[Dunbar Painting]

I have worked out an hourly rate per item. Assuming I am using lower paid guys to do stuff like scraping & sanding, and higher paid guys to do stuff like fine painting, spraying, etc... I charge like this
prep: $40- $45 per man hour
painting: $50-55 per man hour
spraying: $80 per man hour (sprayer plus assistant)
power washing: $100 per man hour

Alternately I double check my numbers by looking at how much it costs me per day for 3 employees: $60 per hour x8 hours= $480. I multiply that by 2.1 (to compensate for over head and profit). Then figure how many days a job will take. 4 days would be 4x1008 plus supplies and paint.

Well those are 2 ways I derive a price and how I price... but sometimes I do it differently depending on the client & employees to be working, or if I can do it myself or want to do it myself

I will only do Time and Materials job if it is for "addons" to a main job. With that I bill out the time at $45 an hour plus all materials at cost plus 20% mark up.

 

[Wood511]

Back in the day, there was a guy named Michigan here that used to get $100 an hour for everything he did. That guy owned entire neighborhoods and if you crossed him he might come to your town and steal your neighborhood from you.

Those were the days.

 

[BreatheEasyHP]

Not bad. Sounds like you have a good system, but how many employees? Still seems a little low unless you have at least 5.

I agree, $35 is low. This summer I'll be running 1-2 employees, not quite full time. But I operate on bids and usually come out around the same as a few other PCs that I respect.

I'm remarkably good at estimating how long jobs will take me. Thus, I charge less for my time, but because I'm new, it takes me longer to do the job; I don't significantly underbid my competition.

I'm perfectly ok with making a meager amount for the first 2 years of being in business because I'm acquiring experience, knowledge, a great reputation and equipment. A key is that I see my current business model as untenable, but a good platform for the long term.

Attached is a tool I use to help run profit scenarios:

 

[A+HomeWork]

Changing it up

Now that I have a trailer, I am taking more small jobs since I have everything in one place, finally. I am charging more for these small jobs: painting a bathroom, hallway, living room ceiling, etc. I have been giving flat rates for this stuff based on how many hours it will take. Honestly, I shoot from the hip after looking at what I think it will take. My normal estimating methods don't really apply.

Having said that, I average $30-35 per hour, but have been doing well on these quickies. Told a person $2 per square floor foot to paint a ceiling in a room and hallway. Bid came to $644 and takes 5 hours to do. Subtract about $65 for paint and $125 for helpers' hours and I grossed about $90 per hour!

Thing is, my flooring contact told me she called him asking for my number to give to some other people! I assume she's happy.

 

[b2dap1]

The money is def in bidding the whole job. if by the hour...$50 will do.

 

[Paint and Hammer]

$8.50

 

[Marion]

I only do time & material for GC's that I have a solid relationship with. This occurs when, for whatever reason, I wasn't in on the initial bidding process of the project. And they call and say, "We are ready for paint". I reply, "Where the you working at?" They say, "You didn't know about it?" I say, " no!" They say, "Can you take care of it for us?" I say, "I'll be there shortly."

Here in SW VA, as a general rule, $40 per man hour + materials.

 

[Drunk Painter]

You should try to charge two and one half times more then what you pay a employee. Material cost plus 20% basing this on time and material job.
Paying a person $18.00 hourly rate to the customer $45.00.
I prefer giving estimates and doing the job you will make more, at times customers are complicated and time and material is a must.

 

[daArch]

I just call up NEPS and ask him what he pays his top man and then double it, unless I'm working in town, then I take Big Pappy's batting average at week's end and mutliply it by 250 and add $10.

But I can't tell you what those figures are 'cause I'll have a visit from the "silencer"

 

[paintr56]

To be honest I wish I could charge more. I bid all of my residential projects based on a $25 hourly rate and there are plenty of jobs I don't win. I manage to stay busy, but don't realistically think I could stay busy if I charged $50 an hour. As far as finding new customers goes, again, it would be great to find customers willing to pay $50 an hour. What do you mean when you say hit the pavement?

Big dog, Raise your prices. I do very little T&M work, but when I do it is $70 per hour. I still do better on bid work.

At $25 an hour do not believe you are losing work because your price is too high. It is just as likely that you are loseing it because your price is too low. Many people will drop a price that looks too low as quick as one that looks too high. I know I do. I want to do business with a contractor that believes in their services, and knows they are worth a fair price.

Please take this as it is intended. To help you make a living in a great career.

Jim

 

[George's Decorating]

I charge $77.96/hour on TM, but don't mark up materials. That's also what I charge for touch up. You'd be surprised how careful other trades are when they find out what their sloppiness will cost them.
Some thoughts on the whole topic after reading all the posts:

BreatheEasyHP sounds like he's participating in OJT at customers expense. I assume there are others as well. They "know" how to paint because they are/were "painters" for College Pro Painters or another company like that. I've had to paint exteriors after their paint job failed in 2 years. There's your $25/hour guys.

I wonder how many of the low end painters actually went through vocational school to learn about PROFESSIONAL painting.

I also wonder how many of the low end guys that replied to this thread have illegals working for them. This is another way to keep your hourly rate down. Of course, it brings down the whole painting trade as a result, but what the hell; as long as you can make an extra buck.

Finally, I do a lot of residential homes om the $350K to $800K range. I'm surprised at how many homeowners will use a college painter or illegals for a cheap job on 1 of their most valuable possessions. Maybe they like having to have their home painted every 2 years.

 

[kerk]

I find it amusing how the guy who charges less, and whose time is spent generating income, is berated by those who think he should charge more, and 'spend' their time, and money, looking for customers who will pay it.

Actually, I charge $200 per hour. I'm still looking for my first customer.

:blink:

Hourly rate?........of some importance. Year end net and income?........big importance.

 

[CliffK]

I find it amusing how the guy who charges less, and whose time is spent generating income, is berated by those who think he should charge more, and 'spend' their time, and money, looking for customers who will pay it.

Actually, I charge $200 per hour. I'm still looking for my first customer.

:blink:

Hourly rate?........of some importance. Year end net and income?........big importance.

Good point Kerk. I believe the goal is to make a nice living for yourself and your family while trying to do the right thing out there everyday. There are, I am sure , many different ways to achieve that goal. Getting hung up comparing hourly rates is like comparing apples to oranges. It is doubtful however, that it is realistically able to be accomplished at $25/hour in todays day and age and operate as a legitimate contractor. The math just doesn't work.

 

[daArch]

And I think everyone should be real careful about ASSUMING that another person is not licensed, not insured, not legal, and not playing by other professional standards.

Sure, it does APPEAR incredulous that some people can charge so low and play by the rules, but may I suggest that before any assumptions are made that you ask a few questions first. Remember, even here on PT, one should be afforded the simple courtesy of being PRESUMED innocent before being found guilty.

 

[ewingpainting.net]

Is this in the bylaws :lol: This isn't a court of law. it's only right to assume that with 25 bucks an hour not every thing is going to be legit. Because it's not possible in this day and age, specially coming from someone conducting business in a demographic area, that is one of THE most expensive areas in the country to live and the highest taxed state. Being I am in a Cali as well, I would assume my assumption to be right :thumbsup:

 

[PatsPainting]

Is this in the bylaws :lol: Because it's not possible in this day and age, specially coming from someone conducting business in a demographic area, that is one of THE most expensive areas in the country to live and the highest taxed state. Being I am in a Cali as well, I would assume my assumption to be right :thumbsup:

Would have to disagree with ya, It's completely possible and I would bet there are many people who would love to make his income. Even up in NoCal there are people working for company's for over 15 years who are only making $14.00hr making it on their own.

$25.00hr = $1000.00 per week - take away taxes and overhead - leaves you $750.00. $750.00 x 50 weeks leaves you $37,500. for the year.

$37,500 is more then enough to live a decent life..

Pat

 

[BreatheEasyHP]

Earlier in the thread I provided a profit calculator that can be played around with different scenarios - owner does more work him/herself, employees do more work, hourly rate is x, so forth. What's plain after messing with it is that if you don't have a plan, you might end up doing more work and making less money.

 

[BreatheEasyHP]

BreatheEasyHP sounds like he's participating in OJT at customers expense. I assume there are others as well. They "know" how to paint because they are/were "painters" for College Pro Painters or another company like that. I've had to paint exteriors after their paint job failed in 2 years. There's your $25/hour guys.

.....Good call, but I don't assume I "know" how to paint. I spend a lot of time making sure the process I take is going to be durable. But I'm deeply embarrassed to have associated myself with that franchise. Biggest mistake of my life....

 

[ewingpainting.net]

Would have to disagree with ya, It's completely possible and I would bet there are many people who would love to make his income. Even up in NoCal there are people working for company's for over 15 years who are only making $14.00hr making it on their own.

$25.00hr = $1000.00 per week - take away taxes and overhead - leaves you $750.00. $750.00 x 50 weeks leaves you $37,500. for the year.

$37,500 is more then enough to live a decent life..

Pat

The OP is presenting himself as a business owner not a employee. Obviously that is more than a fair employee hourly rate. But as a business owner I think not! Unless you like making 5-10 bucks an hour after you paid overhead to be legit

The only way I see this working is if you never reported your income. 25 bucks an hour is what I would charge, IF, I wanted to get some mad money

 

[PatsPainting]

Well, I doubt we ever find out out as it seems the OP has left the building crying. But I think we have see these threads before about how much overhead do you need in order to be legit. Some say not much and others say chit loads. I doubt anyone wants to get in one of these debates now or at least in this thread.

Pat