. You then need to know what type of tile is being used. Lets say it's a standard fissured tile with 64 SF per carton. You need to make sure your round up to the next full carton since tile is only sold in full bundles. Also allow for replacement tile. Most owners (residential or comercial) want some left over. Add that to your quantity.

#7 Find out what type of grid is required. They vary greatly in cost as do the tiles. Now you have all your materials and you can determine the cost associated with them.

#8 Next comes labor. This is all up to you. It depends on your proficiency. Figure up how much grid you or your labor can install in a manday and how much tile. Always allow for stocking - clean-up - a few problems etc. Multiply this by your daily rate per manday and add it with you materials and taxes. Apply your mark-up, and you are ready to go.

#9 Never throw a sq ft price at something...ANYTHING unless you know exactly what cost are intailed. I have priced acoustic ceilings from $1.45 per sf to well over 60 dollars per SF. Follow my method and make some money...
Dave

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A buck a foot is not an estimate! It's a crap shoot!

AtlanticWBConst

Big Dave,

We used to do our own Suspended ceilings, until I found a company that: All they do are suspended ceilings. I faxed them over a few different job plans and they gave me a price. It turned out it was much more lucrative AND Faster - to sub the work out to them and for us to add our GC profit ontop.

-My 2 cents....

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Hey Ceiling Guy

Why don't you just charge T&M? Then you receive your wages and don't have the hassle.

woodmagman

If someone came to me with a time and material proposal I would consider it providing all margins of profit were removed....no risk no reward...

curapa

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