Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

A family friend is going to do our kitchen. He told me it would take about 8 or 9 days to complete. His price includes:

--demo
--installing floor tile (200 sq. ft)
--putting together and installing Ikea
cabinets (whew!)
--hooking up plumbing
--installing backsplash
--garbage removal

I thought that he would charge me per day and not for the whole job. So, if the garbage removal costs $900 (not sure how much this would cost) and he works 9 days- his rate is $500 per day? My family says that he is a hard worker and doesn't like to take a break.

Now I'm wondering if it would be cheaper to have one place install the floor, another to put cabinets together and install, etc.

I'm guessing the $5,400 is less than what he would normally charge since he said his price is with the family discount.

TIA!

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Does that include the supplies?

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

That sounds about right. But garbage removal should not cost $900 unless you need like 2 dumpsters

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Posted by ladybug8

Posted by Kara

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

$500 per day-times 9 days=$4,500--I figure the remaining $900 would be for the garbage removal. (He didn't tell me that it's $500 a day--I'm just playing around with his total price of $5,400) That's about $62 an hour.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

seems like a lot to me

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Posted by ladybug8

Posted by Kara

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

$500 per day-times 9 days=$4,500--I figure the remaining $900 would be for the garbage removal. (He didn't tell me that it's $500 a day--I'm just playing around with his total price of $5,400) That's about $62 an hour.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

It sounds very high to me, My price was about that including the cabinets. Is he gutting it to the beams, all new sheetrock? A 10 yard dumpster is about $300 or so. Even though he is a friend I would get some quotes, we had someone who was friend come in and give us a quote and it was higher than all the other quotes we received.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

that seems like a lot.

but then again, when you price out contractors (when they are purchasing the materials), most of the cost is labor.

that is why after we price contractors, FH ends up doing it himself.

right now he is installing brand new hardwood floors in our living room, which saved us $2K.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

We just got our kitchen done. We did have the entire thing gutted though. His price, ripping everything out, putting up sheetrock, sanding, putting in cabinets and appliances, plumbing (before he charged extra for moving the sink), putting down the tiles and backsplash (we provided with the grout), a new window, 10 doors, all new moulding for doors and windows (2 in kitchen) and a dumpster was almost $15,000.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

I was under the impression going rate for contractor was like $350/day.

Also you might be able to save some time if you put together your cabinets yourself. It really isn't very difficult to do at all, I did ours

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Thanks to everyone who responded. I will do some more homework tomorrow. I just came back from picking out the granite. I went thinking that I would get Uba Tuba. However, I ended up picking a nice slab of Peacock Green.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

I think it is a little high. We had someone do all that and sanded, stained, and poly'ed our floors for $6000.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Honestly, you have a really good price. Tiling the kitchen floor alone would cost over a grand. I agree with the above poster, if you put the cabinets together yourself you can save a lot, also if you demo yourself you can bring the price down even further.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

I don't think it sounds that bad. Usually labor is double the price of the supplies

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Posted by ladybug8

Posted by Kara

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

$500 per day-times 9 days=$4,500--I figure the remaining $900 would be for the garbage removal. (He didn't tell me that it's $500 a day--I'm just playing around with his total price of $5,400) That's about $62 an hour.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Posted by KellyFG

Posted by ladybug8

Posted by Kara

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

$500 per day-times 9 days=$4,500--I figure the remaining $900 would be for the garbage removal. (He didn't tell me that it's $500 a day--I'm just playing around with his total price of $5,400) That's about $62 an hour.

I'm always shocked when homeowners view $62 an hour as alot for a contractor.
The crappy service station that changes my oil & replaces my brakes charges $99.00 per hour for labor.
I think the pro's that build stuff in our homes that we expect to last way longer than a car are at worth as much. if not more.

However if this guy does jobs as sidework & is unlicensed that's a totally different thing.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Posted by KellyFG

Posted by ladybug8

Posted by Kara

$900 per day and that does not include any of the materials? Is it just one guy or a team of men coming to do the work?

$500 per day-times 9 days=$4,500--I figure the remaining $900 would be for the garbage removal. (He didn't tell me that it's $500 a day--I'm just playing around with his total price of $5,400) That's about $62 an hour.

I'm always shocked when homeowners view $62 an hour as alot for a contractor.
The crappy service station that changes my oil & replaces my brakes charges $99.00 per hour for labor.
I think the pro's that build stuff in our homes that we expect to last way longer than a car are at worth as much. if not more.

However if this guy does jobs as sidework & is unlicensed that's a totally different thing.

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

Re: Is $5,400 a reasonable price for a contractor?

We got another quote that was drastically higher than the $1245 tile & $1485 cabinet install. This was before we decided to add a dishwasher.

Cut and pasted from the proposal


$6,030.00
This proposal includes:
Dismantling existing cabinets.

Tearing up existing floor (one layer).

Installing (@ 165 sq. ft. of) 12” x 12” ceramic tile flooring, (no accents or diagonal layout)

Installing (7) wall, (5) base and (2) high cabinets per client sketch. This includes cabinet assembly, mounting all cabinets to walls and/or each other, modifying sink cabinet to accommodate plumbing, adjusting cabinets so that they are even and level, hanging and adjusting all doors and drawer fronts so that they close properly, drilling holes for and mounting all standard Ikea handles or knobs on drawers and doors. Cutting and trimming all Plinth (baseboard), side cover panels, deco moldings and fillers as necessary. All work to meet or exceed manufacturers’ specifications.

Cutting & installing Ikea Butcher Block counter.

Installing standard, non vented spacesaver microwave.

Installing sink.

(Re)installing existing gas range & existing refrigerator.

All materials are to be supplied by the customer or IKEA.

This proposal does not include:
Discarding waste & shipping/transport charges (NYC is $75/yd3).

Additional fees for walk up. ($75 per floor)

Installing subfloor ($250-$450est.).(required over wooden subfloor)

Fabricating custom refrigerator enclosure with 3’x8’ panel.

Installing full height backsplash.

Installing decorative trim on upper or lower edge of wall cabinets.

Customizing any cabinets.

Additional fees for installing stain proof grout.

Additional fees for installing “custom” appliances such as, “profile” hoods, Subzero type refrigerators, Meile style dishwashers, Viking or slide in ranges or commercial appliances.

Electrical: installing line and/or outlets for appliances and/or installing under cabinet lights . (Will be billed at $75/hr). Site visit required for estimate.

Additional plumbing (i.e. temporary sink, routing water/gas lines to locations on kitchen plan or installing ice maker).

Materials (i.e. cabinets, plumbing or electrical supplies or tiles).

On site measurement/design session ($250).

Costs associated with redesigning kitchen on-site.

Returning materials to Ikea (minimum $75).

Certificate of Insurance fees ($100 per).

Order processing (placing order at Ikea).($400 & up)