AIBU about the cost of patio cleaning?

[SingleHouseholder]

Widowed disabled pensioner here.

I have a flat roof terrace 3m x 3m and a ground floor patio about twice that size. They were both filthy and covered in horrible green algae and mould.

A roofing company advertised that they clean these things using high pressure water and biocides to kill the algae and mould so I contacted them. They have good reviews online.

When they came to quote they told me £450 for two men, one-and-a-half days. I calculated that if they worked, say, 7 hours a day and 3.5 hours on the half day, that's 10.5 hours x two men = 21 hours. So, just over £20 per hour per man. As that covered the cost of their equipment and the chemicals it seemed fair.

I should point out at this point that I live in a small, poor town where house-cleaners charge about £12.50 to £15 ph and handymen about £20 ph.

However, on the day they were finished after just six hours. I heard the hose going for only about 4 hours of that time. Each time I happened to go into my kitchen I saw them sitting on my patio furniture scrolling on their mobile phones.

Also I thought they were going to use some kind of expensive specialist industry biocide chemicals but they just used Patio Magic, that you can buy anywhere.

When they left, because I had agreed their price of £450, I had no choice but to pay it, but ever since they left I feel cheated. I mean, I only agreed to that price because I thought it was going to be 20 man-hours of work. Now I think they knew darned well it was only going to take them 4 or 5 hours but TOLD ME it would be one-and-a-half days to justify the £450.

Today they contacted me saying that they have put photos of the job online and they want me to join the thread and praise them. I am a bit scared of them, and I don't want to upset them but then again I feel cheated.

Am I being unreasonable? Or have I been "had"?

Did you get other quotes?

As I said in my OP I am disabled.

As I said three times already upthread, I already own a Karcher but cannot use it due to the disability, as mentioned in my OP.

I took a photo of the bit they missed and messaged them hours ago asking them to come back and do it. I can see they have read my message but they have not replied.

But you agreed the price in advance and you say they did a good job?

I understand being a bit let down but I think this one’s on you. It doesn’t matter if you’re disabled or widowed etc in this context, plenty of people are too, they didn’t ‘target’ you because of this. You agreed a price, they did a job (and well)
that’s that

Also maybe sell the karcher online if you can’t use it anymore as this time of year they get a good price, then put that money towards what you paid for this job :)

I called two other companies for quotes, but both said I would have to shut my cats inside the house for 48 hours as their biocide is poisonous. This was the only company that said I would only have to shut the cats in for only 5 hours.

Patio magic is not supposed to be rinsed off immediately. Did they apply it then jet wash? You're supposed to apply and let it dry out so it sinks in properly, then you can either leave it or jet wash at a later date.

I was not watching them.

Not that it helps with being ripped off but you might be able to do it yourself in the future, if you keep on top of it and don't let it build up too much. You'd just need to apply it and leave it, even a watering can would work if you can manage that? It's safe for animals once it's dried out.

Please don't use pesticides.

No, I am not able to do it. If I could, I would have.

OK, sorry, was just pointing out it only needs to be applied, rather than a full on days jet washing/scrubbing.

Oh that's frustrating.
Go easy on yourself and remind yourself that you felt £450 for a clean patio was a good price. Despite their dubious calculations.

Next time try to get a recommendation from a friend or neighbour.

Good grief. I had no idea it cost so much. Dh has just done ours. Sprayed it with 'wet and forget', left it overnight, used pressure washer which he owns, took 3 hours, of hard work.

Clearly, you haven't even read all of her posts on this thread. She has a pressure washer, but she is disabled and unable to use it herself any more and doesn't have any family or friends who could help her out.

I had two all-round builder-handymen visit in the last two days to give me a quote for a completely different job.

Out of interest and without telling me what I had been charged I asked both for a quote for the same cleaning job that I am complaining about on this thread.

One said £165 and the other £240.

But were they giving those quotes sight-unseen or were they looking at your newly clean patio as a baseline?

They were here, at different times, to quote on something else. I said to both, "I have just had this and the terrace upstairs cleaned, they were really minging, green with algae and mould. When all the green comes back and I need it done again, what would you charge me?"

Yeah I looked into this a while back and that seems a standard rate, I think it would be hard to get it cheaper as it wouldn't be worth their while.

In future have you checked the council options in your area, not sure if this would apply (although if moss is slippy or theres a risk of damp from roof/guttering it might) but our council has a service for elderly and vulnerable people where a handyman will do small jobs (that tradesmen would usually turn down or charge a lot for to make it worth their while) at a regulated and set price.

Here in the north east I think its called a 'The handyperson service' but might vary by area.