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Hurry up... and wait

curlewhouse

Entry posted by curlewhouse

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Well, progress of sorts, with BR agreement to the plans and finance decision in principle all fine.  Getting builders quotes has proved very problematic for some reason, which wasn't an issue I foresaw. Out of 12 who responded via those check-a-trade and trusted people web sites, only 2 eventually came through with anything, one very detailed and very good, who is so busy they could only offer to do the founds, another who I really liked when I met the owner, but whose quote came in one day and was just a sum, no breakdown, and so it would not seem safe to rely on, and useless for out building society (who want the most detailed cost breakdown imaginable - just one tiny example being the roof vents have to be costed separate from the slate, and lead work and soffits separate from barge boards etc - all elements having to be priced separately for the building soc.). 

 

Was recommended a third builder by a friend, met the two guys running the firm on site, impressed by their attitude and previous work.... waiting a month for their quote with promises each week that it would arrive "this week", but a month on no sign of it, so all held up for nothing. So have had to go back to square one looking for builders! Very frustrating. It also makes a mockery of claims that the building trade is suffering a downturn really, they clearly have so much work on they're not really looking for any more.

 

Though I cannot do any ground works without an archeologist present, I have been able to grub out a broken down dry stone wall on site ready for the waller who says he will do it between Christmas and the new year, so last weekend I had some stress relief at actually being able to do something real toward the house.

 

I have to say we are almost crackers with the frustration at all the delays.

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joe90

I am lucky as I have a builder sorted and he has started but I hear from many that everyone is busy in the building trade, well at least down here in Devon.

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ProDave

It might be a "time of year" thing.

 

Every year is exactly the same for me, November and December goes completely mental, always my busiest time of year. Everyone's project MUST be finished by Christmas (and for me that's two new builds at the moment) All building trades I meet at this time of year are also running around like headless chickens.

 

Come January, all will be calm, and tumbleweed will be blowing across the roads. You might have better luck then.

 

I would always say stick with builders who have been recommended word of mouth.
 

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curlewhouse

Well, 14 builders tried  and months on we still have no quotes!  I've got one "back of a fag packet" type estimate from one firm and am currently waiting for 2 actual quotes from firms with good reputations and backgrounds, though both of those are now at a month of waiting and one replied to my gentle reminder only today by ringing me to ask "what exactly was it for again"? !.. and that's a medium sized one with a good reputation, which is worrying. 

The other is well experienced in our sort of build, but it's been coming up a month for them too, so I really don't know if anyone is going to quote as we've been strung along by others like this and ended up with no quote at the end !  

 

Never at any time did we expect we'd find reluctance to take our money!  What's most ironic is the folks doing the stuff that's "artificial" (as compared to actually building something), councils, planners, BR folks, everyone else's solicitors I've had to pay for doing in effect bugger all, etc. are only too happy to take your money - but come do get some real work done and it's proving a massive struggle. It also means shopping around is very, limited - if these 2 don't come through I actually don't know what to do!  

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