Can anyone recommend a Builder in the County Down area who has experience of erecting steel garages

[SHughesNI]

I posted last month about being let down for the 5th time by a builder and wanted some advice on a foundation for the garage foundations. 

  Some great advice was given and I was also given the number of a builder who had down their foundations who worked with H2 garages. I won't name names as it was kind of the person on here to pass me their name. However they came out, promised to do the job in 3 weeks (and contact them when I had moved the relevant hardcore to the area ( I still needed to break some rock which they said they would do) ). I contacted them a week before they should have been onsite saying all was ready (except breaking stone) and got this reply after ignoring a text sent two days previous.
 By the e
By the extra work I meant the stones had to be broken down which they said they would do anyways.
What is a kick in the teeth is how he convinces himself that he is not letting me down by telling me he may or may not be available at the end of August even though he has already let me down

OK rant over. So does anyone know of a good builder who can do garage foundations and won't let me down?

Thanks in advance

[Gus Potter]

No but.. If you get no joy then think about doing the base yourself? I have seen some fantastic bases / column pads done by first timers who have taken a bit of time to understand what is required, set it all out carefully, made a good finish and cured the slab properly, also seen some horrific ones done by the "professionals" in a rush.

[SHughesNI]

28 minutes ago, Gus Potter said:

No but.. If you get no joy then think about doing the base yourself? I have seen some fantastic bases / column pads done by first timers who have taken a bit of time to understand what is required, set it all out carefully, made a good finish and cured the slab properly, also seen some horrific ones done by the "professionals" in a rush.

I have been toying with the idea. I have a good few weeks experience with diggers but nowhere near as good as the pros. I have some experience with concrete. As you can see from the attached photo.
Just starting a log cabin build and trying out a mixed method of using concrete tyre piers and crushed stone for tyhe foundations. Levelling this was a real trial. I have been glued to you tube and sites like this. It's just finding the courage to do it. the garage is costing £10k and I don't want them coming out and telling me 'sorry mate but I wouldn't even be able to erect a  wendy house on this slab let alone a garage'. 
Cheers for suggestion though. I have posted on mybuilder.com and local trades sites but after trying to find a decent builder for the last 6 months am not holiding out much hope. 
If I don't get any replies might go down that road though. 

Edited July 22, 2020 by SHughesNI
add a photo

[Declan52]

The builder is just being honest with you. The job that he is on has by the sounds of it had extra work added on which then impacted you. It happens. The joys of being self employed. 

 

[SHughesNI]

18 minutes ago, Declan52 said:

The builder is just being honest with you. The job that he is on has by the sounds of it had extra work added on which then impacted you. It happens. The joys of being self employed. 

 

So thats why he went on holiday at the same time he should have been doing the job?
I am self employed. If I can't do a job I tell a client that I can't but unless I am on an operating table I won't let any clients down. He never even informed me he couldn't do it. I had to text him twice just for him to reply and tell me. Plus he only said 'He maybe would be able to do it at the end of August'. I started work on building sites with mates from the age of 16 (left at 19) and most of my mates still are builders unfortunately across the water. When I told one of them of what had happened he was angry saying 'Bloody cowboy giving decent builders a bad name'. No way did they ever treat customers like this.. It sounds to me like he got a better offer and rather than keeping to his word took that offer. What makes it worse is he promised he wouldn't let us down because he knew we had been let down before. 
So how you think he is being honest or there are any positive aspects to letting us down is beyond me.

Edited July 22, 2020 by SHughesNI

[Declan52]

He's being honest by telling you he wouldn't be able to do your job till the end of August instead of saying he will be there in the morning and not turning up. 

 

[nod]

52 minutes ago, Declan52 said:

The builder is just being honest with you. The job that he is on has by the sounds of it had extra work added on which then impacted you. It happens. The joys of being self employed. 

As above

The problem all will face on here Is however big there job is 

It’s a one off

and if extra work comes in from a regular source You will be pushed back 

As a contractor you always have at the back of your mind That if you turn regular work down you will let someone else in 

At the moment it’s just a case of being patient while contractors catch up 

[Declan52]

Just now, nod said:

The problem all will face on here Is however big there job is 

It’s a one off

and if extra work comes in from a regular source You will be pushed back 

As a contractor you always have at the back of your mind That if you turn regular work down you will let someone else in 

At the moment it’s just a case of being patient while contractors catch up 

Exactly. We mainly built for 1 contractor who kept us in work for the majority of the year. If a self build came up it was evenings and weekends or on the odd occasion if the main site was waiting on materials or they where putting roads in and we had a few free weeks then we went to the self build. But once he phoned looking us back we jumped wether the self build was done or not. It got finished on evenings and weekends.

[SHughesNI]

No point in arguing. Thats not why i posted on this site. I was looking for help. Not criticism. I wouldn't treat a client that way no matter how much money I was offered to replace another job. If that's how you treat your customers and are capable of breaking a promise then that is your way. just not mine.
I have a  family of 3 young children and all I know is we are now back at square 1 looking for someone who doesn't break their promises. So my search continues.
Anyone with anything positive to say is welcome.

Edited July 22, 2020 by SHughesNI

[Gus Potter]

Hi Hughes.

 

This is a post in two halves. This is for Hughes.

 

and.. As this is a self build type hub the following is partly a general thing for folk that are at the beginning of a journey.

 

Hughes, sounds to me that you are nearly there.. maybe you just need a bit of encouragement. If you take care, measure twice and so on.. it's all doable.

 

For all.. If you're thinking about a self build or DIY project then if you can find something smallish to practice with you are off to a good start. It may just be using your hands, get a feel for basic tools, (a spirit level, tape and so on) the names for other common tools, materials (bricks, blocks) and the language that is used on sites like this. You may want to be less "hands on" but the same rules apply.

 

Hughes, your post struck me. I remember someone from Motorola sales explaining to me about the FUD factor ..fear, uncertainty and doubt.

 

I think it's still relevant to a lot of people; how we fear stepping into the unknown, you know there are uncertainties, then you doubt you own ability.

 

What if you put in the work you need to do, take professional advice if need be at the right time, trust in your own judgement, march on and reap the rewards.

 

All the best

 

[SHughesNI]

15 hours ago, Gus Potter said:

Hi Hughes.

 

This is a post in two halves. This is for Hughes.

 

and.. As this is a self build type hub the following is partly a general thing for folk that are at the beginning of a journey.

 

Hughes, sounds to me that you are nearly there.. maybe you just need a bit of encouragement. If you take care, measure twice and so on.. it's all doable.

 

For all.. If you're thinking about a self build or DIY project then if you can find something smallish to practice with you are off to a good start. It may just be using your hands, get a feel for basic tools, (a spirit level, tape and so on) the names for other common tools, materials (bricks, blocks) and the language that is used on sites like this. You may want to be less "hands on" but the same rules apply.

 

Hughes, your post struck me. I remember someone from Motorola sales explaining to me about the FUD factor ..fear, uncertainty and doubt.

 

I think it's still relevant to a lot of people; how we fear stepping into the unknown, you know there are uncertainties, then you doubt you own ability.

 

What if you put in the work you need to do, take professional advice if need be at the right time, trust in your own judgement, march on and reap the rewards.

 

All the best

 

 

Thanks Gus. I appreciate the effort you have made to encourage me to take on the project. The name is Sean by the way

You are right about the measuring twice. If I hadn't done so using a 15m water level and string the piers would never have lined up. Trying something new such as the concrete tyre piers was a combination of the concrete tyre pier and a method used primarily by a church in tulse hill. These guys had virtually no experience but they came together and built a church based on straw bales with tractor tyres as foundations https://wecanbuildourchurch.org.uk/

I guess the title says it all. I am frustrated at being let down again and again. As you can see from previous replies some people think it is ok to break a promise to a customer if a bigger and better project comes along. That simply isn't the way I work. I have been given another phone number of a builder who is a friend of a friend so am going to explore that avenue and who knows the foundations may just get built

Edited July 23, 2020 by SHughesNI
add info

[Gus Potter]

Hi Sean.

 

Great link to Tulse Hill, just shows you what can be done!

 

Hopefully you'll find a builder, if not then..go your self. May take you a bit longer but you'll save some money and have that quite satisfaction of having done it yourself.

 

The difficulty many face is finding the time. Apparently a day on Pluto is 6.4 Earth days..

 

 

[vfrdave]

@SHughesNI

I have to agree with what @Declan52 has said about jumping to those who provide the bulk of your work, that is how trades work in NI.

You aren't providing bread on their table year round. I had a good mate who is a spark tell me that exact thing "your only giving me one house, if the developer phones I will be away and you will have to wait".

 

I fear that if you can't put up with this few weeks of disappointment you will go through many trades men. The other tale is hound them too much and they will never come.

 

I am in NI also.