rates per sq foot of various activities

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Will1987

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Hi
I was just about to buy the "contractors pricing guide - residential detailed costs" at home depot and then my truck broke down. I have a job coming up where the customer wants all kinds of things done mostly in a basement - taking down wall paneling and putting new paneling or greenrock up, getting glue off a concrete floor, painting the concrete floor, new ceiling, baseboards, it goes on and on. I'm trying to charge her by the square foot for these things rather than just giving a vague number. I'm not really used to estimating this way. The only source of per sq foot labor rates I've found so far is the book mentioned above which is 40 bucks, and also I dont have a vehicle now to get there, and I really need to get this estimate out to her. So I'm wondering if you sqaure eye or any other users here can help me find out what to charge per sq foot for these things, or if anyone knows of a website where that can be found. Failing that if you can just give me ballparks that would be better than nothing. The stuff I'm trying to find sq foot labor costs on are:
1. Removal of two layers of paneling on a stud wall in a basement
2. reinstallation of paneling or sheetrock
3. laying down ceramic tile, laminate flooring, or vinyl flooring over concrete basement floor
4. possibly cleaning glue used under carpeting which was on the old basement floor
5. Painitng a basmement floor
6. Installing greenrock on ceiling
7. laying down laminate flooring on stairs ( i.e. not concrete, but rather wood).

This woman has had trouble with her basement flooding so she wants something thats as waterproof as possible for the basment walls and flooring. it actually filled up to a degree during a recent bad storm we had and she had to get rifd of the carpet. Any suggestions for the best looking and most waterproof basment floor and wall materials, with it being relatively inexpensive also a factor?
Thanks a lot,
Will

p.s. It seems like theres gotta be some online source, or some other source of info for going rates in contracting besides just one 40 dollar book at home depot.
 
Tile the floors and 4 feet up the walls using an epoxy grout ( Spectra Lock at Lowes is the easiest to work with ) and Versa Bond thinset from Home Depot. Before you tile the slab you want to use a waterproofing / anti-fracture membrane...Red Guard from Home Depot is the best IMO. Just get yourself a roller and roll it on in 2 or 3 layers then tile like normal. From what I understand from a friend on Long Island, the going rate for floor tile there is $4 to $5 per sq. ft. and an extra dollar for walls.
 
Welcome to the Forum, Will:
The book from the Depot will be the best $40 you ever spent. You can shoot in the dark and mess up on 3 or 4 jobs and you'll be trying to find out how much it costs to take bankruptcy. Get the book and use it faithfully, adding a percentage for Will. You will discover you are the only one bidding on most jobs and your price won't be questioned.
I once worked for a man who would raise his prices if he was not losing 1 out of 3 bids. He said If he didn't lose any, he was too cheap.
Glenn
 
I just want to ask one more time, is there any way you can tell me what a ballpark figure for all those things I mentioned would be? i' stuck here trying to do the estimate and I just need ballparks.

Will
 
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