Anyone familiar with mason or construction estimated costs

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

Looking to put some slabs in a few areas of my yard. wondering what you guys think the cost should be.

I recently had some big hedges chopped down to the stump. here is the work for 3 slabs:

1) About 400 sq feet (4"thick). Probably have to dig out/remove about 10-15 hedge stumps.
2) About 150 sq feet (4"thick). Another 10-15 stumps here
3) About 300 sq feet (4" thick). No stumps here.

all come with the rebar/wire or whatever. looks like about 10.5 yards of cement when all is said and done.

What do you think this should cost?

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

I won't give my estimate (already negotiated) yet because I don't want this thread to turn into "shdw is getting ripped off". Things cost more where I live and I have to learn to live with it.

they are estimating 180 man hours for removal of stumps/debris and concrete install

ALSportsJunkie · Feb 28, 2013

~1500 for the concrete~2500-3000 for the labor...hard to be accurate because I don't know big the stumps are

ALSportsJunkie · Feb 28, 2013

shdw01 said:
I won't give my estimate (already negotiated) yet because I don't want this thread to turn into "shdw is getting ripped off". Things cost more where I live and I have to learn to live with it.

they are estimating 180 man hours for removal of stumps/debris and concrete install

180 man hours? What kind retards do you have doing concrete work and stump grinding out there? One day on the stumps, one day to form the slabs, one day to pour and finish...then a couple of hours to wreck the forms/clean up. 180 hours holy jesus.

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

I would say the stumps are about a foot in diameter....i could be off but that is my best guess without looking

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

i estimated about $2500 for the concrete (costs more here)....if you say $3000 in labor that is fine.....i'm guessing other materials (wire/fiber mesh, rebar, expansion joints) might be another $1000-$1500...that puts me at $7000

then there is the cost for their business (they are a legit company with insurance and liability stuff)

I can see it costing $10k with the profit for the corp added on

ALSportsJunkie · Feb 28, 2013

If they charged 10k here they wouldn't land a single job. In your area...I don't know...I would find it hard to believe they have more than 5k in it. If they take 180 hours to do the job of course they will charge a lot more. There is no way a competent group couldn't do this is 3-4 days tops though not 3-4 weeks.

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

ALSportsJunkie said:
If they charged 10k here they wouldn't land a single job. In your area...I don't know...I would find it hard to believe they have more than 5k in it. If they take 180 hours to do the job of course they will charge a lot more. There is no way a competent group couldn't do this is 3-4 days tops though not 3-4 weeks.

damn ASJ, you are making me re-think this...i better get another estimate.

i had some other work done (the tree/hedges removal) and had 3 guys give estimates, these guys were by far the cheapest. so i didn't have anyone else come take a look at this job.

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

my price (which I was about to accept today) was over $10k

DazedampConfused · Feb 28, 2013

180 hrs seems a little high, but not that out of control high. That's 5 guys for 4.5 days. They are probably rounding up each operation to a full day.
I'm a firm believer in getting a minimum of 2 bids for anything that substantial. By getting a single bid you chance catching someone who currently has a lot of work and may just be cranking your bid up, hoping they do not get the job. Those were the days!

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

Dazed&Confused said:
180 hrs seems a little high, but not that out of control high. That's 5 guys for 4.5 days. They are probably rounding up each operation to a full day.
I'm a firm believer in getting a minimum of 2 bids for anything that substantial. By getting a single bid you chance catching someone who currently has a lot of work and may just be cranking your bid up, hoping they do not get the job. Those were the days!

great point....i was actually hoping for the opposite....but they did say they were free next week (and then not for a month) so i'm thinking i'd be filling in a gap in work

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

or pressure tactic (although he said bid would be good for longer than the 30 days stated on proposal)

Kruser6 · Feb 28, 2013

Should be able to dig those stumps out with the skid they have on hand, easily. My guys would have it formed and poured in the same day, again easily. Then come back on the 2nd day to knock out the forms, would have to negotiate grading back up to the edges of the pad. I would say you are getting ripped a new one. I broke out a whole concrete pad (30X24), hauled away the concrete, formed, poured new in 2 days. No reason they can't do the same here. $7500 max for this job without running it past my subs.

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

what if i get a second proposal and it is more than the first one?

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

my first one was originally a little over $15k....i negotiated it down a little

slapshot · Feb 28, 2013

shdw01 said:
what if i get a second proposal and it is more than the first one?

check with the Mexicans hanging out at home depot

hno:

DazedampConfused · Feb 28, 2013

shdw01 said:
my first one was originally a little over $15k....i negotiated it down a little

I could brew up some BS to get close to $10K if I didnt want the job but 15K is way out of the realm of explainable. Is there some circumstances that we should be aware of? Is your property reasonably accessable for a cement truck etc?
I encourage you to get a second bid.

Stylez · Feb 28, 2013

Just rent an excavator. Little 3 ton have some fun

shdw01 · Feb 28, 2013

Cement truck would have to be in my driveway....cement will have to travel through the carport through a gate to the sides and around ny house for the back (3 bids are the three sides of my house excluding front)

The costly part I think is digging up the stump

HacheMan · Feb 28, 2013

Dont hire a contractor.... simply hire some of his guys who will be doing the job for you anyhow and for half the price...

Anyone familiar with mason or construction estimated costs

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

New member

New member

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

New member

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

New member

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

Rx Senior

Member

New member

Rx Dragon Puller

Rx Senior

hacheman@therx.com

Forum statistics

Share this page