Rip-off painters!

[Celia]

Why do painters charge so much in this city? I had a quote for painting a medium-sized bathroom which is tiled, so only the ceiling and walls from head-height upwards need doing, in other words a small job...
The quote, 2500 pesos!!!! More than in US or UK.
Anyone had any better luck getting painting done (I will probably end up doing the job myself...)

 

[Napoleon]

Anyone had any better luck getting painting done (I will probably end up doing the job myself...)

I would recommend doing it yourself as well. It's not that difficult. It's just a bit of a pain, but then you finish with a feeling of accomplishment.

I would recommend QUIMTEX paints. There's a QUIMTEX EXPRESS on Cordoba almost to the Juan B. Justo bridge. It's on your left. The paint is really good, however it might not be as convenient as Prestigio (sp?) or some of the other paint stores. But the quality is great and it's moderately priced.

 

[rihornos]

Hello Celia
Iam a local and never heard such a price, I know Carlos Mancini he has painted my house I live in a 80 m2 ph and never charged like that, his name is Carlos Mancini lives in the province phone 47 680 670 or 11617 26663 he doesn´t speak english if you need help i can be a translator down the phone
Reina

 

[gouchobob]

Sounds like a lot but it also depends on what you are asking to do, .i.e. are there repairs needed before they can paint etc.

 

[perry]

Why do painters charge so much in this city? I had a quote for painting a medium-sized bathroom which is tiled, so only the ceiling and walls from head-height upwards need doing, in other words a small job...
The quote, 2500 pesos!!!! More than in US or UK.
Anyone had any better luck getting painting done (I will probably end up doing the job myself...)

I agree that the charges you can get from most contractors is outrageous . I cannot understand that 2 days work at most can cost 2500 pesos . This calculates on a 8 hour day at 150 pesos per hour .

I can attest to huge differences in quotes as I needed to replace a 40 metre wooden section of an apartment and the quotes varied from 2000 to 5500 pesos for the same job . BUYER BEWARE

 

[SaraSara]

Why do painters charge so much in this city? I had a quote for painting a medium-sized bathroom which is tiled, so only the ceiling and walls from head-height upwards need doing, in other words a small job...
The quote, 2500 pesos!!!! More than in US or UK.
Anyone had any better luck getting painting done (I will probably end up doing the job myself...)

That job should be five hundred pesos AT MOST. Try asking the local pintureria or hardware store for a painter - they generally have cards of painters who live in the area - I've been lucky getting referrals that way.

My advice is, get the best quality paint and do it yourself - I've done it several times and it is at most a half-day job. If you add a small bottle of anti-mold stuff to the paint, you'll have a clean ceiling for a few years.

As a reference, I just got a five-thousand pesos estimate to paint my three bedroom house - both inside and outside.

 

[sergio]

Part of the problem could be your nationality. Remember, to Porteños all Americans, Britons etc. are rich. Then there is the mentality that you SHOULD pay more because you are from a rich country so money is irrelevant to you. I gave a painter a lot of work and then when he came to give an estimate recently on a job he quoted a wild price. I went elsewhere. It's like that in BA.

 

[Celia]

Yes, it's a nationality thing.....trouble is, we can't do all of the works in our house ourselves, my husband does most of the plumbing and electircal fixes, I'm pregnant and with a toddler so not much help. We end up with the choice of not getting it done or being fleeced & paying a sh*tload. You can't bargain with Argentinians....after 4 years, nothing's changed, although we live simply we're still treated like the rich foreigners and the situation's so depressing we're thinking of moving back to US or UK.

 

[nikad]

Yes, it's a nationality thing.....trouble is, we can't do all of the works in our house ourselves, my husband does most of the plumbing and electircal fixes, I'm pregnant and with a toddler so not much help. We end up with the choice of not getting it done or being fleeced & paying a sh*tload. You can't bargain with Argentinians....after 4 years, nothing's changed, although we live simply we're still treated like the rich foreigners and the situation's so depressing we're thinking of moving back to US or UK.

So sorry to hear that Painting that cailing does not cos more than 300$ + paint. If you live in a building you can ask your super to give you contact information of contractors that work for your building admin...

 

[SaraSara]

I have a home in Uruguay and come against that "foreigner penalty fee" regularly. I am quoted five thousand pesos for jobs that the locals get done for eight hundred. It is infuriating.

The worst part is that workers feel MORALLY JUSTIFIED to overcharge us; after all, everyone knows all foreigners are wealthy beyond belief.