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[Kilt]

Looking for advice on best way to deal with builder, without messing people about. 
 

Agreed a job/quote with builder A in November ‘20, work to start in March ‘21. Builder A then ignored all calls and emails.. however with lockdowns, I predicted delays to job.

(contacted builder A in June ‘20, took till November to receive quote). 

 

eventually given up and contacted another builder B, who is scheduled to quote next week. 

Builder A spider sense tingled and been into touch (4 months later) to say, looking at August to start job. 
 

I don’t want to mess Builder B around, and get him out on a wasted trip.. but I now don’t have much faith in Builder A, no matter how busy you are, in my book, you can’t 100% ignore a future client, for over 4 months.

Builder A’s highly recommend, and I know work will be good, it’s just a case of WHEN or IF the work will  happen. 
 

Better devil you know.. or once a time-waster.. always a time waster?

[joe90]

Builder A sounds dodgy to me, whatever your work load you don’t ignore customers, tell him as he ignored your calls you found someone else. Gut feeling about people is important in my opinion.

Edited March 19, 2021 by joe90

[TonyT]

Bin builder A, if that’s the level of communication shown while trying to impress/quote/win contract , it’s only going to go down hill once he’s appointed

[Buzz]

I don't feel getting builder B out for a quote is messing anyone around , i would be looking for builder C to quote as well .  

[dangti6]

I agree with once a timewaster, always a time waster, however - do you have any idea on the availability of Builder B or if he's as equally poor at communication? 

 

If you stick with A and August turns into October, are you going to wish you'd appointed B? I'd be asking builder B his availability and make a decision based on that. If he says he can't get to you until the end of the year, you are no better off.

 

I had pretty much the same experience with my groundworker. Visited in June and took a couple weeks to 'quote'. Asked for that in writing which took another couple of weeks - which is absolutely fine, I realise people are busy and that part isn't what frustrated me.

 

When he initially visited I asked on availability and was told 8/10 weeks.

 

Turned out to be double that. Not an issue per se, but it was the poor communication and constant unknown as I would ring him and ask how many jobs he had in before me, and he couldn't (or wouldn't say). I was no doubt being pushed out for other jobs. I could accept that if it was actually communicated to me, not 'you're next I am just finishing a job' to then a few weeks later hear 'just doing a patio and then be with you'. 

 

Towards the end I was contemplating going elsewhere, but this guy did come as a recommendation, I had seen his work and was learning that communication is commonly poor and I'd no doubt have faced the same issues and even more delays so stuck with it in the end.

[joe90]

It’s quite normal to get at least 3 quotes. There is competition out there and it’s good to hear from various people about your project. When I was a builder, after giving the quote I would say there was x jobs in front of theirs and would be about y weeks but I promised to ring to give a date when half way through the job before theirs and promised I would not put more work in front of theirs in the queue. 

Edited March 19, 2021 by joe90

[dangti6]

I agree with once a timewaster, always a time waster, however - do you have any idea on the availability of Builder B or if he's as equally poor at communication? 

 

If you stick with A and August turns into October, are you going to wish you'd appointed B? I'd be asking builder B his availability and make a decision based on that. If he says he can't get to you until the end of the year, you are no better off.

 

I had pretty much the same experience with my groundworker. Visited in June and took a couple weeks to 'quote'. Asked for that in writing which took another couple of weeks - which is absolutely fine, I realise people are busy and that part isn't what frustrated me.

 

When he initially visited I asked on availability and was told 8/10 weeks.

 

Turned out to be double that. Not an issue per se, but it was the poor communication and constant unknown as I would ring him and ask how many jobs he had in before me, and he couldn't (or wouldn't say). I was no doubt being pushed out for other jobs. I could accept that if it was actually communicated to me, not 'you're next I am just finishing a job' to then a few weeks later hear 'just doing a patio and then be with you'. 

 

Towards the end I was contemplating going elsewhere, but this guy did come as a recommendation, I had seen his work and was learning that communication is commonly poor and I'd no doubt have faced the same issues and even more delays so stuck with it in the end.

 

 

EDIT - Skimmed past the fact he hadn't returned your calls or emails - sack him off in that case. Cynic in me wonders if people come crawling when they are otherwise light on work.

 

These people are always on the ball enough to get home and ping out your invoice within an hour of leaving site on the last day aren't they

Edited March 19, 2021 by dangti6

[Kilt]

26 minutes ago, dangti6 said:

If you stick with A and August turns into October, are you going to wish you'd appointed B? I'd be asking builder B his availability and make a decision based on that. If he says he can't get to you until the end of the year, you are no better off.

this is my main concern. Upon initial contact with A, he said he’d be able to do job in a couple of weeks. 
that would have been July ‘20, which became August ‘20, after using his recommended SE. 

so two weeks has become a year. With lockdowns etc that would be understandable, if communicated.. but just left hanging.. in the unknown. 
....and yeah, Builder A is always on instagram showing their work etc.. so if he’s time to pimp for work, he can answer a simple email asking when he AIMS to do job. I personally think he’s just chasing the £££‘a and my job is small fry and it’s regularly being pushed aside. 
 

I will be checking B’s availability, prior to him coming out.

 

glad general consensus is I’m not messing people about.  

[joe90]

1 minute ago, Kilt said:

glad general consensus is I’m not messing people about.  

Try and find builder c as well.

[LA3222]

I have gone through many tyre kickers during my build. I work under the premise that if trades cba with getting in touch with me then I cba with giving them my money.

 

People are busy so I tend to message them on WhatsApp, I then give them a reasonable time to respond, no response = move on. If they are like this before they have your cash in their pocket what will they be like when they do have it?

 

[Kilt]

21 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Try and find builder c as well.

He never even bothered to quote, after coming out for site visit. ?‍♂️

[ToughButterCup]

Building is the core job. But you (like the rest of us) need someone who will build and also communicate. Without that essential element, the 'job' gets too stressful. Its kind of OK for a small job - say replacing a few windows, but anything larger and life starts to be lived through gritted teeth. Politely decline the quotes to date and find a builder who will pick up a phone withing 24 hours of making contact.

 

One technique that seems to work is to find out with whom the builder will always communicate: partner, subby, drinking mate - and make contact 'through' that person.

 

Lockdown never presented anyone with the excuse not to communicate: in fact the opposite is the case.

[nod]

He will be even less responsive when he has your money 

It sounds like he’s treating you as plan B

[Redoctober]

@Kiltmmm, interesting conundrum. 

 

The builder we ended up using sounds a bit like your Builder A - He was at times frustrating to deal with in regards to meetings and communication prior to actually starting work but his "work" and "reputation" for me, outweighed those niggles. Once I had pinned him down we agreed a start date and the rest was left to "trust" which interestingly enough, was something he mentioned to me at an early stage of our "relationship."  Ironically enough, that agreed start date was put back a week! 

 

Yes frustrating but these are the things one will have to accept perhaps when venturing on a self build project.

 

I guess you have to consider such things as "personal" relationships in this equation as well as just areas that are black or white.

 

PS - Also things like locality may come into play - Local reputation is "king" in our area, whereas in more urban built up areas, some builders may not care for that as much.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Redoctober
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