Mastic job - shower

muffinek

I got a quote for removal of old silicon and application of new one around shower tray and enclosure. The size is 1200x800. I am being quoted £280 by a handyman including materials. I am based in Greater London, just outside of London postcode towards Kent. 

I struggle to get quotes so nothing to compare to. Is that really the price? Even if he was to spend 4hrs doing it, it comes down to £70 per hour?!

HHarry

That’s silly money.  Please try and find someone else.

Risteard

muffinek said:

Even if he was to spend 4hrs doing it, it comes down to £70 per hour?!

No it doesn't as the materials aren't free. Plus he could be allowing the day for the job as he mightn't be able to fill the remainder of the day with another job. So your premise is deeply flawed.

muffinek

That's on him if he can't find another job but surely if I was to pay for the whole day then he should work whole day at my place. I would love to be paid whole day for half day work. 

Risteard

muffinek said:

That's on him if he can't find another job but surely if I was to pay for the whole day then he should work whole day at my place. I would love to be paid whole day for half day work. 

Why should he stay longer than the job takes? The reality is that if it uses up a day of his time, you will be charged for the day. Not sure why you would expect something different. It's not his problem that you can't afford the work.

floppydisk1

Risteard  - half a day or whole day, whatever it takes is not an issue here. Charging £ 280 to clear and re mastic one shower tray is  for the lack of better expression  " taking a peeeeeess " .   For that kind of money any half decent plumber would ( not counting cost of actual bath tub  or tray ) take out old bath or shower tray, fit new one and mastic it. 
 Find someone  else, I can't see how anyone could possibly need more than 2 tubes of silicone, even with no account and buying expensive one  from DYI shop that's £ 20  and stanley blade scraper is no more than fiver.   Job takes ( being generous )  about 2 hrs + driving time ( i would expect a local handyman won't spend more than 15 min driving )
 I would not expect anyone running his / her own business doing it for £ 40  and I understand why, nor I would be expecting  to pay £ 280 as that's way, way,  WAY over the top. 

handyman1963

Smallish jobs like this are always more cost-effective if done along with something else. However, the most I would charge for this is half a day at £90, plus materials (remover gel plus one tube of silicone) at around a tenner. So £100. I would also ask if there's any other small job to looked at while I'm waiting for the remover gel to work. A large company would inevitably charge more to cover greater overheads.