Is Dulux smooth trade masonry paint worth £10 per tin more?

[patagonia]

Our decorator gave us a price excluding the cost of the materials which he is billing us at cost, supposedly at a discount. We were surprised at the price of the Dulux 5 litre Trade smooth masonry paint: £28.61 plus VAT from a Dulux decorator centre (with their bill). I can buy 5 litres of Dulux non-trade masonry paint from our local hardware store for £18.49 inc. VAT. What makes the trade version worth so much more? Will it last longer or is it easier to apply, i.e. is the benefit for the decorator rather than ourselves?

 

[Growler]

Our decorator gave us a price excluding the cost of the materials which he is billing us at cost, supposedly at a discount. We were surprised at the price of the Dulux 5 litre Trade smooth masonry paint: £28.61 plus VAT from a Dulux decorator centre (with their bill). I can buy 5 litres of Dulux non-trade masonry paint from our local hardware store for £18.49 inc. VAT. What makes the trade version worth so much more? Will it last longer or is it easier to apply, i.e. is the benefit for the decorator rather than ourselves?

They're both 15 years protection. Trade is down as covering 14-16m2/litres and retail is down as covering 15m2/litres.
Trade is a bit thicker.. thus sometimes, I repeat sometimes it can cover in 1 coat.
I've said it before and I'll say it again , Trade paint causes more confusion than anything else, you're a good example, because you're confused. I can't think of another product, whereby you pay more for something when buying it Trade than buying it retail.

So.... go to your local hardware store and buy the retail paint you require.
This will get your job done and your decorator wont have to use his petrol running round for you and giving it you at cost and costing him money (imagine a plumber or electician doing that )

Then... get a chair and sit outside and watch him apply it, checking that he washes any cobwebs off and allows it to fully dry before he applies 2 full coats, as you would yourself, just to make sure that you're impressed with his preparation as it may not be a patch on your own work .
You could even take pictures of it in stages, just to make sure that everything's going to plan.