Estimate Suspended Ceilings
Suspended ceilings, also known as drop or grid ceilings, are composed of metal frames and gypsum tiles. They are one of the most affordable and easy-to-install options for both homes and businesses. Because they create a plenum space above the tiles, they can hide ugly pipes and wiring, or provide room for electronic or HVAC equipment. Estimating the cost of these ceilings is fairly simple, and requires only basic construction knowledge.
Instructions
1. Measure the dimensions of the room to determine width and length. Multiply these numbers together to calculate the square footage of the room. For example, in a room that is 10' wide by 12' long, the square footage of the ceiling will be 120 square feet.
2. Divide your total square footage by 4 to determine how many 2' by 2' tiles you will need. In our example of a room that's 120 square feet, we would need 30 tiles to complete the project. If using 2' by 4' tiles, you will need to divide by 8. Here, we would need 15 tiles at 2' by 4'. Multiply the cost per tile from your local supplier by the number of tiles needed to determine how much the ceiling tiles will cost you.
3. Calculate how many rows of tiles will fit across the room. Here, we would have 5 rows. With mains needed every 2' to support the tiles, we would need 3 rows of mains that are the same length of the room. Calculate the cost for 3 mains that are 12' in length to determine the cost of the the mains for the grid.
4. Estimate the number of 2' tee sections required by dividing the number of tiles needed for the job by 2. This gives a rough estimate, and can be multiplied by the cost per each tee.
5. Purchase enough wall molding to cover the entire perimeter of the room. Here we would need 44', which is calculated by adding 10', 10', 12' and 12'. This material can be puchased in any size and cut to fit, so use the most affordable lengths that will work for your needs.
6. Decide what kind of tile will be used. If clean room tile is required, or other specialized varieties, you will need to add a premium as this will be more expensive than regular tile.
7. Add in the cost of labor to install the ceilings. Determine how many hours the job will take and multiply this by your hourly labor costs, including burden.
Tags: tiles will, would need, , square footage, will need, cost mains, Estimate Suspended