Short answer
Ask each company to answer eight questions in writing: what unforeseen work costs, what is included besides painting, how long the scaffolding stays up, what daily life will be like for residents, who is in charge on site, who pays if something gets damaged, when the final instalment is paid and who comes back if the paint fails. Only then can the proposals be compared.
Three quotes for the same façade rarely describe the same job. One is cheaper because it leaves things out; another looks expensive because it already includes them. These questions put the proposals side by side, and answer the doubts that usually come up at the owners' meeting when it is already too late.
1. If a problem turns up halfway through, who decides and what does it cost?
Once the scaffolding is up, there are always surprises: hollow render, hidden cracks, loose tiles. A good proposal lists those surprises with a price already set, per metre or per unit, and says nothing goes ahead without the condominium's written approval. That way the extra stops being a surprise.
2. Does the price include the scaffolding, the council permit and protection for cars and balconies?
These are large costs and easy to leave out. Ask for them to be itemised: scaffolding (erecting, hire and dismantling), the street occupation permit, safety netting, and covers for cars, shop fronts and balconies.
3. How long will the scaffolding stay up, and what happens when it rains?
The timeline should be in writing, with a start and an end date, and a rule for rainy days. Idle scaffolding costs money and bothers everyone.
4. What will daily life be like for the residents?
Windows, washing lines, balconies, the building entrance, noise. Ask who tells the residents, how far ahead, and what changes at each stage. These are the things that cause the most complaints, and they are almost never in the quote.
5. Who is in charge on site, and how will we know what is going on?
There should be one person in charge, with a name and a phone number, and a regular report with photographs for the building manager. Without that, every question turns into an argument.
6. If a car, a plant pot or a balcony gets damaged, who pays?
Ask for the public liability policy and check the sum insured. On a job with scaffolding over the street, this is the question that protects the condominium.
7. Is the final instalment paid before or after we see the finished work?
After the final inspection and approval of the work. If the last instalment is paid before that, the condominium gives up its best guarantee.
8. If the paint peels in three years, who comes back?
The guarantee should be in writing, with a term and a scope. Ask too why the old paint failed: if the proposal does not explain the cause, the new paint can fail the same way. See why exterior paint peels.
How to use this list
Send the eight questions to every company along with the request for a quote. Written answers are worth more than any meeting, and the way each company answers says a lot about the way it will work.
We answer all of them in the proposal itself. If you like, ask us for one.
