# How does everybody prefer to price fire suppression system by the head ect.



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

I Struggle with the best way to price this. Square foot seems to be close but competition isn't light. Just looking for a edge all opinions welcome.


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## dclark (Dec 12, 2010)

For me, the answer to you would be ‘it depends’.

Advantage to a per head is the speed. Count ‘em up, and use your multiplier.
Full material takeoff and labor estimate takes way longer but should be more accurate.

If you are pricing as a one man show, and you’re out by some, you either don’t get the job or you’re working for lower wages. 
If you are pricing for a crew, and you’re out, you’re writing cheques.

When my ex partner and I were just starting, we counted every nut, bolt, screw, washer, hanger, head, vic clamp, valve stations, etc.. and allowed for ceiling height, design, testing, and inspection time, absolutely everything we could think of.
We knew that on smaller jobs (at first) that we could keep pace with the job using ourselves and a helper or two, as long as we covered our costs, we would still be around for the next job.

We kept accurate records on labor and materials, breaking it down to parking levels, commercial levels and residential levels.
After some time, we could with confidence use the per head method or even per square foot, if the building type we were bidding on was a close fit to enough previous jobs of the same type.

Cover your material costs, pace your jobs to fit your manpower, and keep accurate records.
Excel worked great for tracking and pricing.


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## Wafflefryer (Nov 4, 2010)

*Fixed costs and sprinkler count*

I assuming we're talking residential.

On any given job you're going to have fixed costs associated with materials and installation;

valves
inspections
risers

Once you've figured out a good number it's easy to determine the costs by head count. Go through a couple of recent projects and find out your averages per sprinkler with the following material;

hangers
pipe
fittings
Fasteners

lastly, on previous projects, find out the average man hours per sprinkler on the jobsite. This will get you really close in determining your labor rate for future projects.


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## georgepsi (Jul 24, 2013)

I price them per head on commercial not including any devices that are required it has been working out for us


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

I priced one per head the other day and came in third. I think it was a inside job where they just needed a third price. It was a infill with existing upright system but they wanted design drawings and load calculations. That was a step I think the good ol boys skipped.


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## georgepsi (Jul 24, 2013)

That's added as additional cost on our quotes


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## georgepsi (Jul 24, 2013)

You don't mind me asking what was your price pre head and what state, union or non union


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

georgepsi said:


> You don't mind me asking what was your price pre head and what state, union or non union


 we are a open shop in central Mo the cost per head ranges between 300 and 500 per head with normal coverage of 110 square foot coverage. That all depends on square feet and type of head and type of building.


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## georgepsi (Jul 24, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> we are a open shop in central Mo the cost per head ranges between 300 and 500 per head with normal coverage of 110 square foot coverage. That all depends on square feet and type of head and type of building.


Does that make you competitive or over price we are 900 to 1100 per head


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

georgepsi said:


> Does that make you competitive or over price we are 900 to 1100 per head


 that price does not include engineering,drawings or control devices. The last one I priced out by the head I got spanked and really don't know how. We fight the buddy system hard in some areas. It can be something as simple as the inspector favors a contractor or a company will throw in some favors like a free repair. That's ok,if I added in devices,engineering,drawings and profit ,overhead it would be close to your cost.


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## FL pipe dope (Dec 3, 2014)

Is Your pricing the steel or plastic?


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Most always steel. The hospitals I work I don't like blaze.


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## FL pipe dope (Dec 3, 2014)

Roger that. I've never seen a hospital use blaze master. $150 ish per head for new construction is typical for a straightforward job in BlazeMaster. 
Just curious. THX.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

FL pipe dope said:


> Roger that. I've never seen a hospital use blaze master. $150 ish per head for new construction is typical for a straightforward job in BlazeMaster. Just curious. THX.


we have used it in low risk areas but there was one job where the crew was going to show everybody how fast they were and put hangers up like it was steel. I still am adding hangers. Slap happy kids drives me nutts. Do you ever bid it any other way. I got stomped on a infill,mains in place and all uprights I figured 4 feet flexheads with semi recessed Chrome heads 210 per head with labor and scissor lift also included testing and new design drawings for the system. The contractor that got it went in at 125 per head.


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## FL pipe dope (Dec 3, 2014)

Man that's cheap. Barely above cost? I Can see that with a cheap globe head, maximum spacing and three-quarter inch branches...maybe...but WHY.
Oh well...Trunk slammers! ( that's what we call the Jack legs in Florida.)


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