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Original poster

£16,500 to redecorate - am I being ripped off? How much were you charged?

231 replies

themummyway · 15/06/2020 00:13

Being quoted the following:

£2.5k for stripping old wallpaper + carpets and clear.
£7k for "complete decorating" (assuming this is painting 3 bedroom, living room, hallway + a installing flooring in said bedrooms)
£7k to plaster all rooms

Based in London. Average 3bed 1930s house. Is this reasonable? Anyone done similar? How much were you charged?

OP posts:
SirusTheVirus · 15/06/2020 00:14

Fuck that Shock

SamsMumsCateracts · 15/06/2020 00:17

No chance. We paid just over £1500 for our whole house to be plastered, similar number of rooms, plus stairs, hall and landing.

northernlittledonkey · 15/06/2020 00:17

Seems way over to me, I’d get more quotes.

gamerchick · 15/06/2020 00:17

The only thing I would need help with would be the plastering.

I wouldn't pay someone to do the rest. Especially not that much'. You can buy a wallpaper stripper for 25 quid.

Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 00:22

Thanks loves!
Are you in London? If you've done similar, can you tell me roughly how much you were charged?
Will definitely be haggling because these figures seem wild.

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 15/06/2020 00:22

A homeowner can usually dispose of bulky things like carpets for free - sometimes for reuse or via your council recycling centre. Check the local website. Once a tradesperson starts work the disposal will usually be chargeable and can be very expensive.

pinkrocker · 15/06/2020 00:32

OMG you're being way overcharged there! My EXH is an amazing plasterer and he'd usually charge £250 a room! He can get the walls so smooth they almost glow. Opposite end of the country though.

bringbacksideburns · 15/06/2020 00:38

Rip off!!

IdblowJonSnow · 15/06/2020 00:40

Pinkrocker if you're in west Yorkshire plz pm me, desperate for a good plasterer.
I think over the odds too OP.

pinkrocker · 15/06/2020 00:40

Idblow way further north than that, sorry!

Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 00:41

How much is reasonable for London?
Genuinely seeking guidance here!

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 15/06/2020 00:56

Honestly, I think £3k is the max I would spend for what you have described, and i'm in London. Just for context, I'm having an entire new kitchen fitted, with plumbing and electrics, and the cost (inc brand new kitchen and appliances) will be less than what you've quoted - significantly less at circa £10-12k, FYI.

Smallgoon · 15/06/2020 00:57

out of interest, who has quoted this?

WinterAndRoughWeather · 15/06/2020 00:59

Yes it’s too much, but haggling is not the way to go. Just get other quotes.

Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 00:59

@Smallgoon

Honestly, I think £3k is the max I would spend for what you have described, and i'm in London. Just for context, I'm having an entire new kitchen fitted, with plumbing and electrics, and the cost (inc brand new kitchen and appliances) will be less than what you've quoted - significantly less at circa £10-12k, FYI.
WOW

A builder quoted me this. Has done work for someone I know before, so trusted but I think I'm being had.

Give me 5 mins and I'll post the full quote, with breakdown below. Would really appreciate any guidance you can offer X

OP posts:
boboooooo · 15/06/2020 01:01

Which part of London are you in? We're NW but paid £1100 to get all that done!

Smallgoon · 15/06/2020 01:04

Bearing in mind, I'm in a small 1 bed flat, so it's difficult for me to estimate what the decorating costs on a house would be. However redecorating is not complicated work at all, and by the sounds of what you've described, I imagine it would take 2 weeks to complete, 3 at a push (depending on how many people are working on it) so not sure how they could justify that sort of cost.

I agree with the person who said don't haggle with them. What's the point when they can't be trusted? Just get more quotes from different trades people

Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 01:04

OK so full quote:

Total is c. £70k sans kitchen.
Context: house is old 1930s. Not much has been done in over 40 years.

£2.5k for stripping old wallpaper + carpets and clear.
£7k for "complete decorating" (assuming this is painting 3 bedroom, living room, hallway + a installing flooring in said bedrooms)
£7k to plaster all room
£6.5k rewire house (inc. new meter box)
£6.5k new combi boiler and plumbing (replace hot water cylinder)
£15.5k clear old kitchen, fit new. new roof, re
move wall, install rsj
£4k kitchen worktop
£4k new window in kitchen + bifold door
£3.5k new lights in lounge, remove back boiler, new flooring, new lights, remove french doors
£4.5k downstairs loo - tiling walls, floor, install new fan, new sink, loo, shower (+ clear existing)
£6.5k upstairs loo - new bath, toilet, sink, flooring, walls (+clear existing)
£3k new bedroom doors + fit

OP posts:
Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 01:05

@boboooooo

Which part of London are you in? We're NW but paid £1100 to get all that done!
Shitting hell. I'm in North!
OP posts:
Smallgoon · 15/06/2020 01:06

Which part of London are you in? We're NW but paid £1100 to get all that done!

There you go!!!

lemontreebird · 15/06/2020 01:06

I've been told that if tradesmen don't really want a job, they quote a ridiculous amount. So even if they take the job, they're quids in.

lissa93 · 15/06/2020 01:08

I'm in west London. The boiler sounds about right but you can get it for 3.5 k I know too! But I know they can go up to that price.

Do not accept this. 70k? They are having you on. My grandma just told me, (I screenshot the full list) she paid £15k for all you just listed down except the boiler x

Smallgoon · 15/06/2020 01:08

Is the cost of materials included in the price?

£7k for "complete decorating" (assuming this is painting 3 bedroom, living room, hallway + a installing flooring in said bedrooms)

When you say 'installing flooring' do you mean hard wood etc, because this can be costly.

Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 01:09

@Smallgoon

Bearing in mind, I'm in a small 1 bed flat, so it's difficult for me to estimate what the decorating costs on a house would be. However redecorating is not complicated work at all, and by the sounds of what you've described, I imagine it would take 2 weeks to complete, 3 at a push (depending on how many people are working on it) so not sure how they could justify that sort of cost.

I agree with the person who said don't haggle with them. What's the point when they can't be trusted? Just get more quotes from different trades people

That's really disappointing! I was really worried about being had by different tradespeople so thought going with this person would save me that hassle. Known them for quite a while but clearly they're taking advantage of my ignorance.

Putting me off wanting to do anything to this place now Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
themummyway · 15/06/2020 01:10

@Smallgoon

Is the cost of materials included in the price?

£7k for "complete decorating" (assuming this is painting 3 bedroom, living room, hallway + a installing flooring in said bedrooms)

When you say 'installing flooring' do you mean hard wood etc, because this can be costly.

Yes, this includes materials! & Yep, installing hard wood
OP posts: