Reasonable quote?? (decking)

[Driller]

Raised deck 7mX5M based on laminated wooden pillars fitted to a rectangular ring concrete foundation 7mx5mx400mm by 400mm deep. Deck height is 1m40.

Pillars are laminated class IV pine 140mmx140mm
Cross beams laminated class IV pine 200mmx80mm
Decking supports are class IV pine 120mmx70mm

• The deck planking is provided by us so not included in the quote.

The guard railing and louvre dressing is all in hard wood.

Can anyone in the know tell me how much should this cost very approximately?

[Driller]

Hah! I am in France and I have a quote and as usual it's a ahem pi$$ take.

So I was wondering what the approximate price in the UK would be just so I know I'm not being unreasonable.

ETA I'll definitely get someone from the UK if it's worth it!

Edited by Driller on Sunday 26th March 19:16

[Driller]

For the materials, we only have the actual planking. We don't have any of the rest e.g. the pillars/posts or cross members or planking batons.

Sorry I don't know the technical terms for these things!

I would be looking for someone to provide labour and materials.

Does anyone have an idea how much the materials should cost?

Thanks for the labour costs Kurt, so worst case over 5 days would be (£250x5) + (£125x5)=£1875.00. Is that CIH?

I'll give you the quote I was given afterwards

[Driller]

That's a shame Paul as we're really hoping to get it sorted for this summer-we've waited 10 years get it done. Actually it'll be 12!

You were right about the prices btw.

Astroarcadia, thanks that confirms what Paul said.

The quote we have is €26,000.00

Edited by Driller on Sunday 26th March 22:56

[Driller]

It makes you fking weep. Time after time we get quotes like this and it's the reason the property is sitting not 100% finished 12 years after we started renovating it. If I told you the prices for things we had to have done like the roof, stairs, plumbing etc it would make you laugh or cry or both.

[Driller]

Thanks for the comments, it's looking like another massacre then and yet again we're probably going to end up doing the bloody work ourselves. Normally it should pay for me to spend the time doing my day job and pay someone to do this sort of thing. But not here!

Edwin Strohacker said:

Vive la difference

I did this last summer, chucked it out to a couple of local guys who both came back within a few hundred quid of 2k, but since I was eyeing up a new kitchen, I questionably decided to DIY it & throw the difference at a nice granite worktop, so extrapolating it up to your plan, I'd guess at the 5-8k mark tops.Set me back about £700 all in & a few weekends banging away. Couldn't find a finished picture, but you get the idea. Sacre merde.

Nice job!

magooagain said:

Where does the surface water drain to? Is there gaps between the deck planks?

You just knew it would be an outrageous price eh.

I know you've got lots of experience of this yourself living where you do Magoo.

Yeah, there are small gaps between the planks but they will also be slightly angled away from the house to let the water drain away.

[Driller]

Totally agree about the louvres, (my wife wanted them, I didn't).

At any rate, masoned is going to be cheaper, I was thinking breeze block with a mellier (yellowstone) and brick facing to go with the house.

[Driller]

Thanks Paul, didn't see you had a build thread, I'll go and have a look.

Eta chance of a link?

Edited by Driller on Tuesday 28th March 07:03

[Driller]

lol ok Paul will do. Your comments are much appreciated!

Why oh why are French tradesmen so expensive, do you have any theories?

My dentistry prices are lower than in the UK for example so it's not a general economical thing. When I get quotes like this I wonder if I shouldn't change profession!

[Driller]

I don'think it's a foreigner thing ss ny wife's French.

Maybe it's a combination of exorbitant social charges plus a monopoly of trade. Either way it's definitely a thing because it's systematic.

Paul, you have mail!

[Driller]

Lol Resent to the address you provided Paul

[Driller]

paulwirral said:

Driller said:

Lol Resent to the address you provided Paul

Keep loling , I didn't receive it ! But bear in mind I couldn't work out how to connect an iPod to my new Mercedes so using my logic and went to Tesco and bought a cd instead !
I'm guessing it's not terribly important though I'll check the email I gave you again .

No, it's really, really important paul, please look again!

You must have received my original message because you replied to it by giving me your alternate email

Have a scroll down on the Pistonheads email and you should see my message

ColinM50 said:

I built two big multi level decks when I lived near Toulouse, one at my house and the other at a mates. Can dig out some pics if anyone's interested. Mine had four levels and eight stairs and his had a patio, down four steps, another patio and then three more steps down to the pool. Balustrades all round.

I thought materials were pretty good vfm at Leroy Merlin or Castorama or Brico dept etc, but the one big mistake I made was doing it in wood. After two/three years it was starting to look a bit weathered and crap and a bit of rot was creeping in. Sold up & retired back to UK before it got too bad, but if I were to do it again, I'd use the plastic decking. Stays looking good for years.

Like you we just couldn't find good reliable tradesmen, they just weren't interested and that's before we talked prices. One chap I did find who helped me knock a window through, explained they charge high daily rates 'cos they don't work in the hottest months, Jun, July and August and not keen on the coldest winter 3 months either so had to charge high to make up for lack of mild days. One wag said 14 Sept or 14 May was a good day to work, but only if the rain held off and there wasn't a public holiday.

Where in France are you? I might be available to do a week or so's work. Planning to come to France in our motorhome in May, so chucking a few tools in might be possible?

Pics would be great Colin. For the work we're in the Paris area and room on the property for your motorhome

I have to admit I'm seriously considering going down the mason route with all these shenanigans.

[Driller]

I actually did send it to that address Paul. Could you ask your wife to look in the junk mail for that address?

I'm more or less asking you if you're interested in doing the job and if so when you can you come up? We're not in any particular hurry and we love what you've done in your build

[Driller]

Sorry you've had all those problems but thanks for the advice! That's now convinced me completely to chuck this idea in the bin and go the masoned route with maybe just some planking for the top surface (placed on top of a poured concrete surface of course).

Paul can you send me an email please?

[Driller]

Got your email thanks Paul and replied. Look harder!

[Driller]