Hello,
I hope someone here can help me.
We are currently renovating a house.
I have requested a quote from a plasterer because we want to have all the rooms plastered. An employee already came to take the measurements. In his quote, he states the wall area as 220m² (2,370 sq ft).
I took the time to measure everything myself. I simply multiplied each wall’s length by its height and always subtracted windows and doors. I came up with a total of 158m² (1,700 sq ft).
I spoke to the plasterer about this, and he said the 220m² figure is correct because doors and windows that are smaller than 2.5m² (27 sq ft) are included. Only windows larger than 2.5m² are deducted. He referenced the DIN 18350 regulation for this.
To me, this doesn’t make any sense, since I am paying for materials and labor based on the square meters.
The actual area should be 158m², not 220m².
It’s like buying 20 liters of fuel at a gas station but being charged for 40 liters at the register.
Does anyone understand this and could help me see it more clearly?
Thanks a lot.
Best regards,
Kristof
I hope someone here can help me.
We are currently renovating a house.
I have requested a quote from a plasterer because we want to have all the rooms plastered. An employee already came to take the measurements. In his quote, he states the wall area as 220m² (2,370 sq ft).
I took the time to measure everything myself. I simply multiplied each wall’s length by its height and always subtracted windows and doors. I came up with a total of 158m² (1,700 sq ft).
I spoke to the plasterer about this, and he said the 220m² figure is correct because doors and windows that are smaller than 2.5m² (27 sq ft) are included. Only windows larger than 2.5m² are deducted. He referenced the DIN 18350 regulation for this.
To me, this doesn’t make any sense, since I am paying for materials and labor based on the square meters.
The actual area should be 158m², not 220m².
It’s like buying 20 liters of fuel at a gas station but being charged for 40 liters at the register.
Does anyone understand this and could help me see it more clearly?
Thanks a lot.
Best regards,
Kristof
Mr.Aldi schrieb:
This is not about the price yet, but about the measurement that cannot be comprehended. But it is comprehensible according to DIN standards! Just not to you.
A layperson comes to a tradesperson and then doesn’t understand anything anymore because they find themselves in an unfamiliar world... 🙄... always the same.
Actually, everything has been said—this is common practice and follows the relevant standards (DIN). As a customer, you don’t need to know this at the first inquiry, but now you have been informed and you are aware.
With this knowledge, you can make further inquiries. In 99.9% of cases, measurements and billing are done according to the DIN standard (offers typically state that “openings smaller than 2.5m² (27 ft²) are measured on the high side”).
Alternatively, you might find the 0.1% who are willing to measure every opening precisely; it is assumed this will cost you significantly more.
No one is forcing you to sign a contract under either condition. Now that you know the common practice in construction, you have to decide for yourself how to proceed. Several people here have confirmed for you that this is the typical approach.
With this knowledge, you can make further inquiries. In 99.9% of cases, measurements and billing are done according to the DIN standard (offers typically state that “openings smaller than 2.5m² (27 ft²) are measured on the high side”).
Alternatively, you might find the 0.1% who are willing to measure every opening precisely; it is assumed this will cost you significantly more.
No one is forcing you to sign a contract under either condition. Now that you know the common practice in construction, you have to decide for yourself how to proceed. Several people here have confirmed for you that this is the typical approach.
Mr.Aldi schrieb:
The reveals and lintels are additionally calculated by linear meter. So I’m paying twice. You’re not paying twice. You are paying for what was quoted to you. If that seems too expensive, then get another quote.
It only becomes a problem if someone offers you €8/m², you think it’s for 158, and then the bill comes to 220.
But here everything is clear and transparent.
H
hampshire25 Mar 2021 11:44Winniefred schrieb:
I think if you’re going to provide a quote based on measurements, it should be transparent and easy to understand. That’s true. At the same time, you can expect a homeowner to engage with the subject and be willing to think along. You can’t put together a quote outside of the standards for everyone. Additionally, that would make comparisons difficult.
Mr.Aldi schrieb:
What does the price have to do with it? It was a visual comparison—filling 20 liters and paying for 40 liters has nothing to do with price differences. The so-called over-measuring serves to ensure a simplified and fair calculation. The additional effort for work preparation and execution is allocated over the area. This makes quotes more comparable. In your tank example, it would be like pouring 15 liters directly into the tank and filling 5 liters drop by drop into small containers. You can list these separately or consolidate them. When reinforcing walls, not every square meter is equally labor-intensive.
Mr.Aldi schrieb:
Reveals and lintels are also charged separately by linear meter. So, I end up paying twice. No, you’re not paying twice, but rather for a different service that involves increased labor.
Mr.Aldi schrieb:
This is not about the price, but about the measurements being not understandable. I understand that the measurements are not clear to you. Ask for an explanation and read up on it a bit. My mother also doesn’t understand how to use an iPhone—that doesn’t mean using an iPhone is generally incomprehensible.
Similar topics