Help please, Drain bid??

[JCherry9099]

I have a customer that wants a drain installed, and of course wanting to make my customer happy, I accepted the challenge. I don't know what to charge for it though. How do you all charge for installing drains? What are key things I should keep in mind and look out for? I've installed drains before, I'm speaking of common mistakes made financially... i've already underbidded two projects i'm stuck in now, i'm afraid if I do another it could be the end of me and mine...

any advice?

[JCherry9099]

PS
I've estimated the pipe run to be about 100-115ft, with 3 12" square drains. the run will go through a yard causing me to trench underneath a fence twice.

Also, advice to beautify the exit of the drain pipe would be most helpful :)

Thank you!!

[DanaMac]

Not sure if there are many in the irrigation forum here that do drain work. Response might be weak.

[Kiril]

causing me to trench underneath a fence twice.


Hiss boooo :hammerhead: Avoid doing that if at all possible.

[Wet_Boots]

Why can't you run a trench under a fence? (assuming you don't undermine any posts)

[Kiril]

Why can't you run a trench under a fence? (assuming you don't undermine any posts)

I'm guessing you never built a fence?

[Wet_Boots]

I have to run lawn sprinkler pipes under fences, and no disasters yet, so why the admonition? (increase your word power)

[Kiril]

Never run utilities/irrigation/drainage under or too near fence lines unless your planning on putting them at 3 feet depth or more. There are some cases where it can't be avoided obviously, and in those cases it is best to do so at a good distance from any existing posts or potential locations for replacement posts. Nothing worse than replacing a fence line with a bunch of utilities running right next to it, or across it.

If you assume when a fence is replaced the posts will end up in the same spots as before, 9 times out of 10 it will be a wrong assumption.

[Wet_Boots]

That just means your local fencing contractors have trouble building something that lasts. :p

And how many different 'standard' post spacings do you think there are, anyway?

[Kiril]

That just means your local fencing contractors have trouble building something that lasts. :p

Sad but true.

And how many different 'standard' post spacings do you think there are, anyway?

How many different fence styles are there and how many times has the fence been replaced?

[Wet_Boots]

I don't think I've seen anything but 6's and 8's on any recent fence construction, so far as post spacing goes.

[jimmyburg]

I charge $8 a foot for soild and $10 a foot for a true french drain(i.e. sleaved pipe, gravel) plus the charge for the catch basins. then i charge $75 for a sidewalk bore and if they want a curb core, I charge $150.

[Kiril]

I don't think I've seen anything but 6's and 8's on any recent fence construction, so far as post spacing goes.

I estimate 70-90 possible post locations over time per 100 feet depending on how big your post holes are..

[Ferti-man]

Sad but true.



How many different fence styles are there and how many times has the fence been replaced?
The fences around hear have a standard spacing between posts. A replacement post is installed in hole left when old post is removed to keep spacing even. In rural farm country, I have seen uneven posts to keep animals contained. Not so critical there. Thus it depends on the fence type. If you where to install a drain unit near the fence, it would give a clue that there is a drain there and consideration would need to be made for this in post replacement. Well in the ideal world anyways. :laugh:

[Wet_Boots]

I estimate 70-90 possible post locations over time per 100 feet depending on how big your post holes are..A hundred feet? Not a common dimension for a side yard fenceline that encloses a back yard. The OP has to trench where the slopes dictate, but for common irrigation usage, you can pick a point near a gate post for going under a fence, and be secure there won't be problems in the future if the post spacing changes.

[Kiril]

A hundred feet? Not a common dimension for a side yard fenceline that encloses a back yard. The OP has to trench where the slopes dictate, but for common irrigation usage, you can pick a point near a gate post for going under a fence, and be secure there won't be problems in the future if the post spacing changes.

LOL, tell that to the guy who blasted a hole in one of my drain lines when he was replacing a gate post.

BTW, the ONLY posts you can bet on being in the same place ALWAYS are corner posts that determine property lines. For any other post, all bets are off.

[Ferti-man]

I charge $8 a foot for soild and $10 a foot for a true french drain(i.e. sleaved pipe, gravel) plus the charge for the catch basins. then i charge $75 for a sidewalk bore and if they want a curb core, I charge $150.

Does this include the sleeve, sand... installed? Not a bad price for the work involved, delivery of aggregate, removal of soil... I had no idea, as I have never done this work other than dig a few up because a head was broken and was located right up against the french drain! :dizzy:

[Tom Tom]

Top secret drainage-

eljen.com

[larryinalabama]

I would charge like this- 120$ for mini excavator 60$ for sod cutter and probably 100-150 for setting in pipe with lazer level. So Im thinking 300-400 plus expenses. Im thinking 3 to 4 hour job. Wish we were closer Id come cut your sod and dig your ditch as cheep as you could rent the machines for

[Wet_Boots]

LOL, tell that to the guy who blasted a hole in one of my drain lines when he was replacing a gate post.This is why they invented elbow fittings, and why I don't include physical damage in a guarantee.

BTW, the ONLY posts you can bet on being in the same place ALWAYS are corner posts that determine property lines. For any other post, all bets are off.One town I know of even put the corners into play, after they got so tired of homeowners bickering over fencelines, that they put a setback requirement into their codes.

[jimmyburg]

Does this include the sleeve, sand... installed? Not a bad price for the work involved, delivery of aggregate, removal of soil... I had no idea, as I have never done this work other than dig a few up because a head was broken and was located right up against the french drain! :dizzy:

Yes, this includes the sleave and so on. we trench the area after we get line locates. if the drain is in the line of path of the utilities, we hand dig.

[YVI]

Hey found this site online some good info on here. In response to bidding the drain we charge time and materials for these type of jobs. If the customer wants a fixed bid on these type of jobs we walk away. There are to many unkowns as you would no when digging under ground. Plus if this is your first job like this it will give you a guide line to work with for future jobs. Anyways look forward to future topics.

[JCherry9099]

Thank you everybody for your help... except the fence conversation.. :waving:

I don't have to remove any sod, their back yard only has a little grass, (thanks anyway Alabama) they want me to try to put seed down throughout their yard after the pipes installed though. (its nasty GA Clay so i don't know what i'm going to do there)

Was the $10 & $8 per foot for labor or does that price include the pipe and all?

If it includes the pipe and all then thats close to what i've come up with by estimating time it would take and adding material and overhead cost, if its only labor then i'm way low... please let me know.

[SprinklerGuy]

I wouldn't quote a per foot price if I were you..not on your first shot.

Bid drainage just as you bid anything else...

Materials cost + Labor cost + Overhead cost + desired profit = Job cost

Good luck.

[jimmyburg]

Thank you everybody for your help... except the fence conversation.. :waving:

I don't have to remove any sod, their back yard only has a little grass, (thanks anyway Alabama) they want me to try to put seed down throughout their yard after the pipes installed though. (its nasty GA Clay so i don't know what i'm going to do there)

Was the $10 & $8 per foot for labor or does that price include the pipe and all?

If it includes the pipe and all then thats close to what i've come up with by estimating time it would take and adding material and overhead cost, if its only labor then i'm way low... please let me know.

Yes, the $10 and $8 price includes labor and pipe and all. Now i have 4 guys who can git it done in no time, but like SprinklerGuy said, for your first job bid the whole thing.
Are you getting your supplies from a supply house or Home depot?

if you need more info PM me

[Tom Tom]

I wouldn't quote a per foot price if I were you..not on your first shot.

Bid drainage just as you bid anything else...

Materials cost + Labor cost + Overhead cost + desired profit = Job cost

Good luck.

right on!, its like bidding a system per zone