# Pricing a Commercial Job



## prabgill (Jun 17, 2015)

Hi guys, I have been asked to drywall a Walmart store in British Columbia. They want me to only fire rate the ceiling, which is approximately 14000 sqft. So I would be installing a double layer of 5/8" drywall on the ceiling. They simply want me to only hang the drywall and NOT finish or tape it or anything, what price should I put in for the bid to hang the drywall?


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

just walk away and save your money


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## prabgill (Jun 17, 2015)

Why's that?


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Fire rating work has to be done right. No offense meant but you sound a bit hazy on the details. If you dont know the regs it is not a good start.


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

gazman said:


> Fire rating work has to be done right. No offense meant but you sound a bit hazy on the details. If you dont know the regs it is not a good start.


I 100% agree with gaz if u dont know the regs then go and spend 20k on materials and dont do it right the commercial builder will mop the floor with you and send you broke if you have had many years experience as a commercial drywaller i would say go for it walk away mate


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## prabgill (Jun 17, 2015)

I have 20 years of drywall experience. I know what I'm doing when it comes down to fire rating the ceiling. All I need some input on was since I'm asked to only hang the drywall for them (which will be written on the contract), what should I be charging them? I will be installing double of 5/8" fire rated drywall on the ceiling. I'm not asked to do any walls or anything, just the ceiling, which is 8-9 feet high.


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## Aussiecontractor (Oct 6, 2014)

Materials and what it would you to do job then add 20-40% depending on how much you want the job and if you like the builder 


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

Estimate it at 800 to 900 sq feet per man per day if it is open and not extremely tall. If it's high you need to figure in a scissor lift, and lower that number to 600 to 700. When I was estimating back in 2008 before it got really bad we used $80 an hour, but that was union. So, take total sq footage of 28,000 divided by footage of a man day times a man's wage for that day, and the add 5% profit, and 10% overhead.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

What I don't get is that my brother flew to Arkansas to attend a Walmart class to bid building stores. He said that Walmart supplies most materials to cut out the markup? After spending 4k to take him and 2 others he decided not to bid their work.


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

8 or 9' ?? . Never seen a walmart with that low of ceiling. Is it a corporate office or something?


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## Aussiecontractor (Oct 6, 2014)

MrWillys said:


> What I don't get is that my brother flew to Arkansas to attend a Walmart class to bid building stores. He said that Walmart supplies most materials to cut out the markup? After spending 4k to take him and 2 others he decided not to bid their work.



Yer no **** I would to, you may as well be working for them then if they supply not much profit on labour only 


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## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

prabgill said:


> Why's that?





prabgill said:


> I have 20 years of drywall experience. I know what I'm doing when it comes down to fire rating the ceiling. All I need some input on was since I'm asked to only hang the drywall for them (which will be written on the contract), what should I be charging them? I will be installing double of 5/8" fire rated drywall on the ceiling. I'm not asked to do any walls or anything, just the ceiling, which is 8-9 feet high.


don't get me wrong but after 20 years of drywall experience you should know better the rates in your area


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## cairnstone (May 31, 2009)

If you dont usually work commercial I would walk. What Walmart is doing is looking for a contractor that will not no the cost of the job and then they will eat them alive. I get these in the mail regularly. Do you know the general. Also do you know how many bidders have downloaded drawings. 

Also if you do decided to bid this work look at the penalties that can be invoked. Retail is a very cut throat business.


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## Aussiecontractor (Oct 6, 2014)

Under quote and kill them on the extras ! There's always extras especially on refurbs .....not that I do this,but I'm sure a lot of guys I quote against do 


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

Aussiecontractor said:


> Under quote and kill them on the extras ! There's always extras especially on refurbs .....not that I do this,but I'm sure a lot of guys I quote against do
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


That can be difficult with big box stores like Walmart, because they build the same store over and over so very few change orders are made. I've built at least 10 Targets and all the new ones were all the same. Remodels we could pick up some changes.


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## Aussiecontractor (Oct 6, 2014)

Yer that's true mate got to pick and choose which jobs you can come in cheaper to pick up the fat in extras, but that's not my style.. I try to quote in every factor including allowances for patching man hole frames ect ect So they know there not going to get smashed by a huge bill 
I may miss out on a few jobs that way but I don't like to be seen as a rip off 


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## Loudy (Mar 11, 2012)

As mentioned, be careful on the box stores. They typically have dedicated owner Rep's or PM's that do nothing but follow around these projects and feed on the details.


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## longhornbuilds (May 11, 2015)

MrWillys said:


> Estimate it at 800 to 900 sq feet per man per day if it is open and not extremely tall. If it's high you need to figure in a scissor lift, and lower that number to 600 to 700. When I was estimating back in 2008 before it got really bad we used $80 an hour, but that was union. So, take total sq footage of 28,000 divided by footage of a man day times a man's wage for that day, and the add 5% profit, and 10% overhead.



I second this response.


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## Wellst95 (Apr 17, 2019)

How can I reduce taxes?


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## Shelwyn (Apr 10, 2015)

Wellst95 said:


> How can I reduce taxes?



A bit of jail time and some fines will reduce those taxes temporarily.


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