Building a Fence.?

Question

My neighbor wants me to build them a fence. 95ft long, 6 ft tall. Im wondering how much i should charge. (labor and material) They would like to know how much Redwood would cost, and also a cheaper wood. If anyone could help me with a rough estimate on a price, i would appreciate it.

Also how much should i charge for removal and disposal of the old fence? Is about $500 more a fair price?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You should set up the job as a T&M (Time and Material), that means you will be compensated at an hourly rate and material cost plus a percentage of mark up (usually around 10-18%, plus any mileage required.  If your neighbor is uncomfortable with that, you can also put in a "not to exceed" amount in the language to your agreement.  If that is the case, you have to take a guess at how many hours you will need to finish the job, including hauling off materials and dumping fees.  Multiply that by 12-20% and that will be your not to exceed amount.  Make sure you are clear with the neighbor that this fee does not include materials and other reimbursable expenses.  

As for the wood material, I would recommend using cedar instead of redwood, it would cost you much less.  Douglas fir could be used as an alternative, but cedar will hold up better.