BajaNomad - A 20' x 20' Garage build in Baja ?

A 20' x 20' Garage build in Baja ?

cj5orion - 4-18-2010 at 07:01 AM

I'd really like to hear some opinions on this !
A guy in Los Animas would like me to build him this garage.
20x20,raised wood floor,no slab just footings,2x4 walls,but
"reinforced" in order to put the water tanks on the roof.
no problem with the "reinforcement",I'll just add extra footings and some 4 x 6 beams and post.

Anyhow,question at hand ?????
I gave the guy a "bid" of $3000 + materials.
He's not to happy with that ! ?????? crap ! thats $5/sf !

Bob and Susan - 4-18-2010 at 07:12 AM

cost plus 20 is the answer...

Pacifico - 4-18-2010 at 07:21 AM

Cj,

Isn't that $7.50/sf at $3000 for 400 sf? Either way, that is still really cheap for the labor. The lumber cost will be substantial with the addition of the raised wood floor as well. The floor would have to be pretty stout if he plans on parking anything with any weight in there. Are you talking Las Animas south of LA Bay? What does he want to pay you?

willyAirstream - 4-18-2010 at 07:22 AM

Maybe he isn't happy with your math - $5/ft would be $2000 :no:

cj5orion - 4-18-2010 at 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
cost plus 20 is the answer...

naw,,,thats the ole "contractors rule" in the states for material mark up

capt. mike - 4-18-2010 at 07:24 AM

as a builder i agree w/ BF.
and - check your math cj5Orion - at $3000 and 400 SF of shell it's $7.50 a FT. not $5...

if you can't get the math right - how are you on a tape measure?? or structural calcs?... :biggrin:

jest phunnin wit ya...i LOVE builder stories.
i have had the clients from hades more than once!

Pacifico - 4-18-2010 at 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
cost plus 20 is the answer...

Does this mean cost plus 20% of the cost of the materials for labor?

Bob and Susan - 4-18-2010 at 07:29 AM

yes

cj5orion - 4-18-2010 at 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pacifico

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
cost plus 20 is the answer...

Does this mean cost plus 20% of the cost of the materials for labor?

Sorry bout the math "foopaw",I had something else on my mind when I was typing this.

"cost+ 20" is the usual contractors mark up for materials he picks up,for instance....
when he runs down to the store and buys a $200 door,he will charge you $240.

garage will jus be used for storage.

yes,,it is the los animas guy,he didnt say what he wanted to pay,jus that some guy(s) from ensenada could do it for less.
So I said "$3k was as low as I could go,sorry".I think its a very low labor price for the work.I didnt expect him to have troubles with i?In the states,its about a $10k job,pre-recession,that is.

[Edited on 4-18-2010 by cj5orion]

DENNIS - 4-18-2010 at 07:55 AM

I think if you're having financial problems with him now, you'll have more of the same later. Keep him as a friend and quit doing business with him now.

mtgoat666 - 4-18-2010 at 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cj5orion
I'd really like to hear some opinions on this !
Anyhow,question at hand ?????
I gave the guy a "bid" of $3000 + materials.
He's not to happy with that ! ?????? crap ! thats $5/sf !

well, the guy did not like your bid. it's his money to spend as he wants. don't know why you are offended.

DENNIS - 4-18-2010 at 08:39 AM

400 feet of post and pier construction, sturdy enough to hold a car or two, is no easy task.
I wonder what the material cost will be???

capt. mike - 4-18-2010 at 08:42 AM

$30 a foot here w/ slab and steel roof.
who'd want a wood floor? very dumb.

Russ - 4-18-2010 at 10:38 AM

20x20 ? try 25' because some boat & trailer and extended cab p/u's won't fit in the 20' length. Just a thought?

Cypress - 4-18-2010 at 10:55 AM

Yea, why the wood floor in a garage? :?:

durrelllrobert - 4-18-2010 at 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

I wonder what the material cost will be???

for a 20 foot clear span it will be cheaper if you use 2x6 steel joists instead of 2x10 wood joists :light:

Bob and Susan - 4-18-2010 at 11:26 AM

because it's going to be a shed not a garage :light:

Cypress - 4-18-2010 at 11:53 AM

Yep, it's gonna be a shed.

Trueheart - 4-18-2010 at 12:08 PM

Wood floor .... hmmm! Termites a consideration?

Bob and Susan - 4-18-2010 at 12:55 PM

not termites...SCORPIANS!!!

they LOVE wood :light:

capt. mike - 4-19-2010 at 07:09 AM

Bob - since i am intimately familiar with your fantastic garage - how about cluing me in on what that erection cost?
PM is good if you don't want it public.

Tom and i are thinking about one at ML's lotas.

cj5orion - 4-20-2010 at 06:56 AM

He got somebody else to do it for less .

Hope they know......square-straight-plumb-level ?????

capt. mike - 4-20-2010 at 07:15 AM

square-straight-plumb-level ?????

why?? he wants it to look authentic right?? :lol:

DENNIS - 4-20-2010 at 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
square-straight-plumb-level ?????

If you're off on your first measuremant, just think of all the cool tools you get to use to compensate for your error right to the end of the job. :lol:

Pescador - 4-26-2010 at 06:36 AM

Some people just simply do not qualify to be customers.

cj5orion - 4-26-2010 at 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
Some people just simply do not qualify to be customers.

Puts it quite well !!!

Another part of "the deal" was to also build a bathroom/shower guest house,as well as individual baths in the yurts,which also needed some work done.
Then there was the "oh I'm gonna have solar power now,so lets run some lights,outlets,etc",desal water with pumps for pressurized water,hot/cold,"lets run some pipe,faucets.etc"
Then the "promise of future work"...."I'd like to have a house,for myself,down here,could you build that too ?"
"oh yeah...get me material take-offs for all this stuff",(I held off on those untill all was confirmed,,,which never happened)
jeeeeeeez ! lumber-plumbing-electrical.....glad I never turned them over !

Sorry....jus venting a lil !

Did get a nice lil 2 story deck to build in Gonzaga though,
unrelated to los animas.
Nice way to ride out the downturn in the states !

capt. mike - 4-26-2010 at 07:34 AM

just curious - how do you get this work in baja? are you a citizen/resident?, do you have a work permit visa??
is there no enforcement there cause it's so remote?

DENNIS - 4-26-2010 at 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
just curious - how do you get this work in baja? are you a citizen/resident?, do you have a work permit visa??
is there no enforcement there cause it's so remote?

Maybe he just has tha Baja spirit of adventure. I like it. After living down here for a while, it's easy to get that feeling that your life is completely over-regulated.

cj5orion - 4-26-2010 at 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
just curious - how do you get this work in baja? are you a citizen/resident?, do you have a work permit visa??
is there no enforcement there cause it's so remote?

It was just coincidental....this guy bought all of this stuff,(solar system-complete,desal unit,washer/dryer,hot water heater,fridge) from my buddies place.I was there selling all this stuff,he found out I am a remodel contractor,here in SD,and asked me to install/build.So...I gave him some "baja bids",cause I like being in baja and there isnt any "real work" going on here in SD.
Hell,I thought,my expenses would be minimal while there,,,mainly just cover my normal US monthly expenses and throw in some food/beer/ gas money.
AAAAAND,he was always complaining about the "bad work" that was done in the past,so I told him I would do a proper job,up to US standards,(as much as possible),and I also informed him that I was there to work, not fish and drink beer! Probably do a easy 40 hrs + a week.Go fishin on a day off,like ya would stateside.

Done deal right ??? Wrong !!!!

capt. mike - 4-26-2010 at 10:03 AM

hell i'd do it.
but have a contingency in the budget for a fine if i got caught. :?:

mtgoat666 - 4-26-2010 at 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cj5orion

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
Some people just simply do not qualify to be customers.

Sounds like the customer is running a local business. He would find it hard to run the business if he hired a gringo to do the construction work, and I am sure he knew that when he asked you for bid. You should have been aware of that when he first asked you for bid -- people running local businesses need to employ locals (well, they can employ gringos in place of locals, but won't be good for local community relations).

classicbajabronco - 5-23-2010 at 07:44 PM

what termites in baja???????

In the states, materials(lumber) and labor are usually pretty close. here with the inflated material price and lower labor that may not be the case.

cost plus is the contractors mark up. This applies to both materials and labor. The % is prenegotiated with the owner.

Don't work for your friend if you plan on having a good lasting relationship. $3000 for labor on a garage project in baja is a joke unless you like working for peanuts. Have you built many structures in Baja, it's not the same thing as the states? Are you legally able to work here? Are you a naturalized citizen or a mexican national? if not don't even think about it unless you want your butt deported. And it will be deported if any of the locals see you and get peeed off you are taking " their" job. All it takes is one guy talking to immigration, and if you're here on a tourist visa your ass may be thrown in the slammer, while you are being deported.

[Edited on 5-30-2010 by classicbajabronco]

irenemm - 5-23-2010 at 10:04 PM

Immigration has been checking gringos in the Vicente Guerrero area. Which is just north of San Quintin about 12 miles. they have been to a few places when gringos live and help out. So be careful.
many years ago someone sent then in here. My aunt was helping out 1 day I was in the States and my husband was at the globlos (swap-meet) buying vegetable for the week. they were taking her away when he showed up. this was in 1982 or 83. They were sent here by an ex manager and also after a flower grower. He had papers my aunt did not. It cost us 400. dollars. so hey now maybe 1000. at least.
we had an employee just last month say she was going to report me. Because we put camera in our business. She was just mad because now nothing can get misplaced or lost. I said here is the phone call them.
be careful.

cj5orion - 5-24-2010 at 06:58 AM

That Pacific side sure sounds like its all regulated pretty tight.
Over here in (omitted for "security reasons")...its quite different !
The "locals" are of the opinion that us "workin gringos" are their SOURCE of income ! This is their opinion,not mine.They are glad that we're here,doing some "remodel/construction work" cause we then hire them for
the labor.We have the tools and the skills,whereas they do not,they realize
this and are gratefull that us gringos get the work and then hire them for help.Its a source of income that would not be available otherwise.Nobody here is worried about fm3's,workvisa's,immigration,deportation,etc,etc.When we go stateside,we bring back t-shirts,shoes,what-have-you,and again,,,,grateful.

jus sayin :yes:

classicbajabronco - 5-25-2010 at 06:26 AM

Best change your location on signature...because we all know where your are located...by looking below where it says cjorion....I live on the same side as you and also know of people who where just helping out the locals and other locals turned them in...Those people were deported and are no longer welcome in MX.

If you want to work..go get your papers in order....do you even have a FM3?

As far as other gringos in the area building and remodeling...it is perfectly legal if they own the property or are family of those who own the property. If you own the property, you van build the whole damn house if you were so inclined..using no local labor. I am guessing that is the case with those other projects near you in that "secret" bay

[Edited on 5-25-2010 by classicbajabronco]