Rates ?

[ericinparis]

I'm a British builder working in France, and was shocked to see that 'plastering per metre' rates in the U.K seem to be going down??? I'm charging 25euros per metre (the same as the last two years) and wonder if this will be competative in the future. Also, painting and decorating rates seem way low...

What's happening ???

[ADS]

Hiya mate
yeah they've certainly dropped i think you'd be lucky to get £2.25 m2 at the moment.
though i'd be happy with that now cos i'm not getting any work coming in now!
Cheers Alan.

[ericinparis]

Thanks Alan for you reply.

Wow, seems pretty bad. Will have to be careful, for what happens in the UK eventually happens here.

Hope it improves for you soon Alan

And to think, that once upon a time we earnt in London more then Politicians in Cabinet did.... Those were the days...

[STEVESB]

Hi Eric, i'm also working in france down near cognac and we are lucky to get 15euro's a square meter, so you are doing well to be getting 25. good luck with it, it seems the expats down heree are more switched on to the uk prices.

[ericinparis]

Hi there STEVESB

To be honest I mostle have French clients now and I don't mention metre rates in my 'devis'. I use the rate simply to calculate the quote. The client can take it anyway they want, maybe they consider it as a daily rate, or the price for the job, or maybe they try to work out my metre charge?

I also confuse the quote by adding a piece work free- fixing up a couple of panals of placo platre, painting, fixing a shelf etc. So, it's really hard to see what the rates are..

Maybe as a small piece of advice, try avoiding mentioning rates. Use the rate charge you want in your head to set the qoute, then sell it to the client by a bit of 'give and take' with the other work..

[STEVESB]

Hi Eric
I try to do that anyway, one of the problems is most of the work here is on full renovations so the clients hae carpenters, decorators etc lined up so putting in little extra's doesn't work most of the time. Where i can get to bump up the price is when there is detailing to do round key stones etc. The other problemis the french clients down here expect a placo wall (be it dry lined or a stud wall) expect it to be taped and joined, they don't seem to understand why brits insist on skimmimg even when you explain to them. Ce la vie.
What sort of plaster do you use up there, down here for skimming we are using Lutece 2000.

[ericinparis]

Hi there Steve,

Use Prestonett G & F, really find it quality stuff and super long using time (you can mix before breakfast and plaster in the evening if you want)

Ashamed to say that I skim French fashion now!!!!! You know two knives, but found a knack to plaster tight with three coats. 1st coat, then straight after 2nd (very tight) and leave 3rd for a couple of hours after. Really can be smooth. So, if you can source it down there try it out, between 28 and 32 euros the sack.

Can you find PVA? Heared of a another product called Viscobond by SIKA?

[STEVESB]

shoulds good but very expensive, Lutece 2000l gives you about 2hrs work time lutece
2000c gives about 1 hr15 and its about 15 euro's for a 33kg bag, its a white plaster and using it is like using onecoat, welll thats what it is anyway monocouche, there is also lutece blu which is like a bonding coat.
mind you there is a english builders merchants about an hour north of us if the client realy wants uk plaster.
As for PVA sikalatex or sikadher are the only ones i know of which do the job which are on general sale but we have a silverline stockist near here which stocks english PVA at reasonable prices. not yet found a supplier of decent tools yet so still resorting to the net for those, which seems to be cheaper than most of the stores over here

[kenny]

can you please tell me the going rate for skimming in the bristol area is there anyone got any idea if £2.35 is apporopriate, any takers 200,000. m2

[ben91]

I have just been offered some site work in the north west at £2.00 per sq m, I am used to doing domestic work and this price seems low to me, does enyone have any tips on equipment setup to make things faster, bearing in mind the price offered.