I have a list of decent plumbers/ builders/ fencing guys/ electricians I have worked with for many years.
These guys work on very basic storage units/ lockups for me. Bricked up windows, single storey, no water, basic lights and sockets. So the same tasks are repeated many times on identical units as I refurb them. We all know the score and how long things take.
My builder was busy so I tried another one.
What should have been about 5 or 6 man days of work took almost 2 months of faffing. The guy had his teenage kid doing stuff, his wife. Dribs and drabs. A few hours here and there.
Rather than a bill of about 1.3k, which it should have been based on identical work on identical buildings, I was presented with an invoice of 2.3k - having been given an estimate of 1k.
It is full of lies like painting a 70sqm floor with 40 litres of paint, requiring 1.5 days of time. I painted the identical floor next door with 2x coats in 3 hours of time using under 15 litres of paint.
The rogue builder will not accept anything is wrong. He cannot even produce invoices for 40 litres of paint for example !!!
This is just one example, but the lies on other things like bricking up windows, rendering them ... all just way off spec.
My error was not getting a proper quote. He seemed OK. I thought the genuine prospect of repeat work on identical units would keep him honest. I agreed to pay time and materials which is the way I operate with all my other trades people and have done for years.
Some folk say get a detailed quote, but then you can get builders bodging things, cutting corners, using rubbish materials..... not putting damp proof membranes under concrete and hoping you won't see.
Fundamentally, you need to trust them and deal with honest guys regardless of how you structure it.
Is there any form of arbitration ? Is this law of the jungle ? Has anyone ended up arguing this sort of thing in the small claims court or similar ?
Thanks
These guys work on very basic storage units/ lockups for me. Bricked up windows, single storey, no water, basic lights and sockets. So the same tasks are repeated many times on identical units as I refurb them. We all know the score and how long things take.
My builder was busy so I tried another one.
What should have been about 5 or 6 man days of work took almost 2 months of faffing. The guy had his teenage kid doing stuff, his wife. Dribs and drabs. A few hours here and there.
Rather than a bill of about 1.3k, which it should have been based on identical work on identical buildings, I was presented with an invoice of 2.3k - having been given an estimate of 1k.
It is full of lies like painting a 70sqm floor with 40 litres of paint, requiring 1.5 days of time. I painted the identical floor next door with 2x coats in 3 hours of time using under 15 litres of paint.
The rogue builder will not accept anything is wrong. He cannot even produce invoices for 40 litres of paint for example !!!
This is just one example, but the lies on other things like bricking up windows, rendering them ... all just way off spec.
My error was not getting a proper quote. He seemed OK. I thought the genuine prospect of repeat work on identical units would keep him honest. I agreed to pay time and materials which is the way I operate with all my other trades people and have done for years.
Some folk say get a detailed quote, but then you can get builders bodging things, cutting corners, using rubbish materials..... not putting damp proof membranes under concrete and hoping you won't see.
Fundamentally, you need to trust them and deal with honest guys regardless of how you structure it.
Is there any form of arbitration ? Is this law of the jungle ? Has anyone ended up arguing this sort of thing in the small claims court or similar ?
Thanks