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AIBU?

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Original poster

£675 to fit 9 curtain rails

92 replies

sprunggreens · 22/03/2023 20:28

I'm really lost with how much handy man type jobs should cost at the moment. I've had several quotes for bigger jobs that have ranged from £6k-24k, a sofa re-cover that's been quoted £2k-3.5k (more than a new one costs). Paint jobs in the thousands and I can't judge if I'm being ripped off. My house is unusual and impressive and I think the trades people might be adding on £££. I can do a bit myself but I want these curtain rails straight and strong and it's hard for me to do it myself (with the kids under my feet). I don't know anyone who can do this for me. Is £675 too much for 9 curtain rails? It's £75 per rail.

OP posts:
QueenCamilla · 22/03/2023 22:28

whirlyswirly · 22/03/2023 22:11

I just had a bathroom fitting quote that came out at around £700 per day. We pay our md at work around that amount for running a business that turns over millions. It's crazy.

I know, right?

I've gone all vintage now and am DIYING the heck out of my project of a house.

My actually skilled job (that needs skill&talent) pays less than it costs to dig a ditch around my house. So I'm taking time off work to dig a ditch.
I've also been on my roof (saved myself 3.5k in the process) and done some electrical wiring that then got signed-off (I passed!).
Honestly, it ain't rocket science from the knowledge point of view. Some things can be physically too hard to DIY or need equipment and practice. That's it.

I know not everyone is able to do the work themselves but in my case I'd be homeless if I wasn't able to get stuck in. I would have had to sell up at a massive loss and rent for the rest of my life.

I might actually become a handy-woman. My pole skills are great, particularly to a jazzy tune. £200 an hour.

Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 02:48

Gribbit987 · 22/03/2023 21:55

£75 per rail sounds fine.

But ideally you would be wanting someone to do it for day rate. My carpenter’s day rate is £300 + vat and he doesn’t like pricing by the day so will only slot me in when a job falls through.

If these are fitted on ladders, around any awkward angles then you will pay a premium.

With regards to the sofa - what did you want to cover it in and is the fabric included in the price? Is the sofa being properly rebuilt from the frame up or just recovered?

My sofa reupholstered was about 4k and that was because it’s big and I chose a fabric that cost £90 a metre. What is the split labour/fabric?

They quoted for £18 per metre, 6 metres. I would have wanted much more expensive fabric. The rest was labour I just ditched the sofa. I couldn't justify it.

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 02:50

QueenCamilla · 22/03/2023 22:02

It's time to start en masse refusing these stupid quotes.
I honestly don't know who on earth "the trades" think they are. I can just about understand a £250 day rate for a skilled person if it's an all-day job. Electrician, gas engineer, structural builder, roofer, etc... But how have we come to this point where unskilled (and often times sub-par) workers get more per hour than nurses, teachers, scientists, chefs, all emergency workers, workers in manufacturing, car mechanics, etc.?

That £675.00 quote divided by 8h of a full working day, is £84.40.
Nearly 85 quid an hour for hanging curtain poles (and it won't even take 8h to do) ! 8 times the minimum wage!
Stick that pole where it don't shine!

And they all want cash, that's double for me to earn.

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 02:51

stealthninjamum · 22/03/2023 22:07

Op I put a curtain rail up once and ten years later it’s still there!

why don’t you watch a few YouTube videos? You only need the screws, raw plugs, spirit level, a ruler, pencil and drill. And if it goes wrong then you could polyfilla and get someone else to finish it.

I've just put up all my blinds but I want the curtains perfectly done and I'm just struggling to have the time. I think I will end up doing it myself.

OP posts:
Karatequeen · 23/03/2023 03:01

Almost £600 for one days work? No that’s not right. £250 max would be fine

Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 05:59

I've worked out that if I hire my babysitter for a day, order in a roast and buy all the extra bits I need to do a professional job then I'll still be £500+ better off. I'm doing it myself this Sunday. The bonus is that I can measure, order and get my curtains up for Easter instead of waiting a month for them to be done.

I just remembered that I was quoted £15k for curtains. I looked up the material online and it was £22 from Jane Clayton instead of the £45 per metre as quoted by the interior design shop. The whole job will be £7k now saving me £8k. The online retailer must have a profit margin in that so I'm sure people are taking the piss. I really do not want to do any of this myself but I just can't pay what I'm being quoted for these jobs.

OP posts:
Littlegoth · 23/03/2023 06:03

I paid £600 last month for 5 doors to be trimmed and hung, a blind hanging, 8 curtain rails fitted and a kitchen unit fitted (unit supplied by us) and I thought that was steep!

Pottedpalm · 23/03/2023 06:51

It’s only worth covering an expensive, well made sofa. To re-cover properly is skilled and time consuming work and if you have a cheap Ikea sofa there’s no point. Cheaper to buy a new one.
when we moved we had two very large Duresta sofas covered. The fabric cost £££ but is utterly gorgeous. Cost of the work was less than the fabric and in total less than replacing the sofas.
I also live near Leamington Spa and can recommend a lady who does work of the highest quality.

Tighginn · 23/03/2023 06:55

Use task rabbit.

QuintanaRoo · 23/03/2023 07:00

I’d certainly be watching some YouTube videos and giving it a go myself at that price!

I am about to get some quotes for sofa reupholstering. No idea if this is sensible or not as they’re ten year old CSL sofas but I love them, they’re so comfy and I can’t find anything else new which I like.

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 23/03/2023 07:10

I had a wonderful time screwing through my thumb fitting curtain poles on the day of the queen’s funeral. If you can fit blinds curtains will be a breeze. Make a day of it, enjoy that roast and save shit-loads! You’ll be golden ❤️

Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:11

Pottedpalm · 23/03/2023 06:51

It’s only worth covering an expensive, well made sofa. To re-cover properly is skilled and time consuming work and if you have a cheap Ikea sofa there’s no point. Cheaper to buy a new one.
when we moved we had two very large Duresta sofas covered. The fabric cost £££ but is utterly gorgeous. Cost of the work was less than the fabric and in total less than replacing the sofas.
I also live near Leamington Spa and can recommend a lady who does work of the highest quality.

Yes please, I have some thing else. The sofa was a well made Italian brand. We thought it was worth re-covering but decided to buy a cheaper new one instead.

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:13

Littlegoth · 23/03/2023 06:03

I paid £600 last month for 5 doors to be trimmed and hung, a blind hanging, 8 curtain rails fitted and a kitchen unit fitted (unit supplied by us) and I thought that was steep!

I need someone like this. They always want to look at the job and then they add £££ because my house looks fancy.

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:14

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 23/03/2023 07:10

I had a wonderful time screwing through my thumb fitting curtain poles on the day of the queen’s funeral. If you can fit blinds curtains will be a breeze. Make a day of it, enjoy that roast and save shit-loads! You’ll be golden ❤️

I'm gearing myself up for this, thank you for the encouragement!

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:15

Tighginn · 23/03/2023 06:55

Use task rabbit.

I'm going to look into this, thank you (and pp).

OP posts:
Stressybetty · 23/03/2023 07:15

The Next Door app in your local area should have recommended tradespeople or you can ask on there for someone honest.

Woodywasatwat · 23/03/2023 07:18

I used to live in a very large, impressive looking home once and I found that people added on money when quoting me, just because they thought we had money and could afford it.

I even overheard two trades people speaking once and they both said they had added on more because we could obviously afford it.

We couldn’t. They didn’t know the circumstances of why we were there, but we weren’t rolling in it.

Morechocmorechoc · 23/03/2023 07:19

Just get a handy man with a decent drill. I mean I'm useless but do my own. It would take me half a day to put up 9 rails. My handy man charges 150 a day in the east and he would have those up and do a few other bits in a day.

BadForBusiness · 23/03/2023 07:22

I think that's too much for curtain rails.

Sofa reupholstery genuinely does cost a hell of a lot though. It's really skilled and time consuming. From previous MN threads nobody ever gets quotes less than the price of a new sofa.

Ifailed · 23/03/2023 07:26

two people on a job that will mean it's the only thing they'll do that day, £675 is a bit high but understandable.

Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:27

Ifailed · 23/03/2023 07:26

two people on a job that will mean it's the only thing they'll do that day, £675 is a bit high but understandable.

It's just one guy.

OP posts:
Original poster
sprunggreens · 23/03/2023 07:27

Morechocmorechoc · 23/03/2023 07:19

Just get a handy man with a decent drill. I mean I'm useless but do my own. It would take me half a day to put up 9 rails. My handy man charges 150 a day in the east and he would have those up and do a few other bits in a day.

I can't find one!

OP posts:
Dedodedo · 23/03/2023 07:30

I enquired on nextdoor for somebody local to put a catflap into a pvcu door, its not a big job especially for somebody handy who has the jigsaw to cut the hole, i had 3 replies from 350 to 500!! To cut a hole basically, around a hours work 😱

Tighginn · 23/03/2023 07:34

Dedodedo · 23/03/2023 07:30

I enquired on nextdoor for somebody local to put a catflap into a pvcu door, its not a big job especially for somebody handy who has the jigsaw to cut the hole, i had 3 replies from 350 to 500!! To cut a hole basically, around a hours work 😱

Call your local glazing company.

Ginmonkeyagain · 23/03/2023 07:34

I had two curtain poles fitted last year in Londin - £120. That included removing the old ones, cutting the new poles to size, making good any holes in the plaster etc.. It was a bit of a complex job as I wanted them moved a little and our window casements have have a hidden metal frame meaning you need to be careful where you drill (as I myself found out 😣)