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Tile shower pricing

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S

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Have been soon custom tile for about 4 or 5 years now and I have developed my skills well. I recently did a custom shower job for someone in which I demoed and removed the old 3x4 shower down to the studs mud pan and all totally replaced it. New delta shower faucet, new drain, new mud pan, tile floor, walls, even two rows of diamond inlays and a 3" border, I even threw in the installation of a shower door they purchased. I did the whole job material and labor for $1900 and they balked at the bill.

My question is are my prices high or are they average or low and the customer just isn't in touch with reality?

Thanks for the feedback.
 
O

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#3 ·
This will be somewhat of an irrelevant number for you but last week I was called in to do the plumbing portion of a project exactly like you describe. The tile guy isn't a plumber and always calls me in to swap new valves and configure a new drain. My bill for labor and material was $970 and includes one extra trip to set the trim......which will be tomorrow morning incidentally.

I'm not 100% sure what Rich charged for the total job but knowing him I'd say it was close to $3,500.
 
M

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#9 ·
Geez that's low. I hope you didn't spend any time installing any free soap dishes, shampoo niches, towel bars or anything else, too.

One key to providing good value is educating the client from the beginning. They need to know you're on their side from the get-go, and that when they change/add things, it's not still part of some magic ballpark number everyone started with. Not that this is what happened to you, but it reminds me of some of my jobs...

Anyway, good luck with it all.
 
E

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#16 ·
Tech Dawg said:
Maybe base your pricing on your closing %. If you sell all the jobs you quote then your prices are way low. For me, I have a 40% close rate which works for me. You'll find that by raising your prices will lessen the headaches and gain you better clients.
Click to expand...
This is good advice but shouldn't be considered until you learn that L+M+O+P=Price. What someone else charges is only relevant if they are using the exact same specifications and are in your market area. Otherwise it's all piss in the wind.

L=Labor
M=Materials
O=Overhead
P=Profit

I linked the thread in my signature.
 
O

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#17 ·
My first attempt at pricing was as follows....

Called every plumber and asked what they charged per hour.

Took the highest guy and thought "Hmmmm, I like his style"

Backed her off about a 1/8 turn and gave her hell.

Been tweaking it ever since.
 
Tech Dawg

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#18 ·
EthanB said:
This is good advice but shouldn't be considered until you learn that L+M+O+P=Price. What someone else charges is only relevant if they are using the exact same specifications and are in your market area. Otherwise it's all piss in the wind.

L=Labor
M=Materials
O=Overhead
P=Profit

I linked the thread in my signature.
Click to expand...
Very true. I always forget to add that calculation because thats been set in stone for years on my end :thumbup:
 
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