framing cost

[69gp]

Hi,
Getting ready to start my garage build addition. I built the original house and garage back in the early 80’s. 1980 not the 1880’s I’m not that old.
Anyways I was going to do the work myself, but my current job has me averaging anywhere from 65 to 75 hours a week. So, I decided to get some quotes for framing and windows. First it seems kind of hard to get someone to even quote the job. Received one price of $30,000.00 that way more than what I expected. For that price I would just do it myself.
Granted it’s a big addition but me and one other guy could frame the walls and set the beams for the first floor on a good weekend. The hardest part of the framing in my opinion is the roof as the pitch is 7.5.
I plan on doing the foundation, demo of the old garage and saw cutting the old foundation myself.

Just wondering what others pay for square foot framing in their area. Or if someone could recommend a framer in the central MA area that is reasonable.

 

[69gp]

roof framing.

 

[69gp]

If you can frame that addition with a buddy on a weekend, you're amazing. I see it as a relatively complex framing job, particularly as you have to tie into existing construction and all the coordination/measuring/problems that entails. You're not framing a single gable rectangular barn type building.

I can't see the dimensions, but I'd see it as a 3 week job, very experienced 3 man crew using a telehandler to work the upper levels and probably a crane to set the trusses. That includes sheathing, windows, roof trusses/framing, roof sheathing, the dormer gables, etc. It'd be a 4 week job for a less experienced crew especially if they don't use a telehandler to lift materials and work the upper levels.

$10,000 a week for an experienced 3 person crew isn't out of line; you might expect to pay more quite easily.

If you can find a small builder with one helper that wants to take it on, you might get the price down a bit. But, it'd take him 6 to 8 weeks as he couldn't afford to use equipment to speed up the upper level work.

Personally, I wouldn't bid this job on a square foot basis; too many time pitfalls here to properly account for with a sf method.

If i could frame that whole addition in a weekend i would be doing that for a living. Meant to say that i could frame the garage walls on a weekend. 13' high and a total of 110'. The width is 35'. The ceiling/ 2nd floor framing is 35' I joist. I will be setting the steel and proving a small 5000lb forklift boom that has a 19' reach. The roof framing is all 2x12x 24' no trusses.

 

[ddurrett896]

What program did you use for those plans?

 

[69gp]

Auto Cad

 

[matt_i]

Imo, of all the things you can peck away it, framing is probably one of the easiest. The dimensional lumber is relatively resistant to rain & snow.

Also, if you can do a "good" job of precision framing it makes everything else easier. If someone knocks together a rough job in record time that's within 1/2", its going to make the finishing trades jobs harder. And if those finishers is/are you, then I'd say forget it, my personal direction is to make things better at the cost of going slower (cheap, fast, good, pick 2).

There's always the tactic of gathering a pile of materials, keeping an eagle eye on the forecast, taking a week of vacation, and knock out a bunch of stuff. Then you can go back to 80hr weeks.

 

[77Birdman]

Have to agree with ssdave, I have a small construction company and with just a glance that seems like a very reasonable price.

 

[firebirdparts]

Framing is pretty pleasurable work. If I could get paid $3300 a week to do that, I might like to. I would really enjoy that. That is a beautiful plan. that's going to be a nice building.

 

[Donzi camino]

I just Paid $6 sq. ft for framing garage with loft in new Orleans.

 

[Stoshu]

Your biggest problem is it is most likely the only job you will ever give the framers. When I'm pricing a job for a home builder that will give me all the work I want, he gets a deal. Usually $9 to $15 per sqft. Depends on how complicated the roof is usually. Doing a job for a private homeowner the price doubles. It's never an easy job doing the privates. Adding on to existing buildings is always a headache.

 

[8mpg]

It all depends on where you live. In Texas, framers get $3.50-6/sqft labor only

 

[gahrajmahal]

I just used this thread while teaching adult ed carpentry class last night. I have an unusually high number of students wanting to know framing specifically. Our text, while excellent allows only 2 chapters on the subject so I have had to supplement with additional books on the subject. Thankfully the day instructor has been going gang busters with the high school students and has constructed a small city of floor, wall and stair and roof examples I refer to since we have only 21 hrs. over 7 weeks. I concentrate on teaching them how to use power tools correctly and safely.
So, now with this thread as an example they get to see the financial and practical aspect of the framing portion of a build.

 

[Stoshu]

It all depends on where you live. In Texas, framers get $3.50-6/sqft labor only

In Canada I haven't worked for those rates since the 90's.

 

[69gp]

Biggest problem i am having is getting people to even return calls. Leave messages and wait. I am a commercial Electrical contractor so I been around construction for a long time. I only see the roof as being the hard part. Tying into the existing house is going to be pretty straight forward.

 

[69gp]

A postscript to my earlier post. If you have all the demo done, and the foundations and slab installed in and then have the framer look at it, he would probably bid it a bit lower as he will be able to see and measure exactly what he has to work with. Being able to see where the pitfalls are in interfacing with the existing building instead of guessing at them will allow him to properly price in his risk in the existing construction interface. It's hard for a contractor to properly price an overlay onto an existing building until it's demo'd and he sees all the tie in areas firsthand.

All the work you stated above will be done before the framer shows up and I will also be setting all the steel beams. As i stated before the roof is kind of complex and pretty sure that is where all the work will be. I do have a framing package from the lumber yard. They do offer a service to cut all the rafters, angles and bird mouths maybe that is something to look into.

 

[69gp]

I just used this thread while teaching adult ed carpentry class last night. I have an unusually high number of students wanting to know framing specifically. Our text, while excellent allows only 2 chapters on the subject so I have had to supplement with additional books on the subject. Thankfully the day instructor has been going gang busters with the high school students and has constructed a small city of floor, wall and stair and roof examples I refer to since we have only 21 hrs. over 7 weeks. I concentrate on teaching them how to use power tools correctly and safely.
So, now with this thread as an example they get to see the financial and practical aspect of the framing portion of a build.

I hope you find this useful in your class. If your students want some on the job training I have the project for them.

 

[Stoshu]

All the work you stated above will be done before the framer shows up and I will also be setting all the steel beams. As i stated before the roof is kind of complex and pretty sure that is where all the work will be. I do have a framing package from the lumber yard. They do offer a service to cut all the rafters, angles and bird mouths maybe that is something to look into.

If you hire a framing crew that can't cut their own rafters, you are looking for trouble. It truly is a lost art. Ask the boys at the lumber yard who they would recommend. They will know who could handle the project. As gahrajmahal said, they don't teach Framing in trade school, they teach carpentry. Carpenters learn framing from framers on the jobsite.

 

[James-W]

I don't know how it is everywhere, but around here trusses are the way things get built. I don't think I have seen a house or garage being built with rafters for many years now. It isn't necessarily that the framers don't know how to make rafters, it is just that it takes time to do it and time is money to them. They would have to charge to do it and then the cost of having pre-made trusses starts to look cheap when compared to having the framers make the rafters. Plus, with the pre-made trusses they are up and the sheathing is on the roof before the rafters would even be assembled.

Something else to consider, I don't know this for a fact but if the framers build the rafters I suspect they would need to be inspected and signed off on before the building inspector would OK them.

 

[redneckcharlie]

Being what your day job is im sure your aware of what ssdave pointed at as costs, expwnses and margins are concerned. Workmans comp for me for framing is 40%, not sure what it is in your area. That alone eats up a labor only bid real quick. You seem to have a decent handle on it. Ive got a friend thats a sparky amd he is absolutely clueless about any other trades, I just shake my head at times. That’d be a fun build.

Biggest problem i am having is getting people to even return calls. Leave messages and wait. I am a commercial Electrical contractor so I been around construction for a long time. I only see the roof as being the hard part. Tying into the existing house is going to be pretty straight forward.