Unbelievable Internet prices for a deck

The installation costs aren't even a days wages! Although it will buy a good amount of beer.

It does gloss over much of the necessary components. I'm assuming their decks just float in mid air with Chinese-made sky hooks.

You're absolutely right, though. Someone sees those numbers, get excited, and holds it over your head as gospel. Not your customer though, the people who believe those prices find their guys on craigslist.

I like things on that site like " hire a roofer " and " seasonal rates " and " price does not include railings " and " check several vendors "

All and more over there would be a big Red Flag to Me saying stay away from these Folks.

" if you want quality oats, you pay a quality price. However if you don't mind oats that have been through the Mule one time....Lets Make A Deal.!!." Brian D Jackson

JonMon www.deckmastersllc.com

"You may be able to save on composite decking installation costs by hiring a roofer".

Lol- yeah those prices are totally unrealistic. I wonder how they could be so wrong?

Foundation alone if taken by itself on that price is a Major Joke

.:hang: It's ass kicking time.


J.

I really like their redwood prices Too bad there's no order feature, I'd like to have the materials and crew FedEx over-nighted, and I'll FedEx them back when they're done.

What a pathetic site. Just another case of a HO trying to act like they know what they are talking about. That sites got some crap on it for sure. Think they need to get back into reality!

It is just for install of the composite decking, not a full deck build with composite decking?

Materials - are inline for composite deck boards only and is the labor from what I'm seeing.

These online estimators are like bidding with Exactimate.

I can see a home owner thinking this is for a full deck, reality gonna burst their bubble in a big way :laughing:

BCConstruction said:

What a pathetic site. Just another case of a HO trying to act like they know what they are talking about. That sites got some crap on it for sure. Think they need to get back into reality!

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Take a closer look and crunch some numbers ... they are not too far off generally. One thing to consider is that these are "Sub contractor" pricing with no GC mark up. Simply average range of average for labor and direct material costs.

Texas Wax said:

Take a closer look and crunch some numbers ... they are not too far off generally. One thing to consider is that these are "Sub contractor" pricing with no GC mark up. Simply average range of average for labor and direct material costs.

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I can even get a quality sub out to remove a deck board and replace one for less than $300 so yeah their prices are way way off in my part of the world.

BCConstruction said:

I can even get a quality sub out to remove a deck board and replace one for less than $300 so yeah their prices are way way off in my part of the world.

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Right?! - All I meant was generally the numbers work out for number of man hours (@25-30/hr) and direct material costs.

Texas Wax said:

Take a closer look and crunch some numbers ... they are not too far off generally. One thing to consider is that these are "Sub contractor" pricing with no GC mark up. Simply average range of average for labor and direct material costs.

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Last time I bought Ipe was ages ago, and it ran $8 a Sq Ft for a comparable sized deck. I'll go back and put in my area code and see what it says, but the initial numbers didn't add up when I looked.

I put in the local zip code, and the high end of the "Basic" total wouldn't have covered Ipe decking cost alone charged to me by my lumber yard.

Here's what the site says is included in their cost:

"The homewyse cost estimates includes all typical costs for foundation, structural support framing, deck edge banding, uv blocking surface finish, and corrosion resistant fastening system (stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized, as specified by manufacturer)."

This is way off around here.

Did I miss where they listed the size of the deck? How can you come up with anything without the size?

EDIT: NVM... found it... still ridiculous... there are so many variable missing, it's like saying a kitchen costs $XX,***.00

hdavis said:

Last time I bought Ipe was ages ago, and it ran $8 a Sq Ft for a comparable sized deck. I'll go back and put in my area code and see what it says, but the initial numbers didn't add up when I looked.

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The link was for composite decking, not ipe.

25x25 deck 625 sqft 1375 lnft, figuring 5.5 material .25 space 15% waste

114 12' sticks @ 27/stick composite deck board (blowes pricing) 3093 no/Tax + screws. Matches the costs for what I saw and roughly 2-3 days for one man to set the boards, for the upper end.LOL I can run certianly run in that time frame. Does not include tear up, repairs
or anything else.

ONCE Again, right or wrong, I'm reading this as decking only not building a deck. It's a stupid estimate for people who don't have a clue. welcome to the interweb, smartest thing on the planet.:no:

um....sorry. I have to disagree with it being close...The last one I did was 500 square ft. and JUST the composite material (timbertech decking) alone was $4800. according the the above mentioned site, should be able to file for permits, foundation and framing WITH the composite deck for $4300. I'm not even getting into the labor part....$721 for 3-4 days work?!

98crewcab said:

um....sorry. I have to disagree with it being close...The last one I did was 500 square ft. and JUST the composite material (timbertech decking) alone was $4800. according the the above mentioned site, should be able to file for permits, foundation and framing WITH the composite deck for $4300. I'm not even getting into the labor part....$721 for 3-4 days work?!

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All I can say is NO chit and I agree. I don't use this site to bid anything. It has pissed me off many times, so much that i crunch the generic numbers, usally using the box store prices To figure out WTF they are doing and how. ...It's a one size fits all kind of deal and that never works in reality. The disclaimers are very ambigious confusing and in this case CAN NOT include the structure and any even stupid cheap composite decking, yet alone labor or permits or footings. Apply common sense the numbers only add up for "Decking" and that's how it gets expressed to any potential customer.

LOL Anybody who uses this site as gospel aren't going to be my clients.

So it really doesn't matter much, just tossing out my observations

Carry on.....

Try competing in handyman work with those prices or the big box places. I had a customer tell me they would install an interior door for 100 bucks. Maybe if it fit like a glove, the hinges matched up and it wasn't 1/4 inch too wide.

It takes 20 bucks in fuel to get it, then an hour or so to install if everything goes right, then clean-up and getting home. If it needs stained or clear coated or anything else, it takes a lot more time. No way could I do that for 100 bucks, unless it was tied to a larger job and I just threw it in for them. Not worth the time.

We'll be doing more for them, so I may do it just to keep a customer happy, but no way could a guy just do that door for those prices.

homewyse.com really isn't that far off in my opinion.

I like to use their site to check against my bids. Only really dealt with their painting and flooring stuff but I've found it's generally pretty on the money, for my zip code at least. Just note that when you're using their calculators it's assuming a perfect installation, basically floating in mid air like someone else said, and often times it's just for a component of the job, ie paint a wall, paint trim, paint ceiling etc.