Tbone123

Hello All.. I live in Kansas outside of KC. I have a very large deck job to do and have no clue what the current going rates are. I used to run a pressure cleaning biz back in 01 and do have experience restoring some decks but have been out of it for quite some time now. This job is for a friend "of a family friend" at their private lake house. It is a 2 story deck with the bottom being all cedar siding and trim. It has a screened in porch off the main deck, about 200 feet of hand rail and ballasters, a 30' ramp leading to the deck from the front and a small 6' stair case off the back.The deck it self is in a L shape about 12' wide and goes about 30' then turns and goes another 12' to the screened in porch. all the upper trim around the deck and porch is cedar as well. It is supported by four 6X6 rough cut cedar post and the hand rails are supported by 24 6X6 cedar posts.. This is a complete resto... The floor will need stripper applied and washed then several boards replaced and the rest will need sanded as they are in VERY rough condition, the hand rails will need about 60+ feet repl and the rest also sanded. They have requested that I cut in blocks under the hand rails spaces to keep the wasp from building nests. Everything is to be stained with a semi cedar tinted stain.. I have no idea where to start on this estimate... PLEASE HELP Thanks

Hey Everyone.. Damn chaz... it seems you are always disgruntled about something.. First the hand rail blocks and now the color!! You need a island vacation where you can realax for a bit!!! :-) Anyway.. Thanks everyone - First, Yes it was a semi transparent stain but I had to put on 2 full coats because the deck was in such poor shape that it literally soaked it in.. The color was a California rustic and the make was the new Behr premium with the 4 year warranty.. The Materials they chose and purchased before hand so I only had to supply my tools and equipment.. All in All.. 25 gallons start to finish with prob a pint left over in the bucket.. I have not invoiced it yet because I was finishing placing the hand rail block and then was booked solid all day yesterday so I plan to work on the billing today.. I am leaning towards $1.45 per sq foot and then prob around $25 per hour for the hand rail blocks but not real sure yet on the demo and repl of deck boards?? Do you all feel it should also just be the same $ per hour price and just add it in to the total or is there a sq foot price for the demo and replace?? Hey Chaz!!! Hope you know I was just pullin your chain.. Thanks for all the advice So total there is over 3000 sq foot in decking... about 24 hours in stain, cut and install the blocking, and about another 24 hours in demo and replace the deck boards and some hand rails..

Hello Again every one.. I wanted to say thanks for the info and post some pics of the deck.. I now have pretty much everything completed with the exception of a few wood blocks under the hand rails.. It took a little time to knock off the rust but all in all I am very happy with the end product. Thanks for you valuable support. Tony

Great thanks for info..

Hello Again Everyone... First.. Thanks for all the info and advice.. I have been out of the industry loop for a while now but would like to get back into the biz on a part time basis and only do decks-fence-shake roof.. Up till 2001 I had my own full scale mobile wash/detail biz on the side and did pretty good but after 9/11 things seemed to bottom out.. I took a new job and with 4 kids I never really got back in full swing. I really enjoy what I do but you are all correct about the financial end and being savy - not worth doing if your losing money.. Is there a specific program or a web site I can use as a resource to help me establish guide lines and the basic industry pricing? Also can any of you advise on a good insurance provider for our line of business. BIG CHAZ.. Yes that was placing blocks between "every" single spindle... Yeah, fun.. but if they wanna pay for it I can do it.. Also - what about the pricing for the labor for sanding and replacing the bad boards?? Does the hand rail pricing also cover the spindles and the trim boards running down the spindles?? Finally.. does the SQ ft price include the pressure washing of the project?? Should I define a price to include everything.. cleaning, sanding, demo, construction and finally the stain?? I want to be fair but I also want to be fair to me.. Again, Thanks everyone for your knowledge and assistance.

Ken.. thanks for the info.. sorry about no SQ info I am throwing out a ballpark number here because I left my notebook with the measurements in my wifes veh. I would guess prob all said and done 1200 sq ft total floor.. 145 Ln ft hand rail with casing, prob 200 ballasters and easily 80 hours of trim work, plus the demo and repl of the bad boards add another 24 hours, and easily 40 hours of sand.. everything must get 2 coats of stain - so I est will need 25 gallons of stain.. I can e-mail you pics of the job if you want to see it and I plan to bill them normal rates.. Thanks ahead for the assistance.. here are some pics..