SKIM COAT COST:

[RONCHAM]

Hi - can someone give me a rough idea of the cost of skim coating a new plasterboard ceiling in a room approx. 10' x 7' - no unusual features.
I've received one quote of £250 which seems high to me? To be honest, I was expecting £150 or less. I understand it's a one-visit job that would take a couple of hours and material costs are not too much? I don't mind paying the going rate to a skilled tradesman but £250 for a morning's work seems high? At that rate, my living room would be close to £1000 for the same job!

Regards.

 

[1john]

Dunno what rates are like in surry, does seem a bit high though, As always, get three quotes minimum and ALWAYS check references and view other jobs.

 

[stevethespreader]

way to high for a small ceiling like that, straight onto board as well so no prep needed i would say about half that

 

[RONCHAM]

I'm not in the stockbroker belt but rates are too high for my liking in this neck of the woods and this was a local guy two minutes away! I thought we were in a recession and prices might be keener?!

My only experience of plastering is watching Tommy W. on tv and the only prep I envisaged was 5 minutes taping - seemed to me he'd knock out such a small area in about 30 minutes with materials less than a tenner!!

I intend to get a couple more quotes though reluctant to take up references for such a piddling job. Would prefer recommendations from satisfied customers.

Regards.

 

[stevethespreader]

where abouts in surrey are you whats your postcode?

 

[RONCHAM]

CR5. So barely in Surrey but on the outskirts of Croydon - by start of the M23 and 5 mins from the M25 - not exactly adjacent to Hampshire!

Regards.

 

[kingandy2nd]

It could be that the person who quoted for you is really busy and didn’t want the job, so priced himself out.

Alternatively, the job might only take half a day but if he can’t find another half day job to do on that day, then he’s going to charge you the day rate for him and his labourer.

Or he could have seen your 40 x 28 foot lounge and decided that you were worth a bob or two and loaded his price accordingly

As has already been said, get a least 3 quotes and don’t decide based on price alone.

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for the advice. Although I'm beginning to see the reason now - it's a failure in the maths department!
My lounge is certainly about 4x area of room in question and I assume plastering is broadly priced on an area basis in like for like jobs? But my lounge is certainly not 40' x 28' - that would be 16x the area and come in at about £4000!!

Regards.

 

[joe-90]

£150 ish would be a fair price and give the guy time to get it nice and neat. I like short easy days like that - time to do the job right and still get home before the rush hour.

 

[RONCHAM]

That's reassuring! And it still wouldn't be a bad wage if you didn't want to or need to work your socks off. I'd do it every day of the week (if I had the skill) and spend the afternoons on the golf course (but not today!).
I think, sometimes, a University education is over-rated.

Regards.

 

[stevethespreader]

CR5. So barely in Surrey but on the outskirts of Croydon - by start of the M23 and 5 mins from the M25 - not exactly adjacent to Hampshire!

Regards.

portsmouth to coulsdon = 68.8 miles i could do that distance and still beat your origonal quote the furthest i have traveled to do 1 ceiling is 98 miles , i dont think the plasterer wanted your job for some reason because the price he quoted is just way to high

 

[joe-90]

One fifty and the job's yours.

 

[RONCHAM]

Not sure how far you have to travel these days for work? - obviously not too far for a small job else you have to factor in your travel time and fuel costs. I did know a guy in Coventry who worked almost exclusively in London but presumably big jobs and rich clients.
It's Catch-22 contacting tradesmen - during the day they're likely to be working and in the evening they're too knackered to take calls. Meanwhile their secretary/ wife is out spending their dosh!

Regards.

 

[Micilin]

If you only got one quote then £250 IS the going rate !

Look at it from another point of view - if the guy is making that money every day then he is not going to give up a day's money just so that you can have a nice ceiling.

You need the 3 quotes as mentioned and ask to see their work, don't just for cheapest - get value for money.

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for that. I DO intend to get a couple more quotes. £250 ISN'T the going rate 'cos I aint gonna go with that rate!
I figured a fairly busy guy would fit it in with a similar small job on the same day, else make it a job he can whack out on a Saturday morning just before Christmas so he can get his wife a nice prezzy!

Regards.