silverstilts

There has been some discussion on the price per board on another thread , and why is it some feel that it is necessary to break down every little piece of board they use on the job , that is price per bd. It is not necessary to do this , there are things that should be listed on a proposal and some that are not ... Keep it simple and to the point , what will be done in exact terms and where the work will be preformed ... again keep it simple and give a total price . ( whether by hang & finish or total package ) Don't clutter up your proposal. It will work for the benefit of you as a drywall contractor.... don't let contractors scrutinize every little detail , the next thing is they will want a price on how much it cost to drive each and every screw into the wall how silly would this be ...... again simple and to the point ,don't give others to much to analyze it only complicates you and there thinking .

Muddauber

I don't even tell a builder or home owner what I charge per sq. ft.

Just a lump sum price for labor and materials.

If I short myself on material I have to eat it.

If I Have board left then I've made a little extra profit.

muddymen

Well said......Just a few jobs ago I gave an HO a price on hanging and finishing and when they heard the total price they wanted a break down. With out thinking I gave them that and they said oh well just hang it then. What happened was I lost money because the price I gave them for hanging was part of a package deal and had my head been on straight that day I would have had a larger price for just hanging. My advice, if they ask for a break down, make sure they understand that the break down prices are part of a package deal. If they end up just wanting part of the job done, make sure you adjust your price. oh and don't give your estimate to them when your dead sick.

Custom Drywall Svc.

YES!

completely right.....we have talked bout this before on another thread, and ill say the same thing i said then.....pretty much echoing stilts...

if you 'educate' the customer too much, its never a good thing....too much education, and in turn they get 'too smart' and like stilts said, they start questioning and scrutinizing everything.

as far as revealing a price / sf, that is just bad business practice which im sure most will agree. whats even scarier is the minority who think otherwise, that its okay to reveal this.

if a builder/customer insists on knowing, i usually lie to them or give them such a broad range it still keeps them guessing. bottomline, never reveal your TRUE pricing.

as far as actual proposals, i break them down to the point of simplicity....as in all the essentials they need to compare apples to apples, nothing more.

i.e., the type of sheetrock being used, the level of finishing, and the type of texture. all this is my 'base price'

then the options/additions are listed below.....

thats it.

and yes, ONE lump sum for the base price.....

stilts is completely right, DONT clutter up your proposal. if there IS 'clutter' is should only be legal terms and conditions (which is also very important), which i put at the very bottom or following pages.

rockdaddy

I am guessing that most of you guys in here are working with local/regional builders?
If anyone has any experience with the national builders then you know that your lump sum price dam well better matchup with a per square foot number beacause they have already done their homework on drywall. You are lucky if they are'nt buying the board.
Try working for 30 cent a foot for labor and small materials.

joepro0000

Most of my work is with national builders, and I give them always a lump sum, short and quick! Most don't like buying materials, they make us finance the entire job. We get paid when they get paid. So price well!

Darren@Partners

I usually price most by the sq ft, adding extras like stretch bs, durock. My reasoning is that many times they go to adding more to job, an extra room in the basement, etc. Or 5-8 arches (another extra). This eliminates giving up extras added after the job has been measured and estimate submitted.

But I still sometimes am asked for a single lump sum price by a builder and happily oblige. HOs are generally given lump sum price unless am bidding against several others then I go to sq ft price.

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rockdaddy

I suppose it's like anything else when it comes down to it. Unless it is specifically requested by the ft. or by the board, lump sum etc. What does it feel like? Stairs to stock? Wires outside of the house? Whats the overall difficulty? Basically GET ALL YOU CAN GET!