Fire Escape Estimate Seems High...
Hi- Just looking for some advice- I finally got an estimate for having the fire escape scraped and painted (2 coats & primer)- about two 25 foot wide platforms on a 3 story building. The estimate was $3500 which seems really high– anyone have this work done before and could share their cost? Or share…
Hi-
Just looking for some advice- I finally got an estimate for having the fire escape scraped and painted (2 coats & primer)- about two 25 foot wide platforms on a 3 story building.
The estimate was $3500 which seems really high– anyone have this work done before and could share their cost? Or share their contractor?
Thanks!
be VERY careful this is not as simple as it may appear. w/ new EPA regulations and lead paint risks that could be a heft fine of about 30-35k… make sure whoever you hire is EPA certified to remove lead paint which can be very dangerous when inhaled
We had a five family and four family done this past spring. Each building had four fire escapes (2 front and 2 back), and it cost us $1600 per building (scraped, primed and two coats of paint) They did a good job. The buildings are 20 feet wide, so the fire escapes may be a little smaller than yours.
Eagle Contractors- in Sunset Park
OP here– Yeah, this bid was just for the one rear fire escape.
Your bid of 3750 was for front and rear fire escapes- essentially twice the work so mine for 3500 seems way off.
I got 2 proposals for fire escape painting on a 4 story building. 1st from a guy who had done cement work (recommended here for that type of work). For just the back fire escape a – scraping then oil base primer and paint – $975.
2nd proposal from a guy who ended up doing the roof and parapet repair (he’s very good, but not cheap). For both front and back fire escapes, wire brush clean, remove/replace bolts, etc. as needed ; 1 coat primer, + 2 finish coats – $3,750.00.
I also spoke to a guy doing a fire escape down the block and I think his price was a couple grand for front and back, but he was using day laborers who didn’t know the boss’s name. We ended up buying the paint and brushes and tools, and paying a couple of guys (who had done various work for us at another building) a couple hundred bucks a day to do the job. The work is not complicated – just tedious and messy like other painting jobs. You can get a wide range in prices and in quality of the work. If you don’t want to spend $3500 get another estimate or 2 (and check referrals). If you really want to save, be a diy contractor and buy the supplies and find the guys who want the work and congregate at the building or paint stores.