Sanity Check - Paint and Plaster Quote

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Sanity Check - Paint and Plaster Quote

networkn

Networkn
32359 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#206157 12-Dec-2016 10:52

Hi.

We had our bathroom renovated about 8 years ago. Now the paint is peeling from the ceiling. We got a painter and a plasterer in to quote for repainting it.

Between them the quote is $1600! The bathroom is prob 2.5m x 4m in size (Ensuite) and I am struggling to understand how it could cost as much? Plasterer wants 2 days, painter wants 3.

1 | 2

1443 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1686408 12-Dec-2016 10:57

Doing it yourself?

Nah, I'm getting some blokes in!

Maaaaate, do it yourself.

timmmay

20591 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686409 12-Dec-2016 10:58

Why does it need plastering? Can't it just be sanded?

If it's plaster and paint then yeah, plasting takes a bit of time, including multiple visits. Painting again takes time, multiple visits, drying time for oil based paints if used can be long too. Getting it plastered and painted would probably take at least a week just for drying time.

networkn

Networkn
32359 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686411 12-Dec-2016 10:59

BlinkyBill: Doing it yourself?

Nah, I'm getting some blokes in!

Maaaaate, do it yourself.

If you knew me, you'd know why that would be the WORST idea ever.

networkn

Networkn
32359 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686414 12-Dec-2016 11:00

timmmay:

Why does it need plastering? Can't it just be sanded?

If it's plaster and paint then yeah, plasting takes a bit of time, including multiple visits. Painting again takes time, multiple visits, drying time for oil based paints if used can be long too. Getting it plastered and painted would probably take at least a week just for drying time.

Unfortunately the renovation team 8 years ago did a really poor job of the ceiling and nails are visible through etc. The edges aren't very good. Apparently, plastering is required. $1150 is the painters quote.

tdgeek

29753 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686415 12-Dec-2016 11:02

We have a painter that did some work at both previous houses. Son of someone wife knows. Professional. I know him pretty well now, so we chat about this and that. When its about plastering or painting, there is so much more that gets done and should be done compared to what us DIYers would do. Plus for a messy room as an ensuite there will be masking galore I imagine. Messy as in not like 4 clear and open walls as you would get in a bedroom

$1600 seems fine to me for a pro job

Dynamic

3869 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686433 12-Dec-2016 11:08

I would guess the travel to and from would be as much of a factor as anything. That's presumably 5 visits across 5 days, and you and I both know that is a bit of a pain in the rear.

You may like to consider doing the paint yourself given we have some long summer evenings coming up. If so, aside from taking care to mask up carefully, my only suggestion would be to add one more top coat than you think is necessary. We did an undercoat and 2 top coats 2 years ago and at the time it looked fine, but for some reason it now looks patchy when the room is steamed up so we should have done one more.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management. A great Kiwi company.

mattyb

254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1686490 12-Dec-2016 12:14

Seems like a reasonable price to me considering the size. Best to get pros in for bathrooms - learnt that the hard way myself!

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

networkn

Networkn
32359 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686491 12-Dec-2016 12:16

Wow, I am just amazed and horrified. Probably a fair amount of the bathroom is actually tiled.

I think I'll get a second quote just to be sure.

tdgeek

29753 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686495 12-Dec-2016 12:26

networkn:

Wow, I am just amazed and horrified. Probably a fair amount of the bathroom is actually tiled.

I think I'll get a second quote just to be sure.

What needs to be plastered and what needs to be painted?

networkn

Networkn
32359 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686497 12-Dec-2016 12:27

Ceiling to be plastered, walls and ceiling painted.

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#1686511 12-Dec-2016 12:40

If you consider what $1600 is at an hourly rate for two guys to do a total of 5 days work is about $40 per hour. And that excludes any materials, which I would guess would be $1-200 in paint and sealers, maybe half of that for plaster (dunno how much there is). Plus other sundry items. Then it's down to maybe ~$35 per hour which to me is pretty cheap for two trades I would hate to do.

Either way the above calcs are pure guess work, and the total seems reasonable to me.

tdgeek

29753 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686514 12-Dec-2016 12:46

and it will be by virtue of plater and paint, go there, do stuff, go away so it dries, do that again. For a small job there is a lot of travel to and fro time to build in

plod

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1686515 12-Dec-2016 12:48

The smaller the space the more time consuming it is to paint. I have never understood why people skimp on painting. After all it's only a fraction of what a Reno has cost. A good painter is worth every cent, I suppose it all depends on what your time is worth. Cu

timmmay

20591 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1686517 12-Dec-2016 12:54

I have to say it does sound reasonable to me as well, it's more effort than you'd think. I avoid getting multiple quotes for the sake of it, it takes a lot of time for tradies to do them. Maybe call one up for a chat rather than a quote. If you're in Wellington I can recommend Aqua Property Services for painting.

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek

#1686535 12-Dec-2016 13:30

Kinda depends how good of a job they're going to do.

How many coats of paint?

Are they using a suitable for wet areas, high quality paint & primer? etc...

Sounds reasonable if they're doing a good job.

1 | 2