Rip-off painters!

[Ashley]

I really don't think it's about being a foreigner. We were quoted 5,000 pesos (and ten days work!!!) to get our apartment painted...2 rooms (no more than 45m) (that's not including the tiny kitchen and bathroom which would've been extra). I wasn't even at home so the painter had no idea there was a foreigner living there. He came over, looked at the place and then phoned us with the quote 24 hours later. Of course, when we said no way, he re-quoted us for a "quick job" - 2,000 pesos + 5 days...Christ knows how he managed to drop his price so drastically. In the end, we did it ourselves...400/500 pesos for paint, brushes etc and two weekends. It's not a great job - but it'll do for what we wanted - un "lavado de cara" (we're only renting so didn't want to spend an age on it). I know plenty of people though who painted themselves, took a bit more time and care and it looks just as good as a professional job.

 

[earlyretirement]

I totally agree that painters are expensive here in the city for the most part. I don't have the time to paint myself and I've tried some cheaper painters that didn't do a good job. But generally I've found the professional painters aren't cheap here compared to other countries in Latin America.

I just had a 55 sq. meter apartment completely repainted recently using high quality paint and I think I paid about 3,200 pesos. It's not that cheap here for painters surprisingly.

 

[SaraSara]

It is quite easy to paint with a top quality latex paint. They are very forgiving. I keep the brush well wrapped in foil in the freezer, from one day to the next, so I don't even have to wash it. You can do half a wall one day and the remaining half three days later, and there are not telltale paint lines.

In Argentina, a thorough paint job means four days patching, filling, sanding, and priming the walls, and half a day painting them. Perhaps that's why that painter's estimate dropped so dramatically.

Painters charge more not only for the accent but also for the neighborhood. A painter in Ciudadela won't charge as much as one in Palermo.

 

[Celia]

Well I've found a listing for some painters on mercadolibre who charge 14 pesos a square metre, so that gives an idea of what these jobs should be costing. I may give them a whirl...

 

[starlucia]

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.

Like others have said, you don't even need to hire a highway-robbing contractor... painting a bathroom is not brain surgery If you can't do it all yourself due to the pregnancy, maybe ask some friends to help out? Or if your friends have teenage kids, you could toss them 30 pesos an hour to do the gruntwork while you supervise.

 

[Celia]

Sorry, don't have any helpful friends here, can't afford those either ; )

 

[mariano-BCN]

this are the things that keep me away of living again in Argentina. I, an Argentinean living abroad, have to pay also extra for anything in Argentina, just because people living there think that those living abroad have all made it.

 

[earlyretirement]

I've tried a few of those cheaper quoting places in the past few years and most of them do a very poor job. I've found that any professional painter here is not cheap. As the others mentioned, if you can do it yourself then that's the best but you have to factor in things like time, painting supplies, paint, cleaning supplies, etc.

I gave up on the super cheapo type painters and stuck with professionals. They charge a lot more but the work seems to last a few years.

 

[Celia]

600 dollars for 40 square metres works out at 15 dollars a square metre....that is some crazy shit price to be asking! I'm not expecting to pay slave labour prices, just something that is affordable and not a pee take....

 

[Celia]

And btw, that doesn't include the cost of any materials....