Deck Labor Pricing
 

How do you figure what is a fair amount to pay someone for constructing a deck and pergola?
A good friend of my sister is in the construction business. I need a 16x12ft curved deck and 16x12 foot pergola built; he said he really needed the business and would beat anybody else's price no matter how many prices I got. I like the guy and he is the sole provider for a large family and he seems honest so I didn't bother to get any other estimates. Besides I have always had a hard time getting local contractors to return my calls, much less show up.
He says he can get me a great deal on all of the materials @ $1700.00. Total price of the job is $3500.00. He says him and 3 other guys can finish it in one day. Normally I say the faster the better but $1800.00 for a days labor seems kinda high even if it is divided by four people.
I know he has insurance and other costs but I am a cheap bastard and don't have a ton of money myself. (I try to DIY everything but it would take me months to do this project.
Does his estimate seem reasonable?

Assuming an 8 hour day that's $56 per hour per man.

Yep, that's what got me thinkin'.
Like I said, I normally don't hire these things out so I don't know. I like the fact they will be in and out quick so if the overall labor price is fair I am ok with that...it is better than them standing around 1/2 of the time and taking forever to compete the job.

If he is a licenesed contractor, and provides medical insurance, 401K etc, to his employees, that's not unreasonable here in LA.

And most guys want a big deck. :)

Liscensed but none of the other afaik.
Along time ago I heard most contactors double the price of materials to get a rough labor cost?
If so this would be about right since he did get me a deal on the lumber. I guess since he seemed to need the work so bad I was expecting a bigger break on the labor?

He may be rolling some of his materials cost over into the labor. And don't forget he's probably allowing time to pick up the materials the night before or very early on the day of... and then there's cleanup... which he knows he may need to come back to do the day after.

BTW, I wouldn't assume an 8-hour day... they may be planning to go 12 or 13 with 30 minutes for lunch.

Do you know whether he's going into the ground with the supports? Or is he going to attach them to concrete piers to keep them away from the moisture?

Well, looking at it another way its nearly a 200 sf deck/pergola...so you're looking at $17.50/sf. How ornate/complicated is the pergola?

Is he digging footings and setting piers in concrete?

Labor on a deck alone is $6-8+ per sf, so $6x 16 x 12=$1152 for deck alone. Add curve & Pergola, does not seem unreasonable.

I didn't think you could do it in one day with the inspections required.

Don't they have to look at the footing forms, then look at the framing and then the final inspection?

I bet the inspections on my deck just got a little tougher. I wonder how your homeowners handles 9 broken limb lawsuits.


http://www.fox2now.com/ktvi-deck-collapse-update-061209,0,282688.story

I think $3500 for A Huge Deck is pretty reasonable.

Thanks all -lots of good stuff.
The material was delivered today by the lumber store.
The post will be set in concrete in the ground.
No inspections - will be done "on the fly"
The pergola is fairly simple, the deck does have a few curves in it.
After reading this and thinking about it the price seems ok.
Also, he may be a bit opimistic on time involved. Several weeks ago he have me a price to run some crown molding and said it would take 2-3 hours. It took 51/2 hours; he didn't charge me any extra but I did give him a nice tip.

Unless you are absolutely certain there is nothing underground, make sure you call the "Dig hotline" before he goes to punching holes for the 4x4's. Ask me how I know;)

PLUG IN 192 SF IN THIS CALCULATOR AND YOU'LL FEEL A LOT BETTER;)

http://www.homerenovationestimate.com/deck-building-costs.php

Way to many variables to give a base price. I charge roughly $16-18 a sq/ft for a basic deck with 6x5/4 decking, simple pattern nothing fancy.

Once you sart going into composites and exotics, fancy decking patterns etc, etc... the price can hit $20-34 a Sq/ft.

Yep - That confirms it. I am a cheapo!

Me too! I'm dreading when my rear deck has to be replaced. About 1,400 sf.:(

I got the same figure as the calculator for the deck. Add in the cover and it's goona be 8K. We used to get $10/sq. ft. 30 years ago. I did a cover only last summer with heavy timber attached one side to stucco with a ledger. It cost me 3K in labor for 2 journeymen framers plus my services. The lumber was another 2500. It was a little bigger, about 300 sq. ft.

I wouldn't touch a deck for less than 25/ sq. ft. labor only. Take the deal, but go select the materials yourself.

I'm having my deck redone also. I'm paying for the materials and $900 for labor. They are removing the old railing and replacing it with composite. They are also adding a 10x15 foot section. This is off the back of my covered porch, 10' in the air. The material will run around $4,500 so my total will be $5,400. I though about adding a pergola to the 10x15 section, but it would have been another $2000-$2,500.