Any Help Appreciated On First Commercial Bid

painterman2007

Hello,

I know what kind of responses a question like this generates on here, but I would appreciate some kind of advice to know I am not going to totally miss the mark on pricing my first commercial job. I have been doing residential repaints and new construction for 7 years now and have confidence in pricing anything in that aspect. I have never done any kind of commercial painting before. I know it is priced differently, but just don't know how.

The job is very simple. It is basically a 1000 square foot box. Four small simple window liners and trims to paint, trim on one door. The walls are 15 feet high. It will be two coats of paint on the walls. There is a red stripe about 2 feet in width that goes all around the store. It has wood trim on the top and bottom of it that is not being painted. The colors will all be repainted the same. Overall it is a pretty simple job.

Everything will be moved away from the walls by the employees prior to painting. I will be doing the work while the store is closed, so no interruptions. I have estimated it to be about 15 hours of work, and will be doing it all myself.

I know that no one likes to give any kind of price per square foot or much of any kind of price on here, but I would any ball park figure will help. I really have no clue about commercial painting. If I take my usual way of figuring out the hour of labor and cost of materials, I think it seems way too low.

I have read many other posts on here about pricing. Everyone keeps saying there is no price per square foot for any kind of painting. I can assure you that where I live there is a definite average price range for new construction and if you are out of that range, your not getting the job.

I know there must be a sort of general price per square foot for commercial work too in my area, I just have no idea what it is. I live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

firemike

Hi Painterman, and welcome.

Well, your right, there is no real "square foot" pricing for commercial, as there are too many varriables to throw in that will affect the price. Personally, I like commercial work because you can generally get more money, and generally the work is easier. Accent on the "generally" here, as it doesn't always work out that way.

From your description, it doesn't sound like the job involves much more than a residential job would involve, other than the stripe, but that is no big deal. 15 foot ceilings are common nowdays, worked off a 12 foot ladder or a couple sections of Baker scaffold. Cutting in at the top and bottom, and the stripe can be done with lo-tack tape.

When you figure the price, as compared to what you do for resi, it sounds like you should come close anyway, maybe add a percentage for working after hours and set-up/mobilization. You didn't give any accurate measurments, I am guessing around 2,000SF of walls??? (Based on 1000SF room at 15 feet high) The labor will depend on how much room you have to work. Can you use a 12' extension pole and roll the whole wall from top (actually bottom of the stripe) to bottom, or do you have to work in a 3 of 4 foot space behind shelving, displays, etc. That will affect your labor tremendously. I'm guessing about 6-7 gallons of paint and 2 rolls of lo-tack tape? Do you need to buy plastic or do you have enough drops to cover everything?

15 hours? Is that over 2 days? 3? Or all in one long night? This will affect cost to as you have to set up and clean up each time.

New construction pricing is very different as you can almost always count on certain things from job to job, not too many variables to contend with that you don't know going in. When you add up all the material expenses, set-up costs, and what you want to make per hour plus overhead, that is what you should charge. If you want to work for less, that that's your choice.

If you figure .65 a sf, then is $1,300 (less total expenses of course) what you are comfortable with for the job? A few more details will help.

__________________
-Mike-

JMGP

1. What ever your "residential" price would be to do this job.... cut that in half (or more) and that would give your your price for working for a builder/general contractor...

2. You answered your own question... you said it will take you 15 hours... take it from there.... 15xhourly rate + % profit + materials + % mark up on materials + % overhead = ?

3. If you are estimating by the square foot "floor" space...(which is improper) take your price divide by floor space and that will give you your price per square foot floor space...for that particular job only....

welovepainting

DONT CUT YOUR PRICE IN HALF THATS REDICULOUS! Commercial painting does not mean working for nothing and working for contractors or GC's ...

In many situations its the property managers or client themselves which means its good money and you get paid right away.

__________________
House Painters Commercial Painting Contractors Cleveland, Ohio
http://www.welovepainting.com
http://www.cleveland-ohio-painting-contractor.com

JMGP

My comment about cutting your residential price in half if working for a GC was meant for a sarcasm remark...

I hope that most are smart enough to recognize that...

painterofeveryt

...and sarcasm helps us all out by ??

JMGP

There is a valuable lesson from my sarcasm remark... If you plan on working for a GC don't expect much of a profit (if any)...Obviously you haven't had any experience working for (most but not all)GC's... you would of understood my message... didnt mean to confuse you...

welovepainting

I would have to disagree. There are a many companies in my area and elsewhere that do 5 million + a year, and make a plenty profit mainly from GC accounts only. Now if your talking new home painting for local builders not much profit there, but if your talking genreal contractors in general local and or out of state the money and or profit is there. You may be associating new home builders and general contrators together which is not the same. Commercial work has better profit margins than residential contruction ....weather it be for a gc or the client themselves.

__________________
House Painters Commercial Painting Contractors Cleveland, Ohio
http://www.welovepainting.com
http://www.cleveland-ohio-painting-contractor.com