£5000 quote for DOFF system paint removal

[Sian1890]

I’m trying to get the paint off my 1890 property to let the bricks breath again, I’ve just had a quote of £60 per meter squared and my house is 40 meters squared, because my house is on a footpath apparently the I need to also pay for footpath closure and traffic management, which will cost around £1500 am I being ripped off here?

 

[sgking]

If the contractor believes the footpath will need to be closed (either for work area or safety) then he will need to get a TM provider in to give footway users a safe alternative, one alternative is via a walkway in the carriageway, and traffic lights to control the traffic as they pass the site and the footway users. TM costs can vary from provider to provider but the national firms used to start at a few hundred per day. If your site is traffic sensitive then your contractor or the TM firm may stipulate the TM needs manual control by an operative or even Stop and Go which requires 2 operatives and then price increases. The TM firm will not want to annoy the local highway authority so generally will aim to control the traffic well.

 

[Sian1890]

If the contractor believes the footpath will need to be closed (either for work area or safety) then he will need to get a TM provider in to give footway users a safe alternative, one alternative is via a walkway in the carriageway, and traffic lights to control the traffic as they pass the site and the footway users. TM costs can vary from provider to provider but the national firms used to start at a few hundred per day. If your site is traffic sensitive then your contractor or the TM firm may stipulate the TM needs manual control by an operative or even Stop and Go which requires 2 operatives and then price increases. The TM firm will not want to annoy the local highway authority so generally will aim to control the traffic well.

It seems unnecessary to me, I live on a tiny road with limited traffic, there is a pavement on the opposite side and usually cars parked blocking two cars from getting through, so I’m not sure why they can’t just park where my car is to do it and pedestrians can walk on the opposite side of the tiny road. I have my neighbours having their house rendered currently and they’ve not closed the road or pavement

 

[sgking]

In that case ask your contractor why he feels the need for such measures and point out what is going on with your neighbours and that footfall / traffic is low on your street. If he feels strongly about the footway closure and the need for TM then he will be able to explain exactly why he wants it in place for the job. Is Doff messy? Some wet types of blasting are and I can understand why contractors might not want the public walking close by. He could possibly suggest use of a 'banksman' to inform him to stop working momentarily when there is a footway user passing by.

 

[Kearn]

Doff is immensely messy and dangerous. Pedestrians cannot walk nearby / under scaffold. It’s perfectly expected to close a public path if you’re doing this work on highways land. Presumably they also need permissions for erecting scaffold.

The quote isn’t extortionate, but do shop around as pricing, and skills do vary.