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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:45 pm
by Wills gardens
Right I have done a few decking projects before at home and for friends but now a customer has asked me about doing one ???
so any of you guys done them before for customers? any ideas on rates to charge or the like?
At the minute im going to go with just materials, labour and my % on top BUT there after a rough price for it! as always
any help at all?
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:59 pm
by mickg
At the minute im going to go with just materials, labour and my % on top
thats how i price decking up as you cant do it by the m2 because every job I have done has always been different in one way or another
some have spindles handrails and newel posts some don't, others you can use 5 x 2 timbers and a similar size job you might have to use 8 x 2 timbers due to different ground heights
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:19 pm
by Wills gardens
thats what i thought, seems a lot of work to me when they could jus have a nice stone patio instead 
customers always right and all that though 
whats people putting on as % on top of materials? you charge it on labour as well?
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:01 pm
by lutonlagerlout
decking is not a favourable subject in the gaffer's (tony mcC) eyes.
its the last taboo in paving,if you have to do it,then go ahead
but please dont tell anyone,or mention it ever again
joking m8 a bit
decking is a huge fail in the uk IMHO
my old fella had a little raised area done for my mum to smoke on last year
its like a green ice rink now
LLL
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:10 pm
by msh paving
Decking works great in USA, there houses are set up for it doors up in the air with large drops in levals,
we build houses on the flat that won't allow for ideal decking aplications, as the timbers sit to close to ground stopping air flow so timber rots
as "LLL" just said a green ice ring
hope this puts you off MSH
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:19 pm
by GB_Groundworks
sorry mate but you'll have to work out the % on top yourself its one of the joys of being in business, i'm 27 been on my own 3 years now its fun and character building haha, lol, but will help you understand your business better if you learn the hard way. yo need to make a living but not take the piss.
it will all depend on what your getting your materials for if your getting them retails or trade, as i can get huge discounts but its a toss up to use that to your competitve advantage or to hold on to that as a bit of your profit.
i'm moving house end of the month it has some nice unstained decking down, its going this summer though haha, fancy something like tony did with the celtic knot etc.
gi
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:18 pm
by Wills gardens
not my choice, a patio would be easier and last a whole bunch longer
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:18 am
by lutonlagerlout
regarding costing,as much as you can get
but realistically you dont want to alienate clients
As a fairly new business trying to make a name for your self i would add 15-20%,bear in mind that a lot of running costs come out of this
LLL
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:58 pm
by Tony McC
Decking? Pah! Waste of good matchsticks, I reckon! :;):
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:01 pm
by DNgroundworks
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:35 pm
by Wills gardens
man this is driving me mad trying to figure out lengths versus m2 
plus the guy wants patio as well so might be worth doing although he has already had some low quotes
so far im up to £890 in materials and that doesnt include 110m of 2"x6" so thats gunna bump up a lot.
Im going to say 2 guys and 3 days labour at £100 a guy a day so total so far is £1490
for 30m2 of decking sounds a lot to me????
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:55 pm
by mickg
all you can do is work your total price out and give it to the customer, its either going to be a yes or a no to you doing the work
not rocket is it :p
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:32 pm
by lutonlagerlout
generally speaking ,when costing most of our jobs come out 50 % materials and 50 % labour
£600 looks tight on the labour to me
LLL
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:46 pm
by Wills gardens
you reckon more?
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:32 pm
by lutonlagerlout
i cant see the job will and i wont do decking but as i said most building work we do costs roughly 50/50
If you can swallow working for £70-80 a day if it takes longer its your decision
i used to worry about prices too much
now i just add it up and that IS the price
priced a wall the other day 23M long and 1 M high
with footings etc it came out at £4745 +VAT
the guy asked could i do it for 4k
i said yes,but it will only be 18m long :;):
LLL
