Estimating Constuction Cost

[Woodboy]

I want to evaluate the expected cost to complete my wood shop - to determine if I want to
do it or job it out. The floor is in (good grade vinyl) and I will add dust control. Here are the basic variables:
1. Ceilings are 9, or 9.5 feet.
2. Standard stud walls and drywall and rough finished – no texture
3. Ceiling finish to be stapled Armstrong , or similar panels on half inch stringers – just like a drop ceiling, but stapled not suspended.
4. Full electrical - outlets, etc., (panel close) with florescent lighting tube fixtures flush with ceiling panels.
5. All to full Denver building codes, no permits pulled
I am looking for some rough cost per square foot benchmark formulas, or a general range.
Any estimating advice? It’s about 15’ x 18’give or take and approximately 20% is already finished>

[poolhound]

Its not totaly clear what you are asking. Are the walls and ceilings already there and you just want to finish them or are you starting with just a slab?

It looks like you are asking how much for the suspended ceiling and electrical. How many outlets?

You mentioned a DC system, so are you including tools in this equation?

[dbhost]

Simple.

Draw up your plans for what you want done, then get over to the home center and price out your material, and go from there. Of course you will need to be working from whatever your local code requires for fire, electrical, wind storm whatever...

And, unless you don't know what you are doing, assuming equal quality materials, you will always end up with a lower construction cost if you eliminate the need for paid labor. Of course that is also assuming that paid labor does not include equipment that would be overly expensive to rent without...

[jhart]

Also depends on what your time is worth.

[LarryG]

Like Jon, I'm not clear on what you're asking. A couple of comments/suggestions, however:

Square footage costs, if you can find them, will likely be for larger structures. For a 15x18 building -- pretty small -- the per-square-foot labor costs will be somewhat higher than for something like a house because it will take a contractor the same amount of time to drive to your jobsite and set up his tools, only to do less work. If you want a truly meaningful bottom-line figure, you're going to have to get some actual bids.

As dbhost says, for a building of this size, estimating is pretty easy. In fact there will be very little "estimating" involved ... it's small enough that you can literally, and accurately, count each and every piece you will need. Price each component and do the arithmetic and there's your materials cost.

I would advise against a stapled acoustical tile ceiling. Damaged tiles (as when you swing the end of a board into one, or water damage if you have a roof leak) cannot easily be removed and replaced. I'm guessing you're considering a stapled ceiling in order to preserve headroom? Although it's tight, you can wiggle lay-in panels into a grid with as little as about 2-1/2" of clearance, including the depth of the grid. You can still use surface-mounted lighting, attached to the grid; or you can increase the drop to ~5" and use lay-in lighting fixtures.

[iceman61]

You will appreciate this project ALOT more if you do it yourself. The money you save can be spent on more tools!

As a contractor I can tell you that given the present economy, you can throw any $/SF formula out the window for now. Get a few contractors to give you some bids & you will see why. Materials were going up every 4 weeks & now they are increasing every 2 weeks. Last year I built my shop for about $6k-$8 material cost.(haven't added up the cost yet) This year the material cost would be $10k or better.

If you want that new shop finished at minimal cost, better buy those materials now. If your shop is an attached building, fire codes might dictate that you use fire code sheet rock. You can rent a sheetrock lift at a tool rental place for about $30/day. They are wonderful.