New Project Starting...Framing cost questions?

I started a whole house remodel and garage addition. I am bumping the front of the house out 16' deep x 40" wide and going up 2 stories (slab on grade). I am converting the existing 2 car (21X24) garage to a family room and the going over the top of that for a new master bedroom. Out the side will be a 30x40 garage or possibly a 30x50 if money allows. I have just started and included a few pictures....
The crew framing the new master bedroom had 4 laborers and 1 super and framed 2 sides 21' and 24' in one day with 2x6's There were 2 windows on one wall and 2 windows and a door on the other (dee pictures). I feel like I could have framed this myself considering they had 40 man hours up there...Am I nuts? They finished the 21' front wall today in 9 man hours....
Another crazy thing for the half educated (me) is the fact that they put 6 2x6's at the corner (see pic)....seems like this is way overkill (not to mention a waste and a huge thermal bridge)....
I feel like I am getting milked on the time and perhaps have less than a stellar crew working....
Just to rant some more....my slab on grade addition for the front (40x16 and 12x12) will come to $12,000-$13,000 material and labor....
I'll keep posting the pics and thanks for a wealth of information that you have all given this lurker over the past 12 months....

Another crazy thing for the half educated (me) is the fact that they put 6 2x6's at the corner (see pic)...

Click to expand...

Looks like you took the pic in a "white out" condition.

I think you may have forgot to attach it.

Sounds like a cool project. Pictures did you say?

That corner does seem like way overkill, unless it's serving as a bearing post for something that will go above it. Three studs in a corner is how I learned. You are right about the potential heat loss there too.

Well, look at the bright side- you don't have to worry about adding a nailer or missing the stud when hanging sheetrock

I would have them remove the 5 extras and use the outside and then 2 turned sideways that way you can insulate in between and reduce the thermal bridge. Unless the engineer specifically called for that to be a bearing corners for a HUGE load it is unnecessary.

Tim

Looks like they were just trying to preserve the stud spacing and avoid having to insulate a corner (it's such a huge amount of hassle to go and get a batt and cut it to size...). I still can't figure out why you guys don't apply structural panels before standing your walls... To each their own I guess.

There could be a few reasons the crew was going so slowly, inexperience, training new guys, or just plain ol' incompetence. It's typical to price jobs here by the size of the project, not the estimated labour time. If someone insists on asking for an hourly cost, I usually charge a lot and rarely accept those jobs.

I just looked at your project dimensions and the price does not seem excessive for material and labour included. Labour should be close to equal with material cost plus 25%.

Steel installed and slab poured. Roof going on over master.
<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/?action=view&current=142.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/142.jpg" border="0" alt="front addition sttel for slab"></a>
<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/?action=view&current=144.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/144.jpg" border="0" alt="concrete pour"></a>
<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/?action=view&current=146.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/146.jpg" border="0" alt="finished slab"></a>
<a href="http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/?action=view&current=148.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/148.jpg" border="0" alt="master roof"></a>

I'm back after a 2 year delay. Been limping the project along and doing alot by myself and a buddy. Garage grew in the meantime to 31x52...Fotters dug Friday, Concrete was supposed to happen yesterday but a broken bobcat stalled that....

Here is a link to the album...
http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn49/klmken/Home Build/