# Wallpaper Removal



## promax (Jan 30, 2011)

Hey guys, I have a bid to submit on a job that involves removing wallpaper from 650sqf of wall. It was sized and it comes off ok from when i did a test spot. I know im still gonna have to do alot of prep once its removed. Then she wants 2 coats over that. I know what I will charge for the paint, my question is how much should i charge to remove the wall paper. I went on a couple of websites and the average low is 4 dollars a square, to a high of 9 dollars a square. Any info on this would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Wood511 (Dec 13, 2010)

Think about what you have to do, how long it will take and what your hourly rate is...and do the math.

Remember to add the drying time once you wash off the TSP.

If that doesn't work, a lot of us just use $99 per room.


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## paintr56 (Jan 21, 2010)

I would be in the $1400 to $1600 range and that price would include One layer of paper applied with water soluble glue over properly prepared walls and up to one hour of wall repair. This assumes you are talking about walls with 8' ceilings and no real obstacles to work around.

I hope your $4 to $9 a square price is per square foot and not per square as in 100 sq. ft. 

Jim


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## promax (Jan 30, 2011)

all my research shows 4-9 dollars a sqf to remove wallpaper, i was thinking of charging 3.00 a sqf because she is giving me the paint job as well. that puts me 1950.00 for the removal. does that sound fair. Also they are 8 ft ceilings, 650sqf of wall surface to remove and prep with spackle and a prime coat. and forgive me for being new but 99 a room is a joke right. lol


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Time and material. But if it helps, we just stripped 560sqft and oil primed in 30 man hrs.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

What does the average price have to do with you? Charge what you need to.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

With what you describe, "comes off ok", my estimate would be priced at one minute per square foot. 

But when I estimate for stripping, I do not subtract any openings from the gross s.f of the room. i.e., a 10 x 12 x 7' 9" room is 341 s.f.

Those $4 - $9 per s.f. figures you found are, IMO, obscenely high. 

A quick run down of my methodology.

If surface is vinyl or even painted, buzz with 36 grit on palm sander (scoring tools do not open up enough "pores"), vacuum up dust, mist area you will strip in the day with solution of water and stripper (I like Safe and Simple), spray day's area again, *let solution work it's magic*, strip one SMALL section at a time while keeping rest of area wet, wash section just stripped - do not let dry or you'll be doing double the work by needing to rewet again, I scrub with a teflon grill scrub pad and rinse with a micro fiber towel. Move to next small section. Keep misting unstripped walls as you strip your sections. 

That room you described, off the top of my head, should take approx 11 hours.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

I use a method similar to Da Arch's. 

I rent one of these http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and do all my sanding first. Then have guys wetting the walls and stripping, while I take it back.

Orbital sander works fine, but the drywall sander collects almost all the dust. Otherwise it can be a really messy (dusty) job. 

Rent more paper than you think you need, they will take it back when you return the unit. Only problem is that they only carry 80 grit.


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

daArch said:


> With what you describe, "comes off ok", my estimate would be priced at one minute per square foot.
> 
> But when I estimate for stripping, I do not subtract any openings from the gross s.f of the room. i.e., a 10 x 12 x 7' 9" room is 341 s.f.
> 
> ...


Bill let's be honest. When you charge for stripping, payment usually comes in $1 increments, has nothing to do with wallpaper, and you call it "side work"


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

daArch said:


> With what you describe, "comes off ok", my estimate would be priced at one minute per square foot.
> 
> But when I estimate for stripping, I do not subtract any openings from the gross s.f of the room. i.e., a 10 x 12 x 7' 9" room is 341 s.f.
> 
> ...


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## LA Painter (Jul 28, 2009)

I once tested a small spot that came off easy, so I bid the room for about 4 hrs. Turns out the spot I tested was the ONLY spot that came off easy. The room took several days. Never again. It's T&M or nothing for me.


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## acmasterpainter (May 15, 2011)

Im an old guy with no magic potions  just water, sprayer, killer scraper and a switched off brain. Dont tend to be so precise with stripping rates, as we do so much of it. Some you win, some you dont win so well.

I allow 8 hours to strip and bag up to 350 sq ft. Worst job in recent times took about 12 hours, but very rare

last week 500 sq ft of vinyl and lining paper stripped and bagged on a hall stairs and landing, on my own, in 6 hours. Water from a reduced pressure spray gun put paid to the wallpaper

Thinned down paste is a good trick for stripping. It wont dry out like water so you can just apply once and leave till the basepaper is bubbling away. 

Main difference for us is, we dont really come across wallpaper on bare plasterboard. Been using 1,5mm thick R300 MAV lining, that would deal with any wrecked walls, and at 1m wide, covers very fast.



.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

bikerboy said:


> I use a method similar to Da Arch's.
> 
> I rent one of these http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and do all my sanding first. Then have guys wetting the walls and stripping, while I take it back.


I should have bought one of those YEARS ago. Any tool that can sand and vac at the same time should be standard equipment for those of you who are young enough to have 7 more years in the business. At age 61, I don't expect I'll be stripping walls that long. It's bear work.



Different Strokes said:


> Bill let's be honest. When you charge for stripping, payment usually comes in $1 increments, has nothing to do with wallpaper, and you call it "side work"


It ain't side work. It's good money for me. I work hard for it, but it's good money. Payment ain't in $1 increments. Final estimate is rounded up to whatever is appropriate. 



chrisn said:


> The big IF comes in when 3 of the walls were not primed and this guy just happened to test the wall that was. You know ecactly what I mean


Absotively. 

And I've tested the BAD wall before and made even a bigger killing. I love the law of averages.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Just patch the seems and paint the sucker, tell her you removed it. You will make a killing 

Yea for me it would be T&M too. 

Pat


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> Just patch the seems and paint the sucker, tell her you removed it. You will make a killing
> 
> 
> 
> Pat


the only killing you're making is your chance of going to heaven :whistling2:


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## propainterJ (Jan 31, 2011)

Nobody uses steamers?

We started using them a couple years ago,or so,I like how they work,for the most part.


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

propainterJ said:


> Nobody uses steamers?
> 
> We started using them a couple years ago,or so,I like how they work,for the most part.


 Not in recent years. We used to use an electric steamer and way back we had a kerosene steamer. Anybody remember those? Those things would cook. I was always afraid of burning down the house! We would strip whole houses after a resale. In the the days before A/C, in the middle of the summer with the kerosene steamer going...we were living!!!!
For a while we got away from it all together and used a company here that specializes in only wallcovering removal. Had plenty else to do and didn't need the headaches of the removal. Over the past several years we have done more of it again. The quality of what was being left us by the removal company wasn't what it was and with there being generally a little less work around we have gotten back into it.

Just an observation. The majority of the wallcovering that we remove does not go back up, where years ago we did a lot of removal with the intention of replacing the paper. In this area they have gotten away from the paper in favor of paint , decorative finishes and some texture.


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Different Strokes said:


> Bill let's be honest. When you charge for stripping, payment usually comes in $1 increments, has nothing to do with wallpaper, and you call it "side work"


Bill, I was speaking of your side work at the club. You know, when all the ladies are stuffing money in your pants. Failed attempt at humor. I apologize.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

Different Strokes said:


> Bill, I was speaking of your side work at the club. You know, when all the ladies are stuffing money in your pants. Failed attempt at humor. I apologize.


 
Bill at "Work"


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Still got the moves!


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

In your proposal make sure to include MINOR repairs to walls. Have a separate section that states if any major repairs are involved including Skim Coating an additional hourly rate will apply. 

Last year I screwed myself I removed all the wallpaper then had to skim coat every single wall. I didn't for see all the repairs. I thought it would be minor. Ended up losing money because I was not specific in my proposal!!!:no:


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

T&M until the walls are ready for paint . just quote for the painting, that'll cover ya.


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## promax (Jan 30, 2011)

thanks everyone for the advice. my proposal is in and i hope she says yes lol. went with 1 min per sqf for the prep, gave her a solid estimate that covers me and my helper very well. ill let you guys know how it turns out. thanks again.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Biker,

That vid is just WRONG (and I'm jealous to boot)


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## JHill (May 13, 2010)

Wallpaper removal is definately a time and material way to go.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

On Monday, I'm scheduled to strip bamboo. Thin bamboo, about the diameter of toothpicks. I am lucky that the HO trusts me and I was able to give a price range. I told them between 7 and 9 hours for the 21 x 12 x 7 living room

But the good news is that after it's done, I'm going to have a some new valid data to enter into my formulas :thumbup:

I haven't committed to any one method yet, but I expect a lot of soaking is going to be needed. I'm hoping I can easily "separate" the bamboo from the backing while dry and then just deal with an easy wet strip. 

Stay tuned.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Cowbu said:


> Hi, Which technique you use for removing the wallpaper it's depends on what kind of paper you're taking down and what kind of surface is underneath.


TRUE, but napalm works for all


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

daArch said:


> With what you describe, "comes off ok", my estimate would be priced at one minute per square foot.
> 
> But when I estimate for stripping, I do not subtract any openings from the gross s.f of the room. i.e., a 10 x 12 x 7' 9" room is 341 s.f.
> 
> ...


This method will allow for the vinyl face and the backer to come off at that same time?? Normally I hit it with hot water, pull the face of the vinyl off and then rewet the backer (water and stripper) and scrape off. 

Your method may save a bunch of time if I'm reading this right?


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Actually, on those PBV's (paper backed vinyl) where the facing easily pulls off dry, I just pull the facing off and then wet the thin cheap-ass substrate. It's about the easiest of all materials - except commercial vinyl hung with strippable paste on well prepped walls. 

But try it and see if it works and report back.


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