Info/ opinions on this.

JamesBond2010

Hi Here it is
Why do builders take on jobs when they dont have the people to do them ? Start a job & then dont see them for another 3 months. Either do the job or dont. You shouldnt havent taken the job if they dont have the people to do it. '' Other days they might only come one day a wk & not see them then for the rest of it.

Is this normal for builders for to do ?
What are peoples opinions ?
Tnx.

Johnnyhpipe

Depends, there are chancers in all aspects of life. I have often been asked to recommend good contractors to clients, I do, and then they also tender to a couple from the back of the golden pages...who of course are the cheapest and the client thinks 'whats the worst that can happen...'

I don't know if you went to some gunther but to answer your question, I have never come across a competent contractor who would do this. I have seen some very poor contractors mess people around!

JamesBond2010

Johnnyhpipe wrote: »

Depends, there are chancers in all aspects of life. I have often been asked to recommend good contractors to clients, I do, and then they also tender to a couple from the back of the golden pages...who of course are the cheapest and the client thinks 'whats the worst that can happen...'

I don't know if you went to some gunther but to answer your question, I have never come across a competent contractor who would do this. I have seen some very poor contractors mess people around!

Tnx By the way this is a contract it was put out to tender. & they got it.

James 007

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

Hi Here it is
Why do builders take on jobs when they dont have the people to do them ? Start a job & then dont see them for another 3 months. Either do the job or dont. You shouldnt havent taken the job if they dont have the people to do it. '' Other days they might only come one day a wk & not see them then for the rest of it.

Is this normal for builders for to do ?
What are peoples opinions ?
Tnx.

To ensure that they will be guaranteed work in the quieter periods. No written contract, no written finish date, no penalty clause for running over a scheduled finish date and you let yourself wide open.

James 007

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

Tnx By the way this is a contract it was put out to tender. & they got it.

I only see this after i have typed. I'll have a martini shaken, not stirred James. Whats in the contract regarding start/finish dates

screamer

A lot of builders struggle to get paid on time, and have to run multiple sites at the same time to make ends meet, as they have to pay their workers every week, even if they don't get paid for months for the work. Work in construction is sporadic, sometimes you're out the doors other times it's quiet as. There is no certainty to it, workers too can be very unreliable and that makes it tough for the contractor. Unfortunately it is an industry that is unionised out of existence too. This is not to say that your job schedule should be suffering, but just to show a little of the other side of the coin.

JamesBond2010

James 007 wrote: »

I only see this after i have typed. I'll have a martini shaken, not stirred James. Whats in the contract regarding start/finish dates

haha no prob LOL

its only a extension to the back of house for medical reasons..havent seen the contract. It is been run for us.
def taking the piss so.
we have been on to the people anyway. that doing it for us about them being very slow. The Builders will come for a few days then same old crack again. Also just to say had 3 different roofers so far.All came only for a day or 2. (polish lads were the best No Offence. there was no messing with them.in @ 8.00 gone @ 5.00 took their break & that was it.)


They also been seen working other sites when they havent appeared @ mine (meeting them in local shop/cafe when they are in for b/fast) & faces tell it all when they saw my other half.

rampantbunny

screamer wrote: »

A lot of builders struggle to get paid on time, and have to run multiple sites at the same time to make ends meet, as they have to pay their workers every week, even if they don't get paid for months for the work. Work in construction is sporadic, sometimes you're out the doors other times it's quiet as. There is no certainty to it, workers too can be very unreliable and that makes it tough for the contractor. Unfortunately it is an industry that is unionised out of existence too. This is not to say that your job schedule should be suffering, but just to show a little of the other side of the coin.

A lot of what you say might be more acceptable to clients (OP included) if the 'struggling' builder/contractor was more upfront. In my experience, the lack of communication is more often than not worse than the actual delay. You are left simply not knowing what is going on.
People not paying you, or the fact that things are sporadic in your industry are no excuses for being unprofessional to your current clients.
Unfortunately, and this is only my opinion from speaking with 8 others currently building their houses, but this sort of behavior seems to be normal and expected.

BTW, hope this isn't coming across as a personal attack against your post. But I'm building myself and it seems respect is too often a one way street.

JamesBond2010

Tnx lads for the info. found out from of the lads that loads of jobs on the go so they are bouncing like mad. from job to job. thats kind why they are not here.Also the boss(Owner) seems to be a bit of a twat.doesnt know how to talk. to let u know whats happening.

Fayre

This happened to me with my builders. They were very evasive, days and weeks would go by with no-one on site and we'd get told a different excuse the whole time - weather, other jobs, delays over this and that. In the end nothing happened from October to February the house (wall complete level, no roof started) just sat there through the whole winter and mid-Feb I got the call that they were gone bust.
In your case I'd say that it's coz it's only an extension to an existing house and ye are not waiting to move in whatever that's the reason they keep putting ye down the list of priorities. The only way to protect yourself against this kind of stuff is at the very start - put an end date and damages in the contract and haggle on the stage payments so most of the money is kept til the end.

Fayre

By the way as I'm nearing the end of a very long road myself with the build, the only thing and I mean the ONLY thing that gets people's attention focused onto you is money and their fear of losing out on it.

Fayre

By the way as I'm nearing the end of a very long road myself with the build, the only thing and I mean the ONLY thing that gets people's attention focused onto you is money and their fear of losing out on it.

JamesBond2010

Just say never get this builders C.k only a con artist between saying they are out of stock (when they are not ) till saying windows take 9 weeks to be made. never met such a twat in all my life. & still the job isnt done!!