# Avg price per sq ft for lvl 3,4 & 5?



## guitarrick (Aug 22, 2011)

First off enjoy my new book here... 

I'm looking for an average price per sq ft (when quoting) for finishing a basement in an occupied house. I just finished my first one and hopefully have a few more coming up in the near future from the guy's neighbors and could really use some idea of what other finishers are charging, to be competitive AND to make sure I'm not working for peanuts!

I understand there are a ton of variables involved in quoting a job. Is it a cut up prefill nightmare? Triple racetracks, tents and soffits everywhere? Are they friends of relatives? Is it gravy?

Just assume it's an "average" job. Average amount bead and butts, standard texture, a few closets, a shower... What would be an average price per square foot for a 2 coat finish, 3 coat and even a level 5? I know a level 5 is a little bit crazy in a basement but it's just to give me an idea of how much more $$ you guys are getting for one...

Also do you guys drop the price any if they're installing a drop ceiling and it's walls only? 

I called my old finishing boss (I work in a machine shop now) and asked him what he'd charge for a 2,500 sq ft basement w/ no texturing (besides right inside the bathroon door and over the shower). He told me bid it at $1,000 and the homeowner buys the mud. It ended up at $1,000 and I bought the mud. Finished it in 20 hours. Did I work for peanuts? Did I make out like a bandit? Seems like I did pretty well... Thanks a ton for any suggestions, in case you can't tell being new to the 1 man crew side of the business I need a few!


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## DiSantodrywall&paint (May 2, 2010)

i would have been around 1350 thats including mud


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

$1000 for 20 hours is $50/hr, right? How much mud? How much is your time worth to you? On a T&M job I like to make $30-$40 /hr depending on the client...It sounds like you came out fine, average really.


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## cdwoodcox (Jan 3, 2011)

Who cares what the next guy is getting. Price the jobs at what you need to make an hour and stick with that. I would have charged more than you but I also have overhead to consider. And the fact that if I'm working on you're basement I have to make the same as if I were working on a job for a contractor or I'm ultimately losing money when I could be somewhere else making more.


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## guitarrick (Aug 22, 2011)

I spent around $100 on the mud. So $900/20= $45/hr. That works for me just fine, I'd say I made out well just wondering about other people's average bids and if I was bidding competitively. The job was a 2 coat, I'm curious as to how much to raise for a 3 coat or a level 5 full skim if I happen to run into one. I guess I'll just break the $1000/2500 sq ft rate down to daily pay times # of days, adding 1 day for a 3 coat and 2 days for a level 5. Sounds simple enough. Hey, I just answered my own question. 

Or better yet, I should forget 2 coating and 3 coat every job I do from now on. I'd rather be known for 3 coat quality than for my old day job of working at the old boss' level of quality and passing a 2 coat off as "looking good enough". That doesn't fly. I think I just left that behind. :thumbsup:


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## cdwoodcox (Jan 3, 2011)

guitarrick said:


> I spent around $100 on the mud. So $900/20= $45/hr. That works for me just fine, I'd say I made out well just wondering about other people's average bids and if I was bidding competitively. The job was a 2 coat, I'm curious as to how much to raise for a 3 coat or a level 5 full skim if I happen to run into one. I guess I'll just break the $1000/2500 sq ft rate down to daily pay times # of days, adding 1 day for a 3 coat and 2 days for a level 5. Sounds simple enough. Hey, I just answered my own question.
> 
> Or better yet, I should forget 2 coating and 3 coat every job I do from now on. I'd rather be known for 3 coat quality than for my old day job of working at the old boss' level of quality and passing a 2 coat off as "looking good enough". That doesn't fly. I think I just left that behind. :thumbsup:


 Sounds like a good plan to me. Better to be known for quality than price.:thumbsup:


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## SlimPickins (Aug 10, 2010)

cdwoodcox said:


> Sounds like a good plan to me. Better to be known for quality than price.:thumbsup:


Ab-so-f$#&ing-lutely. I get more hires for quality than I do for cheap. 

And the cheap ones still get quality, it's just covering up the not-quality :laughing:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Better to be known for quality than price.:thumbsup: 

Yes ,,, thanks:yes:


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