I need to sit down, just had a quote for repainting the outside of my house...

[MarmadukeScarlet]

The front and side of my house are white weatherboards, all my windows need replacing.

I have 12 standard sized windows, 5 1/3 sized windows. These will be made in wood with one large double glazed panel and slim glazing bars stuck on to give the image of an 8 paned window. )

Also two sets of french doors to be made in similar fashion. One to replace existing and to remove one window, make doorway, make good and put in french doors.

Repair and repaint garage doors.

Repaint exterior of house, the end of which will need scaffold as very high. The wood is in good condition, just a rub down and repaint. It is only a 5 bed house, so not massive.

£32,500 + VAT

I have had a quote for windows to be made and fitted by a local carpenter, with 2 coats of undercoat at £660 each for bigger windows and £900 for french doors (only one fitted) but didn't want to have to co-ordinate a decorating co and fancied getting someoen to do the whole thing.

That is ludicrous. I think you may need to bite the bullet and get the job done by two diff. companies.

Who gave you that massive quote?

erm, not sure what to say at that price. you do know that these companies will rip you off if they think they can dont you?

i think thats what is happening. you could buy a house in my area for that much never mind get your windows done. if i were you id shop around for more quotes. that sounds v eccessive to me.

Well you will have to pay £32,000 then.

Co-ordinating must be worth that much of a saving, surely?

I think that I will have to co-ordinate/project manage it my self, because I though it would be max £20k (including contingency at 10%) - there is quite alot of wood.

NAB yes it seems simple to just manage it myself but I have a DS with severe SN and I cannot leave him to go traipsing off with builders to 'can you have a quick look at this mrsS?' as I have learnt to my cost previously - him getting hurt whilst unwatched or me getting a duff job as I was too busy with him to pay close enough attention.

Is there anyone who could help you with childcare?

If you get a company you are happy with then maybe you won't need to be too involved?

Where are you? My mother has used a really good and astonishingly cheap outside-of-house painting man in East Kent.

To be fair, you are probably paying for the overheads of three companies - one for the windows, one for the decoration and one for the co-ordination?

With people cutting back on spending now, I would have thought you could get some really good prices. Why don't you get several quotes, and hope that someone is not too busy, and will give you a really competitive price.

We have an ace carpenter who replaced one of our wooden wondows (single glazed) like for like for £900 - the worst quote we got was £3700! We also have an ace handyman who is coming in 2 weeks to paint the outside of our double fronted house, strip down all the windows (15 of them) and the 3 outside doors and repaint them and paint the inside frames of the wooden conservatory all for £1700.

Where do you live I will give you their numbers!

This is extortionate - if your not near me get local handymen in to price the jobs seperately.

I am in West Kent (Nearest large place Tunbridge Wells) So could well be interested in PandL's Mum's house painter.

Crossing finger's that Twinkle's man not too distant either

I am in North Essex so a way away from you but I have a fab friend who lives in Tonbridge who's brother is a painter and a handyman - I will text her later and try and get his number - her daughter is getting married next week so fingers crossed she is not too busy and will reply.

Will also email you the number of my carpenter - he may come and do it.

Thank you

Must be something about Tunbridge Wells that attracts rip-off merchants. My parents live there and have just had two ridiculous quotes for their external woodwork. Mind you, nothing like 32K! Must tell my mum - it'll cheer her up!

These days, I doubt that quote is out the way.

My local pub needs re-painting. That's all. Just exterior paintwork. No windows, no nothing, just two licks of paint.

The cheapest quote? £16,000.

Could I just say there is not a huge amount of project management or co-ordination involved in organising two tradesmen to arrive at the times you want

oh crumbs, for goodness sake kelky don't put a personal number on here - pm the op instead!