Garage roof replacement with Box section - Very much perplexed by quotes

Anthony147

Needing to replace a double garage roof (“safe” asbestos sheets) and install box sheet in Croydon
So tried to get quotes for the above work and provided requirements:
Roof - Remove and dispose of existing, install 0.7 Anti condensation box profile, matching flashing and trims.
I’ve been quoted the job at £2500 +VAT by three suppliers and two men for a day to complete job, this seems incongruous as my research has:
Retail materials costing <£500 inc
Waste disposal <£500 inc
leaving Labour and business costs as £1500 for a two man crew on a days work (which seems a lot).
Note: Removing the sheets require gloves and masks, not bunny suits or any other specialist equipment and no one has included or priced for anything specialist.
I assumed skilled labour at £300 per day / per person is a reasonable rate giving a job total of £1500 /£1600.

Has anyone had similar done and what did you pay for a contractor to do it?
What am I missing as beyond materials / labour and waste disposal there’s nothing more to the job?
Am I being unreasonable with my expectations on labour day rates?
Is it worth continuing to find anyone if ALL the prices are within £100 or so of each and just accept that’s the job price?
What’s the appropriate rate for the job?

Hasbeen

Appropriate rate for the job would depend on what area/locality people are in, size of double garage, etc

£2500 there might be a lot less here etc

What have your other quotes priced at?

Anthony147

Hasbeen said:

Appropriate rate for the job would depend on what area/locality people are in, size of double garage, etc

£2500 there might be a lot less here etc

What have your other quotes priced at?

Croydon - double garage 4m x 5m - All three quotes within £100 of each other hence the questions asked.

Hasbeen

Anthony147 said:

Hasbeen said:

Appropriate rate for the job would depend on what area/locality people are in, size of double garage, etc

£2500 there might be a lot less here etc

What have your other quotes priced at?

Croydon - double garage 4m x 5m - All three quotes within £100 of each other hence the questions asked.

Appears to be the going rate for the job then.

Alternative is spend the £1000 on disposal and materials and DIY. Saving £1500?

Mickey666

I'd be interested in your materials breakdown and supplier as I'm currently planning a DIY roofing job and your £500 for box-section roofing materials seems cheap to me.  Have you included all the flashings and fixings?

Anthony147

Mickey666 said:

I'd be interested in your materials breakdown and supplier as I'm currently planning a DIY roofing job and your £500 for box-section roofing materials seems cheap to me.  Have you included all the flashings and fixings?

Calculator includes chosen sheets / all flashing / trims / screws and ancillaries for job
https://www.roofingmegastore.co.uk/calculator/metalsheet/boxprofile32poly

Seems the contractor price is the contractor price so if I get someone in it £2500+ which is what it is.

Anthony147

Looks like is a simple binary choice:
Pay contractor £2500+ (Removal and replacement done in a day)

DIY removal and take to tip in 3 trips (checked what they’ll accept), materials costs at £500 (Roofing megastore) Install sheets (takes as long as it takes with added swearing / cursing, regretting starting the damn job and at least one cut / bruise I can’t account for)

I’ll ruminate but as they’re safe to remove white sheets (mask and gloves) that can go to the tip, it’ll probably go the DIY route and save the money for something sensible like drinking, women or motor vehicles.
Shame as I could justify up to £1500 / £2000 all in for a done in a day hands off job but beyond that just doesn’t feel or sit right.

FreeBear

Don't forget, the contractors will be working at a height (yes, only 2-3m, but still a good distance to fall) - They should be using the appropriate safety equipment along with some form of scaffolding. It may only be a small portable tower or trestles & boards.

ukjoel

May be worth approaching an out of area contractor. Sometimes the local people can end up with remarkably similar prices.
Not saying this is dodgy, just if they all price for the same jobs on a daily basis the prices can become aligned.
Noticed you are in Croydon so all the local maybe thinking they are 20 minutes from london so you are paying London rates (as they could get those if they wanted). Might be worth trying someone from Crawley or further South. Send them detailed pics and specs of the job and they may quote you over the phone. 

Anthony147

ukjoel said:

May be worth approaching an out of area contractor. Sometimes the local people can end up with remarkably similar prices.
Not saying this is dodgy, just if they all price for the same jobs on a daily basis the prices can become aligned.
Noticed you are in Croydon so all the local maybe thinking they are 20 minutes from london so you are paying London rates (as they could get those if they wanted). Might be worth trying someone from Crawley or further South. Send them detailed pics and specs of the job and they may quote you over the phone. 

Makes sense and I’ll give it a try as I would prefer not to DIY, the overheads and margins for different businesses should show in differential prices but these are too aligned for comfort when it’s a predominantly labour based job.