Estimate for:
Replacing broken tiles on low part of front elevation (about 4 at the most)
Tile front porch floor (2m sq) - tiles not specified as not chosen yet
Put in new water butt
Touch up, repair here and there and then paint masonry to ground floor front and back of house (small 2 bed terrace with windows and french doors) . No scaffolding needed, minor wear and tear.
put in one small (1m long and 12cm high) fence panel at front of house
fill smallish hole in plaster in kitchen (left by a drill gone through electric cable) and paint the area .
board a 2m sq area of loft.
No mention of VAT or specifying any of the costs broken down -
£4,950.
I actually laughed when I read the estimate. I've been out and bought the paint (£90) , water butt (£38) fence panel (£20) porch tiles and all the gubbins (£155 on 30% off sale) . The loft can wait and was an afterthought. The 4 or so tiles for the front of the house I can pick up (apparently from a local roofer near to me).
The world has gone bonkers, surely.