Quote (Carpenter/Joiner)

[Easttt]

Hi all,

I received a quote for a list of carpentry/joiner jobs and just wondered what your thoughts were on the cost quoted?

Replacing 5 internal doors (inc a fire door)
Replacing hallway handrail and new banister/spindles (Victorian flat)
Shelves and cupboard in one alcove
Reparing of a section of skirting in the living room

Quote: £1,500 for labour
Materials: extra

I am trying to get other quotes to compare but this is my starting point.

I'd say it's really cheap if it includes the doors (but that also depends on the material costs). I had a quote, in London, which was close to £1,000 per door.

@mobear it doesn't include the materials however, I am based in London. £1k per door blimey!!

I had to have fire doors when my loft was converted. All of downstairs had to be glazed doors because the hall would have been pitch black otherwise. Each door was in excess of £1k. The labour you've been quoted sounds very reasonable.

As the wife of a cabinet maker / carpenter / kitchen fitter I'd still sounds ok. As a rule mine take home £1,500 a week, that amount of work is easily a weeks work... £40 ph soon adds up.... the materials on the fire door will be about £500 minimum to add to that :-)

I’d say it was a fair price from the sound of it.

Could you get salvage doors?

Sounds good to me for labour. Will they supply materials or would you?

@Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk that’s very handy to know thank you.

The fire door is just going to be a panel door. It’s between the kitchen and hallway. I’d rather not have it at all to create more space. Doors are fairly cheap in B&Q so how do you get to £1k!

@ScrollingLeaves he is going to source the materials but that’s an idea.

@NoSquirrels they will source

No idea how much the materials will cost at this point.

My carpenter's day rate is £200. Materials not included.

Without seeing your flat it's difficult to tell. My husband is a joiner and could replace five doors in a new build in a day.

Again, in a new build the bannisters/handrail wouldn't take more than a day.

Or, he could spend an entire day replacing one in an old Victorian house and spend a week replacing handrails, it depends of whether it's a standard fit or if it needs to be handcrafted.

Fire door - does it need the fire strips and chains? These are a real pita to do.

Sounds good to me

We have recently had 3 jobs done by our joiner. All prices include material
Replacing banister and spindles £475
Replacing skirting boards in living room with pre primed board 280
Boxing in pax wardrobes and adding shelves made from mdf 425

That sounds cheap. We are having shelving in an alcove built today actually and that is £1000 although includes materials.

A good joiner is honestly worth the money.

It isn't a new property. It seems like he has quoted for a week of work. I'm just not sure how much the materials will be unless I go ahead and accept. Is this normal? Otherwise it seems like a good labour quote.

With the fire door it's just going to be like a panel door.

Waiting on a couple of other quotes so will be interesting to see!

I'm a bit taken aback at the prices here and I'm valuing my joiner a lot more. I think he figures maybe £200 a day but he charges by the job. He has replaced all skirting and most door architraves in a small house for nothing like what I see here.
Why not source the materials or ask him what the material charge is? But the labour charge seems ok.

Looks like he's quoted 5 days work. Standard joiner rate is £30 (site joiner) to £45 (cabinet maker) per hour, although to be able to install the fire door he will have to be BM TRADA registered (this is now required not just for the manufacture of doors, but the installation also.. and the course costs several thousand pounds!).

Materials-wise you'll be looking £400 - £600 for your fire door plus intumescent hinges and strips etc. If everything else is off the shelf you can probably do a budget on B&Q prices however I'm not sure why he hasn't given you a material cost upfront and has just quoted labour? Timber prices have gone through the roof recently though so he may just be covering himself..

@sarah12398

Looks like he's quoted 5 days work. Standard joiner rate is £30 (site joiner) to £45 (cabinet maker) per hour, although to be able to install the fire door he will have to be BM TRADA registered (this is now required not just for the manufacture of doors, but the installation also.. and the course costs several thousand pounds!).

Materials-wise you'll be looking £400 - £600 for your fire door plus intumescent hinges and strips etc. If everything else is off the shelf you can probably do a budget on B&Q prices however I'm not sure why he hasn't given you a material cost upfront and has just quoted labour? Timber prices have gone through the roof recently though so he may just be covering himself..

Where did you get the info re installing fire doors?

Sounds about right to me - I’ve just paid my joiner £1200 for 6 doors, including new frames on three, new hallway skirting and new flooring laid. That was 7 days of labour. I supplied all the materials. If you can up your budget slightly from b&q doors you can get nicer quality for maybe £30 more a door? I ordered mine from Leader Doors online and very good. On top of the door you’ll have the hinges and new handles to add in. All my doors needed some level of planing given it’s an older property with delightful straw walls!

I used B&Q as an example. The current door (between the hallway and kitchen) isn't a fire proof so we want to change that. He said it will just be like a panel door. Not sure of cost.

So should I ask if he is charging me for a weeks work or what his day rate is? Also, how much the materials will be?

Hi Kirinm (sorry not sure how to tag, I read MN a lot but don't often comment! 😬)

Worked as a principal contractor for 20 years and director of a joiners shop / cabinet makers.

The installation training / accreditation is SO expensive and only covers that single individual you put on the course, whereas the manufacturing accreditation covers the business as a whole.

Eastit..

Whilst we are speculating it's a weeks work based on hourly rates, you need the quote in writing for labour, and a quote for materials upfront, before you agree to anything.
Plus, make sure you are quoted timescales for completing the work too, ie all done in one programme and not disappearing off to other jobs!

My £400-600 quote for the FR door was based on looking at invoices today when I saw your post, and I think some poster above said £500 so that's really your ball park figure. On top of that you need intumescent hinges and fire seals / strips, which aren't particularly expensive (£20-30 total?) but it's the labour to router out the door edges. The door also needs a mechanism to close (chain or door closer) to close shut and form the barrier if a fire breaks out.

Aesthetically (you mentioned a panel door) that would be fine!

My "unknown" would be the alcove cupboard / shelving, based on size and design.
Timber prices are increasing daily and are getting ridiculous.
Ask for a firm price, and note how long the quote is held for..

Sorry for the long message but hope some of it helps!!

@sarah12398

This is a massive help so thank you

@sarah12398

Hi Kirinm (sorry not sure how to tag, I read MN a lot but don't often comment! 😬)

Worked as a principal contractor for 20 years and director of a joiners shop / cabinet makers.

The installation training / accreditation is SO expensive and only covers that single individual you put on the course, whereas the manufacturing accreditation covers the business as a whole.

I meant where is the guidance re having to have fire doors installed by someone with the qualifications you mention. I ask as someone whose DP has installed our fire doors and as an electrician, definitely doesn't have the qualification you've referred to.

Is it the Buildings Regs 'competent person' reference? Sorry, not trying to be difficult just conscious that we have to comply with the Regs and not sure we are! Thanks

I'm looking for a carpenter in the area if anyone could recommend one please?

@Alex2022

I'm looking for a carpenter in the area if anyone could recommend one please?

Which area ??