Suspended Ceiling Costs ??

SBI

Getting a price together for a customer here in NC to finish up a 1300 S.F. basement that the previous contractor did not finish. He wants a suspended ceiling but didn't know exactly what he was looking for, so I'm going to price something I think he will be ok with, spec. that out, and go from there after the pre-liminary price meeting with him. My question is, what does this stuff cost, material and labor. I've never done a suspended ceiling before. Looking to use something like the 24" x 24" Contractor Textured Ceiling Panels that you can get at Lowes. Can't post the link due to lack of posts on here... but you can find it at Lowes' website, search for Armstrong Ceiling Panel. Its the 24 x 24 Contractor Texture priced at $32.68 / box, which covers 64 S.F.

We'll let him decide if thats suitable or not after the pre-lim. pricing, and get more in detail as to what he wants and re-price if needed be.

I have no clue what the grid system will cost or labor, or turn key if doing it that way. This 1300 S.F. is cut up in about 5 different rooms, so that will probably make a difference as I would assume 1300 S.F. broken out in 5 different areas is more time consuming than just a straight forward 1300 S.F. room by itself.

Can anybody give me a good basis to price this thing from, turn-key, or grid cost, labor cost etc...

Thanks.

Bob Kovacs

Well, grid systems usually end up costing around $1.00-$1.25/sf for material, depending on waste. Your tile costs just over $0.50/sf with no waste, so it's likely going to be more like $0.65/sf with the waste of a cut up layout. Down here in Atlanta I can hire ceiling subs to hang grid and drop tile for around $0.75-$1.00/sf labor only, and your pricing up there is probably similar. Add all of that up and you're looking at somewhere around $2.40 to $2.90/sf labor and materials, to which you'd need to add your markup. All in, I'd say you're probably in the ballpark on a cut up job like this at $3.50-$3.75/sf, but those numbers have to work for you and your actual costs.

kgphoto

Sub it out. Too easy to underestimate and lose your shirt. Then watch the sub and learn. Do it yourself on your next job, if you feel like it.

SBI

It will be subbed out anyway, I was just needing some pricing info. for a pre-liminary pricing we are putting together for the customer for our total budget. We sub out just about everything anyway. Thanks a lot guys for the help. I've been able to put something together for this along with the rest of the project and get some pretty good numbers.

matt grisham

i all ways call dry wall supply company for pricing .labor sub prise in tulsa is 20 to 25 cents a sq, ft for grid .10 to 15 for tile . insulation 10 . i can allways get it done for under this pricing