Help deciphering builders quotes for rendering

[rich99]

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help me decipher 2 builders quotes we've had for some rendering work. We have an old victorian house with cracked rendering - we've had 2 quotes that vary quite a lot in price. I'd like to know if they are quoting for the same thing or not, but don't understand the terms used!

1 is proposing:hacking off render, fix mesh over cracks, apply dub out coat & 2 coats of waterproof render. From quoins or beads with stainless steel trims.

The other is quoting: Hacking off render, expose cracks, remove cast iron fittings. Apply SBR slurry mix, apply scratch coat of render 3 in 1, sand+cement with sika waterproofer. Apply bell drips, coin beads as required.

I don't understand most of those terms - are they basically quoting for the same thing, or is there any reason one of these plans is better than the other?

Thanks!

 

[peaps]

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help me decipher 2 builders quotes we've had for some rendering work. We have an old victorian house with cracked rendering - we've had 2 quotes that vary quite a lot in price. I'd like to know if they are quoting for the same thing or not, but don't understand the terms used!

1 is proposing:hacking off render, fix mesh over cracks, apply dub out coat & 2 coats of waterproof render. From quoins or beads with stainless steel trims.

The other is quoting: Hacking off render, expose cracks, remove cast iron fittings. Apply SBR slurry mix, apply scratch coat of render 3 in 1, sand+cement with sika waterproofer. Apply bell drips, coin beads as required.

I don't understand most of those terms - are they basically quoting for the same thing, or is there any reason one of these plans is better than the other?

Thanks!

i would bin the second quote and get a couple more. it's way over the top and not correct. ie; sbr slury is a water proof so there would be no need to use Sika waterproof and 3.1 render is far too strong a mix for the job. Sika is also expensive.

 

[rich99]

The second quote is the cheaper one - by a considerable margin!

Time to find some more builders.....

 

[grandwizard]

try an actual plastering company like jones plastering in swansea

 

[rich99]

Will a plastering company do outside rendering? We also need guttering & roof work at the same time...

 

[Alastairreid]

http://www.amconstructionservices.co.uk/

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Draw up your own order of works, so each person is quoting like for like.
1. Hack of all render.
2. Allow povisional sum to fix mesh to all major cracks.
3. 4/1 sand and cement backing with water proofer and febmix.
4.Float coat 5/1 sand and cement with febmix, no water proofer.
5. Find out if each person is removing cast iron work.
6. Some spreads might add lime to the mix.
7. SBR slurry would be used if back ground material is porous, or in bad condition.

So long as every one is quoting for the same, you can then compare the prices.

 

[paul78]

this my sound strange but when your out and about on your travels day to day keep your eyes peeled for building works going on. If you like what you see then go for it, theres no better way than visually seeing the fresh rendering being done so at least you know what your getting.

Your always going to get different tradesmen saying all complete different things, and it will confuse you!

But as above dont ring a builder, ring rendering companies who specialise in it and dont just go for cheaper quote as it may come back and bite you in the you know what...

 

[rich99]

Thanks for all the advice. As I said above, the problem with getting a rendering person is that we also need roof, chimney & guttering work doing while the scaffolding is up. Trying to get several groups of people to Co-ordinate will be a nightmare, and it's complicated by the fact that I've been through the first 20 listings for roofers in the yellow pages and not one has called me back to arrangeto have a look! At least the builders have made the effort to give me quotes, and are willing to do the whole job at once. I'll have another trawl through the yellow pages and make some more calls tomorrow, see what some rendering specialists say.

 

[rich99]

Another question - how do I find rendering specialists? If I search for rendering on yell.com, most of what I get are builders! I've asked 2 people in the street who've has it done, and they just used builders too..

 

[grandwizard]

as i said jones plastering in swansea that man knows render inside out