Garage Conversion help on Quote

Associate
Joined
22 Jul 2020
Posts
6
Hi All,

I’m new and was wondering if any builders here can help - I’m having a lot of trouble on obtaining a quote to convert my integral garage, 16x16, based in Essex and has an internal wall (don’t ask...( to be removed).
I have gotten a quote and was hoping you could help on whether i am being overcharged. Thanking you in advance for all your help.

Insulate floor £1500
Dam floor & screed - 1800
Box in boiler - 400
Overboard ceiling - 900
Take out doorframe and put in new door frame - 500
Dot dab walls - 2400
Thermaboard ext walls - 1800
Plaster room 2500
8 double sockets and 12 downlights - 1500
Adjust footing and lintels for brickwork - 800
Lintels for new windows - 675
Brickwork for 2 windows - 1900
Supply fit 2 windows - 2900
Steels & padstone & knock out internal arched wall 4K
Skips 900
Painting room 1500

Thanking you in advance.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Jan 2018
Posts
14,660
Location
Hampshire
You are being well ripped off.

1500 to paint a room? lol

Dot n dab + plastering is way way overpriced, overboard ceiling 900... no way.

Run a mile from whoever quoted you this.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
22 Jul 2020
Posts
6
Thanking you all for your advice and feedback. My spider senses went off immediately and somewhat dismay. I started pricing out some materials and considering the cost of them and what they are charging (without getting into the project management, fixtures and labour etc) I couldn’t understand why it was so expensive.

How would you respond back to getting a quote like this? Ignore it or call them out?
 
Associate
Joined
10 Feb 2006
Posts
882
Location
Nottingham
Thanking you all for your advice and feedback. My spider senses went off immediately and somewhat dismay. I started pricing out some materials and considering the cost of them and what they are charging (without getting into the project management, fixtures and labour etc) I couldn’t understand why it was so expensive.

How would you respond back to getting a quote like this? Ignore it or call them out?

Ignore it. Not worth your time as they're not going to come down enough to make the quote reasonable.
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
33,073
Some of those items are absolutely crazy, that’s a quote which aimed squarely at making a giant profit from the few people who will go for it. I can see why some tradesmen work like this, but it is fairy scummy imo.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
22 Jul 2020
Posts
6
Some of those items are absolutely crazy, that’s a quote which aimed squarely at making a giant profit from the few people who will go for it. I can see why some tradesmen work like this, but it is fairy scummy imo.
I know mate and that’s what i was thinking- even plastering looks like its more than double at 3K inc VAT.....
To think that there is some old people out there that wouldn’t know any better and would get ripped off....

You are being well ripped off.

1500 to paint a room? lol

Dot n dab + plastering is way way overpriced, overboard ceiling 900... no way.

Run a mile from whoever quoted you this.


Thank you for reassuring me

Some of those items are absolutely crazy, that’s a quote which aimed squarely at making a giant profit from the few people who will go for it. I can see why some tradesmen work like this, but it is fairy scummy imo.

Amen !
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Jun 2006
Posts
38,372
My thoughts exactly - It would be more logical to just NOT respond if they weren’t interested. Or the above by Sonny

RIP OFF!

It's pretty much a case of ripping people off. Why work 10 jobs a month when you can work 1 and earn the same amount?

I asked the guy across the road for a quote and when he said its x per hour I scarpered. They could take a million hours to do the job. I want a proper quote down to the last penny. What I don't want is a blank cheque where you price the job per hour as its then in their interest to take as long as they want.
 
Associate
Joined
20 May 2009
Posts
1,857
I asked the guy across the road for a quote and when he said its x per hour I scarpered. They could take a million hours to do the job. I want a proper quote down to the last penny. What I don't want is a blank cheque where you price the job per hour as its then in their interest to take as long as they want.

Trouble with that is the unforseen problems.
You either account for some extra time and materials in your quote and potentially lose the job due to being expensive, or you hope the customer will pay extra on top if something unexpected needs doing.

If the customer doesn't want to pay then builders or any other trade will probably cut corners so they don't loose money on the job.

It's all about trust and getting the job done properly. I'll only ever estimate bigger jobs and keep the customer up to date with any extras etc.
If it takes less time then the customer pays less than the estimate, or I'll have time to do any extras while I'm there.
If it takes longer then the customer knows where that extra time and money has been spent.

Win win in my eyes.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
22 Jul 2020
Posts
6
Trouble with that is the unforseen problems.
You either account for some extra time and materials in your quote and potentially lose the job due to being expensive, or you hope the customer will pay extra on top if something unexpected needs doing.

If the customer doesn't want to pay then builders or any other trade will probably cut corners so they don't loose money on the job.

It's all about trust and getting the job done properly. I'll only ever estimate bigger jobs and keep the customer up to date with any extras etc.
If it takes less time then the customer pays less than the estimate, or I'll have time to do any extras while I'm there.
If it takes longer then the customer knows where that extra time and money has been spent.

Win win in my eyes.

Not sure what unforeseen problems there will be regarding a £1900 (inc VAT) to paint the room. Or over 1K (inc VAT) to overboard a ceiling. Or 2K for 8 sockets and 12 down lighters.

If i said this to my boss at work i would more than likely be pulled into a room and get called incompetent.

While i agree with you in theory (ie - you may not know what calcs SE will come back with regarding size of steel) i seldom find that the builder will adjust accordingly and decrease original quote. If say, for example, the steel required was smaller.

You sir are a genuine example of someone honest - unfortunately it would seem not everyone is like this.
 
Associate
Joined
20 May 2009
Posts
1,857
Not sure what unforeseen problems there will be regarding a £1900 (inc VAT) to paint the room. Or over 1K (inc VAT) to overboard a ceiling. Or 2K for 8 sockets and 12 down lighters.

If i said this to my boss at work i would more than likely be pulled into a room and get called incompetent.

While i agree with you in theory (ie - you may not know what calcs SE will come back with regarding size of steel) i seldom find that the builder will adjust accordingly and decrease original quote. If say, for example, the steel required was smaller.

You sir are a genuine example of someone honest - unfortunately it would seem not everyone is like this.

My comment wasn't specifically aimed at your quote, everything listed on yours is excessively priced.

It's fairly common to find electricians that charge by the socket/switch/light etc, tilers that charge per m2 and so on.

Where I used to work there was a fixed price per radiator, whether it was a 30 min like for like swap or a half/full day drain down and move a radiator to the other side of the room. I guess it averages out but I always feel sorry for the people with easy jobs that get charged over the top just because 'that's the price'.

My estimates and invoices always show a materials and labour charge separate as well. In my experience people know how much labour costs and are quite happy to pay it, there's no need to hide it in a materials cost.
 
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