Labour cost for deck and staircase build?

[Carlvin]

 

To Whom It May Concern:

As a newbie and having a first time to experience this kind of DIY job, I would like to ask for assistance in estimating the labor cost for this project. The material cost, including tools, is around $8-9k.

Dimensions:

- Deck: 3.2m (D) x 6.2m (W)

- Staircase: 3.0m (D) x 3.2m (W) x 1.2m (H)

  - 8 steps in the middle

  - 7 seating places alternately left and right

  - 18x 30mm dia. floor-mounted deck lights will be installed soon, together with the roofing.

Main materials are made of:

- 10 sets of 300mm (W) x 300mm (L) x 450mm (H) concrete footings for the deck only

- 500mm (D) x 3000mm (W) x 350mm (H) concrete stair footing

- A total of 47 bags of pre-mixed concrete

- Timber treated pines for deck and stair framing

- Pre-oiled 140mm Merbau decking applied with 1 coat of water-based oil

Thank you everyone.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Carlvin,

Thank you for your question about labour costs for a decking project.

Unfortunately, this is not something anyone besides the tradesperson or company carrying out the work can do for you.

There are generally two ways construction pricing is negotiated that are dependent on the circumstances of the job. These are quoted prices or hourly rates.

If the builder is quoting on the job, they will take into account things like the time taken to build, the difficulty of the job, the difficulty of access, waste removal costs, material costs, material transport costs and travel costs relative to their location. On top of their costs, they will apply a margin so they can make some profit from the work. This is usually an educated guess based on the tradesperson's previous experiences as the variables on a construction project are endless and are relative to the area you are in. The benefit of a quoted price is that you agree on one set price at the start, and it will not change unless discussed.

Subcontractors will often work for builders at a negotiated hourly rate. If you are project managing the job, you are essentially becoming the "builder" and you will need to negotiate an hourly rate that works for both you and the tradesperson. In this circumstance, you are taking on the risks involved in the job. If the construction timeframe blows out, the price may be higher than if it is quoted at the beginning of the job.

I'd suggest this is a discussion you need to have with the tradesperson who is carrying out the work.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob