Are these unreasonable renovation costs?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Are these unreasonable renovation costs?

1 | 2 | 3

mattwnz

20149 posts

Uber Geek

#2372689 11-Dec-2019 19:37

chevrolux:

The tradie can charge whatever they want if you haven't got a quote.

It's irrelevant whether it's too expensive or not, you've had the work done, now pay the bill.

IANAL . My understanding is that if there has been no estimate or quote given, then the charge must be 'reasonable'. If someone thinks they have been overcharged, they can contact other tradies to find out what they would charge for that work. However, from what the OP has said, they had already agreed on the price, which would be a quote or estimate.

I would look at how much productive time the tradie spent on the job, and not on their mobile, and find out what their hourly rate is and do a rough calculation from there.

MadEngineer

4274 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2372693 11-Dec-2019 19:54

FWIW, we paid $250 for labour in 2017 for a bathroom extractor install where only a vent to the roof space existed prior. We purchased the extractor kit ourselves. This was for an extractor only ie not a fan/light/heat unit* but included the wiring of a timer to an additional switch mech on the existing light switch.

*Not a fan (haha) of those three-in-one units with a heat lamp that will always need replacing and inevitably get stuck to the rusted fitting. Much tidier to have a simple vent grill, separate LED downlight and your own choice of bathroom heater.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

ZollyMonsta

3009 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2372784 11-Dec-2019 21:33

sir1963:

ZollyMonsta:

Check with them.. but it could be you are also paying for an apprentice to show up and learn on the job. I've had this with builders. You end up paying for the builder and the apprentice on site.

This is a problem why ?

You pay much less for an apprentice, but if you think paying tradesman rates for clipping wires is a good idea....

No. I am talking about paying for two on the job... the tradesman and his apprentice... when one could do the job.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

MadEngineer

4274 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2372796 11-Dec-2019 22:51

Pfft and what. The way I see it if a tradie does a good job and the final price is ok then good on them. If they ripped me off because I failed to get better quotes then bully me.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#2374280 12-Dec-2019 15:06

sir1963:

semigeek:

Supply and fit a power point where an existing power point existed $350

Ouch, we got our whole house rewired, new sockets and switches and everything replaced on the circuit board(including putting in RCD's) and it came to $2200 all up. $350 seems steep for one power point.

how long ago was that ?

August 2018

Was it actually rewired, or just new fittings put on ?

Completely rewired

What was rewired, the lights ?, power points ?, Stove ? , new main between switchboard and meter panel, Hot water ?

The whole house except the main wire that goes from the outside wall to the switchboard as that was fine. Hot water and stove was also done.

What brand of fittings, you can get "cheap".

Fittings are all PDL

How many breakers on the board, did they reuse anything ?

15, and a new box? to put them in. They were the old ceramic? types with fuse wire originally, but all replaced.

How long were the sparkie(s) there, how many were there ?

1 sparky, 27 hours

How easy access was it in the roof/floor space ?

Very easy. Also, just looking at the final invoice, it came to $2026, not the $2200 I thought it was.

1 | 2 | 3