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?

 

First, I don't see the size of the deck anywhere they are basing that pricing off of...

Second, read a little more down on the page...

Composite Decking - Pricing and Installation Cost Notes

• Composite Decking installation cost estimates typically require an onsite inspection - in most cases estimates are free, but will be accompanied by a strong sales pitch.
  
• Cost ranges account for variations in contractor skill, job location and seasonal contractor wage rates.
  
  [*]Expect to pay an additional 5% - 14% in material and installation costs for complex installation configurations and patterns.
  
• The homewyse installation cost estimate does not include costs for removal or disposal of existing decking, repair of damage due to existing decking, construction of benches, railings or structures attached to the deck.
  
• The homewyse cost estimates includes all typical costs for foundation, structural support framing, deck edge banding and corrosion resistant fastening system (stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized, as specified by manufacturer).
  
• Higher priced Composite Decking may include features such as better deck surface, more durable and fade resistant finish, superior fastening system, longer service life and superior appearance.
  
• Composite Decking installation costs will approach the high end of the range in or near major metropolitan areas.
  
• Save money on the total project by having multiple vendors bid on the same, COMPLETE DESCRIPTION of Composite Decking work for your project.
  
  
• Save money on installation costs by being flexible on project scheduling - schedule your project during slow periods for the installer.

What a joke...

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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:

 

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.

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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?!

 

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.

 

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

??????? :no::no::no:

 

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

At the top of the price list it says 250 sq. ft. You can put your own sq. footage in and your zip code.

 

For my area, for a 1000 sq. ft. deck of Best composite, they quote $ 9.75/sq. ft., complete. I start at $ 25/sq.ft. without railings, steps, ect. I keep pretty busy, so I must not be too far off.

 

For my area, for a 1000 sq. ft. deck of Best composite, they quote $ 9.75/sq. ft., complete. I start at $ 25/sq.ft. without railings, steps, ect. I keep pretty busy, so I must not be too far off.

I do them for 25 without railing too, but they are your most basic decks, once they get above your head that all changes. The materials alone for all the framing hardware decking and fasteners it's about 11 or 12 bucks a sq. ft.

 

Am I the only one that doesn't see anything wrong with it? It says "does not include costs for removal or disposal of existing decking, repair of damage due to existing decking, construction of benches, railings or structures attached to the deck." That covers about 90% of the deck. If someone gave you a 20'x15' stripped deck with all 20' boards to fasten down, you could probably do it in a few hours, I'd do it for $300.

 

Am I the only one that doesn't see anything wrong with it? It says "does not include costs for removal or disposal of existing decking, repair of damage due to existing decking, construction of benches, railings or structures attached to the deck." That covers about 90% of the deck. If someone gave you a 20'x15' stripped deck with all 20' boards to fasten down, you could probably do it in a few hours, I'd do it for $300.

I can't buy the materials to pour footings, frame it and deck it. 250 sq. ft. Even if I didn't demo an old deck, or put railing on. Or build benches. I still have to frame it pour the footings and deck it. I tell you what, I can keep you extremely busy if you will do this for 300 bucks.

Here's what the price includes

The homewyse cost estimates includes all typical costs for foundation, structural support framing, deck edge banding and corrosion resistant fastening system (stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized, as specified by manufacturer). Plus the composite decking

 

I can't buy the materials to pour footings, frame it and deck it. 250 sq. ft. Even if I didn't demo an old deck, or put railing on. Or build benches. I still have to frame it pour the footings and deck it. I tell you what, I can keep you extremely busy if you will do this for 300 bucks. Here's what the price includes The homewyse cost estimates includes all typical costs for foundation, structural support framing, deck edge banding and corrosion resistant fastening system (stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized, as specified by manufacturer). Plus the composite decking

I know dude, it says it doesn't cover any of that. Read what I quoted, it says no structures attached. I didn't see anything in that article that was wrong. I don't know how anyone would use the article in a practical situation, but I think you guys are misperceiving what it says.

Oh I didn't see the next line, yeah I guess it contradicts itself with the foundation and frame.

 

Like to meet the idiot who came up with that calculator.
Now I know where my customers from India get theirs pricing... and if they didn't find that site yet, I will forward to them so they can beat up some poor Schmuck from Craig's list with it.

 

"But I saw on the internet"... and the internet is never wrong...

 

"total cost" it gives me is what we charge for labor alone.....as subs.

 

For a composite deck in my zip code it estimates $183-204 for installation of a 150 square foot deck. You can save $50 off that if you go for a basic installation. :whistling

 

Yes.... People have to understand the limitations of these estimating programs. There are too many variable that they can't consider or fully explain.

In Ethans example above, they obviously don't incorporate even a service/set-up charge.

Colorado every two years does a residential tax assesment based on presumably a complex mathmatical technique known as muli variable linear regression. (much more complex than an internet estimating site).

I fight/advise some tax assesment issues for friends and I can show you a property that at last assesment was lowest for their neighborhood and with a new assesment that is highest for the neighborhood.... nothing has been done to the property and the data input was virtually the same.

To me, this is prima-facia proof that one of those assesments is dead wrong. (There has been absolutely no change in neighborhood factors)

Give me statistics and I can prove the average person has one ball and one t1t.