# Cutting in arched niches questions



## Axecutioner-B (May 3, 2010)

Ok so my boss is going to have me start Monday cutting arched niches into a stairway wall & then putting 3inch recessed lights into to top of the niche. If you can imagine, these are stairways that lead to a second floor apartment (the top floor), the walls on the right & left of the stairs are about 20 feet tall & there is a small light on the ceiling above the straight stairway that leads to the VERY NICE 3 bedroom apartment in a very nice apartment complex that i have done plenty of work in before. 

What we are doing adding some "bling" to the very bland stairway. I did the wiring for one of these about 2 months ago & it took about 4 hours to put in two 3-way switches (top & bottom) & set the 3 inch cans up & get them wired. I imagine i can get the wiring down to about 3 hours after i do a couple more. 
The drywall work that i will be doing is cutting in recessed arches that are about 30 inches wide (the width is determined by the studs) by about 3feet tall. These will go near the bottom of the stairway, in the middle & on top of the stairway. In the process of cutting these in i am supposed to remove one structural stud per niche (i hate doing this). After i get it "framed" (if you can call removing a structural stud framing) then i have to put up 1/4 inch drywall to follow the radius that i just cut in, then put plastic bullnose cornerbead up & then mud it & finish it to an orange peel finish.

My boss is wanting to pay me a piece rate of $225 to do this (this is the price he made up, he never talked to me about it he just told me). He is billing the complex $495 per unit which will include the wiring in all 3 niche lights, wiring in the switches, cutting in & framing the niches & then finishing to an orange peel texture. I am figuring this will take me & a helper 1 & a half days. Keep in mind this is all on a stairway, we will have very few flat work moments everything else will be slanted on the steps.

Here are my questions:
1) was he on crack? 
2) should i quit my job this whole thing seems ridiculous
3) removing structural 2 X 4's is ok ?
4) what should he have charged ($495 are you ****ing kidding me??!!)
5) what would be fair to pay somebody (like me the worker(s) to do this ?

By The Way the $225 is his total labor budget, i could work alone but i like my helper so i include him in almost anything i do, so i would rather make less but work with him.
I am probably going to do one of these starting monday & i will post pics. If it takes too long then i will probably quit my job.
________
Roll a joint


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