Fence Pricing

[CoastalHydro 14]

Hello All.

Was wondering if anyone could help me with pricing a fence that I've been called about. I've seen the fence, and will post a few pictures this evening. It is a 3-rail fence, using 2x6. It is painted white. The owner had it repainted a year and a half ago but the person did a horrible job and the paint is pealing and flaking everywhere. All he wants is someone to paint prep it so his sons can paint it. I'm assuming that the pressure will remove most of the flaky paint, however there may need to be some scraping done to get the stubborn stuff off. The problem is, I have no idea how to price something like this.

There are 305 sections equalling 2,074 linear feet.

Any suggestions are appreciated!!

[plainpainter 217]

Only 6.8 feet per section? Seems small - might be right. I am assuming 2074 represents length of fence, not including both sides. Also assuming fence is 6 feet tall. I'd ask for $0.85/sq.ft to pressure wash and scrape. Or $21,155!

LOL - that seems like a lot of money - but then again both sides of the fence

measures 8/10ths of a mile long!

-Dan

[PressurePros 249]

This is a job for Dan's favorite.. TSP! Fences are tough, noone wants to pay nearly what they are worth. Use this link to get an idea what the job is worth. Click "no prep needed" and get your baseline to paint it. Go back and click "scrape and powerwash" and figure out the difference. I came with almost $5000 per side

The pressure washer is going to be limited in what it can do. The process is going to be long and tedious if it is to be done correctly. If they just want to half azz it and give it a quickie paint job I would charge approximately $6,500. No scraping in that price though.

http://www.costestimator.com:8080/contractor-consumer/categories.jsp

[plainpainter 217]

Ken - you think $0.85/sq.ft. is out of line to pressure wash and scrape? I just realized something - I don't think there is any money in fence work! Bottom line to do it right I think I'd want $125/link to pressure wash, scrape, and spray two wet coats of solid oil stain. That would be $38,125!!!!!! LOL.

I think I'd save my self the embarassment and not return the phone call. I did this exact work to my sister's badly peeling picket fence - applied bleach/TSP, scrubbed, pressure washed the p-diddly out of it, then scraped with carbide/tungsten bahco scapers, and 2 coats of Cabot's O.V.T solid oil stain. And I swear to god, If I can't get $125/section to do that kind of work, I don't think I would get out of bed - I doubt I was even making $35/hr after materials. I know to homeowners $35/hr sounds great for a laborer - but I am running a legit company with overhead, truck repairs, equipment overhead, storage, materials, health insurance, workman's comp, liability, lost time with idiot customers, etc, etc, etc. I think my true wage would be more like $15 out of that $35/hour wage - oh well, customers can't seem to understand in what it takes behind the scenes to run a company or they don't care. To sum it up - and this may sound defeatist - but I'd save my time and energy to bid other jobs that have a higher probability of getting accepted. If I remember correctly when I was doing that fence, it wasn't much fun, it was back-breaking, tedious, and boring - and the icing is knowing the customer thinks you are overcharging them, making you feel really loved.

-Dan

[RPetry 564]

Dan,

Mark Twain (aka. Samuel Clement) was a notable writer. His most memorable character, Tom Sawyer, subcontracted fence work and skipped town down the Mississippi River. That was near 100 yrs. ago. I am afraid things have not changed much since then.

[Larry B 55]

I think it is 2x6 rail fence..not so many square feet

[StainlessDeal 16]

Dan,

Mark Twain (aka. Samuel Clement)

AAKA Samuel Clemens

Sorry Rick! Don't you hate fly-by-nighters and all their aliases?:lgbounces

[RPetry 564]

Scott,

Sorry Rick! Don't you hate fly-by-nighters and all their aliases?

Touche. Great comeback!

That reminds me. I have your brother in law's deck and fence stripping job coming up. I'll get in touch with him late this week on scheduling.

How's things in Nebraska? Working on any exterior wood yet? Bet those sq. miles of corn are just starting to poke their little heads out of that great soil.

[StainlessDeal 16]

I just had to tease the Bleecho Bandito!

I've had a strange spring this year: Seems like most of the people interested in getting bids, are interested in deck or fences. Unfortunately, they also are often mostly interested in me raising the dead (so to speak) or in only doing part of the job. As we've discussed elsewhere, new fence prices run a little too close to profit lines for me to be selling very hard.

The family was here last weekend and Eric was saying that the deal you worked out was a good one. They are excited. Let me know how it goes.

Corn is just starting to make its appearance, but now that means MPG rather than beef and corn-on-the-cob. Alcohol plants everywhere sprouting faster than corn.

[CoastalHydro 14]

Larry,

You are correct. It is a 2x6 Rail fence.

I'd love to just turn this job down, but since my business is just getting off the ground I need any jobs I can get.

Here are a couple of pictures.

[CoastalHydro 14]

Using some equation help from another forum I've come up with the following:

4x4 posts = 203.49 sqft

2x6 rails = 6084 sqft

Total = 6287 sqft

Using the .85/sqft that would be a quote for $5343. I think if they want it scraped I would go up to $1/sqft.

Do you think that's too low?

[plainpainter 217]

Man - that fence isn't as bad as picket fences, but still would scare me. You'll be there for like 2 months pressure washing, scraping, priming, painting.

I'd take the price of $6287 which is $1/sqft and double it. that comes out to

$12574. I can get money like that for pressure washing scraping and painting

a nice size house. Which is alot more fun.

-Dan

[CoastalHydro 14]

If you weren't going to paint it, would you stick to $1 / sqft?

[plainpainter 217]

Well - how are you going to procure a water source for such a long fence? I can pressure wash a house and never worry about hose length. What happens to the water supply when you have to stretch hoses a 1/4 mile up a small grade? Assuming everything will go alright and you got nothing better to do - sure $1/sqft is ok. But do you really want to risk it?

-Dan

[CoastalHydro 14]

Well, as far as a water source, My unit is mounted on a trailer with a 550 gallon water tank. I also have a 250gal tote that I can put in the back of the truck for extra water.

I appreciate everyone's help in my dilema. I think I'll go with $1.25 / sqft. I think I'd be willing to go down to $1 /sqft if he pushed it.

I'll let everyone know what happens.

[Littlefield 65]

Make sure you cover yourself for not being responsible for the paint sticking the next time, considering you aren't puttin g it on. Also, make sure you spec scraping LOOSE paint, the PDCA would have standards for that I'm sure.

As far as that goes, I would soak on some HD-80 or something, and try to help as much of the loose paint as possible come off without scraping. then plan on going by with a grinder/buffer like the makita 9227c and a 7" disc of sandpaper, probably 60 grit on a 4 setting, and make short work of the scraping phase.

[plainpainter 217]

Bahco tungsten/carbide pull scrapers work really nice. Trust me, I am a painter - these work phenomenally!

-Dan