Carpentry Quote

A question about : Carpentry Quote

Hello!

Just trying to get an idea about a quote a carpenter has given me for a job as he's the only one out of about 50 contacted that actually got back to me and came to have a look!

I'm looking to get an open staircase renovated to include a balustrade and spindles up the stairs and on the top landing, and at the same time have a cupboard created in the recess underneath.

He's quoted me about Ј1300, does this sound about right?

I can't post any links to show you examples as I'm new, but it's in a 1950's ex council terrace if that helps.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Best answers:

• Hard to say with out knowing more info:
  How long a run roughly is it for the ballustrades? and again how large is the area under the stairs?
  What sort of spindles and handrail are you having and same with cupboard, lots of shelves,drawers?mdf/ply or veneers or solid wood?
• Cheers Reece_
  I don't have the measurements to hand but it's probably about 13 stairs if that's any help! I'd post some pictures if I was allowed to!
  It'd be for two mdf doors, no shelving inside...just to cover the recess with two doors really.
  Spindles and hand rail he's put edwardian ones in soft wood, though I'd likely want to change those to a more square style ones. not primed or anything.
  The upstairs bannister is about a metre long, there's no curves in it or gap between the bannister and stairs if that makes any sense.
• He did say it was for about 30 - 35mm 32mm spindles and rail though, and fitting a new newell post at the bottom of the stairs.
• In which case it sounds a bit steep , whereabouts in the country are you? It plays a part.
  I would be thinking you're looking at around Ј400 materials, I would think ( without seeing and knowing full measurements ) that Ј1000 maybe a tad more would be top end.
  did he say how long he'd expect the job to take?
• He said it'd take a couple of days, and we're in Hertfordshire near Watford so there's the south east premium people like to add on.
  Did some quick measurements, the stairs is 345cm long and the runner where the spindles would go it 4cm wide at the top, its a little tapered though and goes down to 5cm. The bannister at the top is 150cm long.
  The recess is 154cm at the tallest point and 18cm at the lowest, its 152cm in width at the bottom and obviously shortens as it goes up to the wall.
  Cheers for answering by the way, much appreciated!
• I was thinking 2 days also from your description , he may allow a third which may put it around the Ј1000 mark but materials he's looking at may be higher end than I'm thinking . I work in herts also so know the going rate for trades is higher than some areas, do you know whether the carpenter is in herts or from London? If he's in London himself his basic rate may be a bit higher although the job itself is just outside.
• Yeah he's based in Herts too, only about a ten minute drive from where I live. He did send me examples of his work and it does look good, but I've just had a another quote back from one guy quoting Ј950 which was more what I was expecting!