BajaNomad - Is this price fair?

Is this price fair?

Howard - 2-27-2011 at 07:39 PM

I need some cement work done in Loreto. The builder, I feel does a good job, but has quoted me US $5 a square foot to do a 10" X 40" job. 400 square feet times $5 = $2,000. I realize that there are various ways to do it with different prices but assume that my guy does a good job, is $5 a square foot to much or fair?

PS This is for a porch

[Edited on 2-28-2011 by Howard]

longlegsinlapaz - 2-27-2011 at 09:00 PM

Howard, is the price quoted for labor....or labor & materials? That information is kinda important for the answer you're looking for.

Also did he quote in USD or pesos (i.e., $50 pesos) per sq foot or square meter?

DENNIS - 2-27-2011 at 09:01 PM

Way too much in my opinion, Howard.

Ohhhh...I see you live in Manhatten Beach. Maybe the price is just a little too much.

Buy a mixer and a couple of books and do it yourself.

Woooosh - 2-27-2011 at 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Way too much in my opinion, Howard.

Ohhhh...I see you live in Manhatten Beach. Maybe the price is just a little too much.

Buy a mixer and a couple of books and do it yourself.

I'm amazed at the big jobs I am willing to tackle in Mexico that I wouldn't have dared do (or be able to get permits for) stateside. I like Dennis' approach- just give it a shot. Even if you screw up, everything will be there for someone else to put it together right. When I screw it up at the Mexico house- we just laugh about it, then re-do it. Sometimes my mistakes are funny reminders. So what guey? :lol:

[Edited on 2-28-2011 by Woooosh]

mtgoat666 - 2-27-2011 at 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Howard
I need some cement work done in Loreto. The builder, I feel does a good job, but has quoted me US $5 a square foot to do a 10" X 40" job. 400 square feet times $5 = $2,000. I realize that there are various ways to do it with different prices but assume that my guy does a good job, is $5 a square foot to much or fair?

PS This is for a porch

[Edited on 2-28-2011 by Howard]

assuming 6-inch slab; well, the concrete material alone is $750 to $1,000 for your 7.5 CY pour (USA prices for loacl truck delivery last year).
seems fair that reinforcing steel/mesh and labor are about $1,000.
You won't get a patio that cheap in USA, so why do you think you should nickel/dime the locals to work for dirt down in Mexico?
Dennis says he can do it cheaper, I would like to see Dennis do hard labor :lol:

[Edited on 2-28-2011 by mtgoat666]

capt. mike - 2-28-2011 at 06:59 AM

Yur way off base goat - i am building in the USA right now and at a high end resort town doing a resort expansion.

i am buying flat work today at $3 a ft with color and a lite broom finish.

they DON"T have redi mix most places in mexico for one thing. mixing on site is their norm and it is cheap to do.

6" slab is not the req'd depth. Assuming a grand for labor and steel in mexico for 400 sf is absurd.

anyone who pays $5 a ft for flat work today in mexico is an idiot who doesn't know how to bid.

their labor IS less and nothing wrong with that - but they WILL try and hook a naive expat when opportunity approaches.

get some more bids or negotiate a better deal until he decides it is too low, everyone has a bottom - go find it.

Russ - 2-28-2011 at 06:59 AM

I think that's a bit high. I had a 10'x35' & 10'x 24' 4" deep with 6" mesh and rebar. Also an 18" sloped 4" edge on 3 sides. $1200usd. That by a contractor here that is not the cheapest. The one thing I didn't like is that instead of waiting for the concrete to set up and trowel it they would sprinkle pure cement over the cream and then trowel it. That will make a thin coat on top that will fracture and chip with time. Looks great now though after a year.

ligui - 2-28-2011 at 07:06 AM

Save a few bucks and get anoughter bid , never hurts . Give Martin Sanchez a call in loreto , he'll come right over and give you a bid.

Martin sanchez 011-52-1-613-109-3256

LaTijereta - 2-28-2011 at 07:23 AM

I would get a couple of bids here in Loreto..Prices and quality will very from each contractor..
4" thick would work if used only used as a pourch, but 6" mesh steel should still be included.

Howard - 2-28-2011 at 07:24 AM

Thank you for all your feedback.

The remark "so why do you think you should nickel/dime the locals to work for dirt down in Mexico?" from mtgoat666 just goes to show you how some people seem to turn a simple question into something negative. I have no intention of "nickel/dime the locals, so therefore my post.

The price quoted is in US dollars, includes all labor and material and does in fact include re-enforcement. It was quoted $5 (It was quoted $5 (US dollar) a square foot. It is not just someone “off the street” and has done good work for me before; it’s just that I wanted to see if that is a competitive price.

I turn to this board for your opinions as most of you have "been there, done that" and I value your feedback.

As far as doing it myself, for another 6-8 months I still work in the States and do not have the time to do this project myself.

Thanks for all your input,

Howard

DENNIS - 2-28-2011 at 07:33 AM

Goat is only doing his job....stirring the pot. :lol:

ligui

Howard - 2-28-2011 at 07:36 AM

Please check your U2U

ligui - 2-28-2011 at 07:48 AM

Howard , check your u2u

monoloco - 2-28-2011 at 07:53 AM

I think you should be able to get it done for about half that price, at most it's a two day job for two guys.

Take it from a contractor, me!

mcfez - 2-28-2011 at 07:58 AM

We lay broom brushed surface for $4.81 per sq ft
Stamp and color surface is $8.00 per sq ft

Excavation
Rock base (compress)
Wire mess
Concrete
Sealant.
Labor

This is in Sacramento.

$5.00 quote is good...considering that the materials are shipped in .
10x40 slab I have to assume is for a motor home. 5-6 inch thick.

www.kissmygrass.com
www.getprideconcrete.com
www.thebestpriceroofingcompany.com

[Edited on 2-28-2011 by mcfez]

Diver - 2-28-2011 at 08:02 AM

I don't know about Loreto pricing but here is an idea of our local pricing.
We would do a 4" slab with thickened edge for a patio; mesh in the slab and a #4 rebar around the perimeter.
This would call for about 6 CY at $120 delivered totalling $720.
Rebar and mesh would cost around $250.
We would quote the job at $250 per yard plus rebar and mesh for a total of $1,750 for a light broom finish ($300 per yard or $2,050 total for hard trowel finish).
Hope this helps.

DENNIS - 2-28-2011 at 08:36 AM

It's still Mexico and wages are still only a fraction of stateside scale although the gap is quickly closeing. It isn't bargain hunting or chisleing. It's just the way it is.

Pay him double....triple if that's what you want to do. The only thing your extravagance will change is the man you're paying.

BajaGringo - 2-28-2011 at 09:28 AM

That is about double the local rate here in San Quintin. Are materials a lot more expensive in Loreto???

LaTijereta - 2-28-2011 at 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo
That is about double the local rate here in San Quintin. Are materials a lot more expensive in Loreto???

Materials in Loreto can be higher, as in the past we were up against Cabo (East Cape) in getting them shipped up from La Paz.. IMO

Just checked.. $140p per bag concrete delivered to casa in Loreto..

[Edited on 3-2-2011 by LaTijereta]