# Estimating A Kitchen Re-Staining Job - Help



## jamesyvonne (May 25, 2008)

I am trying to estimate a re-stain job in a kitchen. There is approx. 303 sq feet to strip, sand, stain, and varnish. I am used to estimating jobs for painting. I am worried I am not estimating this right. Does someone have a good formula to do this. It is a job in Scottsdale Arizona and I am thinking it would cost around $14 a square foot (including materials & labor) but I am worried it will take longer than I think. Any help is much appreciated.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

James

We are talking cabinets here? You might want to post a picture or two. Door and drawer details and stain colors are critical to cabinet refinishing. Also, species of wood...


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## jamesyvonne (May 25, 2008)

I uploaded some of the cabinet pictures and I am not sure of the wood species. Thanks again.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

I dont see any pictures. One thing I can tell you, if you dont know what species you are dealing with, you probably should either find out really quick or choose not to estimate this job. Critical information.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

hey scott he uploaded them to his profile. if you click his my photos thing they are there. how are you planning to strip?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Oh ok, not used to seeing them in the profile. Look like pretty nice cabinets. Cant tell what species. What is the new stain color going to be? They look to be in good shape finish-wise. May not be the easiest strip you ever saw.


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## Wing 54 (Jan 3, 2008)

Try the Paint Estimator 2008 version. Been very helpful for me.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

are you trying to change the color of them? otherwise just sand and recoat, not too bad.


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## jamesyvonne (May 25, 2008)

They want it stained a warm, rich brown semi-transparent finish. http://www.kraftmaid.com/doorsfinishes/index.cfm?navigationid=334X0&finishid=50 
I am planning on using a stripper such as Klean-Strip Strip-X or similar product.


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## cole191919 (Jan 10, 2008)

You are going to take into account the removal of the doors, the stripping process, sanding, staining, re-installation, and so on. So it seems lengthy and intricate, and I am not sure what the pricing is like in Arizona. You need to figure out approximately how long this could take you in order to make sure you aren't going to be underestimating your time and costs. This is a problem I find with estimating with $/sq. ft.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

Those cabinets look nice. I wonder how much they payed for those originally?... Perhaps you could find out and figure a larger cost to redo them? Custom strip and stain is not cheap. $14 per sqft seems cheap. What total sqft do you have there?


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

and dont forget all the time it takes to un hang and re hang all those doors and where you will be working on them while refinishing (maybe add in a shop use charge?). Im with Cole, try to figure out how long it is going to take you, add a couple hours to be safe, add in your materials and your done, and probably much safer than doing it sq foot.


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## jamesyvonne (May 25, 2008)

The approximate amount of cabinet coverage is 300 sq ft. All these suggestions are helping me. Thanks. I thought $14 sq ft. might be too cheap. I know from refinishing furniture that it is a time consuming job and I haven't done this large of a refinishing job before. I was worried that I might bid it too high and look like I am trying to milk them, but I know what it is like to under bid and end up sorry later. Someone told me that I could use a glaze over the varnish to change the shade (even a Polyshade by Minwax), but I am not sure how durable that would be or if the quality would be sufficient. Again, thanks for all the suggestions!


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

what about using a gel stain in the right shade and then covering that with some nice varnish?


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## crow (Jan 29, 2008)

Ive done several, mostly paint overs. it always takes longer than you think it would, I always do shop on the movable parts, cabinets are a sweetheart no matter what your doing to them. (if its done right). I always figure on how long its going to take,add 8hrs, and charge by the hr, I aint clear on the sf. for cabinets, by the time ya add up what its worth, its looks high no matter whos lookin at it, I always try and talk HO into changin the hardware, as it gives finished product a greater presentation, makes the HO freak out betta! theres good $ in them if you got patiance, I turned in a bid last week on a small kitc. it was like 8' base, 10' wall, then a 6' base they used as a bar, its got a real light coat a varn. Im makin it all white for 2gs, wich is a fraction comp. to new! seems more folks are takin that option latley. there just really time consumin.


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## dincao (Oct 25, 2007)

That is a very small kithchen while there is a lot of work involved your price of 4,200 is really not that bad, considering the cost to replace would probably be a little more then double that!!


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## Ron 2 (Jun 27, 2008)

*So, did you bid it?*

I've only recently found this forum but this topic is right up my alley:yes:. First question is; what kind of finish is currently on the millwork?... it's likely a pre-cat nitrocellulose lacquer, applied over a wiping stain. 
Pricing this?
-The species in the sample you're trying to achieve is deffinately Red Oak; from what I can tell, so are the existing cabs; this is a good thing.
-From what I can see in the pictures, the cabs are face framed; this is not so good.
-_If they are_ lacquered, there is _no reason to strip anything_ when going dark like the sample. If the existing finish _is sound_ (check the inside/top edge of the doors on the sink cabinets for deterioration, they get the most abuse), then simply wash with TSP and sand the sh*t out of them. Once you've cut the existing lacquer, shoot a "wash coat" (40/60; solvent/ pre-cat sealer) on them and shade with "microtoners" to darken the "tight grain" of the Oak (you'll need to make a "breakout board" on the back of a drawerfront to get the toners right). When you're dark enough, finish with a two coat (shoot/ light sand/ shoot) pre-cat top coat in the chosen sheen (sample appears to be about 40 degree).

Obviously, this requires a complete shut down of the kitchen while the sitework is in progress. Everything you can take "off-site" should be R & R'd. Shooting toners with a conventional, inside a furnished house, requires _severe_ overspray discipline _and_ a means of achieving safe/filtered make-up air and exhaust. 

Are you tooled up/sufficiently experienced to be considering tackling this kind of job? I could do this job @ $14/sq and make money but I'd probably ask for around $25-$30 (I'd have to see the site)...this is highly specialized work.

This coating system _will perform as well as the original_ and would be fully warranted. 

Stripping?...If it's lacquered, you're hauling out the methylene chloride...stripping all that face framing + island panels + end gables...on site?...ewwww .

Cheers, Ron


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