Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?

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mrs bouquet

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Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« on: January 18, 2020, 21:51 »
I have had a quote to repoint the side of a garage wall.  Just one side.   It is conventionally built of bricks and mortar.  The garage is an average single garage length and height, with a plastic window in.

With a diamond mortar blade cut out all between bricks to a depth of 4mm.  Clean the dust out.  Refill with 4-1 sand and cement.   Then brush off joints, Clean down windows and doors etc.

What do you think would be a fair price to have this job done.   He reckons it will take two men, three days !
I assume the price quoted to me includes VAT, it does not say plus.

I haven't put the price in, but will tell you later, as I do not want to prejudice your opinions.  I am just so scared of being a ripped-off old lady, because I don't know about these things.     Many thanks for your time if you read and answer this.     Mrs Bouquet
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Steveharford

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2020, 08:40 »
Hi Mrs B
I don’t post much these days but do look in from time to time and as I might be able to help, as I’m a builder, here I am.
He’s probably correct to be quoting about 3 days for two men, but only if he is doing it properly. And that means cutting out a lot more than 4 mm. the depth should be at least equal to the joint width which will be 10-12 mm. also, we rarely use an angle grinder blade but prefer a mortar rake bit which replaces the blade in a small grinder. This saves inadvertently cutting into the bricks and also ensures raking out to full depth and width. We then use mortar guns to fill the joints, this ensures that the mortar gets right in. Both the rake and the guns are available from Screwfix.
A guide to the price for doing it properly line that would be £8-900 (plus VAT if he is registered). You need to ascertain that before committing. But if he is Registered then the VAT number should be printed on his headed quote. If not then he shouldn’t be charging VAT.
Hope this helps.
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snowdrops

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2020, 08:49 »
Could you have it rendered, that’s what my dad to my first house gable wall when the building society put a retention on the mortgage, but he did say there was nothing wrong with the mortar & would need dynamite to get it out. That render is still there (we aren’t) 35 years later .
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rowlandwells

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2020, 09:30 »
I would say £8-900 +vat would be the going rate but it depends on the area where one lives to prices but that price would be the price I would go for

when we had our wall built we had a very good bricklayer who was very fair in charging us and he recommended we should paint the bricks with a brick seal because they where second hand bricks I thought this was very good advise because he didn't have to mention that I'm very cautious when I have a quote from someone I like to see there work and ask there customers how they rate there work as there are so many cowboy builders about who think because we are in our mature years we don't understand things and are venerable to being ripped off

get a few quotes Mrs B before you decide on who would do the best job for you and its not necessarily the cheapest quote that's the best

hope this helps and good luck finding the rite builder

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MrsPea

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2020, 09:33 »
Mrs B, You can always look in' Check a trade' to see what his work is like and how people recommend him is he local ?? always get 2 quotes. Good luck



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Goosegirl

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2020, 10:44 »
Get quotes for both re-pointing and re-mortaring and see which is the cheapest way to sort it out.
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wapello

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2020, 11:12 »
First of all Mrs B get two more quotes dont just take the first one, from   brickies see what van they
pull up in and how they are dressed, a good brickie will have his van sign written name  phone number
etc, and he wont be able to do it right away as with all good trades they will be busy, not unless he has two guys that would  knock it out  on a sat / sun/, cash  then back to main job monday,
 
Colin

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JayG

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2020, 13:40 »
Much-quoted figure online is £20-£30 per square metre Mr's B.

Time to get your tape measure out perhaps?  ;)
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wapello

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2020, 19:01 »
Mrs B if your garage wall is 18"x 9" =162 sq ft or 49.5 mtrs minus the window round it up 49 mtrs
@ £20 =£900 odd  or £30 = £1400 odd,,,,,on jayg price that he look up, it might be better to get it
rendered then a good masonry paint, good luck with it

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mrs bouquet

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2020, 19:43 »
I did consider render, and the man who has been so far, said it is a lot more expensive.   Looked on Google, average about £70 / sq metre.  I have taken your advice and contacted two more people, amd when I get all the prices back along with the "digging out depth".  I shall let you know.  Meanwhile thanks for all your help and advice, all of which I have taken on board.   The man who has been so far, quoted £1250.00 which included a thorough clean down of my porch and windows etc.
He showed me all his tatts, with inkings of Jesus and cherubs and rosaries etc, whilst assuring me he would not rip me off because he is a Christian.    I showed my cross in my pocket and said, "so am I"   
Watch this space.  :D   and thanks again,  Mrs B

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JayG

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2020, 23:08 »
Based on wapello's guesstimate of your garage wall size, I make the area about 15sq metres, which shouldn't cost more than around £500 if the online figures are at all reliable.

Definitely a good plan to get additional  'real world' estimates!

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WeavingGryphon

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2020, 09:17 »
He showed me all his tatts, with inkings of Jesus and cherubs and rosaries etc, whilst assuring me he would not rip me off because he is a Christian.    I showed my cross in my pocket and said, "so am I"   
Watch this space.  :D   and thanks again,  Mrs B

In My experience-which means sod all, the most holy are holy to hide something. Usually the duplicity and dodgy underhand dealings. You want someone who is straight up about it, no fancy burblings or attempts to reassure you with things other than a reference. Why mention religion? It's not relevant, I'd rather have a physical reference from your other customers than an inky "reference".

Every time my family got the raw end of a deal it was someone who was a bible thumper.

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mrs bouquet

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2020, 10:35 »
the garage measure 19ft (almost but not quite) and 6.6ft going to 8ft height.  At this time my maths fail me  :D  so how many square metres is that.  I have got somebody else coming on Thursday.   Mrs B

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New shoot

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2020, 10:47 »
It would be slightly less than 14 square metres - it is just over 14 if you calculate it based on the roof being 8ft high for the full length.  I haven't allowed for windows in that.

I don't know what it is like round your way Mrs B, but here in Reading the tradesmen charge a lot more than other parts of the country.  There are lots of cash rich but time (and ability) poor customers around, so they can  ;)
« Last Edit: January 20, 2020, 10:47 by New shoot »

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wapello

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Re: Re-pointing - Is this a rip-off, help please ?
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2020, 11:53 »
I was going  a free standing  two sides  one end  and around doors or is it built on to the house,?


 

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