cant price this driveway right

[environment]

the driveway I am pricing is 16 ft wide by 72 ft in length, now with a border I have been coming up with $16000 approximately...

Am I to high on this, what would you guys charge, I dont want to lose this job but I dont want to lose money for doing the job at a cheap price either

[jwingfield2k]

What is the driveway made of?

[environment]

Pavers, sorry, thought for some reason that cause I knew you guys would, apologies all around

but, ya pavers, herringbone pattern, umm slight upward slope to the driveway, starts out flat, goes uphill, and flattens again, needs lots of drainage at the bottom

[GreenMonster]

Based SOLELY on square footage, I would say your price of $16k is somewhere in the ballpark. With a big area, you can put down a lot of pavers quickly, but herringbone pattern can be a little more time consuming. Also, even if you have straight lines, you're gonna have 144' of cuts, plus at least one end of the 16', right?

Make sure to figure extra for materials and labor on drainage.

[environment]

im just curious because she got two estimates supposedly for the driveway, 3 steps by the front door, a small walk and a hell of a lot of stone, and all that came to $10,000

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by environment
im just curious because she got two estimates supposedly for the driveway, 3 steps by the front door, a small walk and a hell of a lot of stone, and all that came to $10,000

Well, that's less than $9/sf just for the driveway. Without the benefit of seeing the job site, I'm nearly positive I wouldn't do it for that price.

[Randy Scott]

My number is higher than $16,000. Whoever is doing it for ten G is a moron and it will most likely look like ten G worth when it's done. Can't get all the jobs all the time.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by Randy Scott
My number is higher than $16,000. Whoever is doing it for ten G is a moron and it will most likely look like ten G worth when it's done. Can't get all the jobs all the time.

Well, ok. Forget the political correctness:D

Based on the sq. footage and description, I'd be higher too.

[environment]

how much higher, i didnt submit my bid yet

[environment]

I came up with $17,280.00 but since she is a family friend I was going to do it for $16,704

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by environment
how much higher, i didnt submit my bid yet

Not a lot. $1000 or so. But I don't have all the details and haven't seen the site either. I'm just going on square footage, with a little padding for cutting the herringbone on the perimeter.

Actually, if these are basic hollands, which are the cheapest pavers available to me, maybe $16k is pretty close.

[environment]

could you even profit off $9 a square foot
I normally do $15 a square foot.

and keep in mind, theres still a small walk, steps, and 2,233 sq ft of river rock to go down, and she said two guys came up with the whole job for $10,000 not just the driveway.

i mean, the river rock will be over $2000 itself right, not to mention the walk and the steps, I think she is just out of her mind, and looking to rip me off, and thinks because she is my fiancees mothers friend that i wouldnt think she would do something like that

[environment]

I just wanted to be able to go there tonight with confidence knowing that im not ripping anyone off, and that nobody who actually has an overhead could possibly give her the price she says they did

[environment]

thanks, at least I know I am not pricing this wrong

[GreenMonster]

environment:

With the added river rock and stairs, I now think $16k is low!

I agree with the $15/sf, but I can usually knock a little off that with reg. hollands, but then add it back on for herringbone pattern.

I think Randy is right. She's gonna end up with a $20k job done for $10k, and it's gonna look like it.

I don't think you should be concerned that your pricing is not in line.

Morris county in NJ?

[Randy Scott]

What is YOUR overhead? It's possible you could come down in price and still make money. You'll have to decide that I guess. Personally, jobs are usually worse when they're friends or family so factor that in.

You just have to sell yourself over the other butcher. Make her uncomfortable with her thoughts of entertaining a cheaper, cheaper quote. It's 2004, you get what you pay for. If you have references, shove them down her throat. I tell all potential customers to DEFINITELY call our references, and that I URGE them to do so.

At this point, you need to sell yourself, she knows what she's buying. She just needs to be comfortable with who she's buying it from.

[Flyscaper]

I think it would be a smart move to let this one go. I feel 15/sq ft is a little cheep. Plus when your doing a driveway there is alot more digging involved then doing a patio or a walk way.We usually dig are base around 12-18 inch's & we live in SE PA. So more time involved and more money in stone for your base. Is there a drive way currently? If so then you have dumping fees involved as well.Yes money can be tempting but it also can really hurt ya to. Been there done that. If you have all these factors i would be around 19/sq/ft.

[environment]

well, all the material for the base is almost there, the place was on a big hill, and when they built the home they leveled some of it with qp, so everything is solid, no dirt, all stone, its not level, we still have to bring in more, but not much, the house was just built, so theres not much diggin

and the 16 grand i came up with was only for the driveway, my price for the whole deal with a few plants was just over $26000

[steveair]

Are you in NJ??

Just wondering, because I'm often in morris county and will say that your price is going to be high for a 'non-referall' type job.

First of all, the other guys are probably bidding little or no base prep. They will come in, level out what is there, then screed and lay.

Second, what product are your using??? Be aware......there's a company called global (a monster if you don't know, and a MONSTER if you do) who gets a price on grinnel pavers that will knock your socks off (like around a $1 sq ft their cost) and they will bid accordingingly........seen them do WALKWAYS! for around $6 a foot......and yes.....they MAKE MONEY!!!!.......and, most people are happy with their work.

For the area.........unless you are a established, well known 'high end' company with customers waiting in line for you.......your price on the drive sounds high and will put you out of it.

Some companies can come in and bang that job out in 3 days.....how long are you planning for it?

You need to sell yourself hard on that price. I would 'try' and get 16, but that would be with FULL base prep.....I mean....completely removal of the buider drive, and 10-12" compacted QP.......not that crappy, mixed mud/3" rip rap/1" of qp base that is probably there already and that you are going to use as a base......

which reminds me......

have you checked the base yet......I have yet to find a new home construction with a drive properly prepared for pavers........not even one with anything close to a correct base.

If you want to sound professional, sell the people on the correct way to do the job.......it IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT to have a correct base underneath a paver driveway. That newly built lot is going to settle, and that drive is not properly prepared.....that I gurantee.

It sounds like this is your first larger bid, so start paying attention to what others have to say here and get ready for some rough lessons on pricing........as you already are having.

Also, when you price out the job, include everything in the proposal.....make sure the client knows what they paying for.....make them start asking questions.....

for instance, some companies come in and do nothing else but the brick......and I mean nothing else. They don't bring soil in to bring the grade up on the edges, they don't clean the beds up around the edges.....hek, they don't even clean up!

Be specific and tell the people exactly what you are pricing so they can compare apples to apples.

So far, from the sounds of the it, the people are getting some very low ball prices, and if they are showing signs of being cheap, then maybe don't waste any more time. The additional work is very substantial, and in no way do you want to compete with that....

[environment]

well, i met with her, i sold away, and I probably wont get the job, I didnt feel it, she loved my ideas, I know that, but I think she is the type who just goes to the lowest number, so she will probably take my ideas and try and have the cheapest guy do it for her

[jwholden]

Some people tell you they got cheaper prices to get your price down.

Some people try to get you down and then don't do the job anyway.

Some people don't care about anything but price and it doesn't matter what you tell them about your method, quality, service, etc..

Some people just don't 'click' with you.

It is 100% OK to not get every job . The sooner you realize you won't get every job, and don't want to get every job, the better off you'll be.