Tradesmen (plumbers handymen etc) and money

Tumtitums

trailingspouse wrote: »

It's all about relationships - when I get quotes, I treat it as a chance to meet the tradesperson, and decide if I can work with them. Sort of like an interview.

For example
- will I be happy (as a woman) to be on my own in the house with them
- do they sound like they know what they're doing (some don't!!)
- are they charging a reasonable price - not too expensive, but also not too cheap (I prefer to use someone who can quote a daily rate, otherwise I just feel they're making it up as they go along)
- can they tell me how long the job will take
- can they give me a definitive start date.
- do they turn up in a liveried van (not absolutely necessary if everything else is OK, but it helps)
- and if they take their workboots off at the door, the job is theirs!!!

It's not all about price.

I pay all my trades by using the BACS system. They give me an invoice, and I pay it when the job is done. (and I agree - it works both ways, one of my guys had to ring me a couple of weeks after the job was done, cos I'd forgotten to pay!!) I wouldn't use someone who wanted cash or didn't have a bank account. I've only been asked to pay upfront for really big jobs (when we had the house re-wired, the total bill was £7000, and they asked for £2000 up-front, which seemed fair enough).

I need to agree with this, i stated clearly that i had just recarpeted and repainted. I had two guys come over yesterday , My shoes were are the front door, one took his shoes off the other just marched straight in with outdoor shoes and didnt understand why i needed a quote on paper. His resoning what that he would do it for a fixed price and the cost of the materials i choose is down to me. This sounds reasonable but i wasnt interested specifically becuase he didnt even bother asking about whether he should take his outdoor shoes off :mad: I dread to think how he would treat the place if i took him on
I havent seen any in a liviried van yet

Tumtitums

macman wrote: »

Most small builders or sole traders won't take card payments simply because they would have to pay prohibitive merchant fees. That doesn't make them cowboys.

Im not saying that my point is that visa and mastercard card payments offer security in that if someone runs off with your money then the card company will refund you the money. Small builders are the ones we hear about conning people a lot and frequently dont have a business address (i will look for ones that do) . There is also no recognised training scheme. When i read some ads i wonder what training some of the people (particularly from abroad) have had, yet they are one of the few groups of people who rarely use a card payments facility. Even paypal has a minimal charge ! If i found one that did use this then they would be above the competition.

jimmy_81

We've just had a full rewire, plumbers in to do some bathroom work, and four rooms replastered. Same plumbers installed a new boiler & central heating before Christmas. So a fair bit of work, all in all.

NONE of the trades invoiced a penny until the work was complete.

I'd be wary of paying much upfront unless the tradesman is very clear as to why, and even then would expect it to be < 20%.

DRP

jimmy_81 wrote: »

We've just had a full rewire, plumbers in to do some bathroom work, and four rooms replastered. Same plumbers installed a new boiler & central heating before Christmas. So a fair bit of work, all in all.

NONE of the trades invoiced a penny until the work was complete.

I'd be wary of paying much upfront unless the tradesman is very clear as to why, and even then would expect it to be < 20%.

agree.

i don't think i've ever paid a tradesman up front.

cattie

The only time I've ever paid up front for work is when having my new kitchen installed. These were a couple of guys I've used before & they preferred staged payments, usually a payment towards each weekend.

All other trades people I've used have just invoiced me at the end of the work, although I always asked them to let me know if they needed me to give them something for materials etc.that they needed to buy, or if they wanted a bit of money in their pocket for the weekend.

The independent place I used for a replacement double glazed door only ever asks for a deposit & you don't pay the balance 'till the work is completed & you are fully satisfied.

DRP

The way I see it is that as a homeowner, you're not going anywhere so there is little risk for the tradesman.

Radsteral

I m a small fish and when it comes to jobs up to 5000 pounds we don't take deposit and if its a first time client we ask for 30 percent to be paid after 3-4 days. the rest on completion by the way in 3 -4 days we make sure every one in the street knows we are there . we make sure every one in the street knows there is a shortage of parking , and we make sure to say good morning to everyone that passes us by on the street...( the ones who don't answer back , we know ,they had enough of the building work noise;)

martinthebandit

Tumtitums wrote: »

My basic question is how do you go about paying tradesmen without them running off with your money

I am about to get my bathroom done and am quoted a 4 figure sum of money. All the tradesmen want either cash or the money transferred to their bank account. None accept visa debit or credit card and my bank says that any money transferred between accounts cant be reversed by them if i'm not happy with the work.

What steps can i take to make sue they dont run off with my money without completing the job properly. I have friends who say that if this happens there is little you can do as the tradesmen just ignore court letters and the police do nothing. This is assuming they have a business address. The ones i have come across so far want a deposit even before they star doing anything

Surely you are using tradesmen that have been recommended to you by people you trust?

If so you are worrying about stuff you don't need to worry about.

aggypanthus

trailingspouse wrote: »

It's all about relationships - when I get quotes, I treat it as a chance to meet the tradesperson, and decide if I can work with them. Sort of like an interview.

For example
- will I be happy (as a woman) to be on my own in the house with them
- do they sound like they know what they're doing (some don't!!)
- are they charging a reasonable price - not too expensive, but also not too cheap (I prefer to use someone who can quote a daily rate, otherwise I just feel they're making it up as they go along)
- can they tell me how long the job will take
- can they give me a definitive start date.
- do they turn up in a liveried van (not absolutely necessary if everything else is OK, but it helps)
- and if they take their workboots off at the door, the job is theirs!!!

It's not all about price.

I pay all my trades by using the BACS system. They give me an invoice, and I pay it when the job is done. (and I agree - it works both ways, one of my guys had to ring me a couple of weeks after the job was done, cos I'd forgotten to pay!!) I wouldn't use someone who wanted cash or didn't have a bank account. I've only been asked to pay upfront for really big jobs (when we had the house re-wired, the total bill was £7000, and they asked for £2000 up-front, which seemed fair enough).

Do you want the tradesman to work in his socks??:D
What if he drops a hammer or drill and breaks a toes, safety boots are worn for a reason.

rustyboy21

DRP wrote: »

The way I see it is that as a homeowner, you're not going anywhere so there is little risk for the tradesman.

I have been done 3 times by householders not paying their bills when due and one of threatening behaviour, which involved the police to even get the lads tools back.


That's why the customer pays a deposit of 20% on ordering and the rest to be shown to the fitter on arrival if cash no personnel cheques, or card details the day before fit by telephone to the shop.


Not all householders are nice !