Hello. I've been looking for estimates for rendering the gable end wall of
my bungalow with a coloured silicone coating; the wall is a mixture of brick
and block where repairs and alterations have been done, and the area is a
shade under 40 sq m.

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the other
two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so extreme: are
there different varieties of treatment with markedly different costs
involved? All three figures are from small local tradesmen, not large
specialist companies. What is a reasonable going rate, does anyone know? I
shall of course be taking things further but just wondered if the extremely
cheap quote was something to be slightly suspicious about.

Many thanks.

Bert Coules wrote:
Hello. I've been looking for estimates for rendering the gable end
wall of my bungalow with a coloured silicone coating; the wall is a
mixture of brick and block where repairs and alterations have been
done, and the area is a shade under 40 sq m.

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the
other two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so
extreme: are there different varieties of treatment with markedly
different costs involved? All three figures are from small local
tradesmen, not large specialist companies. What is a reasonable
going rate, does anyone know? I shall of course be taking things
further but just wondered if the extremely cheap quote was something
to be slightly suspicious about.
Many thanks.

This is a conundrum.

Those who do it regularly will have all the right gear and can get the
materials cheaper than those who only do it occasionally or rarely,
therefore their price could be cheaper.
Those who have only done it once or twice before and are just experimenting
will put in a big price 'just in case' or they out-and-out don't want the
job.
Some will use proper scaffold, others will use zip-up towers.
Some will use reinforcing mesh over the entire wall and others will just put
it over and under windows etc where cracks are leikely to form.

Ask each contractor about the mesh and also ask how many coats will it need.
The full wall needs mesh.
If any of them want to do it in one coat, pick someone else.
The cheapest could be the best or they could be chancers, once you've
verified what they intend doing for the money, then you can make a more
informed choice.

On Fri, 02 Jun 2017 18:20:51 +0100, Phil L wrote:

Bert Coules wrote:

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the
other two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so
extreme: are there different varieties of treatment with markedly
different costs involved? All three figures are from small local
tradesmen, not large specialist companies.

Ask each contractor about the mesh and also ask how many coats will it
need.
The full wall needs mesh.
If any of them want to do it in one coat, pick someone else.
The cheapest could be the best or they could be chancers, once you've
verified what they intend doing for the money, then you can make a more
informed choice.

also ask for properties they have done before as you would no doubt wish
to visit them to find out what the job looks like now and how the
householder felt they had performed.

Phil L wrote:
I forgot to add:

A lot of contractors put in inflated prices because most customers are
slightly thick and think they're getting something better than they would
with a cheap price, idiotic TV shows have brainwashed them into thinking
that a low price means a low standard of work. This isn't true.

Also, ask each contractor, 'if we decide to go ahead with it, when could you
start?'
Anyone who replies 'tomorrow' or 'next week' has no work on. Why?

The chances are that the cheaper one will say 'August'

On Friday, 2 June 2017 15:57:55 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
Hello. I've been looking for estimates for rendering the gable end wall of
my bungalow with a coloured silicone coating; the wall is a mixture of brick
and block where repairs and alterations have been done, and the area is a
shade under 40 sq m.

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the other
two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so extreme: are
there different varieties of treatment with markedly different costs
involved? All three figures are from small local tradesmen, not large
specialist companies. What is a reasonable going rate, does anyone know? I
shall of course be taking things further but just wondered if the extremely
cheap quote was something to be slightly suspicious about.

Many thanks.

With some walls doing that could cause damp problems. Particularly old non-cavity non-DPC ones.


NT

Phil and Mark, many thanks for those replies and the excellent advice. The
contractor who so far has impressed me the most, gave "three weeks or so" as
a possible start time - not exactly August but not tomorrow either. His was
one of the two high quotes, but since I posted the original question I've
had an other estimate arrive, and that's also in line with the high figures.
I'm beginning to suspect that it represents a fair price for the job and the
one low-quoter is undercutting the market for some reason. I'll investigate
further.

On 02/06/2017 19:04, wrote:
On Friday, 2 June 2017 15:57:55 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
Hello. I've been looking for estimates for rendering the gable end wall of
my bungalow with a coloured silicone coating; the wall is a mixture of brick
and block where repairs and alterations have been done, and the area is a
shade under 40 sq m.

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the other
two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so extreme: are
there different varieties of treatment with markedly different costs
involved? All three figures are from small local tradesmen, not large
specialist companies. What is a reasonable going rate, does anyone know? I
shall of course be taking things further but just wondered if the extremely
cheap quote was something to be slightly suspicious about.

Many thanks.

With some walls doing that could cause damp problems. Particularly old non-cavity non-DPC ones.


NT


The house down the road from us had a metal mesh fixed, and then a
couple of coats of render. Expensive stuff, whoever applies it. IIRC 3-4
times the price of ordinary mortar. Still looks good after a couple of years

"Mark Allread" wrote in message
o.uk...
On Fri, 02 Jun 2017 18:20:51 +0100, Phil L wrote:

Bert Coules wrote:

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the
other two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so
extreme: are there different varieties of treatment with markedly
different costs involved? All three figures are from small local
tradesmen, not large specialist companies.

Ask each contractor about the mesh and also ask how many coats will it
need.
The full wall needs mesh.
If any of them want to do it in one coat, pick someone else.
The cheapest could be the best or they could be chancers, once you've
verified what they intend doing for the money, then you can make a more
informed choice.

also ask for properties they have done before as you would
no doubt wish to visit them to find out what the job looks
like now and how the householder felt they had performed.

Problem with that approach is that they arent going to tell
you about the ones they ****ed up and may well claim to
have done well done ones they had nothing to do with.

And you'll never know if yours is anything like the
best ones were before the job was done either.

"Phil L" wrote in message
...
Phil L wrote:
I forgot to add:

A lot of contractors put in inflated prices because most customers are
slightly thick and think they're getting something better than they would
with a cheap price, idiotic TV shows have brainwashed them into thinking
that a low price means a low standard of work. This isn't true.

Also, ask each contractor, 'if we decide to go ahead with it, when could
you start?'

Anyone who replies 'tomorrow' or 'next week' has no work on. Why?

Because they arent as good con men as the others.

The chances are that the cheaper one will say 'August'

Its all in the preparation how long it lasts.

I think the first thing is to check ofor anything that moves. If parts of it
are already rendered remove the blown render then replace. Seal all joins
etc and then apply a bonding coat of some kind, then spray the top coat on
top. all this has to be done when its not damp or you get an effect like
dandruff after a year or so.



There are all sorts of products around these days, but most are supposed to
resist cracking as they tend to be silicone based, and again supposed to
allow brickwork to breath without letting water in.
My house was done some 10 years ago and is fine, but be careful around
windows if the sills are wood as they tend to rot faster.
Brian

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"Bert Coules" wrote in message
news
Hello. I've been looking for estimates for rendering the gable end wall
of my bungalow with a coloured silicone coating; the wall is a mixture of
brick and block where repairs and alterations have been done, and the area
is a shade under 40 sq m.

So far I've had three quotes, one of them almost exactly half of the other
two. Naturally I was expecting a bit of a range but nothing so extreme:
are there different varieties of treatment with markedly different costs
involved? All three figures are from small local tradesmen, not large
specialist companies. What is a reasonable going rate, does anyone know?
I shall of course be taking things further but just wondered if the
extremely cheap quote was something to be slightly suspicious about.

Many thanks.

Thanks to everyone for the new replies. The wall in question is
brick-and-block, and cavity insulation was fitted some years back. The only
window is uPVC with a sill of the same material.

So far, two of the quotees have visited the site. Both mentioned a backing
coat followed by a single top coat, with beading applied around the edges.
One (actually the cheapest) mentioned the need for an expansion strip. No
one talked about mesh.