Carpenter's quote too much - handyman?

[weakestlink]

Just recieved quote from carpenter for the following:

• hang oak bifold door
  
• hang 2 x 1'3 softwood doors
  
• cut 2m worktop to 1.3m and fit (new walls so should be square!)
  
• put up 5 (simple shelves) inside a pantry (new walls again so hopefully square)
  

Total: £590 and he is not VAT registered so no VAT.
Day rate is £140...
I have all the doors/hinges/handles so materials are fixings for worktop and shelves and the shelving boards for the pantry.

I am not willing and cannot afford to pay this - a handyman I had come and fit a radiator cover the other week only charges £100/day so I was wondering if he might be a second option for this work? Or is hanging doors a very specialist job?

The shelves are pretty simple - we have a similar set up in our bathroom cabinet - wooden battons on sides on walls and shelving boards placed on top. Is it me or is this pretty simple?

Any thoughts?

We are in a rural area where jobs are scarce and most ppl earn NMW. I earn £6.50/hr and my DH £9/hr so it's so hard to pay £140 per day out of that!!!!

[MrsjREwing]

Get two more carpenters to quote.

[7to25]

Give the handyman the shelving job and get more quotes from joiners.

[MrsMiniversCharlady]

It shouldn't take 4 days to do all that I wouldn't have thought...

Maybe try another carpenter. A decent handyman should be able to do it though. You could ask how many days he would take?

[PigletJohn]

his day rate is about right. But how many days does he expect it to take?

Are you paying a fixed price, or are you paying him by the day? What happens if he finishes part-way through the day?

A joiner will hang a door quicker and better than a handyman.

The work you describe is mostly joiner's work not carpenter's though most joiners can do carpentry. Joinery is a finer and intended to show. Making a door is joinery, buliding a roof is carpentry.

[Chopchopbusybusy]

His daily rate seems ok but 4 days for those jobs? Get another couple of quotes.

[herhonesty]

hanging doors is not a handymans job.

[weakestlink]

Piglet I got the quote in the post so no idea of his timeframe but it's a fixed price not day rate so if he leaves part-way though a day that won't affect the price. I know his day rate because I employed him to build a stud wall on day rate for 1 day a couple of weeks ago.

Will get another couple of quotes to compare seems to be the general consensus.

[AKissIsNotAContract]

Why is he not VAT registered?

[weakestlink]

Because his turnover is under the threshold...

[PigletJohn]

a quoted price is always higher than a day rate because he is taking on the risk that it might take longer than he estimates.

[weakestlink]

Piglet would you recommend renegotiating then and pay day rate? He is a fast worker if what he did for me the other week is anything to go by...

[Marzipanface]

It won't take four days for him to do that. Get some more quotes!

[Marzipanface]

It won't take four days for him to do that. Get some more quotes!

[PigletJohn]

I pay mine the daily rate because I am very fussy and have very precise requirements. He would probably work faster without my interference guidance.

[weakestlink]

Piglet I too am interfering fussy... but will try to be very clear at the start and keep my nose out to save £££!
I am waiting on a call from someone else to come and quote... Hopefully will be slightly less. Or I will just have to wait until I have more spare cash. Or I should retrain as a joiner