Tips to Price Your Flooring Project for Success

by Tracey Lackovich - VP of Super-Krete Products Division


Pricing a job can be challenging, whether you’re running a start-up or a seasoned pro. There are many variables to consider when it comes to product and system selection, and balancing your customers’ needs, wants and budgets.

 

To price your jobs fairly and accurately (and profitably), consider these tips:

 

Determine Whether the Surface is Coatable

Not all concrete surfaces are the same and not all concrete surfaces can be coated. An initial inspection of the substrate should be conducted to determine if the surface is a candidate for resurfacing. During the job walk, an accurate measurement of the project site should also be conducted so that you can closely estimate the materials needed. Underestimating the amount of material can lead to challenges and a waste of valuable time, and money.

 

While inspecting the surface, thoroughly evaluate the condition and/or existence of sealers, densifiers, moisture vapor transmission, oil, structural stability and cracking. This evaluation is essential in helping you determine your means of proper surface preparation to yield a successful outcome. For example, a hard-troweled concrete surface may not be suitable for an acid-etched surface prep because the acid may not penetrate enough to open the pores, which can ultimately lead to a coating failure.

 

Surface preparation is the most critical part of any successful coating project so it is imperative that you have a full understanding of which method you will need to implement for a specific project. Each method can vary significantly in cost, so understanding these factors up front will help you estimate your costs accordingly, and will allow you to communicate your pricing to your customer. (Get more tips on performing a successful job walk here.)

 

Understanding Your Costs Could Get You Hired On-Site

It’s important to know and communicate your coverage rates, price-per-kit and amount of product needed to complete the job. Too often we see contractors (especially in the residential market) show up to the job, measure the floor, and leave without giving the customer a bid, or at the very least a quote. In my opinion, you lost that job before you even showed up. Being able to accurately quote a job onsite will ultimately get you more jobs because being prepared by “knowing your stuff’ and being able to respond quickly to your customer with confidence will likely give them the incentive to hire you.

 

Accurately Quoting Material Cost

Remember this formula:

Sq. ft. divided by coverage-rate-per-gallon divided by kit size = number of kits needed. Multiple the number of kits and price-per-kit = price-per-coat

 

For example, if I have 600 sq. ft. and am applying 100% solids epoxy at a rate of 200 sq. ft. per gallon with a kit size of 1.5 gallons, then here’s how I would calculate cost:

  • 600 divided by 200 = 3
  • 3 divided by 1.5 = 2
  • 2 times the price-per-kit = cost

 

Keep in mind that this is not the only material cost for you to include in your estimate. You need to consider rollers, squeegees, buckets, brushes and other tools and supplies needed to install the flooring system. Some installers keep an ample supply of regularly used tools on hand and have them included in their overhead for every project. However, if your project requires any additional tools, masking, or blades that are project specific, be sure to include those costs as well.

 

Often times, we see contractors that try to be too competitive with their bids, not fully understanding the products used or the application process. They end up bidding themselves out of a profit. Not paying attention to the details, cutting corners and using subpar products could cost you in the long run. Don’t get wrapped up into repairing a never-ending job. Know your worth and be prepared to earn the confidence of your client by demonstrating it!

 

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Tips to Price Your Flooring Project for Success