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Garden Decking |
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| message from Tim Nicholson on 18 May 2004 |
OK, I was at a self-build show the other week, and I got talking to a
decking installer. (we decided to build a deck rather than a
conservatory on the back of the house as we prefer being outdoors)
So yesterday, this chap breezes up, takes about three measurements,
sticks his wet thumb in the air and says "Four and a half grand guv".
Now, I'd already asked him for a price just for the timber, which
being the 'good' salesman he was he'd countered with "Well, as my guys
will only take a day, day-and-a-half at most to build this, and you
wouldn't get the 10 year guarantee if we didn't do the work, so no, we
can't quote materials only sir"
Some facts and figures. The deck is to be 4.5m deep, 7m across the
front, with wide steps (600mm down) to the lawn, and smaller (900mm
wide, 600mm drop to another path. Approx 12m of balustrading as two
sides are aginst walls. (maybe 14 allowing for the step rails)
Can anyone with more experience than I give a 'guesstimate' for the
cost of materials here? I thought around £1500 should do the job, and
therefore if I allowed (being generous) £25.00 per hr for a leading
hand and £15.00 for his mate, £560 for labour (two days at 7hrs per
day) plust the VAT we should be looking at about £2500 tops?
Have I missed something?
Tim
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| Andy Hall replied to Tim Nicholson on 18 May 2004 |
I think that the material cost is about right, although could be a bit
more depending on specifics that you choose.
The labour rates may be slightly low.
You haven't accounted for the firm's marketing costs, overheads, cost
of the sales person coming to see you and a profit for the
shareholders of the firm.
If you want to reduce costs, you could employ a small local hard
landscaping firm which does not have the overheads - i.e. a man and a
boy. Bear in mind though, that if they are any good, they will be
fully booked until next year.
.andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
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| BigWallop replied to Andy Hall on 18 May 2004 |
Or get the materials and "DO IT YOURSELF" :-))
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| Tim Nicholson replied to BigWallop on 18 May 2004 |
<snip of my original post re decking costs from supplier, and andy's
sensible reply>
Ah! I now have every intention of doing just that! What with erecting
the greenhouse, building three raised veggie beds (out of railway
sleepers - god but they're heavy) , filling each of same with about
ten tonnes of backfilled earth, composted horse manure and topsoil,
and moving about ten tonnes of newly sawn logs (remains of eight dead
elm trees), I just fancied watching someone else do some of the work
for once. It'd also have been nice to have it done within three
weeks, when we've got about 40 people turning up for a BBQ. What I
*do* know (and significantly, SWMBO agrees on this) is that *when* I
get a round tuit, the finished job will look more professional if I've
done it myself. It'll take bloody ages to get finished, but it will
look good.
Here's hoping I haven't cursed myself with that last remark........
Oh - and anyone know a cheap source of decent decking timber in
Southern Scotland?
Tim
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| Ian Stirling replied to Tim Nicholson on 18 May 2004 |
Make it a 'themed' barbecue.
That's only about 100Kg of shifting manure/earth per guest.
Should go fast.
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| BigWallop replied to Tim Nicholson on 18 May 2004 |
Don't know about suppliers I'm afraid, best to shop around for that. Here's a few
helpful hints on how to put it all together when you get it.
http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur05.htm
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| Nick Brooks replied to Tim Nicholson on 19 May 2004 |
Some people advise against using old railway sleepers near vegetables
and they are full of preservative chemicals which will leech out into
the soil over time.
Nick Brooks
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| Tim Nicholson replied to Nick Brooks on 19 May 2004 |
I'd heard that Nick, and am aware that some people think it's a risk,
but as I also eat red meat and salmonella riddled hens eggs, drink
alcohol, use salt on my food and even have been known to cross the
road on occasions, I guess I'll live with the odds!
Incidentally, can anyone provide a URL to *actual* data for A) the
expected rate of 'leech' of creosote or tar products into soil from
railway sleepers and B) proven health data that says it's bad?
Tim
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| usenet replied to Pete C on 20 May 2004 |
After the third time without it being corrected it's leaching.
Leeches are animals which suck your blood.
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| BillV replied to Nick Brooks on 19 May 2004 |
I seriously thought of using old sleepers until I went to look at them in
several outlets.
They were horrible! most were badly split along their length plus the tar
and god knows what on them would make you not want them anywhere near your
property.
Hasn't their domestic use been banned anyway because of the creosote?
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| Christian McArdle replied to Tim Nicholson on 18 May 2004 |
Yes. You've found out one of the main reasons for DIY. Quite frankly, you'd
be lucky to persuade cowboys to even quote at the moment around here.
They're too busy even to fleece old grannies.
Christian.
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| Tim Mitchell replied to Tim Nicholson on 20 May 2004 |
If the creosote doesn't put you off, just think of all the poo that's
been flushed onto them from passing trains.
I used to work on railways and you could always rely on somebody in a
passing train flushing the toilet on the bit of track you were working
on.
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