Plastering quote reasonable or too high?

michael1234

We've just had a quote to skim over a newly fitted plasterboard wall and smooth over the artex ceiling. The ceiling is 4M x 3M and the wall 4M and includes a couple of smaller areas around the door.
The polish plasterer seemed very friendly/professional etc and said to do both together would a "a long day" and he also said that the wall part could be done in 3 hours. He said he could do it all by himself for £280.

We're in the south-east. Does this seem reasonable or a little on the high side?

phill99

Seems a fair price.

Don't know how cheap you expect to get it.

Leif

It's not unreasonable compared to the prices I've paid. Smaller jobs tend to be pricier per wall than larger ones for obvious reasons.

fiesta04

Yes it is a good price IF he does a good job.

michael1234

Thanks all for replies.

As far as I can see, assuming £30 for the plaster and wear+tear on tools if he works a five day week he should gross more than £5,250 per month or £63,000 a year. Obviously he has tax to pay, optionally insurance, a private pension and other costs such as driving. However, all these costs (except perhaps liability insurance) are born by regular paye workers so I think we can assume he is earning 63k pa. Maybe that's reasonable but it does seem like that's better pay than an awful lot of other jobs out there.

Now since he's being paid in cash there is an option (albeit an illegal one) for him to avoid all or part of his tax liability. If he avoided all tax, then netting £5,250 per month is I think equivalent to just under £100,000. i.e. a paye worker would need to earn a salary of 100k to receive £5,250 per month in their pocket.

Of course you might say he might have some days where he doesn't work. But surly that doesn't affect his pro-rata salary because those days are effectively holiday. So even if his actualy pay is lower than this because of down time, the quality of life afforded by breaks must make up for that.

bordercars

the problem with a small job is he will have to stand around drinking tea whilst the freshly applied plaster goes off. you dont just throw it on and its smooth. thats said £280 for a day less X'es is a bit high.

STOCKWIRE

michael1234 wrote: »

Thanks all for replies.

As far as I can see, assuming £30 for the plaster and wear+tear on tools if he works a five day week he should gross more than £5,250 per month or £63,000 a year. Obviously he has tax to pay, optionally insurance, a private pension and other costs such as driving. However, all these costs (except perhaps liability insurance) are born by regular paye workers so I think we can assume he is earning 63k pa. Maybe that's reasonable but it does seem like that's better pay than an awful lot of other jobs out there.

Now since he's being paid in cash there is an option (albeit an illegal one) for him to avoid all or part of his tax liability. If he avoided all tax, then netting £5,250 per month is I think equivalent to just under £100,000. i.e. a paye worker would need to earn a salary of 100k to receive £5,250 per month in their pocket.

Of course you might say he might have some days where he doesn't work. But surly that doesn't affect his pro-rata salary because those days are effectively holiday. So even if his actualy pay is lower than this because of down time, the quality of life afforded by breaks must make up for that.

You need a service that he and others provide at a price set by demand. Your choice if you accept it at that price. what he earns in a week / month / year doesn't come into equation.

pineapple

Artex isn't that simple as usually they have to take off the peaks first, then they generally apply two coats of PVA before the final skimming.
But I think it is a little on the high side. A friend just paid £350 for a complete replastering - whole room about 16x16 including ceiling. It took three and a half days (maybe they got a bargain!).

SallyD

I recently paid £150 to plaster over an horrendous artex ceiling full of half-moon swirls that made you feel dizzy if you looked up - room is 14 x 12 The guy worked from 8 - 6 non-stop - I was delighted with the results and happily paid him.