A fair price for a painter?

[seancar29]

Hello all

 

On our next trip in October I would like to organise for the house to be repainted inside and out. This can be started when we are there or done once we have returned home to London.

The wife has a nephew that has recently been to college to be a painter /decorator I am told.

I would obviously like to give the boy some work but would really love to know what sort of day rate I should expect. I don't want to seem cheap due to ignorance or stupidly naive by being too generous.

 

It's a two bed detached bungalow we built about 8years ago and definitely needs a freshen up.

 

Our house is in the south (Ranong) if that makes a difference.

 

I appreciate any advice you can give.

 

Sean

 

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[kingofthemountain]

Better to do it when you are here

then you can pick a boo at the work going well or not

(Trust is nothing without some control, particulary in Thailand)

 

Also better you choose and buy yourself the paint

if not you could have some surprises (With a low quality

strange color just because it was a promotion, but of course you 

are going to pay the worker full price for it, just his margin should be better)

 

No problem to ask to a relative to do the job, always ask to him before how much

he wants for that. If he doesn't know or he asks you a daily price, 500\800 by day

(8 hours of work) is an usual price, If you are nice you can provide the food and drink.

Do not forget to fix a limit (For a house like that, outside and inside, i think 4\5 days are

the maximum for 1 guys doing the job.

 

Last advice for the inside it's better you protect yourself all the stuff before the work start

if not, with the ''mai pen rai'' attitude you could have some colours all over yours furnitures

[sunnyboy2018]

In London its about 140 quid a day. Thats only 20 quid and hour. Thats just over twice the minimum wage. But you lad is recently trained and less experienced.  These are london prices. Perhaps these might be a guideline to Thai prices.

[kingofthemountain]

3 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

In London its about 140 quid a day. Thats only 20 quid and hour. Thats just over twice the minimum wage. But you lad is recently trained and less experienced.  These are london prices. Perhaps these might be a guideline to Thai prices.

I have no idea about the prizes in London

but i am pretty sure the OP Thai wife is the best

guideline for the local price, particulary when a relative is involved

The prizes i have indicated in my post was in a rural area in the north of Thailand

2/3 years ago, it could be a little bit different now and in the south of the country.

[seancar29]

Thanks for your comments.

It was the rough guide to Thai painters prices I was looking for. Thanks king that gives me a guide.

Sunny I'm OK for London prices as I live in London but I don't think that they really translate very well to Thailand unless you are prepared to pay 6000 baht a day.

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[sanemax]

12 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

In London its about 140 quid a day. Thats only 20 quid and hour. Thats just over twice the minimum wage. But you lad is recently trained and less experienced.  These are london prices. Perhaps these might be a guideline to Thai prices.

Nope , no connection between Thai and UK prices .

[sanemax]

4-500 Baht a day in wages plus paint .

I would agree a price before they do the wok

[SteveK]

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

4-500 Baht a day in wages plus paint .

I would agree a price before they do the wok

Hopefully it won't cost much for them to paint your wok 55555

[kingofthemountain]

5 minutes ago, seancar29 said:

Thanks for your comments.

It was the rough guide to Thai painters prices I was looking for. Thanks king that gives me a guide.

...
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yw

probably a good option is also to ask to your thai wife first what should be the good price

and then ask to the newphew how much he wantsand if he wants to do it, but yes it's very important to be agree with no doubts for all about the price before the start

(Write it on a paper is much better than just words imo)

 

[andy72]

1 hour ago, kingofthemountain said:

Better to do it when you are here

then you can pick a boo at the work going well or not

(Trust is nothing without some control, particulary in Thailand)

 

Also better you choose and buy yourself the paint

if not you could have some surprises (With a low quality

strange color just because it was a promotion, but of course you 

are going to pay the worker full price for it, just his margin should be better)

 

No problem to ask to a relative to do the job, always ask to him before how much

he wants for that. If he doesn't know or he asks you a daily price, 500\800 by day

(8 hours of work) is an usual price, If you are nice you can provide the food and drink.

Do not forget to fix a limit (For a house like that, outside and inside, i think 4\5 days are

the maximum for 1 guys doing the job.

 

Last advice for the inside it's better you protect yourself all the stuff before the work start

if not, with the ''mai pen rai'' attitude you could have some colours all over yours furnitures

4 or 5days
there is an optomost
outside

1 day prep

2 coats 2 days remember the sun
inside 2 bed means 2 room hallway lounge dining/kitchen bathroom

you want sloppy or proper

any one who tells what is what quotes from home experience not here experience
but i would not give a singular kid the job related or not
no offence to the kid but really thai usa uk eu sprouts are sprouts

 

[andy72]

Too many Chang

optomist

settle for a whole price rather than a day rate

figure on 400-500 though its a bit less contractor will quote more he has to employ someone is advising you on labour rates not skilled rates
your only buying paint as some wise poster said  what about brushes thinners masking tape time  cleaning they dont grow in trees
calculate for a whole job a proper job
thats prep cleaning taping scraping
how many coats drying times daylight tempratues

i can do that house in a day wont last long but you get what you pay for a week is a good timeframe
dual coats staggered drying times
job done right

[sanemax]

12 hours ago, andy72 said:

your only buying paint as some wise poster said  what about brushes thinners masking tape time  cleaning they dont grow in trees

I did mean to say 'materials' ,but i just couldnt think of the word .

  Anyway , my point was that wages dont include any costs and would also expect a painter to have his own brushes

[steve187]

does it matter how much per day the guy earns, what is it worth to you not to do the job yourself, regardless of the day rate in Thailand of around 350 baht a day, is that a fair price to pay, pay what you think is a good price for the job, 

only you know how bad the existing paint work is, how much cleaning and prep work is required, as you stated a days work in the UK is 6000 baht.

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

5 hours ago, sanemax said:

Anyway , my point was that wages dont include any costs and would also expect a painter to have his own brushes

It's clear that the kid isn't a painter, and I never expect painters to have anything except themselves.

 

FWIW I am getting a couple of our neighbours to do some painting for me right now. They are just finishing the prep work and will probably be done by this afternoon. We supply everything, they supply expert labour, everyone is happy.

[eyecatcher]

I bussed a family relative over from Isaan to CM to help me for a week.

I paid the bus fare and the lad was very happy with 500bta day.

Because he stayed with us for the week, he started early, finished late (nothing else forhim todo)

After the week, I considered his value was worth more than 500bt a day so we gave him a 2500bt bonus.

 

I would say though, being there on the job will instill some time keeping and performance values in any tradesman, so dont leave them to toss it off

[faraday]

3 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

I bussed a family relative over from Isaan to CM to help me for a week.

I paid the bus fare and the lad was very happy with 500bta day.

Because he stayed with us for the week, he started early, finished late (nothing else forhim todo)

After the week, I considered his value was worth more than 500bt a day so we gave him a 2500bt bonus.

 

I would say though, being there on the job will instill some time keeping and performance values in any tradesman, so dont leave them to toss it off

How much did you pay for materials, paint etc?

[petermik]

Try and get the work done during the "dry season" where the paint can dry properly before the next coat...leave overnight otherwise peeling and blistering will appear within no time

[bankruatsteve]

One of the problems with painters in Thailand is that they are at the bottom of the construction totem pole.  So they will rarely get more than minimum wage.  A typical painter thins even the high grade paint to 50%, they don't use masking tape, they are sloppy, and they don't clean up.  The big builders will maintain better standards but by and large, that's what you get up-country.  I wouldn't pay more than 350 per day until I see what kind of work they do.

[eyecatcher]

3 hours ago, faraday said:

How much did you pay for materials, paint etc?

Mine wasnt a painting job, it was steelwork and welding..

On that occasion the lad was the engine driver and I was the oily rag

[seancar29]

All points noted, I think we will definately be buying all the materials to include brushes etc.

 

While we are there it will be best I think to get a room or two done so we can decide whether to go ahead or not.

 

I agree that the day rate is not that important as it's a good job I want and am happy to pay for that to happen. After all as an example even 10 days at 800 a day is still only £216 and I'm happy to pay more than that obviously.

 

[wgdanson]

16 minutes ago, seancar29 said:

as an example even 10 days at 800 a day is still only £216

That could, and probably will change as the job progresses!   LOL

[sanemax]

12 hours ago, seancar29 said:

All points noted, I think we will definately be buying all the materials to include brushes etc.

 

While we are there it will be best I think to get a room or two done so we can decide whether to go ahead or not.

 

I agree that the day rate is not that important as it's a good job I want and am happy to pay for that to happen. After all as an example even 10 days at 800 a day is still only £216 and I'm happy to pay more than that obviously.

 

Paying extra wont make his work any better

[bankruatsteve]

High grade primer one coat thinned no more than 10%. 2 coats if they applied sparingly. 1-2 coats high grade color - no thinning. If they won't clean the walls before primer then you need to do it. 

[Kwasaki]

18 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

Better to do it when you are here

This OP very good advice take note or forever regret.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I used a family member for a job at the house recently ( tile laying outside ).

I worked with him and his son ( I did 95% of the cutting ) and it turned out a very enjoyable project.

They were very flexible to my suggestions ( I’m kinda ocd !! ) and assisted me with squaring and resizing the concrete walkways , also helped when halfway through I had a change of plan and incorporated a brick border ( flower bed ) into the project !! Plus had a little delay when I decided to change some drain covers for some steel custom made ones.

 

I paid them the going rate ( I think ) 120 baht m2, but more importantly got a good job done and exactly how I wanted it.

 

Using family members or friends sometimes doesn’t work out well but in my case it did, plus I made a couple of close friends in the bargain.

 

[kamalabob2]

The OP should be here when the cleaning, prep work and painting is to be done. Dry season is much better. The OP should spend some time reading the name brand paint catalogs where the properties of the various "series" of the main brand paints are compared. TOA has sixteen different series of house paint last time I looked. Nippon, Dulux, TOA, Jotun are also quality brands that offer better grade series and not as long lasting series of paint. The printed catalogs in a paint shop or better big box store will indicate sheen, semi gloss, matt and a host of other properties that make some series of paint worth the money. I've paid fairly for experienced Thai and expat painters in Buriram. Cheap paint is a poor bargain and will only lead to disappointment. Matt flat paint does not hold up to exterior weather conditions nearly as well as sheen or semi gloss paint. The printed paint catalogs will make it perfectly clear the better series of paints are semi gloss or sheen.  4 seasons is a sub brand of TOA.   All the major brands offer budget paint sub brands.  Any paint named after a bird, reptile, or fish is to be avoided. Some painters understand the importance of cleaning the brushes and rollers each day. 

[thailiban2]

Hello all
 
On our next trip in October I would like to organise for the house to be repainted inside and out. This can be started when we are there or done once we have returned home to London.
The wife has a nephew that has recently been to college to be a painter /decorator I am told.
I would obviously like to give the boy some work but would really love to know what sort of day rate I should expect. I don't want to seem cheap due to ignorance or stupidly naive by being too generous.
 
It's a two bed detached bungalow we built about 8years ago and definitely needs a freshen up.
 
Our house is in the south (Ranong) if that makes a difference.
 
I appreciate any advice you can give.
 
Sean
 
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I would recommend you being onsite if you want the job done properly. You may assume that a painter would know the most basics such as wiping the dust/dirt before painting or using undercoat/primer before the top coat or using UV protection paint for outside....From my experience, never assume anything, they don’t know anything. They will just slap paint on anything without cleaning or use wrong paint combination even if you buy the paint for them.


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