Bid Shot Down

[Ernesto]

The people who I recently did the cork and glass backsplash for freaked about a bathroom/shower they wanted me to tile..... sigh

First off it is newly remodeled walls cept two walls are old plaster meeting framed in walls. Plaster walls have paint, maybe lead paint since the house was built in the 50's. Sanding charge, Hydroban will not stick and the shower will be pointed directly at the plaster wall. $$$

The framers did a crappy job of putting up the cement backer board...large gaps between so needs lots of prep on seams. Charge $$$

The two areas ( about 3' x 7' x 7'6" high are ajacent to each other with a walk through. Then they want 6" x 3" inch subway tiles, so two doorways need corner tiles with bullnose all around the top. Tedious work around doorways...charge $$$

The slab is old green colored concrete which needs scarifying because it is to smooth. Slab is pre-sloped with an old drain in it which is nice in a way. But touching that old drain might be an issue as I bet it will fall apart if you touch it. Charge $$$

Then I wanted to charge to do the Hydroban at around a buck a sf per app. $$$

It only came to just above $14 a sqft for 291 sqft. It that so unreasonable?

 

[Nick]

No, This is the only trade i know of that gets no respect .

 

[FloorMaven]

I bid $1750 labor on this shower, bath & vanity. Floor was about 150 sf of 18s and walls were about 140 sf. The slab had to be filled and pitched without curb, there was a deco and nook, wallboard and kerdi. I thought the price was more than fair. The customer never got back to me but did call me to install the carpet ramped up to meet the tile that "the nice, young Mexican kid" installed for $500.

 

[FloorMaven]

No, This is the only trade i know of that gets no respect .

If installers are willing to work for low wages then its hard to be taken seriously when you're 3-5 times the price. But I understand...there was a time I thought $500 was a nice paying side job.

 

[Ernesto]

That is a nice price, your hired! lol

Is that you supply materials and tile? I hope not.

Mine is suppling nothing but maybe the tape for the seams. Subway tile is not fun to do, has no margin for error just like glass tiles.

 

[FloorMaven]

That was labor only. I thought I could do it in 40 hours and it was slow last summer so I figured I'd do it for wages. But $40 an hour is alot when you can get it for $12-$15.

 

[Ernesto]

And people have no clue about water proofing a shower properly. I guess they thought I could just slap on some tiles and be done with it.

I sent a link to the Laticrete Hydroban site that has a neat video so they could see what it takes. The walls in that video are mostly done with exception to the bottom gap around the perimeter. And the roll on stuff is not cheap either. there can be no voids or even pin holes in the finished product. I guess they think it's like painting a wall.

http://www.laticrete.com/architects/products/waterproofing/productid/7.aspx At 2:37 the video gets into prep and application.

 

[FloorMaven]

Subway tile is not fun to do, has no margin for error just like glass tiles.

I know, I did this backsplash last summer that took me near three days and a few hours designing it for $1600. There were alot of little pieces that I cut on site.

 

[Ernesto]

Setting 8 tiles to make up a single sqft is tedious work not to mention all the bordering with outside corner pieces. Backsplashes are way easier since you can go up off a counter top and it's not really a wet area.

That one looks nice. Subway tile is making a huge comeback.

 

[FloorMaven]

And people have no clue about water proofing a shower properly.

My client was adamant about it cause she had experience with a leaky shower and had really done her homework so she was looking for someone who could waterproof properly. I guess everyone has a price.

 

[Ernesto]

My client was adamant about it cause she had experience with a leaky shower and had really done her homework so she was looking for someone who could waterproof properly. I guess everyone has a price.

I usually steer clear of showers because of that. Lots of potential damage and liability especially if upstairs.

 

[WhitmerTile3G]

In my area I'm charging around $5.50 sf for shower wall installs, this is typical shower price for something with a feature strip at eye level and then a pattern above feature strip. I'm charging $12.00 sf for the shower mud floor install and mud. Typically charge flat rate of $100 buck to waterproof and $100 buck to install rubber membrane liner i add 50 bucks if i have to install a corner or seam rubber together for bigger showers over 5ft wide. All this is just labor prices. I'm strictly just a sub contractor for Tile Installation.

 

[Floorist]

In my area I'm charging around $5.50 sf for shower wall installs, this is typical shower price for something with a feature strip at eye level and then a pattern above feature strip. I'm charging $12.00 sf for the shower mud floor install and mud. Typically charge flat rate of $100 buck to waterproof and $100 buck to install rubber membrane liner i add 50 bucks if i have to install a corner or seam rubber together for bigger showers over 5ft wide. All this is just labor prices. I'm strictly just a sub contractor for Tile Installation.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Ernesto]

In my area I'm charging around $5.50 sf for shower wall installs, this is typical shower price for something with a feature strip at eye level and then a pattern above feature strip. I'm charging $12.00 sf for the shower mud floor install and mud. Typically charge flat rate of $100 buck to waterproof and $100 buck to install rubber membrane liner i add 50 bucks if i have to install a corner or seam rubber together for bigger showers over 5ft wide. All this is just labor prices. I'm strictly just a sub contractor for Tile Installation.

Thats about average for walls and stuff here to Whitmer. But glass and tile like subway tile that can get wavy on you real easy is $10.00 a sqft. It's lots more time consuming that slapping up some 12's or 15's or 20's on a wall.
Unless of course your actually doing a subway withmiles of long straight walls.

 

[WhitmerTile3G]

Same here i just priced a backsplash w/ glass tile at 40 sf 1x4 glass 12x12 sheet mounted at $500. Added a little due to using Bostik Dimension Reflection Grout. What do you guys think of these new Urethane grouts. I have had them scratch some good Glass tile in past. Bostik reps paid be to tear out and replace the tile it scratched.