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wood deck question ????

5K views 30 replies 16 participants last post by  neolitic 
#1 ·
we are installing all new windows and siding for a homeowner and will sub out the wood deck and a patio door. here is what i was told by a PROSPECTIVE sub...for a 14 x 15 deck 8 foot above the ground and no stairs as well as making an opening and installing a patio door.

the deck will be 8 foot off the ground and attatched to the house. it will be all wood and NO STAIRS. it will be 210 square feet 14 x 15. they are charging me $4400 for just labor; which is about 21 bucks a square foot.
they said material will probably be about 2000?
also i want a sliding door put in which will lead to the deck; they have to put a whole in the wall,frame out the door and install it. they are charging me an extra 1500 for that.
1500 is JUST labor.
 
#6 ·
So the question is......Is it worth $4,400 for the deck? Doors can be a pain int he arse sometimes. Whats the house framed with? What kind of siding and what's on the interior wall.
 
#7 ·
Forget the square foot price,
which doesn't count the
railing anyway.
How many square feet
do you work a day?
Maybe you think more about
how many hours in a day?
If they have tools, and trucks,
and insurance, and pay taxes
and SS...I'm guessing they are
trying to clear $35-$40
an hour in wages.
Do you want to hire a carpenter
who is worth less than that?
 
#8 ·
It seams a tad high, but without knowing all the details, it could be a tad low. You won't know until you call someone else.

How is the access to yard? Free standing or anchored to house? There are many variables. 8 feet high can be a pain the arse. Lots of ladder work.

I don't know that I would want a deck builder open a wall and put in a door.
 
#10 ·
It seams a tad high, but without knowing all the details, it could be a tad low. You won't know until you call someone else. The question still is....is it worth it to you?

How is the access to yard? Free standing or anchored to house? There are many variables. 8 feet high can be a pain the arse. Lots of ladder work. No kidding, and treated is heavy. I weigh 155 with full belly and those 12' 6X6 suck to set

I don't know that I would want a deck builder open a wall and put in a door. Why, I have play with siding and flashing anyways. I did 4 decks with door last year. Interior makes for a rain day work if planned right
Who's diggin the holes?:laughing:
 
#9 ·
O Man,I could really go for the blood on this one, I mean straight for the eyes then the knee sweep and a ice pick in the spine.


To day and To day only I am sick to death with the idea that>>> Contractors,Carpenters, in fact any Tradesmen is not worth his Money<<<

Why dont you build the GDFT your self. J.
 
#12 ·
Without all the details, that doesn't sound too bad.

Why does it matter anyway, UNLESS you already quoted the HO a price which is less than the subs price :no:.

If that isn't the case, then tack on your take, tell the HO the price and there you go.

As a roofer, why would you be subbing this job and not just referring a deck guy to the HO?
 
#14 ·
The deck labor sounds a little high to me but too, but again there are variables here we are not privvy to, the least of which is your location.

The door price has just way to many friggin variables to even venture an opinion.

Here's a thought: just find some Mexicans to do it for a couple hundred bucks, a carton of smokes and a case of budweiser.:thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
i'm in jersey and those prices are NOT high. the door prices seem pretty good actually. i get about 650-700 for a single entry and about 700 for a patio door. if there is lots of wood rot in the entry door i tack on a bit.
the deck,most guys i know charge about 25 bucks a square foot where i live and add a few more for a higher deck. trex or timbertech is a bit higher.
we don't do decks but have contracted them out and made a few bucks off the top,probably what you are doing. just make sure you know the guys work.
 
#16 ·
I'd do it for that as the sub. It's in the ballpark.

On the other hand if I was the GC and subbing it out, (which we rarely do) I wouldn't pay out more than 10 bucks per foot on the deck and no more than $800 for the door. Ton of good deck guys cheap in my area though.
 
#17 ·
Maybe us deck guys ought to sell roofing jobs then call a roofer, ask what they want for the job then get on here & question their pricing.

And as far as questioning whether a deck builder has the ablility to cut a hole in a wall & then install a door, that's darn near as bad especially to do it here.
 
#19 ·
I have to wonder and I'd like a serious answer -

Why would any contractor reply to a question like this and say the price is too high? What exactly is the fu*king motivation for some of you? - To work as cheap as possible???????

Here's the answer - Sounds like a great price.

Wow! Contractors are so fu*king stupid it blows me away, you're all involved in a race to the bottom as fast as you can get there!

ARGHHH!
 
#21 ·
here is a real reply, the price for the deck is about $2/ sqft to high and the price to cut a hole in the wall and install a door for $1500 is way to cheap more like $2500
but for the door install its very easy, make sure they tripple up each side with 2x6 or what ever you got, caulk it and trim it off, if they do a good job on the trim and a good job on the deck i suggest the least you can do is make BBQ and some drinks, seeing your into roofing you should know the appreciation

please post pics
 
#23 ·
Just one of those days Boys...Big rich condo I have replaced two of the 20 + year old decks am now working on the fancy spancey fences that stand between the $500,000 over priced shacks. So the next one comes up for bid 35' x 12' limited access, tear out,replace with 2x6 redwood, 2x4 redwood baluster detail, one 6' stairway, 4' off the ground, redwood skirting, twp finish... you get the pitcure. Around $10,000 pretty good price I thought.

So here comes this landscraper with a worn out skill saw,a corded drill,a box of black sheet rock screws,a pile of home cheppo pt pine, leaves the rotted ledger up,screws to it, lands the posts on half of a cinder block laying right on the ground...... I got so Mad I just left, got on the Harley and went to the lake with a 12 pack of bud lite lime.

That post just really set me off. When are these Folks going to learn????????????????????????? JohnMon
 
#27 ·
lets face it,price IS a factor bit to an extent. i have a great responce to a home owner when they ask if i can do it cheaper or they tell me another guy does it for half the price. i just say," this is the best price i can give you TO DO THE JOB RIGHT". i then go on to say that i'm sure there are hundreds of guys that will do it for half the price but i get most of my jobs through recommendations show quality craftmanship is of the utmost importance. perhaps if they need heart surgery they will search for a doctor that can do it for half the price. maybe the fireman that does plumbing on the weekends can also install a stent into an artery for a great price.
if your workers are skilled and you are familiar with pricing,stick to your guns.
 
#28 ·
OK. I will weigh in as well. I'm not going to criticise this question, as I think he's got a legitimate concern.

Here in Toronto, a pressure treated 210 sq ft deck with rail, but no steps, 8' above grade, would be priced by me for sale around $5500 or so. I would be paying the installers around $1600 -$1800 for labour only, but including digging. They are not required to provide anything except labour, as I pay for all nails, screws, concrete sono tubes, etc. It should take aout 3 days.
A knockout patio door in a brick veneer over stud frame house is $900 or so. This includes knockout, installtion, interior trim, drywall patch and sill, but no repointing of brick (90% of our houses are brick) or painting. Most guys take about a day and a half.

Are these "going rates"? I don't know. It's what we pay. My feedback this year from various crews is that my rates are at or near the top for subs.

so, yes, in my opinion, $4400 for the deck and $1500 for the door, combined which shouldn't take ideally more than 4-6 working days, is very high.
As a matter of further interest, that $5500 sale price is at the higher end for Toronto. Lots of companies would quote $4000, and in at least 1 instance I came across this year, even less.
 
#29 ·
.

so, yes, in my opinion, $4400 for the deck and $1500 for the door, combined which shouldn't take ideally more than 4-6 working days, is very high.
In my opinion I would charge $20,000 for the deck and $16,000 for the door, and I'd do it all in 22 days. So in my opinion his is very low.
 
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