Was this a reasonable amount to pay for decorating?

[Sunnydaiz]

I'm in the south east and have just had some painting done in my flat. I got two quotes done and went with the cheaper one. The decorator arrived on time, did the work very well, and I've paid him. All good.

The only thing is that I've been so busy and had so much on my mind lately that it wasn't until after the work was finished that I wondered why the amount per day worked out as a lot more than his stated day rate. Obviously at this point I'm not going to say anything about it - the time for discussing it was before accepting the quote.

Just simply for my peace of mind, I would like to know - was the amount reasonable, or not? The work took 4 days and cost £1550. I provided most of the paint but the decorator provided some of it. The decorator worked hard and did not waste time, so the issue is not whether he sat around spinning out the work for longer than needed. The question is whether £1550 is a reasonable amount to pay for 4 days of work, including some paint? His stated day rate is £170.

We paid by room £150 for our regular rooms and £200 for the bedrooms that are 16ft x 12ft.

How has he broken down the charges because £170 x 4 days is £680.

What might the extra ~£800 be for?

Was it hal,l stairs and landing? thats always expensive.

@LightSpeeds That’s exactly what I’m wondering, and what I wish I’d asked before accepting the quote. Some of it was for paint. I am baffled about the rest. I know it is idiotic of me not to have thought to ask about this before accepting the quote. I have just had so much going on.

@tescocreditcard It wasn’t.

I think the only person who can answer your question is the decorator himself.

Go back to him and ask him why the price quoted wasn't the price invoiced.

The price quoted was the price invoiced. He said the work would cost £1550 and take four days. It did. I am just baffled - and obviously should have asked - why he quoted that amount for 4 days of work when his day rate is £170.

Again, only he can tell you why.

I've no idea what my painter & decorator would say if I asked her what her day rate was. But I have just accepted a quote for her to do my hall, stairway and landing in quite a big house at 2k. She said the job will take "about a week".

It sounds expensive but I'm in the SE too and I know that's about what I have paid before for a decorating job taking a week. Last time she did a job for me it wasn't just her working every day. There were often 2 or 3 of them working so maybe that is where the discrepancy comes in?

@Twiglets1 Thank you for your reply. Do you know whether it will be just her on this occasion, or more people? The work on my flat was one person for 4 days. He seems like a very nice, ethical person, so I wouldn’t like to think that he ripped me off.

the thing is they told you how much it would be and how long, so you can hardly question it now.

I have assumed there will be 1 or 2 people most days. Then again, they sometimes arrived late last time they did a job for me or left early. One of the painters who sometimes appeared was only working part time school hours.

I think you should have got 2 quotes then you would feel better about the cost. I got 2 quotes last time and they were both about 2k for a week's work. The other person who quoted was a man who would have done the job in about the same time by himself. I know because I have used him before.

Your guy sounds nice & his fees don't sound too astronomical to me for the SE. Maybe have a chat with him next week and try to get to the bottom of his fee structure so you will know for next time.

Here in Somerset, paid someone 300 to do our stairs and landing (inc the ceiling) earlier this year. Not a massive area, and not including downstairs hall. He's done a really good job too!

Was he working alone or did he have two of them working ?

How many days did it take them to do the stairs and landing?

If he had to put an undercoat on, I wouldn't say this was an unreasonable amount to pay and as PP's have said, it depends on the area. From my experience, getting stuff done properly is more expensive than we realise. I'm literally just about to post on here myself.

@Twiglets1 I did get 2 quotes - this one was the cheapest.

@Twiglets1 Good to know that the quotes you received were about 2k for a week’s work - very comparable to this.

It's probably about right for your area then.

I think it's worth paying a professional to do it right - there are days of prep needed before the paint goes on so a job that might look easy really isn't!
For me, anyway.

@Twiglets1 Yes, I definitely would not have wanted to do it myself! There were various fiddly bits involved.

Hi OP. Just had my London flat repainted at a cost of £1500. It took three days and there we two guys.

Thank you - that’s a useful comparison.

Am also in the SE
I recently had my (small) en-suite painted - I was quoted £360
I said I would do it myself as that was too much so he asked what I'd be prepared to pay
I said £200 and he agreed
But I also have a full house to be done so he knew that he will be doing that if I was happy with the job (I was)

It doesn't matter what he daily rate is

He gave you a fixed quote, which you accepted, and that's what he invoiced - end of

I paid about that for hall stairs and landing, took 3 days. My painter doesn’t quote a day rate, it’s just a quote, did include the paint though and lots of woodwork