I'm in the wrong trade... bathroom remodel...

[Sigarms]

Average for a full gut bathroom and everything new is around $14-$15,000

Honestly Eddie, I was hoping you'd reply Always respected you work.

Although I paid more than 30K for two bathrooms, I'm actually very satisfied with the work per what I paid based on the 30K number. Master bath which still needs the glass shower doors to in.

Ironically enough, the tub in the boys bathroom was cast iron. That was a PITA to go down a flight of stairs.

 

[Snobdds]

When a company comes to you, they are running at least 20% overhead.

Margins can actually vary between service and install with HVAC, but your service department runs you way more overhead than install, but service should actually make you more margin.

I don't generally deal with homeowners, nor do I really want to. That said, the few times I've dealt with homeowners, I'm batting over 80% selling the job and funny enough, sometimes I am the highest priced quote they had.

That said, I know my market and my costs, and I know what I'm selling, and I know I need to make money. There are some companies out there that would be higher than myself who are only using service techs selling from a list price book that the "home office" (actually owned by a investment company) who are REALLY high in price.

Funny, I had a buddy from another contractor quote a job at 8k for a changeout, and he was making money. Problem is, the end user talked to two other companies who were owned by investment companies and the other 2 quotes came in at 13K and 15K, and since he was so much lower, the end user was afraid to use him. My buddy was kicking himself because he didn't come in higher LOL

This is a recipe for everyone to be priced out.

There is a limit on what people will pay, especially in residential work.

I would stick to my price and know that in the long run, I will continue to make money while the guys that are high wait for the one high paying job.

 

[2manyrocks]

Last time I changed a cast iron tub, I broke it up with a sledge hammer to make it easier to remove.

 

[Sigarms]

This is a recipe for everyone to be priced out.

The issue is how do you come up with "the recipe" as a business owner to price out jobs to ensure that you make enough to sustain your business?

Average net profit for a HVAC company in the US is 2% gross margin of sales after everything is paid for. Think about that...

As a business, you don't want to rip people off, but you need enough to sustain and grow your business. Anything mechanical per trucks and tools are going to break down over time and you need repair costs. How do you determine to include those future issues in your job costing?

After Eddies numbers, I might of paid a little more, but for the PITA factor and what we got, we can't complain.

Only issue is the toilet now comes with a remote LOL My wife never saw me fall in love with an inanimate object like I did with a hot toilet seat Due to not having my shoulder replaced yet, the bidet may come in handy to boot

 

[EddieWalker]

Honestly Eddie, I was hoping you'd reply Always respected you work.

Although I paid more than 30K for two bathrooms, I'm actually very satisfied with the work per what I paid based on the 30K number. Master bath which still needs the glass shower doors to in.

Ironically enough, the tub in the boys bathroom was cast iron. That was a PITA to go down a flight of stairs.
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The average of $14 to $15 grand doesn't include glass for a shower. I tell my clients that the glass starts out expensive, and it goes up from there. In a lot of jobs, I never see the shower with the glass installed. That's totally between the client and the glass company that they chose. The amount is also for what I call basic materials. A free standing tub will increase the price of materials significantly. I don't make any money on materials. Either the client buys it and has it there, or I'll pick up what I need and give them the receipt to reimburse me. I give them a materials list of what they will need, including square feet of tile, and they do all the shopping. In my materials list I give a fair price of what it should cost, but they can spend as much or as little as they want. I'll say $4 a square foot for floor tile and then whatever they decide on is what I'll install. I've had them spend half that with good results, and I've had clients spend $20 a square foot for some super ugly tile that made them happy.

Cast Iron bathtubs are broken up with a 4 pound hammer, and carried out in 5 gallon buckets. Fiberglass tubs and showers are cut up with a sawzall and carried out in pieces.

 

[2manyrocks]

I wonder how people like free standing bathtubs after a while after having to clean all the exposed surfaces inside and out? Probably pay someone to do it.

 

[EddieWalker]

I read in a trade magazine that the most people will use a jetted tub three times. I sort of think the same is true for free standing tubs. It's a decoration. Just about everyone uses the shower, and the bigger the shower, the better. I've had quite a few jobs where the bathtub is permanently removed so the shower can be a lot bigger.

 

[Oaktree]

Just about everyone uses the shower, and the bigger the shower, the better. I've had quite a few jobs where the bathtub is permanently removed so the shower can be a lot bigger.

We don't have a tub in our house, just a shower. When I re-did the bathroom maybe 10 years ago we looked at tubs, but it's an odd-size/shape room and unless we got a custom-made one there was nothing that would fit that would be long enough for me to fit into.
Nice as it is to be able to take a nice long soak, it wasn't worth the extra money to us.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I read in a trade magazine that the most people will use a jetted tub three times.

Not true, I used ours 4 times.

 

[Sigarms]

Pushing 60 years in age, I've come to think of tubs like diapers. You generally need them when your very young of very old.

My father came to live with us at age 86. First two years, he used the tub / shower combo in the furnished basement where he lived. Following year, he used only used the tub / shower with my FIL's shower seat to take a shower. At 89, we got a walk in tub that my father used for a shower and bath at least once a week.

In retrospect since my dad died, we should have got him a walk in tub / shower when he first came to live with us, but he wouldn't even consider it (during his last year, he LOVED taking a hot bath once a week being able to sit).

When we first moved into our house close to 20 years ago, 3rd floor had master bath with a LARGE jetted tub, but with with a water tank heater, hard to keep it filled with HOT water (tankless has helped there now). Had a tub / shower bathroom for the two bedrooms. When our boys came to live with us through foster care at around 7 years old, the tub was invaluble for giving the bath's and "cleaning them up".

Knowing we're going to sell the house down the road sooner or later, wanted to keep a tub ulpstairs as we thought it could be a selling point for a young family. We had enough room in the master bath, that we did away with the jacuzzi tub and did a nice size shower. HOWEVER, my wife wanted to be able to take a hot bath from the bedroom and not have to go anywhere else in the house. Even at my age now, hot bath at 115F water temp with epsom salts feels to good to pass up (from time to time, since my dad died, I even use his walk in tub to "rest my old bones"and honestly, when I do use it, love it).

You don't plan for age, but particularly with younger families, I see the use in a tub. Thinking back with my boys and even myself, hardly ever use a tub from ages 14 through 49, but after that, being able to relax in hot water when your old or washing kids when they're young does have advantages over a shower only.

Reality is even with a HUGE shower when I younger (never had one) I'd be afraid of wild sex for breaking the glass (and actually never really thought of it LOL). Now, it's just nice to have enough room to have you and your wife actually clean off together as if any hanky panky were going on, I'd be afraid of slipping and breaking something (or perhaps).