Scaffolding seems to be appearing everywhere, especially in our small street. Above is the back of our houses by the garages. Scaffolding always makes the place look scruffy; as soon as it goes up, I can't wait for it to come down again.
Now that warm dry weather is more predictable, out come the paint pots and brushes. We're even hoping to do our own when we return in September.
The gentleman who owns the house in the middle of the picture is painting his own. The scaffolding cost him about £1,000, and the paint about £30.
I mentioned to him that we'd been quoted over £5,000 for a much smaller job than his (we are mid-terrace, and don't have a gable end wall), and I suggested that, like him, we book the scaffold, and do the job ourselves. I'm sure that Kimbo would lend a hand. A saving of about £4,000 at the moment would be very welcome.
The facades of our houses are half brick, and half white-painted rendering. Traditionally the white part is the bottom half with the exposed brickwork showing above, but for some reason, with our houses, they did the opposite; making it necessary to have scaffolding, or a very long ladder, to paint the top half.
I'm not sure yet if we'll try to do ours ourselves, or just hope to win the lottery and allow others to do it for us.
Anyone got a coin?
Why do you think roofers and scaffolders pay eyewatering premiums on their business insurance? Ask a risk assessor.
ReplyDeleteNo, Cro, sometimes people save money at the wrong end. Anyway, I thought you had dodgy knees. And do get more than one quote. £5,000 for a place your size does seem steep - erecting the scaffolding, not the painting, being the expensive part.
Also, do consider should you "fall off the ladder" who will pay for the damage? You most certainly aren't insured for a caper like that - though, dare I say it, good old NHS will process you through A&E and stitch you together as best as your old bones allow. And you'll just love the hospital food. I'll send you a hamper of the finest.
As an aside: Are you considering the decorations for structural or cosmetic purposes? If the latter - trust me, there is no shame in a little grey.
U
There are a few 'hairline cracks', and now that all the other houses have been painted, ours looks a bit shabby.
DeleteHouse painting is a big job but it seems very expensive. You need Kimbo and a few friends. I presume you're really not thinking of climbing scaffolding yourself.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? It's not very high, and with a wide roller I could have in all done in 10 mins!
DeleteThis year seems to be the year for house painting here on a grand scale, too. The painters are starting on mine on 17th, and say they are using a paint spray. Quite a straightforward job (I hope!) as a it's single storey building. There are the "fiddly" bits - the traditional iron bars, called rejas, which cover the windows and I'll do myself. I can reach them easily by standing on a step ladder. The garden walls I'll also paint but they must be getting on for a total of a kilometre in length. They will probably take me most of the summer - either in early morning or evening, when they are in the shade! This is the only time I wish we still lived in our last house in the UK - all we had to do was paint the garage door!
ReplyDeleteI have always advised my children (and others) to live in either a stone or brick house, on high land. Somewhere that never needs painting, and will never flood! Have they followed my advice? No!
DeleteOne of the benefits of living in a bungalow is being able to paint most of our house without a ladder, our gable end is the only high spot.
ReplyDeleteLucky you. It's an expensive pain in the neck having to paint every few years.
Delete