is this builder taking the piss?

[RagingDull]

hi all
im having some problems getting a reasonable quote for doing some work and im wondering if this sounded reasonable or not.

we want to renovate the outside of our property.
currently there is an asbestos garage which we have a quote to take down and replace with a concrete garage. great. so far so good.

when this is done we want the existing front and back garden sorting out.
the drive needs reconcreting, the front lawn taking up and replacing with gravel, and a small boundary wall which is crumbling needs to be replaced with some fencing.
to the rear, the exisitng lawn needs taking up. behind the garage is a small dog run, totally overgrown but was gravelled. there are some shrubs at the bottom of the garden.
i would like these taking up, and the whole rear garden turfing. i would then like some decking at the end of the garden and all fence panels replaced.

its a decent sized garden but not huge. The garden is 7 fence panels long and 4 wide. i realise there is a couple of weeks work in it.

i had a quote from a "one man band" handy man type who says he can do it (though ive not seen his work) - he quoted £5300 but i would need to hire and pay for skips - it would come to around £5800k (without the garage - a seperate company are doing that)

i had a quote from the builder who built our kitchen extension, he quoted £8,500 (again without the garage ) I am thinking this is a tad excessive but im not sure? I am thinking he perhaps priced himself out because i dont think he really wanted the job, but i cant tell if he is taking the piss or not.....i am ooop north, not in London.

so ive had one quote at £5300
and one at £8500.
both men are self employed and work alone - not big companies. im not sure if the low quote means poor workmanship or the large quote means someone is taking the michael.....

opinions please....

Ask for references from the cheaper builder? Speak to people who have used him before. Then, if you decide to work with him, make sure that what you want is written down and everyone is clear about what they are getting for the money?

Get more quotes, you cant get a feel for how much the job is going to be on the basis of 2 quotes alone

I'd get about 6 quotes in total. Advertise the job on MyBuilder too, it's free and it will give you an idea of an average cost for the job

I thought not just any old handyman could deal with asbestos removal?

i am getting a specialist firm in to replace the garage - those quotes do not include the garage.

would not trust a builder to lay turf, surely all that garden stuff could be done by a landscape gardener.
get more quotes

Have you looked on checkatrade or similar and called builders off of there?

A landscaper should be able to do all for you, ours did both hard and soft lanscaping. Large decked area, small patio area, brick edging to flower beds and raised flower bed, cost 3.5k although I am 40 miles from London, so will probably be cheaper up north.
I was recommend getting a quote from a landscaper.

got 2 of those coming tomorrow havetowearheels so fingers crossed! one does concreting and paving and one doesnt - no rush so just weighing it all up.

I second the recommendation for a landscape gardener to quote - they should be able to do all of the things listed in your OP (except the garage)

god - now my head hurts.

i got another company in this morning who do building/gardening - they said block pave dont concrete....they said they could do the lot but id be pushing it with my budget of £6500......

i got a landscape gardener who said he would want to meet a builder and tell him what to do - and he would do the rest for £120 per day plus materials/skips....

i rang the original builder to ask how much to do the drive/fencing etc and he then asked how much i had to spend and said he would come back tomorrow....

the landscape gardener bloke was good and had some proper ideas for actual plants and trees and things.....!!!
but i cant work out how much it would cost. he is doing me an estimate....i quite liked the sound of plants and trees....

my head is now a shed.
(a garden shed. arf!) but seriously confused with everyone. and the garden is still a bloody eyesore.

Being in the building trade the lowest price is usually cut to the knuckle and usually means they are going to be coming back for more money stating that this work didnt include xyz. The cheapest materials are used and the spec can be basic and limited.

Dont forget if you hire a one man band without a labourer then you are paying top wack for a builder to mix concrete and do the cleaning which is never cost effective. A good builder should carry a labourer to do the meanal tasks hence more work is completed in one day otherwise the work will go on and on.

Concreting is very very expensive and hence why you've been told to use slabs.

personally I would do all the bits seperate and do a bit at a time. Once completed see how yr budget is.

Construction is now a very expensive business, waste disposal, fuel, rates etc have all gone up.

Reading this and from experience I would summise a ball park £10k.