How much should it cost to lay the pex for a slab on grade? To be stapled to the foam. Wire mesh on top. Ready for the hook-up when the time comes.

I graded, compacted, visqueen, and 2" foamboard. The quote  the customer had was $4.00 a sq. ft. for pex tubing, staple it to the foam, and 2 copper manifolds. I don't think the supplies was even $1.00 a sq. ft. 4-1/2 hours time. I installed the wire mesh. Then I poured the concrete. Was the customer charged the going rate for 2,000 sq. ft. of area?

I don't "think" you can buy the foam for a dollar a square foot.

The tubbing, stapling, and the manifold $4.00 sq ft. I did the rest for $4.50 sq ft. Grade, compact, foam, wire mesh, concrete, and finished.

it all depends what the going rate for your area is, but $1/sq ft for tubing and manifolds is not a bad estimate. now you might consider that hopefully there is more to the tubing install than simply showing up with a roll and putting it down. Load calculations, planning, etc. so you shouldn't necessarily judge only by the install labor itself.

Of course I have no idea if the installer did any of that or if it was necessary for the slab in question. just sayin'.

You don't think $1000+/hr is reasonable :-).

It's not clear to me why polyethylene isn't used at less than 1/2 the price of pex.

labor.

I just find it interesting that geothermal loops use hdpe and floor loops use pex.

geo guys do a lot of weird things.

I didn't see the entire qoute. It was $24,000 boiler and everything eles. The tubbing potion was $8,000. I just felt i'm in the wrong bussiness. Can the guy doing the concrete portion bid the tubbing? I already do the hardest part. I'm already there. Any input would be great>

The cost of tubbing (or tubing as we say around here) should be based on the size and location of the job. In most places installing PEX in a slab at $1.00/sq.ft. is break even money.

RPA certified installers should get more.

Ok,
HDPE pipe usually used fro geo systems is a fusion based system, the tool alone is about $2,000.00. Though the pipe is the system is not built out for in floor, manifolds are no available and are generally site built, HDPE pipe also is not a barrier type.
Pex Pipe is barrier rated, sells for .26 or more for per foot barrier, manifolds are readily available in copper, stainless, brass.
any installer at $1,000. a day is running a bit rich for most home owners or general contractors.
Foam runs about a $1,00 sq ft, pipe .26, a staple .03, 6 mill plastic , .025 sq ft, So base cost is about $1.35 sq ft,
Slab on grade is a straight shot, hard to miss, easy to do.
Dan