Our builder won't give receipts for materials

Alan_M_2

Wig wrote:

My thoughts exactly.


I was thinking that too, glad someone decided to do this. Not that I think he'd get many referrals from this site. :rotfl:

Run out of rational reasoning so resorting to throwing toys from your pram?

And why wouldn't I get many referrals? Ever heared the saying there's no such thing as bad publicity?

Alan_M_2

Wig wrote:

I think I see a contradiction between that and this



Perhaps you choose a bad example, but I think you've been caught with your finger in the pie. The normal price for the plywood is 32+VAT in my neck of the woods, so yes I'd be questioning your professionalism if you charged me 60+ VAT :eek:

I asked a hypothetical question and you assume that was an actual business transaction, don't assume, you're often wrong.

Alan_M_2

madfrenchgirl wrote:

AlanM is just a tight @rse who thinks too much of himself

lemme guess, he is a self made man and is always right!

Jeez, i would not like to be your kids!

Actually I'm anything but a tight @!!!!!!, I think your chosen term describes quite accurately the posters who don't consider anyone as common and lowly as a "tradesman" should be making any profit from them...how dare a common working man possibly earn any of your money!

I started a business from sctratch, I've been broke, I've got up and started again, that's business.

The sheer irony of what you people expect, that margins should be so small that all buy for next to nothing, would simply mean business would fold and cease to be able to operate. You are then left with the monopolies of the world that are then in a position to charge exactly what they want and there's nothing you can do about it.

It's a prime example of the selfish I'm alright Jack" attitude that permeates through the grasping middle class culture of our society of which you appear to be a shining example.

Wig

You forgot your reply to post #78 awaiting the business guru's response. Like pulling teeth getting you to answer a simple question.

hilary1

I work for a builders.

We give a price for a job including materials. Once that is agreed, if we happen to source cheaper materials thats a bit more profit. You cannot survive if you have to sell on materials at the price you buy them. Thats whats known as 'trade prices'.

If you thinkk a quote is too high suggest supplying the materials yourself or ask for a materials price and a labour price, then decide.

We dont give material receipts to customers. If something goes wrong, say with a shower for instance, we cover the guarantee period.

A price shpould include all materials if the contractor is supplying. Only if something really unexpected comes up should there be a suggestion of having to buy anything extra.

most good builders would have to cover unexpected costs and price rises during jobs themselves anyway.

Confilct happens when you try to get something for nothing or choose a dodgy builder based on the lowest price alone.

Why is everyone being so nasty to everyone. Business is busines.

Wig

Alan_M wrote:

the posters who don't consider anyone as common and lowly as a "tradesman" should be making any profit from them...how dare a common working man possibly earn any of your money!.

You know I could have sworn I said "hidden profits" :rotfl: you're a funny guy Alan, your ability to ignore what has been said to suit your purposes is almost turning into stuff of legend.

Alan_M_2

MyUserNamesTaken wrote:

Actually, the bulk of your post was slagging off Polish workers who have every right to work in this country, even if they do decide to go back to Poland. You talk about people not knowing how businesses work. Do you? If you did, you'd know you have to remain competitive. As Poles are legally allowed to do what they are doing, then you have to adapt to them. You've got competition. Get over it.

Incidentally, I'm sure it's against site rules to advertise your own business on these boards. Seeing as your avatar and your location both advertise your business, I'm reporting you to abuse.

As I already stated, and it appears a few posters on here have trouble reading posts in their entirity.

Let's save you the trouble and reprint it in it's entirity now Highlighting a few on of points you chose to ignore in your reply:-

Nowhere have I stated these are definates, just possibilities, I am pointing out to people the possible pitfalls the have happened to customers we have dealt with and put work right. I'm trying to get people to understand there is sometimes a price to pay for saving money.

It reads very differently when in context doesn't it.

Are you a tabloid journalist per chance?

It's a shame you don't understand the ramifications of this, and it isn't the fault of the public at large but the governments short sightedness.

I have seen some building work undertaken by immigrant contractors, some of it was at least as good as British construction and some was downright dangerous, so you run the same risks as employing any builder from any nationality, with the following added risks.

Your Polish builder will not be a UK resident, so 6 months after He's finished a major problem occurs where is his guarantee, and if it comes to it how do you make him rectify the problem?

As a non UK resdient, Trading Standards are toothless, so how would you sue him? You can't. simple answer.

Did He comply with British Standards and Building regulations? Does He even know what British Standards and Building regulations are?

I'm not saying any of this will occur, but you need to be aware that it's a possibility.

As for what He charges, that's easier to expalin, He can charge so little because his living costs are so low, they chose to live cheaply in the UK and work for a calculated period of time. They earn as much as they can in that period, any of which if it isn't cash is legally declared and they pay tax (if they're honest), upon returning home to Poland they can reclaim all thier tax up to the personal allowance and leave the country with their tax free income, go back to Poland where the equivalent £450,000 house costs £45,000.

We are allowing people into the country who can work for substantially less money than UK residents becuase their cost of living is so low.

May I ask a few pertinent Questions?

Did you pay VAT? (seeing as the threshold is £58,000 per year turnover he must be registered for a £35,000 job in four weeks).

What insurance did He hold whilst undertking your work?

What guarantee do you have should any problems occur in the future?

Was the building work carried out to building regualtions, inspected by BCO and certified?

I'm not going out of my way to put down what you've done, but these are all material facts which people should be aware of when employing anyone to do any building work, never mind foreign companies.

After all, you wouldn't buy a £15,000 car without any form of guarantee or redress from where you bought it, so would you subject your home to similar risks?

MyUserNamesTaken

Alan_M wrote:

And why wouldn't I get many referrals? Ever heared the saying there's no such thing as bad publicity?

Except that publicizing your business on this site is against the rules. Hmm...you complain about Poles when they are not even breaking the law, yet seem quite happy to flout the rules when it suits you.

Alan, you are a hypocrite.

Oh, and your rant against Poles is an excellent example of someone throwing their toys out of the pram.

You don't seem to understand that people here do not have a comprehension problem. We just happen to disagree with your little rants. All you are worried about, Alan, is your own business. You bring up the British Economy as a reason why these "immigrants" should not be employed by people over here, but that's not really why it bothers you. At the end of the day, it's something you are going to have to get used to. People will go for the cheaper option. If that means paying Poles to do the work, then that's up to them. So, it puts you out of business. So what? Adapt or go under. It's simple.

Alan_M_2

Wig wrote:

You forgot your reply to post #78 awaiting the business guru's response. Like pulling teeth getting you to answer a simple question.

Oh you're such a teaser (slap my thighs), please explain yourself. This mere mortal is dying for your knowledge

What would like explained?

Ask me a straight question I'll give you a straight answer.

Rhetorical nonsence(In a mildy amusing pantomime style) isn't exactly a question is it now........

Alan_M_2

MyUserNamesTaken wrote:

Except that publicizing your business on this site is against the rules. Hmm...you complain about Poles when they are not even breaking the law, yet seem quite happy to flout the rules when it suits you.

Alan, you are a hypocrite.

Oh, and your rant against Poles is an excellent example of someone throwing their toys out of the pram.

You don't seem to understand that people here do not have a comprehension problem. We just happen to disagree with your little rants. All you are worried about, Alan, is your own business. You bring up the British Economy as a reason why these "immigrants" should not be employed by people over here, but that's not really why it bothers you. At the end of the day, it's something you are going to have to get used to. People will go for the cheaper option. If that means paying Poles to do the work, then that's up to them. So, it puts you out of business. So what? Adapt or go under. It's simple.

To be honest it doesn't effect my business in the slightest, I'm not associated with the part of the construction industry that the influx of immigrant labour effect. I generally supply business to business and not retail, the companies that buy from me do so because my products conform to the Brtish standards quality and also comply with building regualtions, but fundamentally I import a product and sell it to an end user or dealer.

I was trying to get across in my post that no matter who you employ, you need references. With an immigrant workforce you also run further risks which I clearly explained, and tried to do so in a non racist manner.

These are very real possibilites, not personal predjudices, if you choose to read predjuice into the post then that's your own problem.