A family friend wants an extension. He also wants me to do the electrics and my mate to do the plumbing. We have both worked at his house before.
The first 2 builders have refused to quote without plumbing and electrics being included in the quote. I have a couple of builders that I do work for who will quote but I did not want the friend to be pushed into using my recommendations.
So are builders that busy?
Our local jobbing builders are rushed off their feet. Much of the competition has gone bankrupt, people who can't move are building all manner of fecking ugly abominations into their loftspaces now that planning has been abandoned in favour of "localism" and there's a boom market in building gated compounds of granny flats. Compared to two years ago, they're certainly busy.
The biggest problem for builders locally seems to be getting paid. One of our locals is likely to go bust in a few weeks, as he's not going to get paid by a developer that folded recently.
Seem to be, a friend in sheffield want an extension, must have had 4-5 round but none have got back with a quote yet despite sounding keen at the time, and being chased ... if they don't want the work, why not either say so, or if they're busy say so? Or at least give a f*ck-off quote at triple the going rate.
What makes you think planning has been abandoned? Just a proposal at this point AFAIK.
We wanted a little patio work done earlier this year - turned out to be £800 worth. Called around. Had 3 different people say they would come round to quote. None did. The fourth quoted (£1,000) but phoned up the week before we'd agreed saying he'd had a job overrun, and couldn't get back to us till November ... OK we got the message.
In the end, a chap who drinks in the Mrs local stepped in - nice work. Turned up on time.
I do wonder how bad this "recession" is. We're now trying to replace our cleaner (the previous one had to pack it in as they couldn't get the staff). Once again, messages left, no return calls, and (so far) one missed appointment for a quote.
The builders you know also know your work, while the others don't. I can't say I blame them for being cautious about the customer having a friend in to do part of the job.
Colin Bignell
Yet another reason to diy. At a fraction the cost, with better finish, more solidly done, much longer lasting, and all exactly how you want it, complete with your custom specials that no builder wuold do.
NT
Not really AFAIK, but having several unknowns thrust upon you when you are busy trying to arrange work, materials, site visits and everything else is a pain in the arse of the highest order. Most builders use the same sparks and plumbers on a regular basis (as you know) and don't want to price a job, then find half way through that they can't continue for a week or two because one or the other, or both are away on holiday or on another job just when the first fixings need putting in.
The householder couldn't give a shit as it's not costing him any more or any less.
You'd be better off telling the friend to tell prospective builders that they can quote for the electrics and plumbing, but that they want you two to do the work and to contact you to arrange pricings and timings etc, I can't see that anyone would have any problems with this.
Planners have been "instructed" to behave as if the new regulations are already in force.
Barely a bungalow left locally ('20s ribbon development) that hasn't either had, or is having, its roof ripped off to stick two rooms up there with dormers. Those done in recent years have used Velux and kept the original roofline, now we're seeing dormers the size of cowsheds.
Also because I **** with the local **** ** who **** **** funny handshake **** ***** and *** has got the whole village up in arms about **** **** who has *** the *** village pub.
(Blanks because it's libellous and I have to live here)
I work practically opposite the United Grand [masonic] Lodge of England. Saw lots of suited blokes coming out today - all I could think was "funny handshake".
hasn't
England. Saw
"funny
Very impressive place inside if you get the chance to see it Tim
AWEM
Proper quotes cost the builder money. But you would have thought that after being chased they might realise the job is one they might get.
A fair point. I work for two builders and they both use me as when their sparks let them down I turned up that night after work to start their jobs so they could start boarding out the next day.
I suspect that there will be the usual "I'll need to change the fuse box" lies.
Well builder no 1 says he can start next week so he seems not to have much work on:-)
Reminds me a previous builder I worked for. There were a few problems with the electrics (ie a nail through a cable) and the owner of the house said "I'm knocking the repairs to the plaster off your £800 bill.".
I had only charged the builder £500.
Same with plumbers, electricians. I can't even get anyone to quote to replace a bathroom.
Huge's Rule of halves;
Half the tradesmen won't return your call Half of those who return your call won't turn up to give an estimate Half of those who turn up won't actually send an estimate Half of those estimates will be nonsense
So, to get a job done, you need to call at least 16 tradespeople.
Using your rule I should have received at least 1 quote/estimate since I contacted at least 8 and 2 or 3 showed up. All of them made an appointment to inspect the bathroom.
There is more truth than you know in that ....
Having decided that it was going to be a _big job_ and far beyond my diy ability, in any reasonable timescale for a house with only one bathroom, we were surprised how hard it was to persuade firms even to quote.
As one prerequisite was a large double-ended bath into which we could both fit, which would itself fit the room available, this took some finding. Only a few firms would even consider looking at the job, others wanted us to take their "preferred" solution, which did not meet any of our criteria.
Having done 3D CAD layouts, to convince ourselves of what was possible, it was interesting to see the reactions, which ranged from "that's really good, we ought to get something like that" to "but that's what *I* do!"
There was a discussion with one guy where I told him that I accepted his assertion that it was not commercially practicable for him to do my job as specified and make any money at it, but he must similarly accept that, for the amount it was going to cost me, settling for anything less than what we wanted would be completely pointless, and waste a great deal of money.
In the end we found folk to do the work, got on well with them, and are very pleased with the end result, which we would not have achieved without a lot of homework, dogged insistence on what we wanted, and detail supervision of the execution.
Chris
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