Building Works

[Diver]

I found what I thought was a great builder, until they actually started the work.

Top tip - never employ any sort of trades person/company on a job without references from previous happy customers, speak to them and ask for photos of their work.

It verges on criminal what builders think they can get away with.

As a former builder, I resemble that remark

Pay nothing up front. If they require money for materials, tell them to get stuffed coz it means they haven't got accounts with suppliers or they have maxed them and have financial problems.
Do not pay them in full until you have had another builder check the work. This is something that I used to insist my customers did before paying me.
Everybody knows somebody that knows a builder, just offer them £50 to come and check the works over. It's worth £50 just for peace of mind.

[oracleslave]

"Can do" should never be confused with "will do". Every woman I meet can do me, but none of them will.

[moorfield]

No - this guy is good and comes with good references - it took me 18 months to find (and wait) for him. He also has his own website with several galleries of previous work - quite innovative for a builder that. And no, I'm not posting the link until he's finished my extension first !

[Marina]

.. and even more of a pleasant surprise was the all round "can do" attitude of everyone involved ..

In my experience they're always like that at the start of the job

.. rather than the usual whistling through teeth.

That comes later, when you point out all the faults and the fact that they don't seem to be turning up much any more and the job is barely half done.

(The above assumes the builders are British).

edit: I see they _are_ British, the clue being "No they're all from Essex actually"

[DimPrawn]

No they're all from Essex actually, but it took me 18 months to find them and weed out all the wide boys along the way. Time well spent.

I found what I thought was a great builder, until they actually started the work.

Top tip - never employ any sort of trades person/company on a job without references from previous happy customers, speak to them and ask for photos of their work.

It verges on criminal what builders think they can get away with.

[PAH]

All sorted, and even more of a pleasant surprise was the all round "can do" attitude of everyone involved rather than the usual whistling through teeth.

"Can do" should never be confused with "will do". Every woman I meet can do me, but none of them will.

[moorfield]

Eastern Europeans were they, or have the natives upped their game lately?

No they're all from Essex actually, but it took me 18 months to find them and weed out all the wide boys along the way. Time well spent.

[Chugnut]

Nice one. What a refreshing change!

I'm about to embark on similar myself. Contract is up in a few months and don't like the idea of writing big cheques and then being out of contract though.

Think I may end up having to mortgage a chunk and drip-feed the rest from the rainy day fund.

[bogeyman]

All sorted, and even more of a pleasant surprise was the all round "can do" attitude of everyone involved rather than the usual whistling through teeth.

Eastern Europeans were they, or have the natives upped their game lately?

[moorfield]

I just had to share this because I am *WELL CHUFFED* today.

Took a day off to organise a meeting with my builder, his engineer, and building control guy to discuss the extension works to moorfield towers.

All sorted, and even more of a pleasant surprise was the all round "can do" attitude of everyone involved rather than the usual whistling through teeth.



It is going to cost though.