beemerboy

Did anyone see this last night???

My god, the tarmac crew were a slick outfit indeed!!!

.... and the police wouldn't help!! - lazy gits probably in the middle of a game of snooker)

very sad story indeed.

BB

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

maybe its because I work within the building game myself but...

that trick of quting the price and then saying later its per metre is the oldest one in the book, thought everybody knew that.
Also, what happened to common sense? agreeing to something on your doorstep, tsk
its very sad it happens, but I would suggest about 50 people a day () prolly get hammered with that one accross the UK.

Also, while Im on the subject, the couple who had problems with the guy from lambeth...
Why pay someone in full before the works done? crazy talk...

like I said, maybe its because I am in construction myself.. but

Peanuts.....

I am however more than willing to concede that the phone message was OTT, but just goes to show how many people get done.
Sad to see it, but use some common sense people, and in the words of Jerry Springer, take care of yourself, and each other..

KungFuMonkey

The tarmac peoplke were shocking, but its a very common thing to happen especially to older people, (being very general, bits its often Gypsies that do it). Are they going to try and stand up to 7 big blokes? As its a civil matter the police wont step in, but what to do is say their vandalising your property and theyve threatend you. Usually gets a response from the police.

With regards to the rest. I cant believe peole get work done to their house without contracts in place. Never pay up front, and if they ask for money for materials, ensure they have all been delivered and secured in your house / property BEFORE making payment.

Saying that I work in the contracting industry as a Contract surveyor / project engineer and i know how big a ripoff merchant all builders are. Saying that were electrician and were just as bad!

Johnny50

Some of those cases were unbeleivable!

Couldn't beleive the gaps between roofs and walls in some of the houses.

And it's not like they were cheap jobs they were paying for.

Makes you think twice.

Olly

These cases do happen, and always have in the building trade.

Its just a shame that the whole of the trade gets tarred with the same brush. ALL industries have crooked elements. The building game is just easy meat.

My guess is that "Barristers from Hell" will never be seen on ITV.

I'm slightly biased, being in the trade. But we've been here well over 30 years and are 100% reputable. "Customers from Hell" do exist as well you know. I could give MANY examples.

jjones

<creating a place holder for a pi**y post in a bit>

Brendan Hughes

Guys in the trade - what do you think about the customer putting in a clause saying the last, say, 10% will be paid on some sort of customer satisfaction? So you get most of the money to cover materials and labour, but the last bit is just to ensure you don't cut corners and bugger off without tidying up? I know it might be tricky to enforce in practice - maybe reference to 3 other professionals saying job's a good'un - but do you object to the principle or would you be OK with it?

I'm curious in case I need to do it in the future as a customer.

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

Ref above post, I would say that you would/should withold say 25% until you are happy with the job, but thats just me.
I had a builder in to do some demolition and extension work, he got 25% up front material money, then another 25% upon application mid way and then the remainder when the job was over and all his gear was gone.
If a builder says he needs the money because he cant afford the materials then a)be wary because he cant have made any money before, is he any good then?
or, if you agree then work out a fair wage and multiply that out over the period of time and deduct that from the final account.
NEVER pay the full amount before the work has been inspected to your satisfaction.
mail off line for anything specific you want,

Peanuts...

[Edited by Peanuts - 7/16/2003 1:31:20 PM]

Scooby Snacks 23

Good idea Brendan, but I think the larger contractors use something like it already. There's also over-run clauses in those sort of contracts too, where the contractor starts losing money if it's not completed on time.

KungFuMonkey

If you really want to know about the subject, buy a basic book like "Contract Practice for Surveyors" off amazon or similar. It will give you some incite intot the building industry contractual procedures.

Always Always Always make sure you have some form of contract in place. It protects you, and the builder.

Legally if works are less (or are expected to be less) than 45 days duration you dont have to make any payment untill the works are complete.

If the duration will be longer than this, and no contract is put in place, the Scheme For Construction Contracts comes into effect and monthly interim payment MUST be made. These are usually valued on, on-site progress.

In the building industry it is commont to hold a retention off any trade. This is usually 5% deducted from all payment untill all works are deemed to be satisfactory finished and the last 2.5% is then held until 6 months to a year after works are signed off incase of any faults that appear. Legally the person doing the works is responsible for any design or installtion failings (Latent Defects) for a period of 7 years after completition (i think).

Many (Not all) contracts make provision for penaltys to be applied for late finishing (Penalty Clauses), but in practice this is difficult to apply as it is based on you having told them the answere to anything they ask within a "Reasonable Timeframe" (Try getting someone to define that!)

I doubt you'll get a Small scale builder to agree to anything like any of these terms.

My main advice, never make a payment up front. If the buidler wants payments for materials ONLY agree to pay for materials that are delivered and secured (at your premisses)or have been installed. Appart from that i'd only make payment uppon completion of works if possible

If anyone does have any questions you can email me on pryorj@stiell.co.uk

tonybooth

Thought most of the programme was highly amusing. Some people really are dense.

TONY

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

Kung Fu Monkey,
is that Steill systems who now are part of McAlpines?
Peanuts...