Unprepeared walls.

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jcrplast

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Just been to price a job, but the owners want me to remove all the wall paper.Its the first time ive been on a job where i have to price for removal of the paper.Would like to hear anyone who as done this.

Ive priced for stripping the paper, also removal of a door frame and dado.

The owner asked what is the price for the plastering, and materials, and i'm trying to explain the job needs prep work first.

I want to price in stages because of all the prep work.

I dont know how to properly price for this kind of thing so any advice appreciated.
 
If they insist that you remove the wallpaper, price it at your usual day rate. If they want it done cheaper, ask them to get a labourer in to remove the wallpaper. However, make them aware that it needs to be removed properly otherwise you'll end up wasting your time resolving any issues :)
 
Ideally, it's best to price the job after the wallpaper has been removed to allow you to assess the condition of the walls. As you know, wallpaper can hide a multitude of sins :)
 
Offer to do the stripping on a day rate. You should know the rest


They want me to plaster the whole house, and remove all the paper first.Its a massive job.

I dont mind doing it, but not for free...cheers Bed.


If they insist that you remove the wallpaper, price it at your usual day rate. If they want it done cheaper, ask them to get a labourer in to remove the wallpaper. However, make them aware that it needs to be removed properly otherwise you'll end up wasting your time resolving any issues :)

Yeah good points thanks mate.

The job isnt secure yet until i start ,so i'm getting a bit nervous that they think my price for prep is to high.I have to see them this evening to get the green light.I know they will pay over the odds if they have anyone else in.
 
I went to prep and PVA a ceiling this morning ready for skimming on friday as i was doing another job a few doors down the street. and the woodchip was still on the ceiling. The customer had pulled some paper off where a massive crack was and left the rest. After politely explaining that i told her she could leave the paper on if she wanted it overboarding but it needed to come off if she just wanted it skimming.

She told me a never explained that and i asked her to read the estimate i had sent her at which she had agreed with when asked me to do the job. If i had turned up on friday with the paper on i would have got back in the van and went home....................some people..........:rolleyes).

Got better things to do than scrape off paper.....................like polishing the scaffold im selling.................its in the for sale section lads........................:RpS_thumbup:
 
we always tell people that we charge the same for stripping as we do for plastering, if they agree fine if not fine also..
 
As the lads above say .... strip it on day rate- explain you cant estimate materials til its stripped due to any blown plaster / backing coats .... If they really insist then I'd price it for a worse case and tbh if i didnt get the job it wouldnt bother me ... nothing like shooting yourself in the foot on jobs like this and working for next to nothing ...
 
Not being funny JCR but you seem a bit new to the game and maybe the customer has picked up on this. Tell him that by all means you are willing to strip the wallpaper at a price but the plastering can only be estimated at this point in time as it is impossible to tell what work will lie beneath the paper. If he is adamant that he wants a price tell him you can give him one for skimming only with a revision in place for any other works that may be required. He can't REASONABLY expect anything else, if he does he's not the type you want to be working for, Before you go tonight make sure that you are confident in what you propose to do :RpS_thumbup:
 
Not being funny JCR but you seem a bit new to the game and maybe the customer has picked up on this. Tell him that by all means you are willing to strip the wallpaper at a price but the plastering can only be estimated at this point in time as it is impossible to tell what work will lie beneath the paper. If he is adamant that he wants a price tell him you can give him one for skimming only with a revision in place for any other works that may be required. He can't REASONABLY expect anything else, if he does he's not the type you want to be working for, Before you go tonight make sure that you are confident in what you propose to do :RpS_thumbup:

Ive been plastering for about 15 yr, so dont know if that is new to the game.

The customers are foreign, and there seems to be lack of understanding on their part.I cant explain it any other way that the price i have given for the prep work has nothing to do with the plastering.They are asking does the price i gave include the plaster, but i have described in detail on the estimate, and verbally what needs to happen before any other work starts.

I have to go up personally this evening to explain it again....dont know what else to do.
 
Hi mate, best thing to do with these customers if give them a price for everything. I think the misunderstanding is due to the diffrent prices for prep then plastering. I never break my quote down unless it's for insurance or it's a large job. Welcome to the forum:RpS_thumbsup:
 
Ive been plastering for about 15 yr, so dont know if that is new to the game.

The customers are foreign, and there seems to be lack of understanding on their part.I cant explain it any other way that the price i have given for the prep work has nothing to do with the plastering.They are asking does the price i gave include the plaster, but i have described in detail on the estimate, and verbally what needs to happen before any other work starts.

I have to go up personally this evening to explain it again....dont know what else to do.

If it's a language problem you should definitely make sure you do a written quote, not an estimate, with provision for extra work "to be agreed before being undertaken". Make sure they sign a copy.
 
Ive been plastering for about 15 yr, so dont know if that is new to the game.

The customers are foreign, and there seems to be lack of understanding on their part.I cant explain it any other way that the price i have given for the prep work has nothing to do with the plastering.They are asking does the price i gave include the plaster, but i have described in detail on the estimate, and verbally what needs to happen before any other work starts.

I have to go up personally this evening to explain it again....dont know what else to do.
Avoid!!!
 
Stuart look in the history books mate I think youll find it's quite a regular thing lol 54 x
 
When a language problem has occured for me in the past it has turned into a magor problem i.e. CUSTOMER " I did'nt understand your quote properly otherwise i would not have given go ahead for the works to commence" and was wanting big discount on the invoice amount ! Oh did i mention this guy was a consultant surgeon bless him and his missus a doctor. I did get the full amount eventually but cost me for several solicitors letters so, rightly or wrongly ever since where language has been an issue i have politely made my excuses and declined the oportunity to quote for work.
 
It's a ballache but money is money to me and pays the bills so I'd prob just crack on. I have never had to strip a whole room before but agreed: day rate. When someone's been lazy and left some paper up they are charged (as before told) £10 an hour to remove it starting at £10 immediately. And I think thats bloody nice of me!!
 
It's a ballache but money is money to me and pays the bills so I'd prob just crack on. I have never had to strip a whole room before but agreed: day rate. When someone's been lazy and left some paper up they are charged (as before told) £10 an hour to remove it starting at £10 immediately. And I think thats bloody nice of me!!

Strip the whole house....not room lol.

Ive never been on a job like it before...the work is there...ill know one way or another,going up there at 8:30 to see whats what...more fuel wasted.
 
how in 15 years have you never been asked to strip wallpaper, just set a day rate for removal and as has been said a provisional costing for plastering so they can roughly budget costs
 
price each room individually for them then paid when its complete, then worse case you only get ripped on one room and it will give you an idea of whats to come with the other rooms.
 
It's a ballache but money is money to me and pays the bills so I'd prob just crack on. I have never had to strip a whole room before but agreed: day rate. When someone's been lazy and left some paper up they are charged (as before told) £10 an hour to remove it starting at £10 immediately. And I think thats bloody nice of me!!

£10 an hour are you kidding? Is that how highly you rate yourself?
 
From my terms and conditions:

Any wall and/or ceiling papers and paste, and loose and/or flaky paint should be removed beforehand, this can be done by us, if required, at a cost of £20.00 per man per hour of part thereof if we haven't already quoted for this.
 
how in 15 years have you never been asked to strip wallpaper, just set a day rate for removal and as has been said a provisional costing for plastering so they can roughly budget costs

Ive been asked, but have replied that the walls need to be prepared first.Its the first time the customer didn't want nothing to to with it.

price each room individually for them then paid when its complete, then worse case you only get ripped on one room and it will give you an idea of whats to come with the other rooms.

Thats what i had in mind...no much of a loss then.

Well ive been up to get this sorted and we all on the same page.

Start first thing in the morning...ive got my little wallpaper steamer ready haha.
 
so how much did you price the paper removal at? and how do you think it will take you
 
so how much did you price the paper removal at? and how do you think it will take you

Well with stripping of the walls paper from the main stair wall ,removal of a dado, plus knocking out a door frame £185 2 days work..oh yeah and patch some blown plaster and fill behind from ripping out the door frame.

I haven't got a clue to price for this sort of thing, and think i'm way undercutting myself.

Ive told the customer than i will remove the rest of the paper on the stairs and landing, plus fit new skirting and architrave, before any plastering starts...the job is fooking huge.
 
You're charging £185 for 2 days work and youre going to fit new skirts and arcs before you plaster?
 
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