Retaining Wall Labor question/advise

[dieselman]

Slowly breaking away from the company I work for to do my own stuff and not real good at doing quotes yet...We have done many retaining walls....... Here's my opportunity.....It's a 250' Allan Block wall that is "L" shaped. It starts with 3 courses on one end, building to 7 courses at the far end of the "L". The customer will purchase ALL MATERIALS. I need to pay for only the skid steer and the plate compactor rental. He wants us for just the labor, per block. We have figured that it will be about 2000 blocks including caps. He said he was thinking about $5 per block for just the labor...3 of us should be able to knock it out in 3 to 4 days no problem...What you guys think?
Thanks
Todd

[Dig-it Landscaping]

That 5$ a block is too low i think but that is just me. If it is larger block that costs 5$ per block for materials you should be charging atleast 7.50$ to install them. Just my thought.

[firststarkid]

yea between 7.50 and 8.50 sounds average. dont sell your self short.

[kootoomootoo]

10 grand in cash sounds pretty good however you look at it.

[capital]

If you are working for a company that does walls would wonder why they would allow you to build one on the side ? As far as your pricing and expecations.................suggest first you decide if you want to be an owner or a guy on the side who people hire when they want it on the cheap. Because that is why they have come to you. Suggest if you are gonna stay in this business then go about it from the git go as a professional and not the guy who everyone rants about as a low baller. Decide if you want to make a living at this or make time. Based on your post their is now way for anyone to tell you if your pricing is right since they have no clue to your over head, cost of your labor, and all of the other factors that have to go into a quality bid.

[RedWingsDet]

i just put in 300ft of alan block, which was about 1200 blocks because some spots we went 2-4 high... here are some pix....

dont short yourself, i sure did. if i were you i would try to get $10.50 - $12 a block

[RedWingsDet]

a pic of the back corner

[RedWingsDet]

pic of the very back wall

[RedWingsDet]

pic of the side back wall

[RedWingsDet]

and pic of around the pool.... didnt get a pic of the cap once i cut em.

[RedWingsDet]

other side of the pool

[RedWingsDet]

and heres the pic of the steps we put in with the alan block

[RedWingsDet]

long story short. make sure you make money, $5 would not nearly be enough. make it around $11. also, use your mind and get creative with the alan block if you can, there are sooo many possibilites you can have with the block.


good luck... also, make sure you take more then enough dirt out and use 21AA to make sure its level. also, make sure you cap it, it makes a really nice finishing touch.

[GreenMonster]

I don't think $5 block is enough. Each block is about $5.

When I do a retaining wall install, my labor is much more than twice the cost of the block.

[D Felix]

I'm not too familiar with AB, but in general terms (as much as I hate talking $$ on the internet), you should be getting AT LEAST $10/face foot of wall for labor.

Will you be needing geo-grid for the taller parts of the wall? Geo-grid adds to the cost, since you end up having to excavate more, as well as spend extra time compacting, etc.

HTH.

Dan

[Rex Mann]

If you are "doing it on the side" why would you or should you expect to command a price professionals receive?

Also, I do not think you can build an allan block wall 250 feet long in 3 or 4 days. It will probably take you 3 days to get the base course in and completed.

However, like the Australian guy from Ohio said "10 g's is 10 g's".

Jobs always look easier on paper.

Good luck.

Rex

PhoenixPavers.Com (http://phoenixpavers.com)

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by Rex Mann
[B]Also, I do not think you can build an allan block wall 250 feet long in 3 or 4 days. It will probably take you 3 days to get the base course in and completed.



I agree. No way 3/4 days total.

[landscapingpoolguy]

minimum7 days tell um 10 bucks a block...leveling the base and the block is such a pain in the a@#.

Chuck