Does anyone work for a damp-proofing company? If you do, can you please read.

Somerset

I'm having some damp-proof works done. I've had two 'surveyors' ie salesmen around to look and quote. This question isn't about the work but the quotes.

How normal is it to negotiate on these quotes or are they pretty 'fixed'?. I know if say you get quotes on windows for example, you can play companies off, suddenly discounts appear etc. My O/H for a time sold windows/conservatories and got a '% cut' on sales. The damp companies I'm getting quotes from are I would say medium size local ones not national ones. At the moment it's been left 'to accept our quote please send 25% deposit with signed form'. I got the impression from talking with the surveyors/salesmen that the 'price' is the 'price'. Ok, I can try negotiating, it doesn't hurt to try, but what I'm trying to find out is, is it NORMAL - if anyone works for a damp company, do you 'build in' excess profit that you are prepared to knock off, or do you genuinely quote what you are prepared to do the job for.

Many Thanks

m_13

I've had quite a lot of damp work done along with spraying wood for beetles. It's always been fixed price based on the size and type of property or square metres for spraying.

I'm one for haggling but it's always been off a price list which has been cost of materials plus labour. I ended up using Damp Cure for most of the work when I lived in their areas because they did a good job for a fair price. The work appears to be mostly labour unlike UPVC windows which, unless they make them theirselves, have to be bought in.

ormus

the fact they are using salesmen, tells you that a large commision is being paid by you.
get a smaller company where the owner/operator is quoting you.
ask around for recommendations.

Somerset

I'm in Somerset which seems to be outside their area. My work is mostly tanking and I was getting the prices based on X per square meter too. Still looking for feedback - it just goes against the grain to accept first quotes, but if this is genuinely the way it works, I'll just have to go with it. Just trying to find out if this is genuinely the way it works.