Cost to lay floorboards

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by RatsAndHounds, May 27, 2021.

  1. RatsAndHounds

    RatsAndHounds Member

    How many days should it take 2 men to lay 65 x 18mm T&F floorboards that are 2.4m x 600? Across 4 rooms, 1 corridor and 1 landing.

    I have been quoted 2 men over 5 days for £1600 but this seems incredibly high to me because it averages 13 boards a day between 2 men.

    Thanks for your advice.
     
  2. Dan Greenslade

    Dan Greenslade Active Member

    Get another couple of quotes so you have something to go off :cool:.. if they are all similar then bingo, if they are varied then you have the choice
     
  3. stevie22

    stevie22 Screwfix Select

    Sounds like they are pretty slow workers!
     
  4. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    I don't think the progress will be linear - there will be a lot of cutting around door frames etc. and any radiator pipes to contend with?
    In my eperience of jobs like laying laminate floor these are the bits that consume a lot of time.

    When it comes to the long straight runs then sure, it's just a matter of throwing boards down (always checking that that they are square and plumb).
     
  5. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    As usual it's a very vague scenario presented but if it is indeed chipboard or OSB flooring then unless there's some crucial piece of info that isn't presented (like if you live on the 18th floor, or they have to remove skirting, the old boards, supply and fit new boards, replace skirting, and dispose of everything, etc etc etc) then that is quite a hefty quote.
     
    TangerineDream likes this.
  6. ejenner

    ejenner Active Member

    I can't find a way of looking at that based on the information given that it seems reasonable. Is it inclusive of VAT or using non-registered labour?

    Break it down by rooms. It's 6 floors. Less than a day per floor.

    And as mentioned earlier, if this is an end-to-end service where waste will be cleared and job fully done you should imagine there are costs you're being protected from which the builders are building into your quote.

    Did you mean T&G? As in tonged and groove? That has to be side-nailed if you want a pretty finish. But if it's being carpeted afterwards then can be nailed in the normal way.

    Also the amount of experience you're also paying for. You're paying for the accumulation of hours of experience, if they're experienced carpenters who've been doing the job for 10 years you are paying for that... not the specific hourly rate.
     
  7. RatsAndHounds

    RatsAndHounds Member

    Thanks chaps. The previous boards were already removed from a rewire. A lot of the work was done by two apprentices. The work was done over 2 floors (1st & 2nd) and there was some cutting around doorframes etc., but there were lengths where strips of the old boards were left in those parts and the new boards slotted into them. They have been screwed down. I paid separately for waste removal.
     
  8. ejenner

    ejenner Active Member

    So the job has already been done but you're worried afterwards about the price?
     
  9. stevie22

    stevie22 Screwfix Select

    Confucious say price first work second!
     
  10. RatsAndHounds

    RatsAndHounds Member

    I discussed this price with the builder prior to any work being carried out and said I thought the labour cost was far too high given the number of boards and the fact that the old boards were already gone. The builder said in that case he would monitor how long it took and would charge accordingly, then has charged top whack without presenting any evidence of actually monitoring anything. Also, I saw the work was principally carried out by two apprentices. So wanted to find out on this forum if indeed this was considered a reasonable pricing. It is easier to frame as a simple price question than going into the history. I am still not convinced that it is remotely reasonable.
     
  11. goldwise

    goldwise Active Member

    Are you happy with the quality of the work? If so, consider it a fair price and a lesson learned. You could have paid 1k and been unhappy with the work.
     

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