guttering etc.

[bluebird34]

I have a small bungalow and have just been quoted �10,500 for replacement soffits fascias and guttering in white plastic. Is this a realistic price please? Janet

[Hawkwalk]

my best guess would be that you have been quoted about �7500 too much. They are trying to rip you off big time.

[jigman1]

Sounds like hawkwalk has got it right .Some local councils provide a service where they supply vetted local tradesmens phone numbers, try it..

[bluebird34]

Thank you so much Imust admit I nearly had a heart attack!! I tried two people on list from Age
Concern and left messages but did not get a reply from either. Have a local man coming tomorrow will see what he says and then try the Council. Thanks for taking the time to answer. xx Janet

[alavahalf]

Janet..is your bungalow called Buckingham Palace...materials to do Fascia, Soffit and Gutters can't cost more than �6 - 8 per metre..... whatever you do get a second opinion.
Avoid yellow pages, and look for a local company that specialise in UPVC.
For the average size bungalow you should expact around a price of around 1 /10th of the price quoted.
Also anyone that is recommended by Age Concern has...as a rule been vetted... they do tend to be in demand because they have the reputation of not ripping people off.
Dont rush into this, phone them again and leave a message...ask them to call you back.

[bluebird34]

ty alavahalf I did get this from yellow pages, maybe I will persevere with Age Concern list, so hard not to get conned these days. Thanks for advice I will be careful!! Find this site so helpful for all sorts of things thanks again Janet

[jon1968]

Jeez! Obviously it depends on how big your house is Janet but to give you some idea of what the actual materials cost, I did my �rents bungalow a couple of years ago. About 30 metres and including all the soffit & fascia boards, nails, screws, guttering, clips, joints and down pipes etc it cost about �550!

It then depends how much they want to charge for labour! It took me (a competent DIY�er) 3 days pretty much on my own to rip the old stuff down and put the new gear up. So even if you�ve got 2 blokes on an exorbitant couple of hundred quid a day doing it at a snails pace the labour wont be more than �1500 on top of the materials.

[bluebird34]

Thank you Jon I love this site I have had answers on all sorts of problems from people who have experience and know what they are talking about. When the salesman started talking about the "cost of stainless steel nails" I knew there was something wrong!!!!!!!!!!

[jon1968]

Lol! Glad to help, Janet. Have you googled the company name to establish their reputation?!

You do, however, need to use �specialist� nails like these
because they look �pretty� and blend in, but as you can see even though they�re relatively �expensive� in nail terms they�re still sooo cheap! You�ll only need 2 or 3 bags... if that! Don�t let any salesman bamboozle you with their patter!

Also, if your bungalow is bigger than 30m the cost doesn�t necessarily increase proportionately. I spent nearly as much on joints and corners for the guttering as the actual guttering itself. If you�ve got a straight run of guttering every extra few metres will only add a few quid to the price.

Forgot to mention my �550 included hiring a mini scaffold tower too!

[buildersmate]

Ah! it involves a salesman. There you go then - commissioned to be earned etc.
This is nothing that a tradesman can't quote for himself.

[Banali]

Might be an idea to report him to Trading Standards to prevent someone else being conned. Sooner or later he's going to be succesful if he's not stopped.

[bluebird34]

Well everyone your advice has been invaluable. I had a local man round today who did his own measuring and quoted me �1,250 including vat fitting and everything. He even told me which local houses he had done recently so that I can go and have a look for myself and he has been in business locally for 30 years so I think he is my man! Thanks for all the feed back, x Janet

[jon1968]

That sounds more like it Janet! It really is a doddle to do, nothing a good general builder wouldn�t tackle - especially on a bungalow! The only tricky bit is getting the drop on the guttering right. I�m sure they�ll be there and gone in a couple of days.

[bluebird34]

Thanks jon yes he said a couple of days should do it . I have been so grateful to you all, I am very aware that some people see an elderly lady on her own and see � signs, so it is nice to be able to ask for unbiased advice. Janet

[pizza]

Hi Janet an so disgusted that anyone could try and rip anyone off to that extent,I can understand firms providing this service having a little variation in the price but not to that extent x
I hope you have reported this cad to the trading standards ! I would hate to think he could try this on anyone else especially the elderly x
I am glad you sought advice fron the site and are getting your work done at a good price x
I would be tempted to get in touch with my local paper to tell off your situation ! he should be named and shamed x