Fencing

mpazza

I need to get my mums fence replaced in Worcester. Its 60 ft long made from panels and 3x3 wooden posts which seem to last 3 years before they rot and blow down.
What figure do I need to budget to get someone to replace it with ten panels with concrete posts and weatherboards to give a height of about 6 foot.

Also if I was to do it my self can anyone recomend a cheap place for fencing supplies?

Cheers

Suzy_M

Back of fag packet calculation I use to work out if I can afford to pay a tradesman is cost of materials x 2.

But as it happens I'm in the middle of costing out a fencing job myself so:-

Calculate £15.00 each for posts, gravel boards and panels = £45 for materials.
Allow the same amount for labour = £45
Total cost = £90 per six foot section.

Regarding fencing supplies try Yellow Pages or surf the net. Try and avoid contract grade fence panels from any of the big sheds. Independents often do a better price for better quality

You can keep the costs down by clearing the ground yourself - (one thing guaranteed to put up the cost of fencing is when workmen don't have clear access). If it's a cash job offer to help with lifting, fetching and carrying etc.

Assuming your Mum may be getting on a bit - tea and biccies on tap (as long as they are getting on with the work) and it's amazing how many little odd jobs can get done at the same time for very little extra - or even for free (but always offer them something).

mpazza

Many thanks, quote came in at £760 so is in line with your calculations so will probably go with it

ukwoody

Suzy_M wrote: »

You can keep the costs down by clearing the ground yourself - (one thing guaranteed to put up the cost of fencing is when workmen don't have clear access). If it's a cash job offer to help with lifting, fetching and carrying etc.

and it's amazing how many little odd jobs can get done at the same time for very little extra - or even for free (but always offer them something).

Suzi makes a couple of intersting points here.
1) The clearer the access on ANY job, will keep the cost down, time down and tempers less frayed. there is nothing worse then when a cust says to us "i'll make sure the room is clear so you can then just get on with it" but when we get there, we are clambering over everything and having to wait an hour before getting started. It really does make a LOT of difference. In the case of fencing if you can sort the area out first, you'll allmost definately save yourself a few bob.

2) Swings and roundabouts here. Yes please make us welcome, a cuppa now and then is really nice and will always make us more open to help you out in some way, BUT and it's a big BUT. If I have submitted a price for a job, that price might be quite tight, or timewise quite tight. If every 5 mins the cust is approaching you saying, "can you??? would you??? could you???" it not only slows the job down, it does in one form or another cost us. Yes it might only be put one screw in the wall to hang a picture on. But, we need to stop what we're doing, get the right bits, do the extra and more importantly loose the momentum.
So, just be thoughtful, a 1 one off, 2 min job is fine providing it fits in with what we're doing, if not, give us a bit of notice "when you've finished doing that at the end, is there any chance...???". Dont ask for a list of bits to be done.
I have a rule now, (this sounds tight, but I'm sure the other Tradesmen on here will understand my thoughts) I will basically do a 1 off job that takes less then 5 mins to do, free. Any more, and you pay my time and materials. I know that may sound really hard, but you would not believe just what some poeple expect us to do in return for a cuppa! We have turned up at a job and been expected to totally clear a room,unplug the TV and Hifi, empty (!!!!!) the bookcase,carry the bookcase and loose books upstairs, lift the carpet, just to nail down some boards - all for the same £20 as I was going to charge them just for a cuppa.)
:exclamati Oh, I just gotta tell you this true story, Honest to God True!
I turned up at a house, lady said "do you like cats?" I replied, yeah got two myself. She replied, "could you remove my cat from the kitchen table?", Sure, I replied...
She carried on, "Only it died the day before yesterday and the binmen have refused to come in and take it........!":eek:

Never did do that job...

woody

autismmum

lol love the cat story. ..... my poor moggie died when a tool box fell on it, the cat on the shelf where the tool box had been just looked smug, very traumatic at the time but now, well that cat (killer) we call him now, likes nothing more than pushing things down, plant pot missed my dog the other day too.... i dont sit under anything heavy

Suzy_M

ukwoody,

Didn't mean it to sound as though a customer should take unfair advantage of a tradesman - and certainly not take them away from the work they were originally employed to do.

Perhaps I should have explained further about the extra jobs. - As someone with an ageing Mum like the OP I know there are often many tiny little jobs around the home and garden that need doing but individually are not even worth a tradesman's time to even come and quote for. However, if you've "captured" a tradesman for a big job if you have any related work it's always worth asking if they can do the extra work if they have time.

As regards getting work done for "free". No-one should expect to get work done for nothing. However, we are always suprised when we go to pay for these little extra jobs how many times we have not been charged despite our protestations.

I can empathise with you over customers not being prepared. One of the questions we always ask a tradesman is "What preparations do you want / need us to do?". - I sometimes think just as tradesman have to train to do their job customers should be trained on how to employ tradesmen!