Gidday,
Im pricing up a job at the moment to do a 'Spanish' look inside. The exterior is an undulating reasonably smooth finish with a few licks but nothing aggressive, whats commonly reffered to here as Adobe or Spanish, though at its peak mid 70's there were many variations of arcs and knife finishes.
Anyway.. Inside the designer has forwarded pictures which are attached here (the first three)
I did a lot of research and decided to do some skip trowel variations, brocades, 'old world' cat face or Montavlo style. I've spent a solid day at least doing boards some over and over to make sure I had a consistent technique.
I did a consult with the Husband of the couple who own the place and he took a few boards home to show the wife and forwarded photos to the designer etc. Based on that meeting I did a second series of boards honing in on the points relevant from the feedback I got, then had a site meeting today with a measure up.
As I'm leaving in walks the competition from another town (who the owner said was pretty useless communication wise and a bit unorganised). He looked the part with a clipboard, monagrammed shirt and sign written Hilux, so I googled him. He does exterior only (big division here between inside and out) so I'm picking he uses portland cement based mixes, where as (on the primer coated walls they have) I'm looking at a hardwall basecoat and then adding sand to some lime based topping compound and maybe a neat coat to soften a few areas.. His finish samples on his website were out of the box bog standard stuff.
So... I've done my homework have alright skills a good system, rapport with the owner and a honest price I'm happy and confident with my quote and if I'm undercut so be it - BUT - it did get me wondering what the normal fashion for texture pricing is with you guys who have a strong tradition in your craft.
Example here outside guys going over aerated block or whatever other cladding are starting at $70+GST(VAT) p/SqMtr for a sponge or float finish.
inside using drywall compounds as the standard for a reskim you're looking at $20-25+GST p/SqMtr depending on the state of the board, with an end result maybe 1 1/2 to 3mm thick. Usually tape and bead, then basecoat with gypsum, top coat with lime based (modified), maybe an extra coat in the middle of either base or topping. I'm moving to more hardwall products, but either way can do a same day system if need be, or on house lots just a coat a day with ultra fine hand sand, more of a polish...
Anyway... venturing into the realm of being an actual plasterer (as opposed to what is called here a Gib Stopper) I've chatted to various guys around the country and to some extent the states as well. One guy who is close to similar here starts his American Clay application rates at $60+GST for one coat of Enarjje Clay (think its a loam plaster) up to $130ish for a High end polished lime. Doing a trick wall last year in a bar I got talking to the guy putting in the Beer Lines, he's into Hot Rods and reckoned as a rule of thumb custom work is about double standard.. so from here we are looking for an interior plasterer to be charging maybe $50+GST p/SqMtr for a texture job with two to three coat system. What I'm pondering though is would the exterior guy here likely deliver one coat of texture over the primed walls and given that would he look at it as an in and out money maker at say $30+GST p/sqMtr maybe with a boy a bunch of masking and a spray gun for brocade... or two coats by hand at $70+GST p/SqMtr, or look at it as 'Fancy' and put a premium on it?
Incedently I ballparked $45+GST p/SqMtr which I think is fair. I can chop through it without flogging myself and make a good bit of extra out of it.
I did a job a couple of years ago similar work but less flair similar situation against an exterior guy and I figured from a few things I picked up on site that he was looking at around $80 including materials and taxes, so was maybe about $60+GST p/SqMtr on his application rate.
I'm not in a huge hury to jack my rate up to make a killing, I enjoy the work and it's not a huge market so I'm looking at increasing share and keeping it honest unless demand goes off the hook then we'll play Robin Hood.
Whats the ins and outs of these type of scenarios in the UK? I'd appreciate some thoughts, opinions, or annecdotes along these lines.
Always iterested to get an outside perspective and learn a thing or two to try and hit that sweet spot.
Cheers
Im pricing up a job at the moment to do a 'Spanish' look inside. The exterior is an undulating reasonably smooth finish with a few licks but nothing aggressive, whats commonly reffered to here as Adobe or Spanish, though at its peak mid 70's there were many variations of arcs and knife finishes.
Anyway.. Inside the designer has forwarded pictures which are attached here (the first three)
I did a lot of research and decided to do some skip trowel variations, brocades, 'old world' cat face or Montavlo style. I've spent a solid day at least doing boards some over and over to make sure I had a consistent technique.
I did a consult with the Husband of the couple who own the place and he took a few boards home to show the wife and forwarded photos to the designer etc. Based on that meeting I did a second series of boards honing in on the points relevant from the feedback I got, then had a site meeting today with a measure up.
As I'm leaving in walks the competition from another town (who the owner said was pretty useless communication wise and a bit unorganised). He looked the part with a clipboard, monagrammed shirt and sign written Hilux, so I googled him. He does exterior only (big division here between inside and out) so I'm picking he uses portland cement based mixes, where as (on the primer coated walls they have) I'm looking at a hardwall basecoat and then adding sand to some lime based topping compound and maybe a neat coat to soften a few areas.. His finish samples on his website were out of the box bog standard stuff.
So... I've done my homework have alright skills a good system, rapport with the owner and a honest price I'm happy and confident with my quote and if I'm undercut so be it - BUT - it did get me wondering what the normal fashion for texture pricing is with you guys who have a strong tradition in your craft.
Example here outside guys going over aerated block or whatever other cladding are starting at $70+GST(VAT) p/SqMtr for a sponge or float finish.
inside using drywall compounds as the standard for a reskim you're looking at $20-25+GST p/SqMtr depending on the state of the board, with an end result maybe 1 1/2 to 3mm thick. Usually tape and bead, then basecoat with gypsum, top coat with lime based (modified), maybe an extra coat in the middle of either base or topping. I'm moving to more hardwall products, but either way can do a same day system if need be, or on house lots just a coat a day with ultra fine hand sand, more of a polish...
Anyway... venturing into the realm of being an actual plasterer (as opposed to what is called here a Gib Stopper) I've chatted to various guys around the country and to some extent the states as well. One guy who is close to similar here starts his American Clay application rates at $60+GST for one coat of Enarjje Clay (think its a loam plaster) up to $130ish for a High end polished lime. Doing a trick wall last year in a bar I got talking to the guy putting in the Beer Lines, he's into Hot Rods and reckoned as a rule of thumb custom work is about double standard.. so from here we are looking for an interior plasterer to be charging maybe $50+GST p/SqMtr for a texture job with two to three coat system. What I'm pondering though is would the exterior guy here likely deliver one coat of texture over the primed walls and given that would he look at it as an in and out money maker at say $30+GST p/sqMtr maybe with a boy a bunch of masking and a spray gun for brocade... or two coats by hand at $70+GST p/SqMtr, or look at it as 'Fancy' and put a premium on it?
Incedently I ballparked $45+GST p/SqMtr which I think is fair. I can chop through it without flogging myself and make a good bit of extra out of it.
I did a job a couple of years ago similar work but less flair similar situation against an exterior guy and I figured from a few things I picked up on site that he was looking at around $80 including materials and taxes, so was maybe about $60+GST p/SqMtr on his application rate.
I'm not in a huge hury to jack my rate up to make a killing, I enjoy the work and it's not a huge market so I'm looking at increasing share and keeping it honest unless demand goes off the hook then we'll play Robin Hood.
Whats the ins and outs of these type of scenarios in the UK? I'd appreciate some thoughts, opinions, or annecdotes along these lines.
Always iterested to get an outside perspective and learn a thing or two to try and hit that sweet spot.
Cheers
