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Is this quote for a mirrored backsplash reasonable?

last year

I need a small backsplash area covered in a single piece of mirror, not mirrored tiles. The area is 33" x 18". There are two holes that need to be cut for electrical outlets, and those need mirrored covers.

I live in metro Detroit, which is an average cost of living area. I was just given a quote of $545. I think it sounds crazy high for less than 6 sf. of mirror.

This is from a company with a terrific reputation and I believe you get what you pay for. However, this is almost double what I was expecting, so I thought I would run it by you all and see if my expectations were realistic.

Thanks... Nicole

Featured Answer

stiley

last year

The price of glass has gone up in recent months, according to our builder. We had a full-length mirror for the back of our closet door made for $800, so $160/sq ft. So it sounds like a fair price, especially if you think they'll do it right the first time.

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Comments (7)

cupofkindnessgw
last year
That does seem high. However, I was shocked when I called my local glass shop for a quote on a 60" in diameter 1/4" thick clear glass top for my dining table. Regular greenish tint glass with polished edges: $450 before tax. It's cheaper to buy it from Ballard Designs. If you trust the glass shop, I'd go with it. Those outlet holes need to be cut perfectly and perhaps be reinforced from the back? Does the quote include the outlet covers?
nicoletouk thanked cupofkindnessgw
Connecticut Yankeeeee
last year
I’ve no experience with this type if application but have had glass and mirrors cut. It is not cheap if you want it done well.
nicoletouk thanked Connecticut Yankeeeee
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HU-918119203
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In a small job like this, the fabrication and installation constitutes a much larger % of the cost than materials. So it doesn't seem crazy to me - the time it takes to make and install this is probably equivalent to a much larger piece.
nicoletouk thanked HU-918119203
palimpsest
last year
I think it's the cutouts.

I don't think you would be paying much more if it were 18 x 84 with two cutouts, because labor would be much the same.
nicoletouk thanked palimpsest
nicoletouk
Original Author
last year
Thank you everyone for your input. I do realize the labor costs for this and another piece of mirror three times the size would be about the same. I just can't get over this price being about $100 a square foot!

Nicole.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
Nicole:

It's your square foot pricing that's causing you anguish. You've been given a very fair price and you should be grateful your glass fabricator even wants to fool with such a small high-risk-low-pay job.

I just gave a potential customer a price of $750.00, our minimum, to polish and profile a 25" x 1 1/4" raw granite edge to gloss. That's $24.00 per square inch. The customer lives in one of the most desirable areas in the country, behind several coded gates, gas is nearly $4.00 a gallon, and the guy doing the work makes $60K a year plus benefits. I'm running a for-profit business here, not a charity for the wealthy.

Sure, he can have the building handyman do it, but by the time he gets the end panel repainted from the scuff marks and the house cleaned from the dust, he's over $750.00.

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