Fair Estimate in DC Area?

13 years ago

I am having the following work estimated. What do you guys think about this estimate in the DC area?

A. Demolition & Site preparation.
1. Protect all adjoining areas with plastic & drop cloths as necessary.
2. Haul away waste material & jobsite clean-up.
3. Wrap all wood trim around outside windows

Kitchen - 130 sq ft.

Demo and dispose flooring in kitchen (currently vinyl)
Provide and install oak wood flooring- allowance $3.00 sq. ft.
Skim coat walls and sand as needed and make them ready for paint
Paint all walls and ceilings, neutral colors

Powder room - 20 sq ft.

Demo and dispose wall tile, floor tile, toilet, pedestal sink
Provide and install new floor tile- allowance $5.00 sq. ft.
Provide and apply grout for floor tile
Provide and install 30Ã¢ÂÂW vanity with granite grade A countertop- allowance $500
Provide and install vanity faucet- allowance $200
Provide and install new toilet- allowance $300
Client provides light fixture, mirror, and accessories
Skim coat walls and sand as needed and make them ready for paint
Paint all walls and ceilings, neutral color

Total $7,900.00

Featured Answer

User

13 years ago

It's entirely too non specific and the allowances are all too low. There is no mention of copies of licenses and insurance being furnished to you, or of permits being pulled.

Should read something like:

25 sq feet Emser Sakura Tile, 1 bag Tec grout, Haystack color, 1 pt. Miracle 911 sealer, All installed according to manufacturer's directions after moisture meter test is performe., Additional proper floor preparation to be added at additional cost not to exceed $150 when when joist spacing is determined.

150 sq feet Virginia Vintage Handscraped Oak in Gunstock, nailed down on new 1/2" birch plywood subfloor, after acclimating 72 hours in home and after moisture test performed with moisture meter to verify that subfloor and flooring are within 10% equal moisture content. Masonite sheets applied post install for protection from other trades.

Specific products need to be named, as well as the proper install methods need to be incorporated into the wording. You should have done your research at this point to know the products that you want to use and you should be issuing that list to any contractors bidding on your project. Once you know the products you want to use, then it's a simple matter of reading the manufacturer's websites to know the proper install methods of those products.

In addition, the labor and materials are all very low. Especially for the DC metro area. As in I'd really and truly expect the job to cost triple to quadruple that price from a licensed and insured contractor who pulls the required permits. If you don't pull the permits, that is one area of the country where you can be sure your neighbor will turn you in.

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Comments (14)

P_Bennett
Original Author
13 years ago
live_wire_oak,

Thanks for the follow up, and I agree with making the scope more specific. I assumed I would be going to the showroom to pick out materials with the above allowances, or cheaper. So that would be determined before final approval.

But you really think this job should be 3-4x what the estimate states? I don't see how that is possible...for $20-30k I can redo the whole kitchen.
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User
13 years ago
Average kitchen remodels in the US are 56K for a medium priced redo. Over 100K for a high end redo. No way are you doing to get a 20K in the DC metro as the cost of living there is much higher than average. Unless it's total HD builder grade that you DIY.

Average bath remodels are 17K. You're doing that and additional flooring. You haven't added in the needed electrical and plumbing trades either. Nor addressed the issues that adding wood flooring to a kitchen after the cabinets are installed will bring. You will have issues with appliance heights not working anymore.

Yeah, sticker shock isn't fun.
homebound
13 years ago
They're not getting a new kitchen. Just new floor (hardwood) and paint.

Not sure about the powder room since I can't see how much tile (walls or just baseboard?).

Allowances for vanity and toilet are too low.

I'm in the area. Want me to look at it? :)
User
13 years ago
Soliciting work on here is expressly prohibited by the terms of service.
kirkhall
13 years ago
Not entirely.
brickeyee
13 years ago
And Virginia, Maryland, and DC have VERY different labor rates.
lyvia
13 years ago
It might be helpful to consult a realtor, especially one who moves property in your area, in your price range. I was really impressed at my realtor's rolodex - he has kitchen guys, flooring guys, roofing guys - all kinds of guys! And he is familiar with their work and pricing. I didn't realize how connected home improvement and real estate sales are.
PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
13 years ago
And Virginia, Maryland, and DC have VERY different labor rates.

for sure!
homebound
13 years ago
And Virginia, Maryland, and DC have VERY different labor rates.

DC gets special consideration for their big brother style. Too many traffic cameras (25 or 30 mph on major arteries), little parking, heavy traffic and $50 tickets if you get caught without a seat belt. I just pulled away from a job and before I remembered to slap it on, got waved over and ticketed for $50. One other time I got a warning at night for not wearing one- they use night vision. Nice city.

(Yes, I do wear seat belts most of the time.)
brickeyee
13 years ago
You should see the DC bureaucracy.

They seem to have a department for every little item, all remote form each other.

I stopped doing ANY work in DC many years ago.

I was slapped with a stop work order for installing cove molding INSIDE a house.

I think they did not like the Virginia license plates.
kirkhall
13 years ago
($50 for no seatbelt is 1/2 price here!)
millworkman
13 years ago
Dam, NY is $90 or $100 plus a $40 surcharge for the state!
homebound
13 years ago
$50 and 2 points, actually.

On a separate note, wouldn't it be great if they gave citations for "DLAJ: (driving like a jack@s...)? Extra points for DC cabbies who like to stop the cab 6'-8' off the curb to block the second lane. I'd support those initiatives.

This post was edited by homebound on Thu, Mar 7, 13 at 20:08