# Apartment repaints pricing?



## Wetpaint (Feb 21, 2006)

Guys, new here but looks like some people know their stuff. I have created a spreadsheet where I'm looking at anywhere from .21 to .50 sq/ft for bidding apartment repaints. I have aaaaaaaallllllllllloooooooootttttttt of them, so please spare the "good luck" rants. 

1.Anyone have any experience with regards to an average sq/ft price for apartment re-paints with regards to supplying and not supplying paint?

2.Looking for sq/ftg pricing in the michigan area.

3.My amigos will be helping out. What should I pay? Based by the unit to give incentive to finish more of them daily?

Thanks for the feedback.


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## JMGP (Mar 29, 2005)

Wetpaint said:


> Guys, new here but looks like some people know their stuff. I have created a spreadsheet where I'm looking at anywhere from .21 to .50 sq/ft for bidding apartment repaints. I have aaaaaaaallllllllllloooooooootttttttt of them, so please spare the "good luck" rants.
> 
> 1.Anyone have any experience with regards to an average sq/ft price for apartment re-paints with regards to supplying and not supplying paint?
> 
> ...



I hope that .21 and .50 is sq ft "Wall" space?

If it is... it seems you already have a price... If that price will cover your direct and indirect costs... use it...

keep your materials cost seperate....or you could do all the math to figure in the materials in your sq ft price......

Flat rate your "amigo's" per apt....


Joe


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## Wetpaint (Feb 21, 2006)

No, that's floor space.

That's right here are what some of my inside property managers were paying others to do the units for.

sqft contracted price
782	$160.00
1084	$220.00
1183	$280.00
726	$260.00
844	$360.00
1142	$390.00
359	$180.00
557	$210.00
778	$225.00
1008	$240.00
938	$200.00
972	$215.00
1185	$235.00
1196	$240.00
1296	$250.00

I figure one guy could finish one a day minimum. Two could probably start to really roll with 3 units a day. I figure I'm basically looking at banking half of each contracted price. I need to avg 2.5 of these a day to meet 50k for the year minimum. Does anyone else think I'm nuts to go this route? No homeowners to deal with, just make em' white and cruise. Call backs in the private sector is the real hidden cost in painting. Now I have eliminated this. That goes for any kind of construction. Take the super or homeowner out and you have a real chance with production type work. I used to work in the production home game. Never, ever go production. Am I nuts here? Has anyone regretted going this route?

What is the best way to with these SPRAY or ROLL?


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## Glasshousebltr (Feb 9, 2004)

All white? spray away baby!

You better up the time span, unless you really do have.......... 'amigos'

Bob


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## Exroadog (Feb 11, 2005)

I'm doing a house right now, renovation, summer home, owners living about 500 miles away, quiet on the ocean and if I change the numbers to "floor space", i'm getting about $8.00 a Sq. ft.! We dont spray anything for less than a $1.00 a ft and dont roll for less than $2.00 a ft. But we dont do apartments either. And I dont live in MI. I think your low but your property managers are holding out the carrot and looking for the lowest guy. I guess I should ask what kind of cars are in the driveways! (sorry, inside joke) The flip side is if this feeds you and your happy, it dosnt matter what I think.


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## JMGP (Mar 29, 2005)

Exroadog said:


> . I guess I should ask what kind of cars are in the driveways! (sorry, inside joke)


Good one:laughing: 



WetPaint...

In my opinion...(with all due respect) I wouldnt even set my alarm clock for that kinda money... but I dont do production or maintenance painting...

If that is your niche and it works for you... go for it!!

Just remember... you are in business to make a "Profit" ... I really dont see any profit being made with those numbers no matter how you look at it...(spraying or not) It may look like easy money... but I can bet you will have regrets sooner than later...

Just my opinion...

Thanks,

Joe


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## Vermy (Aug 28, 2005)

Are those base prices for 1 coat everywhere? Are there any extras paid such as 2 (or more) coats, major patching and drywall repairs, wallpaper removal, etc? Those seem to be the going prices for apartment unit repaints. But it all depends. Some contractors have very low prices, while others have it good with the management or building owners and have much higher prices. Some contractors make a killing off all the extras aside from the base price. The work is as low end as it gets, but from a business point of view there is money to be made. Many contractors thrive on this type of business.


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## Al Truistic (Nov 19, 2004)

Wetpaint:

I have done apartment repaints for the last 15+ years. The prices seem to be about what I would expect. That is assuming an average mid to luxury apartment, that is not beat up, and using the EXACT paint that is on the walls currently. The difference is I can turn 3 average apartments a day by myself, and 5 a day with a helper.

The key to apartment painting is knowing what NOT to paint! And yes I spray everything.

If you are interested, e-mail me at [email protected] and I will explain further. I can pass along my extra charge price list, and offer some suggestions.


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## Wetpaint (Feb 21, 2006)

Thanks guys. Exactly what I thought including the "Don't set your alarm". I respect that Joe. I know from being a contractor for 15 years that there are hidden costs here, just trying to find them first.

Yes, I want to turn 3 units a day.
Bank at least half the contract price as profit.
The average square footage price is just a way for me to quickly bid more properties. Volume is the game now.

Thanks again.


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## JMGP (Mar 29, 2005)

Im not a big fan of Apt re-paints... for obvious reasons...

By the sounds of what John is saying... you dont paint the whole Apt.. just what is nessasary...(hand prints, booger snots, ravioli sauce etc etc..:laughing: ) if you are only spending couple hours in each Apt then I guess you may be able to make a coulple bucks... IF you have a good system...I cant see making a profit by painting the "whole" apt with those numbers...

I have painted a few apt's awhile back working under someone else and I just didnt feel good about it after... so now that I am alone I refuse to do them...There was a term going around here awhile ago "splash and dash" and thats not what I want to do...

I think its great that you found... possibly a money machine... Maybe you could use those apt as fill in... and do other "quality" work... just doing those I think you will lose your detailed eye, quality control and finesse....

Just my 2 cents

Joe


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## A+Carpenter (Apr 19, 2005)

Wetpaint said:


> No, that's floor space.
> 
> That's right here are what some of my inside property managers were paying others to do the units for.
> 
> ...


Spray it. your prices are low. that will keep you employed for awhile at thos prices and hungry.

What you are going to have to do is this. Get 2 good guys and have one prepping them. Caulking,Nails-pullout. clean the base boards with a rotary brush attached to a drill low speed. 

Your apt people are ripping you off. You should be able to paint 2 of these a day no problem with 2 guys. I do one in 4 hours myself. 100% quality. 


If you have some cut up kitchens and so forth tack on $50 to a $100 for that. 

And to answer this question. Do you think Im nuts going this route? 

I think you will run into problems with the public relations and approval department. Just for the simple reason they are apartments.


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## Wetpaint (Feb 21, 2006)

What kind of contracted cost/price$ thresholds should I stay over?

Keeping in mind that the market sets the price. I have many of these property managers on my side and they are quoting me truthfully the most they are able to pay. My biggest hurdle, and remember, I'm somewhat new to the paint game, is figuring our what to pay labor to my amigos and how low should I accept from the apt????

Another production (new homes) contractor said he is paying anywhere from 10-15 hour and 1099 our Mexican brothers. However, many of these hombres don't pay taxes and take off. Now Mich. has gotten tougher and is now starting to hold some of these contractors responsible for their taxes? How they can do this, I'm not sure. 

So what I have so far is.
1.Spray them.
2.See what you don't have to paint. Closets, ceilings, ect...
3. More input appreciated.... Thanks


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## RobertF (Jan 20, 2006)

I worked for a guy last year that did apartment flips for the landlords. He charged $800 for new paint and carpet in a two bedroom apartment. He and I could do an apartment in about four hours. He has a slick system for it, I'd go in and rip up the carpet and by the minute I was rolled out of his way he was already spraying the walls. After finishing the spraying we tossed down new carpet. Now granted this wasn't high quality work but it made the place look nice for the new tenant.


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## pntr_arch_cec82 (Feb 17, 2006)

I use to repaint apts for someone during the summer. I did them in the evenings or weekends so it wouldn't interfere with my day job. The guy use to give me $250CAN for a 2 bedroom. It would take me about 10hrs to do it. The things that took the most time were the damn closets! Sometimes I would also have to paint the kitchen cabninets inside and out. That was the worst. All in all it sucked. I wouln't wanna do it for long. What I wanna say is that you should make sure exactly what you have to paint. If your excluding closets and kitchen cabinetry than I don't think it's all that bad. If your spraying then that's even better.


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## JAARONC (Jan 16, 2005)

Here are some tips in apartment repaints. If you cant spray use an 18 inch roller!!! you can fly. If you are repainting older apartments the odds are that they have used the same collor in flat for years, most of the time that can eliminate cutting in. For closets a can of spray kilz works wonders. If there are no base boards you can use a vane from a vertical blind to help cut in down by the carpet.
The apartment complex that I worked for all they wanted is a fresh coat on the walls. Perfection was not in their vocabulary, roll and go. Durring the summer I would have to do 8-10 turns a day acouple days at the end of each month. Durring the middle of the month it was hallways and stairways.


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## DPainting (Nov 1, 2005)

Quantity vs. quality


I can honestly tell you that with those prices i'd be looking for a second night shift job....but that's me. Spraying or not and avoiding to repaint some areas....still does not make it worthwhile to me.

But, IF it works for you go for it.

Goodluck.


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## bukjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

*paint apartment*

paint apartment is to many low bid painter ,here in indianapolis IN is bout 13cent to 19 cent per sqft,the apartment i work a unit on one bedroom one bath is $125,2-2 or 2-1 is $175 is no good to many painter go down to low $ i am going to find somthing els to do for now,each unit take about 3hrs to do with color change on 1-1 on 2-2 is about 4hrs to do with one person that me


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## slickshift (Jun 14, 2005)

Wetpaint said:


> Keeping in mind that the market sets the price.


You are incorrect
If you are letting the absolute lowest bidder set your prices you are doomed
You can "get work", but you can't *run a business* that way
It doesn't work
Ever
There will always be a newer, hungrier, guy out there willing to do it for less
Don't worry, he won't make it either



Wetpaint said:


> I have many of these property managers on my side and they are quoting me truthfully the most they are able to pay.


Also incorrect
They are telling you truthfully what they want to pay


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## Logic444 (Feb 17, 2018)

I am in the exact same dilemma. They are paying me 0.18 cent can you help? 

http://www.contractortalk.com/f8/ap...newbie-385730-new-post/#/topics/385730?page=2


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

There's a whole bunch of red flags here...



Wetpaint said:


> *Keeping in mind that the market sets the price. *I have many of these *property managers on my side and they are quoting me truthfully the most they are able to pay.* My biggest hurdle, and remember, I'm somewhat new to the paint game, is figuring our what to pay labor to my amigos and how low should I accept from the apt????
> 
> Another production (new homes) contractor said he is paying anywhere *from 10-15 hour and 1099 our Mexican brothers*. However, many of these hombres *don't pay taxes and take off.* Now Mich. has gotten tougher and* is now starting to hold some of these contractors responsible for their taxes? How they can do this, I'm not sure.*





Wetpaint said:


> *Bank at least half the contract price as profit.*





Wetpaint said:


> I figure I'm basically looking at banking half of each contracted price. *I need to avg 2.5 of these a day to meet 50k for the year minimum*.


Based on the numbers posted, and business philosophy, even if it all goes according to plan (and it won't) and you had no issues, you're going to find it hard to "bank" $50K in this scenario...


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