Extending existing patio area - Bonkers quote?

MarcusP12

Hi folks.....I'm sure this comes up quite a lot in various guises but I'd like thoughts on our scenario.

Basically we have a patio area between the back of the house and a garden. The garden is split roughly in two by a path running through the middle of the garden. The patio area is a little tight so we'd like to extend it either side of the path. We have patio tiles/slates already for this as we did an extension in the last few years and saved them. The slates are 600x400 and we have enough to extend out two rows which we'd be happy with, i.e. 800mm or so. The width either side is about 4m and 3.6m so the overall area is about 6.5m2 in total area.

Since we have the slates the scope is just to excavate, bed the slates, lay level and grout or however they are usually finished.

We got a quote from a guy who did a job on our neighbours garden and i nearly fell over when we listened to the message with the figure. He's quoting 3k for this! This sounds absolutely bonkers mad for the scale of the works. We only just got the quote so we'll be respectfully asking for a breakdown and the plan is to get a couple of more quotes anyway.

Has anyone any experience of doing this scale of patio works before to know how far out this quote is (assuming this is the case). What would be a rough guide rate range for a patio not including the tile itself? We're basically being charged 460 euro odd per m2 not including the tile itself.....something just doesn't sound right....I appreciate that its not a huge job so the rate per meter should be a bit higher than if it was a full patio but still like!

jmBuildExt

IMO, for what ever reason, he doesn't want to do it
Probably doesn't fancy having to lift up the haunching on your existing patio and match it back in etc etc then the fact he would have to disturb the existing slightly and not knowing what standard the original was done to...

You got his overtime price - i.e. he'll put himself out to do it some saturday or evening between his bigger jobs - but only if he gets extra for it as there is plenty out there to pick from.

MarcusP12

jmBuildExt wrote: »

IMO, for what ever reason, he doesn't want to do it
Probably doesn't fancy having to lift up the haunching on your existing patio and match it back in etc etc then the fact he would have to disturb the existing slightly and not knowing what standard the original was done to...

You got his overtime price - i.e. he'll put himself out to do it some saturday or evening between his bigger jobs - but only if he gets extra for it as there is plenty out there to pick from.

We definitely didn't get that impression that he didn't want to or couldn't do the job...he said he could get going as soon as we wanted....he was a very nice man to be fair so we were quite surprised by the quote.

To be honest, the job is so straight forward. There's no trimming or anything like that to work from. The existing slabs form the edge of the grassed area which is pretty much flat over the area so there are no obvious complications. My parents did a much bigger job themselves on a patio area not that they would again by their own admission. If i had a bit of get up and go and the time (we've a young family) i could go at it myself with the right tools but its just easier to pay someone qualified to do it but not at that price!!

Cakerbaker

Just to give a comparison, we’re paying €3000 to clear / level and lay approx 46sq m in porcelain tiles. Materials are extra, that’s the labour side. North Wicklow in case that makes a difference!

bricky06

Cakerbaker wrote: »

Just to give a comparison, we’re paying €3000 to clear / level and lay approx 46sq m in porcelain tiles. Materials are extra, that’s the labour side. North Wicklow in case that makes a difference!

This is blowing me away, I got 3 quotes this month for 30sq m in north Wicklow and they were all around €5k. Would you mind sending me a PM about who you are going with? Thanks

listermint

MarcusP12 wrote: »

We definitely didn't get that impression that he didn't want to or couldn't do the job...he said he could get going as soon as we wanted....he was a very nice man to be fair so we were quite surprised by the quote.

To be honest, the job is so straight forward. There's no trimming or anything like that to work from. The existing slabs form the edge of the grassed area which is pretty much flat over the area so there are no obvious complications. My parents did a much bigger job themselves on a patio area not that they would again by their own admission. If i had a bit of get up and go and the time (we've a young family) i could go at it myself with the right tools but its just easier to pay someone qualified to do it but not at that price!!

You never look like your turning down a job. You be super pleasant and professional, and you price the tiny jobs you dont really want to do in the high range so that if someone bites then it's just all pure mega profit.

It's sound business tbh.

Sounds like something you should see about doing yourself or with a family friend. It's tiny work. I wouldn't pay it. Or put it out to tasker app. Tasker.ie

MarcusP12

Cakerbaker wrote: »

Just to give a comparison, we’re paying €3000 to clear / level and lay approx 46sq m in porcelain tiles. Materials are extra, that’s the labour side. North Wicklow in case that makes a difference!

Thanks for that info...I wouldnt expect a huge difference between North Wicklow....so to be clear does your 3k quote include materials for bedding or is the 3k literally just labour to excavate, prep the bedding and lay the slabs but you supply the bedding material (gravel/sand) and the slabs themselves?

listermint

MarcusP12 wrote: »

Thanks for that info...I wouldnt expect a huge difference between North Wicklow....so to be clear does your 3k quote include materials for bedding or is the 3k literally just labour to excavate, prep the bedding and lay the slabs but you supply the bedding material (gravel/sand) and the slabs themselves?

He stated in the post you quoted. That's labour . Materials are extra . It's there in full

MarcusP12

listermint wrote: »

He stated in the post you quoted. That's labour . Materials are extra . It's there in full

Em yeah thanks for the guidance, i didn't realise it was not the done thing to clarify things and eliminate all doubt for myself...

MarcusP12

listermint wrote: »

You never look like your turning down a job. You be super pleasant and professional, and you price the tiny jobs you don't really want to do in the high range so that if someone bites then it's just all pure mega profit.

It's sound business tbh.

Sounds like something you should see about doing yourself or with a family friend. It's tiny work. I wouldn't pay it. Or put it out to tasker app. Tasker.ie

Thanks for the steer....yeah i am toying with the idea of doing as much of it as i can since the scope is so small...if my (at the time) late 60's old man can do it then sure i can have a go at it :pac:..i might come a cropper with any slates that need to be cut and minor stuff like that but it might be an option to pay an odd job/labourer guy for a few hours work to finish off the job.....I'll see when i get maybe another couple of quotes.....I'll check out that site, thanks for that....

Rows Grower

MarcusP12 wrote: »

Thanks for the steer....yeah i am toying with the idea of doing as much of it as i can since the scope is so small...if my (at the time) late 60's old man can do it then sure i can have a go at it :pac:..i might come a cropper with any slates that need to be cut and minor stuff like that but it might be an option to pay an odd job/labourer guy for a few hours work to finish off the job.....I'll see when i get maybe another couple of quotes.....I'll check out that site, thanks for that....

You'll cut those slabs/slates with 4" angle grinder fitted with a diamond tip disc.

The discs are in either Aldi or Lidl at the moment, pack of four for a fiver.

Any good handyman would be able to do the whole job for you at an hourly rate.

tscul32

We built a 25sqm patio a few years ago. Started with an uneven patch of grass, many many hours later we had a lovely patio. We just made it a family task. 3 small kids at the time but they were stuck in wellies and given small spades and buckets to do their bit. Took a while but well worth it.

Cakerbaker

MarcusP12 wrote: »

Thanks for that info...I wouldnt expect a huge difference between North Wicklow....so to be clear does your 3k quote include materials for bedding or is the 3k literally just labour to excavate, prep the bedding and lay the slabs but you supply the bedding material (gravel/sand) and the slabs themselves?

The €3000 is just the labour. They’ve quoted separately for the bedding materials / drain covers etc and we’re getting the tiles ourselves.

ted1

Cakerbaker wrote: »

Just to give a comparison, we’re paying €3000 to clear / level and lay approx 46sq m in porcelain tiles. Materials are extra, that’s the labour side. North Wicklow in case that makes a difference!

Can you send on details