Estimating Material?

MEL

I am primarily a roofing contractor and we do insulation as an add-on. We have done about 12 insulation jobs along with the roof replacement.

We did some roofing on an apartment complex and now they need insulation.

We’ve been using the Owens Corning AttiCat and it seems to make the insulation expand more than what they say it will. Every single family job that we did had bags left over. I am not sure how to estimate the quantity of bags needed.

Maybe I am over estimating the amount need because I am not deducting anything for the slope of the roof. If the roof has a 4/12 pitch the insulation isn’t going to be 18” deep near the eave because it will be up against the roof. The buildings are about 120 feet long.

The buildings I am estimating are about 3240 square feet and the existing insulation is about 3.5 inches thick. They have fiberglass with cellulose on top of it.

I am planning on blowing in 14.75 inches of fiberglass on top of it to bring it up to 18.25 inches. How many bags will I need?

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MEL

joasis

I have said it a few times now, but is there any reason you would blow fiberglass on top of cellulose? Fiberglass will gain very little in this application.

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MEL

Here’s my problem.

I’ve only done about a dozen homeowner jobs and on every job we had several bags left over.

When I used the manufacturer’s coverage chart to estimate how many bags I would need it came out about 20-40% more than what I actually used to get the job done.

So if I use their coverage claims to do the estimate my prices are going to be too high, especially since this is for an apartment complex.

There isn't any work here in Michigan and I need this job.

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MEL

MEL

I’m a roofing contractor. I’ve only got about 7 insulation jobs under my belt.

Fiberglass is what I am familiar with and it’s all that my suppliers have in stock.

My suppliers are letting me use their blower. It’s a matter of convenience. On small jobs my supplier’s ship out the material and blower with the roofing materials. When I’m done I take the blower back in my truck.

Now that I am bidding on this apartment complex I am going to have to make some changes.

I am starving for work and will take any job that I can get as long as it is profitable.

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MEL

joasis

That makes it a little clearer, but I don't know if I would jump into the insulation business without knowing there is a market in your area, and if you have the cash to make it happen, you can get cellulose delivered to you, in their semi trailer, and beat your suppliers cost. If we had to buy from a warehouse, we would have been out long ago.

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MEL

My competitor quoted a price that is around .60 per sqft for 10” of cellulose and that includes baffles between each truss and building a plywood box around each access hole.

This is for an apartment complex. If you were me what would you do?

My bid is due Monday.

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MEL

joasis

I would pass. But that is me.

I have a philosophy about bids and money when things are tight. If you can do the job, and make money, maybe not as much as you like, but enough to cover the job and your wages, is it better then sitting hom with nothing?

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