The lowest price I've ever heard, don't read if you're not sitting down

Darren@Partners

Was in Chattanooga last week, and bumped into a drywall & insulation salesman. We got to chatting.

Are you sitting down?

Maybe you folks don't want to hear this. I didn't

Take this for what it's worth. Now I'm sure this is on the bigger jobs, but he was telling me that, with GC paying for the board and only the board... Are you sure you're ready?

The labor to hang thru sand, plus mud tape, bead, nails, screws, glue is...

.27 per board foot!

Yep. .27 and 1/2" board was going out at .13, even .125 on some, pre 3/15 increase. The best anyone I know was getting here was .165 or .17

Who in the heck would work for that? That's right, it sure isn't bubba and built Bob that's for sure.

I do apologize to everyone whose breakfast I just ruined.

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www.partnersconstruction-drywall.com

Muddauber

Did you ask him if he has any LEGAL work force?

jmr

so your looking at .13 for labor to hang .13 to tape, labor supplying mud tape bead? yeah that is pretty bad but its not that far from things up here...

i'm getting paid about .12 (no supply) and .16 if i supply.. so roughly .12 - .13 for labor..

there is a big contractor that has been undercutting and bottom feeding on the market in the metro area here in the twin cities.. everyone figured they are paying their labor about .8 a sq. and they only give them 2 days to tape. so they are hanging board in 1 day, taping in 2.

Darren@Partners

I assume that the head hanger/ taper are just legal enough to cash a check.

Guessing their at .06 to hang and scrap and .12 to tape spray and sand and spending .09 on materials. Those materials probably run me closer to .11-.12. That's just my guess.

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www.partnersconstruction-drywall.com

Whitey97

f that!

eastex1963

Hearing prices like that are EXACTLY why I'm glad I'm a small company. Knock on wood, I'm still pricing jobs out the same as I always have. AND making a living. AND staying busy! I won't post my prices here, not relevant. Different pricing all over. BUT, I have stayed at my normal price. Being small (me and a 4-5 man crew) leaves me little overhead except for material and labor. Those also haven't dropped. My guys make the same, not less. Some have even gotten raises. Actually, if anything, my bids seem to be going UP in price. Still busy. Granted, I live in lower populated area and there is not as much competition here. Sure, there are the illegals doing the commercial jobs. But hey, I've never done many of those anyways. Residential and reno's...a lot of insurance work as well.

For you guys having to compete with those prices....I feel for ya'll. Good luck! Oh, and please don't move to east texas.....I like the competition the way it is!! LOL j/k.

MeatBallDryWall

That's not uncommon in my area (south of Nashville) & it's usually a bunch of Illegals or fly by night hacks. I myself will not work for that. I'll head to Mickey D's before I break my back anymore than it already is. I sell jobs on Quality not a bunch of hack Quantity. If we could somehow remove all the 'N Illegals maybe some of this BS would go away.

DSJOHN

Agree,and stop the greedy Gc from stuffing his pockets with our nickel,bastards!! JOHN

jmr

it all starts with the GC. considering these days most of the GCs are investment bankers or realtors and not actual tradesman, they could give a **** less about ethics or quality.. they just want the cheap price and short schedule so they can get their money and run. the ridiculous thing is all the drywall contractors are bidding against each other to the bottom... every house they are turning out, they cant be making anymore then $500 off the top after labor and material.. they are using the WALMART method they sell there **** for cheap and sell alot of it so they can make their money in bulk.

they are cutting there own throats to the bottom because the common result with this practice is they realize its not worth it and go out of business..

i am the same way, i run small. i bid to re modelers and do small amounts of work through ETHICAL drywall contractors in new residential..

d-rock

UNREAL..what's the point of being in business. That's less than cost around here. There are a few GC's here that rae doing the same thing. Happened to me. He took my legitimate bid, and won the job with my numbers. In fact he did to a few different trades. Then he hired crews of illegals to do different aspects of work at less than half the price. He called me and said 'so and so will do it for less than half, so can you compete, or meet me half way?" my answer....NO. He wound up takin' a hit on it.

silverstilts

Don't you just hate all the BS , you go out and bid a 800 thousand $$ home and the homeowner wants you to do it for nothing. I will be damned if i will be any part of this practice. I will not finance someone else's project and that is what it boils down too. People want a Cadillac but only want to spend the money for a rusty old Chevy Chevette.

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aka the rock doctor

FOR THOSE ABOUT

I just bid a job. The usual...hang, finish, prime...1/3 up front, 1/3 upon completion of the hanging and 1/3 when I walk out the door. I supply all material. The H/O asked me "how would you like to be compensated"? Oh I don't know...cheeseurgers?! Ya why don't you just pay my in gravel!

"Would you like a bag for that?" NAH, I'll just carry all the stuff on my head!

betterdrywall

As I have always said in the past,,, This is all due to Builder Greed, and control. They claim not to have any control over the price in the construction market, but yet they are grouped together, that is why they have there associations.
And they will blame contractors for the illegal problem as well.
Who has always made the most from Mexican labor force??
The rich California farmers maybe? anyway,, just a rant, I'm just a working stiff trying to get by, and I face the cheap stuff all the time, I have to say it has gotten really bad, But yet the builders are still making the same amount of money they did back during the boom days.
I placed a bid for 10 homes,, Cheap,, builder would not return my calls at all, price was just way too high for him.

Runrun

It wont be long and they will wont to replace drywallers with chimpanzees, that will back fire when one will work for ten bananas and another will work for eight.
Just kidding . good luck u guys

joepro0000

It will back-fire on GC's when the cheap subs all of a sudden become GC's and start under-bidding the GC's and taking all the work.

rockdaddy

Ill take it!!
Ive been paying .104 to hang and .095 to finish for 20 years. Maybe I should move to Tennesee.

Bill from Indy

if you can buy all your materials for .07, im moving to Penn.

considering I can't even by the board alone for that

mudslingerdrywall

so if i got this right, you're paying someone to finish an 8x8 bathroom with 9 foot ceilings $33.54? taping, coats, sanding?? who would work for that??

GLADIATOR

wtfk

silverstilts

That's just retarded. I can only imagine what it looks like when its done. what are they doing one coating it and calling it finished. There is no way it can be acceptable or perhaps if you are a hillbilly and don't know the difference.

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aka the rock doctor