Tradesman - charges
Discussion
More a mini rant than anything.
I email a guy about wanting to have my turf done on my front lawn. Its not a large lawn and is already plain mud. All it needs is flattening over and the turf put down on top.
This will take 1 day max. If I was fit and healthy I know I could do it in one long day but a pro should knock it out in a standard 8 hour day easily. I had my back lawn turfed the other month and the actual laying down of turf was done pretty quick.
Anyway, I email this guy and ask him for his day rate - which he gives me. Great I think, get him round for a quote.
He turns up with his work partner and they measure up.
Now he sends me his quote and the price includes his day fee which he emailed me with and then doubled for his work colleague.
Still has it down as a day but with 2 people they could probably be done within 5 hours! So he has wasted his time and mine!
Even worse is that if I ordered the turf myself and did it myself I would have to pay £20 delivery. In his quote he has also quoted a £20 delivery - you would expect a turfer to have a truck to go and pick up a small amount of turf surely?!?!
I email a guy about wanting to have my turf done on my front lawn. Its not a large lawn and is already plain mud. All it needs is flattening over and the turf put down on top.
This will take 1 day max. If I was fit and healthy I know I could do it in one long day but a pro should knock it out in a standard 8 hour day easily. I had my back lawn turfed the other month and the actual laying down of turf was done pretty quick.
Anyway, I email this guy and ask him for his day rate - which he gives me. Great I think, get him round for a quote.
He turns up with his work partner and they measure up.
Now he sends me his quote and the price includes his day fee which he emailed me with and then doubled for his work colleague.
Still has it down as a day but with 2 people they could probably be done within 5 hours! So he has wasted his time and mine!
Even worse is that if I ordered the turf myself and did it myself I would have to pay £20 delivery. In his quote he has also quoted a £20 delivery - you would expect a turfer to have a truck to go and pick up a small amount of turf surely?!?!
Don't see the problem. You asked a chap to come round and give you a quote and that is what he's done.
You are not obliged to have him do the work.
What he tries to earn in a day or how hard he works is of no relevance to you, all you want is a quote for the job.
You seem to have already costed the job up in your head and then got the arse because the man who actually has to do the job disagrees???
You are not obliged to have him do the work.
What he tries to earn in a day or how hard he works is of no relevance to you, all you want is a quote for the job.
You seem to have already costed the job up in your head and then got the arse because the man who actually has to do the job disagrees???
B17NNS said:
Don't see the problem. You asked a chap to come round and give you a quote and that is what he's done.
You are not obliged to have him do the work.
What he tries to earn in a day or how hard he works is of no relevance to you, all you want is a quote for the job.
You seem to have already costed the job up in your head and then got the arse because the man who actually has to do the job disagrees???
Its fair enough but if he had told me he works in pairs then I prob would have told him not to botherYou are not obliged to have him do the work.
What he tries to earn in a day or how hard he works is of no relevance to you, all you want is a quote for the job.
You seem to have already costed the job up in your head and then got the arse because the man who actually has to do the job disagrees???
MRSNEAK said:
So what if he has a truck, you think he runs that for free?
No but I would have expected that in his day rate to be honest, not having me pay extra. I am assuming he doesnt have the van as opposed to not being bothered to go and pick it upjeebus said:
If he spends 5 hours doing the job what do you expect him to do for the other 3, he has to dedicate his whole day to your job. If it's only a small area and just needs levelling off and then the turf laying, just do it yourself, I would.
I dont have a problem with paying him his date rateEdited by jeebus on Sunday 30th May 20:00
Its just a case of him telling me he works in pairs so the actual day rate would be x2 what he said.
The question you should have asked was 'How much is you day rate and how many man-days do you need to do the work?'
Don't quite see why you're upset. So what if the guy didn't tell you upfront that there are two of them. You didn't ask him.
As for his van/truck well I'm sure you charge for business mileage on top of or as an expense on top of your wage.
Don't quite see why you're upset. So what if the guy didn't tell you upfront that there are two of them. You didn't ask him.
As for his van/truck well I'm sure you charge for business mileage on top of or as an expense on top of your wage.
Plotloss said:
Get another couple of quotes, if they all quote two days for the work then your estimate is to cock, not theirs.
I've had an estimate of a 1 day job.I know exactly what needs doing and would do it myself if I was totally fit (dodgy knee) but may do it anyway with my brothers help.
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When I had my back lawn down I had about 4 quotes on the front as well, they all said 2 days. 1 day getting the old turf up (it was very bumpy) and another day flattening and laying.
All of them recommended hiring out a mini digger at cost tomyself of minimum 60 quid I guess. My inexperienced younger brother had all the old turf up in less than 8 hours over 2 days with a £6 spade!
I appreciate the fact levelling and laying requires a bit more skill hence looking for a pro. But I am 100% sure this job would take 1 day.
To address the other person the quote also includes some for overheads and petrol - I am not exactly sure what that includes mind you.
Mojooo said:
Its not a large lawn and is already plain mud. All it needs is flattening over and the turf put down on top.
Being someone who has laid a lot of turf, if that is the basic job you want, I would do it yourself, as to simply do what you have said would not give a very good chance of it living.If you had a hot spell, an ill-prepared base to the turf would be all it needs for you to get wispy dead grass a month later.
It is a little bit more preparation needed to do it properly than just rolling it out like carpet.
If you are buying decent turf, it is probably worth getting someone to lay it and thus warrant that it will live.
If you simply 'flatten out' the 'mud' you will have soil ill-suited to feed the turf and turk which does not adhere to the base.
JustinP1 said:
Mojooo said:
Its not a large lawn and is already plain mud. All it needs is flattening over and the turf put down on top.
Being someone who has laid a lot of turf, if that is the basic job you want, I would do it yourself, as to simply do what you have said would not give a very good chance of it living.If you had a hot spell, an ill-prepared base to the turf would be all it needs for you to get wispy dead grass a month later.
It is a little bit more preparation needed to do it properly than just rolling it out like carpet.
If you are buying decent turf, it is probably worth getting someone to lay it and thus warrant that it will live.
If you simply 'flatten out' the 'mud' you will have soil ill-suited to feed the turf and turk which does not adhere to the base.
Mojooo said:
well we made a start today for a couple of hours
flattening out - I am breaking the soil down into very small crumbly pieces so I can flatten it out and smooth it over easily.
i will then get the levels right and compact it down a bit and then put the turf on top.
Good luck.flattening out - I am breaking the soil down into very small crumbly pieces so I can flatten it out and smooth it over easily.
i will then get the levels right and compact it down a bit and then put the turf on top.
Come back when the grass dies. Because is will if you do that, especially in the summer.
Don't compact it down. If you do, you will be putting out the turf onto flat hard ground. The roots won't reach down and as soon as the grass dries out, it will die.
My advice is to lay a turf lawn *properly* will good long term success actually takes more time than sowing seed, is more expensive, and relies on luck with the weather, and a lot of water. It is fashionable though because people see sparkles in their eyes as a 'quick fix'. The reality though is that a lot of amateurs end up with a patchy, bumpy lawn of which a lot needs to be overseeded.
If you don't need a lawn like in 7 days, I really would recommend sowing seed. If you have not laid turk before, and you are trying to do it in the run up to mid-summer, you are more likely to get good results, with a lot less work and cost.
Then, you can get away with a lot less preparation. If you want a nice finish you can compact a bit before you start after flattening out with a plank or similar, running it over the top. Then, you choose a seed for the type of lawn you want - hard wearing, ornamental, bowling green etc, and how often you want to mow it, spend half an hour sowing, and wait.
One key to making turf survive is to water it like a b
d, expecially in warm or dry weather. Not just a quick go with a hose but something like a gallon every square yard - so get a sprinkler. Turf has no roots as such, the sun will suck the water out of the leaves and shrink the turves with frightening speed. Getting the turf laid is only half the task, carpet it ain't.
d, expecially in warm or dry weather. Not just a quick go with a hose but something like a gallon every square yard - so get a sprinkler. Turf has no roots as such, the sun will suck the water out of the leaves and shrink the turves with frightening speed. Getting the turf laid is only half the task, carpet it ain't.Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 31st May 22:51
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