Thanks for the inspiration. I am an older guy, 68, many years remodel, paint, and excellent with drywall repair. Walked from it about a year ago, yet now considering jumping back in.
If you do decide to jump back in, good luck! Probably don't need any luck. Your generation is famous for being reliable and following through and that's really all that seems to be necessary to succeed here.
Man thank you very much for this info.. And I say thank Gog for you because I am tired of videos that goes around and around and around and at the end they don't give the info that we really need and this is why we need guys like you here. I am the same. have a great day.
That's one of the biggest reasons I started this channel. I looked on UA-cam for the kind of information that I'm now giving out when I first started and I wasn't able to find anyone who could just look me in the eye and tell me exactly how the industry works and what I need to do to get started and succeed. It seem like every answer on every handyman UA-cam channel, if a question was asked, the answer was it depends. It's true, the answer does depend, but that doesn't mean there aren't answers to give.
I delivered Sheetrock old school toting it no dolly or remote for 14yrs, plus I had already been installing sheet rock with my dad for years always working a few days a week with him here and there on all types of home building remodeling while doing my full time jobs school etc and I got good at installing no matter the hole or how many sheets. He did remodeling and additions only locally after a long time of framing houses. Then I bought my first house 6 yrs ago and skim coated over texture every wall and ceiling in my house made the whole house 2700 square ft smooth level 5. Now that I've gotten good at the whole process, I've picked up some jobs by word of mouth-friends, family. I'd do days of work for like $3-500 total whole walls, paper ripped area patches where you spray the adhesive, small holes, cutting out bad sheets to the next stud in corners from ceiling to floor, knuckles busted up from cutting out to fit a 4x8, did whole ceiling almost from 2nd story toilet into dining area, my jiu-jitsu coaches gym when he moved to new building where body imprints into the wall from takedowns and never knew how to bid plus doing favors, but I'm old broken down now at 50 so those days over of working for cheap thanks to this video I have a good idea plus the trips coming back if I have to make several trips worth at least 100 knowing that even if they do have someone that is good at it and willing to pay their rates, it might be a month before they can even get to them. I've seen them overbid intentionally so they didnt have to do it the amount of mudding required create a 2x4 amount using mud to level it. But then the homeowners watch you to learn, and the males will be like I got it now I'll do my other walls bc I feel obligated to teach them as I'm doing it bc they are there watching intently 😂 I've done all those jobs for roughly $20an hr. 😅 I can't do any more favors. 100an hr or not doing it. Appreciate this video! First one of it's kind on YT!
Running my Mouth before I watch the vid and see your pricing :) Drywall patches are a real skill and should pay like one. They also are one of the easiest to upsell. Drywall patches for Property Managers are a whole different model than homeowners as they will want you to take it through paint limiting upsell a bit. Property Manager: Patches up to 2 sq', Touch up paint is on site, or they spec it so you don't have to waste time matching and only have one trip. (usually apartments) - Even shooting texture with 5min hot mud in my Binks or bug sprayer I am looking at 2 x hours for setup, breakdown, clean up, and running my mouth which I am prone to do. Flat Rate $250 with the caveat that it will blend better than any of the other patches they have all over the unit, but that they will still see it as they know where it was. Bonus, they are almost never going to see or care about it, easy physical work, no stress. Homeowners: Patches up to 2 sq' $125 Special, Patch, Tape, Texture, Prime but No paint. (You are almost never going to actually have to do this, if you do, its an easy < 1 hour) Client Convo kind of goes like this - We will do our best to blend your patch to the existing drywall, but since you know where it is located you will be able to spot it like this spot, the one in the hallway, those on the ceiling (You know, all the ones that jump out at you whenever you walk a unit). This does two things, they now see the existing bad spots (more on that later), and it sets up the upsell. A usual response is can't you make it disappear, my response is yes, the way we do that is with a blank canvas. So with this wall (up to a 100 square feet We would perform the repair then skim coat the entire wall giving us a fresh canvas to texture evenly. For us this is a full half day so we charge $XXX (Starting out my number was $550, but went to $750 real quick) Remember pointing out those other repairs, and specifying no Paint. Any homeowner with pride in home ownership will those old repairs are going to start grating on them, I would say better than half the time you are going to get called back to take care of them as well. As far as Paint, many home owners think they can paint or feel there is no real value in it. If asked about paint (I hate to paint) I give them two options, Myself I let them know I am a custom painter and only use top shelf materials and a scope of work that exceeds that of average track home paint and the price reflects it, but that I am happy to give them a referral to my painter that performs solid but standard work. Bonus, he loves the referrals, does quality work so I don't get call backs, and if I didn't get something quite right his painters will touch it up without a thought as matching finish is kind of easy for a skilled painter. We rolled this as a Service both in-house on existing business, and as a stand alone Patch Repair Business. Rough Numbers One tech, one cheap van/truck. Gross $7500 week, OH $1875, Wages $2000 (based on 40 hours), Marketing/Headaches $625. Gross profit 3k before taxes, or 10-15k a month with a turn key operation Good Drywall Patch technicians appreciate the $50 average per hour worked, but you pay flat rate so they have the incentive to work towards more projects as opposed to more hours, the right one and the only time you see them is when they bring you invoices/pymts and you pay them. QUESTION: How the hell do you keep the hot mud out of that Grizzley Adams Beard?
Ahhhh, after watching I like your break down as well - Everything is at least $100 an hour, and scales. I just hate complicated price books, so I scale to 1/2 day or full day rates, so $750 to $1500 to give me less upfront selling details and after sale invoice pricing justification. Its just you paid for a 1/2 or full day plus materials. But looking at it we probably get to the same numbers in the end.
I really appreciate that insanely thorough comment. There's to much there to respond to all of it but I think it's 💯. As far as the beard, i frequently come home with it full of paint, mud, sawdust, or all of the above. Thanks!
I have a drywall job in a couple weeks from a plumber where i have to remove the vanity and get in there and fix drywall for two leaks rhe plumber fixed. I quoted $500 for everything. I felt like I quoted a little high but its a lot of work. Removing vanity and fixing patching and rhose spots are 5ft long and 4 inches tall. Two strips. Then out vanity back and change water lines
Awesome video thanks for the advice. I’m also a drywall finisher out here in Arizona so it’s pretty cool to know that any device that you give is also applicable to me because of the area that we live in. Most of my clients live in Cave Creek or the west side like Goodyear and Surpise. My goal is to one day be able to wean off the current company that I work for (I’m a drywall finisher or Taper as we like to call ourselves)and be able to work full-time for myself 🙏🏽🤞🏽this video motivated me that much more brother !
When I hung drywall in Florida we used Densglass for porch ceilings. It was a pain to install but had a 30 year warranty. It wasn't cheap and it was a premium to install as well.
I’ve been on my own doing handyman work for a little over a year now, I’ve come across quite a bit of drywall patch repairs, texturing is my biggest hurdle, and I have yet to use hot mud which would always require coming back the next day for the compound to fully cure for paint. I will certainly take your advice and do some practice pieces. Thanks as always for sharing.
I've found that 5 minute mud can be painted 15 or 20 minutes after application. You just have to stick around brushing out bubbles for 5 minutes and then a second coat 15 minutes after that.
5 minutes mud, you would need to be really fast. I like 60 minutes mud, in California we call it hot mud. I put a skim coat with Fix all , and apply a skim coat with 60 minute mud, get a broad knife and knock down any lines. Apply another coat last coat. I use sponge and water to sand with no mess. Apply texure. Paint same day. 12 by 12 2 hrs to finsh. A fist size one hr
In my area the vast majority of the walls are a smooth surface, 3 coats sanded. I’ve worked in Oregon before though which is all texture. Texture seems pretty tricky
When you say 150 for up to Quarter sized holes, is that per hole? If there are 2 dents and 2 Nickle sized holes are you charging 600? Just trying to make sure i am understanding what you are saying.
It's been a while since I made this video, so I'm not sure exactly what I said. However I can patch, texture, and paint 4 quarter sized holes in about the same amount of time so I would likely still charge the same $150 for 4 quarter sized holes, or maybe just an extra $10 or $20 for the extra few minutes.
@@bulletproofhandymando you just wait there for it to dry or do you leave and come back the next day? If you come back the next day, do you charge extra for coming back?
Loving the channel and your outlook on the business. I have a handyman business in the Atlanta area and would kill for textured walls! Much easier than the dead flat we have lol.
Hey brother, always enjoy your videos and advice. I do a TON of drywall down here in Destin/Santa Rosa Beach, Florida area. In this video I hear you say you get the entire job done in one day. Even if it’s taping an entire outside porch ceiling. Just wondering what your secret to getting it all taped, mudded, sanded, then maybe even add more. Then to texture and paint all in one day. Do you hang around all day and use some 5 or 20 minute mud? I typically go and do another job while that one is drying(putting a fan on it while I’m gone). Then come back. But to get everything done and to look good, one day seems to be pushing it, if I’m wanting it to look perfect. I honestly don’t want any job I ever do not to look as good as it possibly can in my eyes. Figured I would ask you what your tips and tricks are to knocking it all out in one day. Thank you buddy and I appreciate your advice.
-It's rarely an entire ceiling, more often 2 to 6 individual joint lines that I tape. -Yes, I use hot mud and hang around all day if necessary. -I definitely never try to make it look perfect unless it's clear that the home requires perfection. -I use the Pareto Principle oftentimes, or something like it. Scenario #1 - $2,000 - Lets say I won't settle for less than perfection on my job, so I fix the joints with a high quality joint compound that isn't a hot mud (Including pulling the almost delaminated tape from joints that looked good but were still not great. Then I skim the entire ceiling from corner to corner. Then I apply fresh texture from corner to corner. Then I give it a light sanding with a disc. Then I apply one, maybe two coats of PVA primer. Then I apply one or maybe two coats of paint. I lay drop cloth on the porch and tape everything else. I put two full days of work into it and then I charge appropriately based on the value of my labor. The homeowner and property manager are going to be angry (or just never approve the estimate to begin with) because this is a rental and the goal with a rental is for it to be in serviceable condition to rent, not for it to be perfect. Now I'm likely never getting jobs from this property manager again because they need to provide their homeowners with a level of service and value that fits the home and the budget. Scenario #2 - I pull the tape that is delaminated until it stops coming out of the joint. I apply new tape with hot mud. No drop cloths because I don't make a mess, but I do keep a wet rag for the occasional slip up. I let the hot mud cure for a little while and then I skim around the joints very lightly just to make certain that there are no cracks or depressions. I wait for that to set for a little while and then I use hot mud to apply a texture that isn't a perfect match but that also doesn't stand out and would never be noticed by anyone other than a professional drywall finisher looking for it. Finally I apply one coat of exterior flat paint corner to corner because I'm still picky about matching paint not quite matching. This takes me about a half day, full day at worst, but usually a half day. I charge somewhere in the ballpark of $400-$800 depending on the hours and the scope of the damage. The property manager and homeowner still feel like they could have paid someone else less for a similar quality, and they are correct, but they have learned by experience that cheap guys don't show up half the time and royally screw up some percentage of jobs. The moral of the story, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Some people are looking for a Lexus and some people are looking for a Honda. Both are valid business models, but nobody who buys a Honda complains that the seats aren't leather. They just want the thing to run and get them from point A to point B.
Good video, I’m in the deck business myself. I called around to check other people’s prices and they don’t seem to have consistent prices per square feet.
Hey Ray im still trying to understand the pricing. I have a client that needs patch and paint for a plumber special and it's on the ceiling. How much should I charge for a patch and paint for about 10 square holes, should I charge by the hour or by each hole and should I charge for the material or is it included with the price? Thanks again for the information
Great advice! Thanks for the info on estimates for dry wall. I have had window cleaning business for about 15 years now and I am transitioning into a handy man during the winter months just to try something new. I just tackled some drywall repair work, and I under charged a little, which is fine since I’m still new to it and not super confident with matching the wall but I can already see that it’ll be a great skill to perfect as I’ve received several requests for drywall repairs in the first few weeks as a handy man. I don’t mind undercharging a little since I feel like I’m still getting paid to learn a new skill😅
$650 is low for a ceiling patch where I am and that is coming from someone who has a patch company. Especially if you are talking about hanging two sheets of rock or more.
Thank you sir. Although I would do a small patch for that price still, my pricing has gone up for ceiling patches quite a bit since I made that video. However, I'm pretty much never doing large patches that are the size of even a half a sheet of drywall. Most of mine are just where the plumber cut out a 2 ft x 2 ft square To get up in there and do a repair. Even those I'm usually billing out at like $900 these days. The work is fast and easy but I realized there aren't a lot of people doing it so the price went up.
Thank you for that informative video , best one I have seen by far … I did have one question , You said for ceiling drywall that got water damage and it’s bowed in , you charge around 650 for a 3’x3’ area … Would that price change for a 6’x6’ area , Would I be doubling the 650 or keep it the same ?
That pricing is relatively old. 650 would be on the low end and a thousand would be on the high end for 3x3. I'm not sure what I would charge for a 6x6, it would depend on multiple factors. In the end what you need to do is figure out how long it's going to take you and make sure you're not making less than $100 an hour or whatever rate you've chosen for yourself.
I don't remember the names of them off the top of my head. I don't have any specific one that I prefer either. Applying a fungicide is more for the client's peace of mind than anything else. If the area stays dry then there won't be a mold problem anyways
Just started watching ur vids, good info. How would you charge for multiple holes a few inches apart? Ex. Tv wall mount bracket broke off and there’s 4 holes. Thanks
Try to get a feel for the price of your area what is the rental price for your average house or apartment and what is the average ish income ? Thank you
I'm not sure about the average income but in my area the cheapest thing you can rent is still going to be about $800 a month and the average rental. Assuming it's a three bedroom, two bath spec home in a subdivision is going to be something in the ballpark of 1200 to 1500 per month.
Question, currently Working for a company in Dallas installing cabinets and remodeling I specialize in tape bed texture paint And some carpentry the company is selling soon and I don’t know if the new owners will keep us or let us go so I am looking for options. Been doing the handyman side hustle for three weeks now and I’ve made some pretty good money popped up as a Contractor 1099. Coincidentally it’s a handyman job a guy who wants his company and hires out handyman and sends them out I think he’s doing what you’re doing with. That being said he offered me a job, but he offered to pay me less than where I’m getting right now. I’m just wondering if it’s a good call considering is willing to teach me things I don’t know flooring restroom, renovations, etc. however, I have a wife and a baby and I need to provide for them and taking a pay cut right now is not something I think would be wise considering we’re paying debt off
That's a hard call to make. The best long-term solution is for you to own your own business, but if you have a family to provide for then You have to do what you have to do.
@@bulletproofhandyman yeah , I just landed a job doing tape bed texture gonna take me about 3-4 days small patches and cracks all for $1,300 Saw your video of giving Low income people a break to gain more trust and now she wants me to install a door for her that she bought too not sure Howmuch to charge for the door install I figured around 250 it’s not a main door Gotta put the frame in and everything Additional
Thanks for the video. Im in west Tennessee between Nashville and Memphis. Im seeing far less of tge smaller jobs and im now having to take on larger ones. It kind of is what it is . I think inflation is starting to really affect the less fortunate areas.
@@lincolnepps7279 Clarksville is far different than where I live. Its becoming more modern there with slot of outsiders with money moving in. I live in benton county. Theres alot of crackhead willing to work for nothing. And alot of people willing to pay less for trash work then pay for good work.
Only my usual advice which is to estimate how many hours you expect it to take, add a buffer, and then make sure you're not charging less than $100 per hour if you have the experience to do it efficiently.
Thanks for the inspiration. I am an older guy, 68, many years remodel, paint, and excellent with drywall repair. Walked from it about a year ago, yet now considering jumping back in.
If you do decide to jump back in, good luck! Probably don't need any luck. Your generation is famous for being reliable and following through and that's really all that seems to be necessary to succeed here.
Man thank you very much for this info.. And I say thank Gog for you because I am tired of videos that goes around and around and around and at the end they don't give the info that we really need and this is why we need guys like you here. I am the same. have a great day.
That's one of the biggest reasons I started this channel. I looked on UA-cam for the kind of information that I'm now giving out when I first started and I wasn't able to find anyone who could just look me in the eye and tell me exactly how the industry works and what I need to do to get started and succeed. It seem like every answer on every handyman UA-cam channel, if a question was asked, the answer was it depends. It's true, the answer does depend, but that doesn't mean there aren't answers to give.
I delivered Sheetrock old school toting it no dolly or remote for 14yrs, plus I had already been installing sheet rock with my dad for years always working a few days a week with him here and there on all types of home building remodeling while doing my full time jobs school etc and I got good at installing no matter the hole or how many sheets. He did remodeling and additions only locally after a long time of framing houses. Then I bought my first house 6 yrs ago and skim coated over texture every wall and ceiling in my house made the whole house 2700 square ft smooth level 5. Now that I've gotten good at the whole process, I've picked up some jobs by word of mouth-friends, family. I'd do days of work for like $3-500 total whole walls, paper ripped area patches where you spray the adhesive, small holes, cutting out bad sheets to the next stud in corners from ceiling to floor, knuckles busted up from cutting out to fit a 4x8, did whole ceiling almost from 2nd story toilet into dining area, my jiu-jitsu coaches gym when he moved to new building where body imprints into the wall from takedowns and never knew how to bid plus doing favors, but I'm old broken down now at 50 so those days over of working for cheap thanks to this video I have a good idea plus the trips coming back if I have to make several trips worth at least 100 knowing that even if they do have someone that is good at it and willing to pay their rates, it might be a month before they can even get to them. I've seen them overbid intentionally so they didnt have to do it the amount of mudding required create a 2x4 amount using mud to level it. But then the homeowners watch you to learn, and the males will be like I got it now I'll do my other walls bc I feel obligated to teach them as I'm doing it bc they are there watching intently 😂 I've done all those jobs for roughly $20an hr. 😅 I can't do any more favors. 100an hr or not doing it. Appreciate this video! First one of it's kind on YT!
Good luck to you sir
Thank you for the time to lay all this out there. Inspiring and definitely lets me know how low ive been charging for good work
Awesome!
Running my Mouth before I watch the vid and see your pricing :) Drywall patches are a real skill and should pay like one. They also are one of the easiest to upsell. Drywall patches for Property Managers are a whole different model than homeowners as they will want you to take it through paint limiting upsell a bit.
Property Manager: Patches up to 2 sq', Touch up paint is on site, or they spec it so you don't have to waste time matching and only have one trip. (usually apartments) - Even shooting texture with 5min hot mud in my Binks or bug sprayer I am looking at 2 x hours for setup, breakdown, clean up, and running my mouth which I am prone to do. Flat Rate $250 with the caveat that it will blend better than any of the other patches they have all over the unit, but that they will still see it as they know where it was. Bonus, they are almost never going to see or care about it, easy physical work, no stress.
Homeowners: Patches up to 2 sq' $125 Special, Patch, Tape, Texture, Prime but No paint. (You are almost never going to actually have to do this, if you do, its an easy < 1 hour) Client Convo kind of goes like this - We will do our best to blend your patch to the existing drywall, but since you know where it is located you will be able to spot it like this spot, the one in the hallway, those on the ceiling (You know, all the ones that jump out at you whenever you walk a unit). This does two things, they now see the existing bad spots (more on that later), and it sets up the upsell. A usual response is can't you make it disappear, my response is yes, the way we do that is with a blank canvas. So with this wall (up to a 100 square feet We would perform the repair then skim coat the entire wall giving us a fresh canvas to texture evenly. For us this is a full half day so we charge $XXX (Starting out my number was $550, but went to $750 real quick)
Remember pointing out those other repairs, and specifying no Paint. Any homeowner with pride in home ownership will those old repairs are going to start grating on them, I would say better than half the time you are going to get called back to take care of them as well.
As far as Paint, many home owners think they can paint or feel there is no real value in it. If asked about paint (I hate to paint) I give them two options, Myself I let them know I am a custom painter and only use top shelf materials and a scope of work that exceeds that of average track home paint and the price reflects it, but that I am happy to give them a referral to my painter that performs solid but standard work. Bonus, he loves the referrals, does quality work so I don't get call backs, and if I didn't get something quite right his painters will touch it up without a thought as matching finish is kind of easy for a skilled painter.
We rolled this as a Service both in-house on existing business, and as a stand alone Patch Repair Business. Rough Numbers One tech, one cheap van/truck. Gross $7500 week, OH $1875, Wages $2000 (based on 40 hours), Marketing/Headaches $625. Gross profit 3k before taxes, or 10-15k a month with a turn key operation Good Drywall Patch technicians appreciate the $50 average per hour worked, but you pay flat rate so they have the incentive to work towards more projects as opposed to more hours, the right one and the only time you see them is when they bring you invoices/pymts and you pay them.
QUESTION: How the hell do you keep the hot mud out of that Grizzley Adams Beard?
Ahhhh, after watching I like your break down as well - Everything is at least $100 an hour, and scales. I just hate complicated price books, so I scale to 1/2 day or full day rates, so $750 to $1500 to give me less upfront selling details and after sale invoice pricing justification. Its just you paid for a 1/2 or full day plus materials. But looking at it we probably get to the same numbers in the end.
I really appreciate that insanely thorough comment. There's to much there to respond to all of it but I think it's 💯.
As far as the beard, i frequently come home with it full of paint, mud, sawdust, or all of the above.
Thanks!
I have a drywall job in a couple weeks from a plumber where i have to remove the vanity and get in there and fix drywall for two leaks rhe plumber fixed. I quoted $500 for everything. I felt like I quoted a little high but its a lot of work. Removing vanity and fixing patching and rhose spots are 5ft long and 4 inches tall. Two strips. Then out vanity back and change water lines
You definitely didn't over charge. You're at far less than $100hr
Thank you for sharing this, that speaks highly of you. It's good to see people like you.🤙🙏
You're welcome!
Awesome video thanks for the advice. I’m also a drywall finisher out here in Arizona so it’s pretty cool to know that any device that you give is also applicable to me because of the area that we live in. Most of my clients live in Cave Creek or the west side like Goodyear and Surpise. My goal is to one day be able to wean off the current company that I work for (I’m a drywall finisher or Taper as we like to call ourselves)and be able to work full-time for myself 🙏🏽🤞🏽this video motivated me that much more brother !
That's awesome!
Good luck!
When I hung drywall in Florida we used Densglass for porch ceilings. It was a pain to install but had a 30 year warranty. It wasn't cheap and it was a premium to install as well.
I'll look into that.
I’ve been on my own doing handyman work for a little over a year now, I’ve come across quite a bit of drywall patch repairs, texturing is my biggest hurdle, and I have yet to use hot mud which would always require coming back the next day for the compound to fully cure for paint. I will certainly take your advice and do some practice pieces. Thanks as always for sharing.
I've found that 5 minute mud can be painted 15 or 20 minutes after application. You just have to stick around brushing out bubbles for 5 minutes and then a second coat 15 minutes after that.
Let me give you some game, buy a heat gun and use that to accelerate the dry time if its not drying fast enough for you, it’ll help a lot
5 minutes mud, you would need to be really fast. I like 60 minutes mud, in California we call it hot mud. I put a skim coat with Fix all , and apply a skim coat with 60 minute mud, get a broad knife and knock down any lines. Apply another coat last coat. I use sponge and water to sand with no mess. Apply texure. Paint same day. 12 by 12 2 hrs to finsh. A fist size one hr
Thank you soooo much for breaking it down so clearly! All the best to you:)
You're welcome!
Awesome videos. You answer questions i didnt even know I had. Keep up the good work!
Glad I could help!
Thank you I believe I just under bid my first drywall job?
Hanging and taping
I hope not!
In my area the vast majority of the walls are a smooth surface, 3 coats sanded. I’ve worked in Oregon before though which is all texture. Texture seems pretty tricky
When you say 150 for up to Quarter sized holes, is that per hole? If there are 2 dents and 2 Nickle sized holes are you charging 600? Just trying to make sure i am understanding what you are saying.
It's been a while since I made this video, so I'm not sure exactly what I said. However I can patch, texture, and paint 4 quarter sized holes in about the same amount of time so I would likely still charge the same $150 for 4 quarter sized holes, or maybe just an extra $10 or $20 for the extra few minutes.
@@bulletproofhandyman thank you for clearing that up for me
You're welcome!
@@bulletproofhandymando you just wait there for it to dry or do you leave and come back the next day? If you come back the next day, do you charge extra for coming back?
Loving the channel and your outlook on the business. I have a handyman business in the Atlanta area and would kill for textured walls! Much easier than the dead flat we have lol.
I'm glad you're liking the channel. You're right, sometimes it's just as hard to match dead flat!
What are you saying? All my patches are dead flat then I texture
Around here in MS they just are not paying that high……. But yeah learn to use quickset and patching becomes routine
Hey brother, always enjoy your videos and advice. I do a TON of drywall down here in Destin/Santa Rosa Beach, Florida area. In this video I hear you say you get the entire job done in one day. Even if it’s taping an entire outside porch ceiling. Just wondering what your secret to getting it all taped, mudded, sanded, then maybe even add more. Then to texture and paint all in one day. Do you hang around all day and use some 5 or 20 minute mud? I typically go and do another job while that one is drying(putting a fan on it while I’m gone). Then come back. But to get everything done and to look good, one day seems to be pushing it, if I’m wanting it to look perfect. I honestly don’t want any job I ever do not to look as good as it possibly can in my eyes. Figured I would ask you what your tips and tricks are to knocking it all out in one day. Thank you buddy and I appreciate your advice.
-It's rarely an entire ceiling, more often 2 to 6 individual joint lines that I tape.
-Yes, I use hot mud and hang around all day if necessary.
-I definitely never try to make it look perfect unless it's clear that the home requires perfection.
-I use the Pareto Principle oftentimes, or something like it.
Scenario #1 - $2,000 - Lets say I won't settle for less than perfection on my job, so I fix the joints with a high quality joint compound that isn't a hot mud (Including pulling the almost delaminated tape from joints that looked good but were still not great. Then I skim the entire ceiling from corner to corner. Then I apply fresh texture from corner to corner. Then I give it a light sanding with a disc. Then I apply one, maybe two coats of PVA primer. Then I apply one or maybe two coats of paint. I lay drop cloth on the porch and tape everything else. I put two full days of work into it and then I charge appropriately based on the value of my labor. The homeowner and property manager are going to be angry (or just never approve the estimate to begin with) because this is a rental and the goal with a rental is for it to be in serviceable condition to rent, not for it to be perfect. Now I'm likely never getting jobs from this property manager again because they need to provide their homeowners with a level of service and value that fits the home and the budget.
Scenario #2 - I pull the tape that is delaminated until it stops coming out of the joint. I apply new tape with hot mud. No drop cloths because I don't make a mess, but I do keep a wet rag for the occasional slip up. I let the hot mud cure for a little while and then I skim around the joints very lightly just to make certain that there are no cracks or depressions. I wait for that to set for a little while and then I use hot mud to apply a texture that isn't a perfect match but that also doesn't stand out and would never be noticed by anyone other than a professional drywall finisher looking for it. Finally I apply one coat of exterior flat paint corner to corner because I'm still picky about matching paint not quite matching. This takes me about a half day, full day at worst, but usually a half day. I charge somewhere in the ballpark of $400-$800 depending on the hours and the scope of the damage. The property manager and homeowner still feel like they could have paid someone else less for a similar quality, and they are correct, but they have learned by experience that cheap guys don't show up half the time and royally screw up some percentage of jobs.
The moral of the story, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Some people are looking for a Lexus and some people are looking for a Honda. Both are valid business models, but nobody who buys a Honda complains that the seats aren't leather. They just want the thing to run and get them from point A to point B.
Good video, I’m in the deck business myself. I called around to check other people’s prices and they don’t seem to have consistent prices per square feet.
Most of the trades are pretty difficult to standardize. There is such a wide variety of possible routes to any given finished product.
@@bulletproofhandyman I call as a potential client asking for a square foot price and they always want to send out a salesman!
I hate that
Hey Ray im still trying to understand the pricing. I have a client that needs patch and paint for a plumber special and it's on the ceiling. How much should I charge for a patch and paint for about 10 square holes, should I charge by the hour or by each hole and should I charge for the material or is it included with the price? Thanks again for the information
Figure his many hours you need. Multiple by the value of your time (hopefully at least $100 per hour). Add materials. Add small buffer.
I really dislike doing drywall on the ceiling.
Great advice! Thanks for the info on estimates for dry wall. I have had window cleaning business for about 15 years now and I am transitioning into a handy man during the winter months just to try something new. I just tackled some drywall repair work, and I under charged a little, which is fine since I’m still new to it and not super confident with matching the wall but I can already see that it’ll be a great skill to perfect as I’ve received several requests for drywall repairs in the first few weeks as a handy man. I don’t mind undercharging a little since I feel like I’m still getting paid to learn a new skill😅
Nothing wrong with that!
Good luck!
$650 is low for a ceiling patch where I am and that is coming from someone who has a patch company. Especially if you are talking about hanging two sheets of rock or more.
Thank you sir. Although I would do a small patch for that price still, my pricing has gone up for ceiling patches quite a bit since I made that video. However, I'm pretty much never doing large patches that are the size of even a half a sheet of drywall. Most of mine are just where the plumber cut out a 2 ft x 2 ft square To get up in there and do a repair. Even those I'm usually billing out at like $900 these days. The work is fast and easy but I realized there aren't a lot of people doing it so the price went up.
@@bulletproofhandyman Yeah I get $1200$-1500 for alot of the plumber patches, because I know texture so well.
Wish I was better at texture. Mine is never bad, but it's not what I would like it to be.
Thank you for that informative video , best one I have seen by far …
I did have one question ,
You said for ceiling drywall that got water damage and it’s bowed in , you charge around 650 for a 3’x3’ area …
Would that price change for a 6’x6’ area ,
Would I be doubling the 650 or keep it the same ?
That pricing is relatively old. 650 would be on the low end and a thousand would be on the high end for 3x3. I'm not sure what I would charge for a 6x6, it would depend on multiple factors. In the end what you need to do is figure out how long it's going to take you and make sure you're not making less than $100 an hour or whatever rate you've chosen for yourself.
What is an example of a fungicide product that you have used for those water leak issues which you've fixed that you mentioned around 12:30
I don't remember the names of them off the top of my head. I don't have any specific one that I prefer either. Applying a fungicide is more for the client's peace of mind than anything else. If the area stays dry then there won't be a mold problem anyways
Just started watching ur vids, good info. How would you charge for multiple holes a few inches apart? Ex. Tv wall mount bracket broke off and there’s 4 holes. Thanks
Without saying the job, I could only guess that I would probably be charging in the ballpark of something between 300 and 600
Try to get a feel for the price of your area what is the rental price for your average house or apartment and what is the average ish income ? Thank you
I'm not sure about the average income but in my area the cheapest thing you can rent is still going to be about $800 a month and the average rental. Assuming it's a three bedroom, two bath spec home in a subdivision is going to be something in the ballpark of 1200 to 1500 per month.
Question, currently
Working for a company in Dallas installing cabinets and remodeling
I specialize in tape bed texture paint
And some carpentry the company is selling soon and I don’t know if the new owners will keep us or let us go so I am looking for options. Been doing the handyman side hustle for three weeks now and I’ve made some pretty good money popped up as a Contractor 1099. Coincidentally it’s a handyman job a guy who wants his company and hires out handyman and sends them out I think he’s doing what you’re doing with. That being said he offered me a job, but he offered to pay me less than where I’m getting right now. I’m just wondering if it’s a good call considering is willing to teach me things I don’t know flooring restroom, renovations, etc. however, I have a wife and a baby and I need to provide for them and taking a pay cut right now is not something I think would be wise considering we’re paying debt off
That's a hard call to make. The best long-term solution is for you to own your own business, but if you have a family to provide for then You have to do what you have to do.
@@bulletproofhandyman yeah thank you
I noticed half of what I typed was typos I apologize for not being clear thanks for your honest response
No worries, I figured you were just using speech to text like I often do. Half the time it doesn't get my words right either.
@@bulletproofhandyman yeah , I just landed a job doing tape bed texture gonna take me about 3-4 days small patches and cracks all for $1,300
Saw your video of giving
Low income people a break to gain more trust and now she wants me to install a door for her that she bought too not sure Howmuch to charge for the door install I figured around 250 it’s not a main door
Gotta put the frame in and everything
Additional
Thanks for the video. Im in west Tennessee between Nashville and Memphis. Im seeing far less of tge smaller jobs and im now having to take on larger ones. It kind of is what it is . I think inflation is starting to really affect the less fortunate areas.
Very real possibility of that. Luckily I seem to be cemented in as the move out guy and those are my favorites.
People are also learning diy because we are lacking skilled labor as a nation
I work in Clarksville Tn and I charge $300 minimum for a small patch. No painting included
@@lincolnepps7279 Clarksville is far different than where I live. Its becoming more modern there with slot of outsiders with money moving in. I live in benton county. Theres alot of crackhead willing to work for nothing. And alot of people willing to pay less for trash work then pay for good work.
I live in Henry county by the lake and make the drive every day
How much extra do you charge to do a paint match ?
Today is a flat $125 per color if I have to remove a piece of drywall for it, materials included.
@@bulletproofhandyman Does that $125 include the painting or just getting the paint match ?
Any advice on pricing for cracks in drywall? Corner beads cracking??
Only my usual advice which is to estimate how many hours you expect it to take, add a buffer, and then make sure you're not charging less than $100 per hour if you have the experience to do it efficiently.
You’re the man
Awwww thanks