Am I Nuts On My Costs?

boydsdodge

I have built a few very nice fences in the past and I still feel off when I put the bill together.
To the point where I will start taking actual costs off the bill.
is $90.00 dollars a foot for a custom fence like this sound right?
Because thats what it takes me to build it. There are a lot of cuts and materials in each panel.
I just finished one like in the pictures and the materials were $2500.00
The labour came to $3000.00 and we were working. Holes included, which took my labourer a day to dig.
I am not trying to pull anything on anyone, it's just that I still surprised when I add it all up.
Any thoughts?

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rbsremodeling

You should probably double that

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redwood

Nice looking fence.

The price is what it is, no more, no less.

Your material costs + your labor costs + overhead and profit = Billable job cost.

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Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

neolitic

It's a common disease.
It is closely related to a condition
where in you can see a number
with a $ on the customers forehead,
and subconsciously try to make
your estimate fit that number.
The cure...
Two shots of Irish courage
and give them the real number
in the morning.

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(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

concretemasonry

boydsdodge -

Instead of being surprised when you added up the actual costs after construction, you should pend more time looking at what you will have to do tomake a profit. Your fictitous $90/lf was not right for that project - one of the problems with sf or lf prices (they are too easy to mis-use).

By looking closely at a project, you can do profitable jobs and keep your competition that makes a bigger mistake busy more often. If they are busy, that sure beats trying to do it cheaper than them.

You are the only one that can control your labor costs and materials are "pass-through" for any contractor.

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Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.

boydsdodge

Profit! I wish like I said I start cutting labour because my help screws up somewhere but will never say "sorry Jackson I won't charge you for those hrs a screwed up those holes on you."
LOL.

Chris G

You care about your work. No crime in that. I bet you're a bit of a perfectionist. You probably had your level out more times than you can count.

It's a nice looking fence. You will become faster and more efficient with time. And you will discover your costs as well. Don't sweat the first few. It's a learning experience.

Stick around here and you will learn even more. I know I did.

For starters...sub out your post hole digging. Terry from Decks Etc, (a member here) could help you out

Welcome to the board. Good to see another Toronto guy.

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http://www.vicporch.ca
Deck Fence Porch Builder Toronto

boydsdodge

Thanks guys on all your suggestions.
I love doing the work and working for my clients, I just gotta get a better grip on the money end.
Yes I can be a perfectionist and it drives the labour nuts.

Meetre

find ways to speed up, get a post-hole digger, rent a machine, make that go fast. don't go fast on the lay-out, but you can almost always get that cost down. Your work looks great, and you should get top dollar for great work.

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rbsremodeling

I am going to preach this till I am blue in the face. Buy Michael Stones Mark up and profit book and mark up calculator cd. It will be the best money you spent And a big eye opener

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DavidC

I'll second that every time I don't beat you to it.

Good Luck
Dave

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www.CookContractingLLC.com

rbsremodeling

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Stone Mountain

Good to see another Toronto contractor here. There's a few of us.
1]Terry from Decks ETC
2] Rotarex
3] Chris from Vic porch
4] Us
5] George the painter

Maybe we should have a party

Anyway: as far as pricing goes: if it is pressure treated, $90 is way out of line. for cedar, not so much.
you have a lot of detail there: the "lattice" is all hand done (although we used to have a jig for it), you have 1x4's at the posts, it's a small job, it's all screwed, so yes, it's labour intensive. That's why your costs are so high.

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