want a price guide / guestimate?

  • Thread starter Thread starter breezer
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breezer

i have adapted this from a previous post i made:

we should not ask or give "guestimates" or quotes on this site. (or go by figures in previous posts)

reasons are:

1) when was quote given (post may be old / out dated)

2) how acurate is quote (i knew some one who would change his quote acorrding to how much he thought you would pay)

3) is quote "like for like" not SIMILAR

4) prices vary across the country so making quote no use.

5) there may be other unforseen problems, access to site for example (not visible on a forum)

so in conclusion anyone,

if you want a quote or idea of a price, get several quotes your self , dont ask here, for the above reasons
 
I agree with what you are saying Breezer, I would like to add my two penny worth:

Asking for an estimate of the cost on here is unlikely to get you a figure anywhere near accurate for what you will end up if you got a tradesman in to quote. However, for many people it is hard to grasp just how expensive a seemingly minor job will be. An example might be:

Q: "I want to get part of an internal wall knocked out to make my dining room open into my kitchen. Is that kind of thing expensive?"

A: "Yes, it is usually an expensive job, especially if it is a load-bearing wall."
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Of course, there is the issue that what is expensive to one man is cheap to another. :D And it doesn't really help for the 90% of this style of question ("I want another socket added. Is that expensive?" :roll: )

Personally I have no vested interest in this, but it helps trade as a whole: if they get no response they might assume that it will definitely be too expensive for their budget and not get it done. It may well have been that if someone says "not that expensive" then they get a builder in, get a quote and have the job done.
 
In my case, one or two of my customers have dismissed an estimate as too dear, then got someone in much cheaper or "got a friend to do it" and ended up calling me back when things have gone belly-up.

Remember, the cheapest is usually so for a very good reason. What corners have been cut, and what parts omitted?

But, equally so, the dearest is not necessarily the best.
 
I have to agree with Adam. Sometimes i haven't a clue what a price for something would be. To me, if I asked for an estimate its to see if we are talking, eg, hundred or thousands, so i know how much to start saving!!. If you've never had a particular job done(and your not a tradesman) its very difficult to decided whether you could afford to have the job done or not without an estimate first. If I asked online I would expect it to be a rough estimate and then, if from this I think its a job I could afford to have done, I usually get three quotes and judge the price, 'the talk' and whether i like the person!! (Well if you have to have them in your house with you all day they must be nice!! :lol: !!)
 
That is a better way of putting it Lisa, I have a tendency to get very convoluted even when I try to say the simplest thing!

Still does your partner know about you picking tradesmen on whether or not they're nice? :D

I reckon someone should start an agency for tradeswomen. Some people who have posted on this board seem to have had bad experiences involving tradesmen and their wife's knicker drawer. That's just not fair, I want a lady plumber going through my pants while I'm out. Equality for all! :wink:
 
AdamW said:
Still does your partner know about you picking tradesmen on whether or not they're nice? :D
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As long as its a cheap quote he doesn't mind!! :wink: He doesnt know what goes on round here half the time!!
I have to make sure that they are worthy of getting a cup of tea!! If i don't like them they get nothing, if I get on well with them they get tea and biscuits!! has any tradesmen worked this out with their customers?? Well if you've been to my house my secrets out :oops:
 
AdamW said:
I want a lady plumber going through my pants while I'm out. Equality for all! :wink:
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I think women are a bit more picky. We are not as fascinated by mens underwear as men are about womens!! We would be more likely to be interested in your chocolate! (Well women are meant to enjoy chocolate more than nooky. Im not sure theres a comparison...I mean chocolate wins every time!!)
 
......a cup of tea!! If i don't like them they get nothing,.....
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I'm sorry to say, if that's your approach, your modus operandi will reveal itself in subtle ways which you may not be aware of.

Lets take things one step at a time. I may go out to the first job which takes three hours, and I do not stop. If no one makes me a cup of tea, I don't get a drink for three hours. When it's hot you need something. If I were to stop to make a drink for myself, the customer would then be miffed that I had taken time off to get a drink.

Since I should be at the second call half an hour ago, I don't stop on the way there and so still no drink. I have only just arrived, so the customer thinks I don't need a drink and may be two hours later I still have no drink. So it goes on.

Believe me this has happened, I have worked all day and NO ONE has offered me a drink. On other occasions the more welcoming ones offer me a drink as soon as I get there. This always breaks the ice and is a good start to a job, even if I decline as I've only just had one.

If you have tradesmen in, have a thought for where they may get drinks during the day, and not just make life unpleasent for them just because of your personal dislike. The ones who give me a cup of tea get instant attention when they have a breakdown, those who don't, may find I'm busy.
 
oilman...there are brews and there are brews! I'm sure you must of had all sort's. Two that stand out to me are the coffee with old stale marvel floating on the top, (that went in a plant pot). Then a cup of tea where you could tell the age of the cup by the brown rings!(that went under the floorboards)

You are probably safer with a bottle of water or coke in your van.

To me some people seem to have no shame about the way they live, this begs the question, what is the grottiest place you've ever worked in?
 
I have only had tradesmen out a couple of times, and they are always offered tea, coffee, water, or 3 types of fruit juice as soon as they are inside! And it pays. Not only does it mean that you have a happy chappy working away on whatever it is you are having done and thus get a good job done, but you also might even get information you might not have done otherwise.

The example that springs to mind was when I had a water meter fitted. It was a hot day, I offered the guy a drink and he decided he wanted some orange juice. After finishing the job he told me about how sometimes vandalous types will turn your stopkey to shut off the water and then nick the key. So, he removed the key for me and told me to keep it indoors. If you are courteous to someone, they will often return the courtesy.

Lisa, the chocolate crops in Africa are suffering from no less than two fungal diseases this year, so chocolate may end up in short supply! Stock up now, woman! :D
 
I have the habit of taking a large flask with me, I can't remember what started it but in every case the householder gets upset with me because I brought my own drink and insists that I leave it and have a proper cuppa.


David & Julie.. grottiest place I ever worked in, I will not go into details but I left after 5 mins. and was physically sick when I got out of the house.
 
David & Julie.. grottiest place I ever worked in, I will not go into details but I left after 5 mins. and was physically sick when I got out of the house.
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When were you here? I don't remember your coming round to my place. :D
 
B*gger! You got there 1st.....

I only drink water (T & C give me headaches) but I still get water in grotty glasses that look like they've been washed once in 50 years by a blind man with the light off, using his fingers and dragon spittle......

That goes anywhere I can put it - that's the advantage with Hydrogen Hydoxide, you can put it anywhere and it just evaporates...

THe worst place I went in had an overpowering smell of faeces and stale urine. The kids beds had no sheets on the mattresses and no carpet on the floor. Despite the lack of soft furnishings, there were fleas everywhere. The floors were covered in excrement and the children looked like Belsen cases. (With sincere apologies).

I left the house immediately and phoned the Social Services. I don't mind saying I wept for those children.

When you think of a child as being an innocent helpless creature, reliant on others for most things, your heart bleeds when you see a situation like that. Especially when you then think of your own children...Oh dear.
 
oilman said:
[

If you have tradesmen in, have a thought for where they may get drinks during the day, and not just make life unpleasent for them just because of your personal dislike. The ones who give me a cup of tea get instant attention when they have a breakdown, those who don't, may find I'm busy.
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So if someone rude and obnoxious comes in to your house you are always inviting? I am a very pleasant and easy to get on with but if someone is rude I will not tolerate it. the workmen I have found and trust that come back time and time again get drinks every hour and biscuits too! It doesn't hurt workmen to be polite, and its those people I protest against. Sometime it is very difficult as a woman to be in the house with someone she is uncomfortable with. I have had some bad experiences with such situations.
 
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