I am having a set of wooden gates made for my driveway entrance. The supplier, a well-known local builders and farm supply merchant, will make them to fit, based on a standard design, with mods. to fit.
They want the full cost to be paid when placing the order. Is it fair for me to ask to with-hold 10% until delivery and inspection? I can't force them, I'm sure, but should they accept this as normal?
-- Davey.
Problem is that they are bespoke so if you decide you don't want them they will be effectively scrap timber plus a lot of wasted effort.
You could offer to cover the costs of the timber and then make reasonable labour costs pat way through the process as long as you can have a look at them at that point in time.
Apart from being 'well-known' are they also *reputable*?
If they are then I'd probably not have a problem with them.
Filed gates around here tend to be one of the standard sizes so I just opted for one of them and paid on delivery.
I'd be reluctant to pay before completion.
10-20% deposit, yes.
Thanks for that view. They are reputable, so I'll probably just pay upfront. These are based on a standard size, but the place they will go is not quite a standard size.
You still have the right, under the Sale of Goods Act, to inspect the gates before accepting them.
I'd go with that strategy too.
When we make bespoke items we supply detailed drawings which we require to be signed off and returned accompanied with a 50% deposit.
The way I look at it we are sharing the risk 50/50 We risk not getting paid when we are finished and the cutsomer risks getting nothing for his trouble.
It put a stop to people ordering bespoke items and then finding some reason not to accept them or just not returning for them.
For bespoke I have known half on placing the order and the other half on delivery but they are free to set their own terms. They obviously don't want to get landed with an odd set of custom gates after loads of work. It depends a lot how well you know the supplier. Trust works both ways.
If they have a decent reputation then I'd be inclined to accept their terms and if there is something wrong later rely on sale of goods act.
I've been burned that way (glass not gates). Yet another reason to diy.
NT
It is not unreasonable to ask. But can you find an alternative supplier? I am in the process of moving some gate pillars as my new car is several inches wider than the previous one despite having the same model name.
No the Sale of Goods Act doesn't apply to transactions made after Sept
30th 2015.Bill
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