Paying tradesman

alumende27

We need a length of sewer pipe replacing and I found a builder a few months ago who gave a reasonable quote. He's supposed to be starting work in a week or so and emailed me yesterday to say:

"A week before I start I usually ask for a 40% deposit to be paid to pay for materials and hire charges and the rest on completion."

The work is about £1,500 in total. I got this guy's details off one of those check a trade type websites, but that seems like a hefty sum to pay up front. I appreciate that tradesman often run on tight margins but I had a carpenter working here for a 3 weeks and he never asked for any money until he was finished.

If he'd asked me to pay for materials on the start date I would have no objection, but now I have major trust issues with such a request and there's clearly less of an incentive for him to finish the work on time (or at all!) if he's getting almost half the cash before he even turns up.

At this point I'm inclined to tell him I don't want to go ahead with the work.

Am I being unreasonable?

warehouse

When dealing with tradesmen I always go with my gut feeling about them. Yours is telling you to get someone else in and I'd totally agree with you. Can you not get a recommendation from someone?

EssexExile

Wasn't payment discussed a few months ago? He says he "usually asks for 40%", I would decline that request & see what happens.

missile

I once paid in advance for materials. I will never make that mistake again.

J_B

In my experience, most tradesmen have a monthly account with their suppliers, so the goods they buy in November, they pay for in December.
I kind of understand that he may be worried about not getting paid, but can't you set up some sort of written agreement about who pays what and when??

rach_k

I don't understand why you'd be happy to pay for materials on the start date but not a week before. If you want him to start on the start date, don't you want him to have the materials before then? Fair enough if you don't want to pay anything beforehand but I don't see the difference between on the day and a week earlier really. Either you trust him or you don't - he could just as easily run off with your money on the start date if you pay him then.

If you're not happy paying him in advance, I'd either get a new builder who won't ask for that or that you trust, or ask if you can buy the materials yourself and have them waiting for him.

Mr_Poves

J_B wrote: »

In my experience, most tradesmen have a monthly account with their suppliers, so the goods they buy in November, they pay for in December.
I kind of understand that he may be worried about not getting paid, but can't you set up some sort of written agreement about who pays what and when??

Yes , but what you get in november you still have to pay for in december , it doesn't matter to my supplier if your aunt lilly has died , your cat has eaten your dog or any other feeble excuse as to why you have cancelled the job , I ALWAYS take a partial upfront payment , after having learned myself the hard way .
I wish there was a checkacustomer website out never mind the other way around ........:)

Mr_Poves

rach_k wrote: »

I don't understand why you'd be happy to pay for materials on the start date but not a week before. If you want him to start on the start date, don't you want him to have the materials before then? Fair enough if you don't want to pay anything beforehand but I don't see the difference between on the day and a week earlier really. Either you trust him or you don't - he could just as easily run off with your money on the start date if you pay him then.

If you're not happy paying him in advance, I'd either get a new builder who won't ask for that or that you trust, or ask if you can buy the materials yourself and have them waiting for him.

It's more than just materials - I've been let down in the past the day before or even the same day , and if you have a few days booked in that just turns into 2 days off with no wages , plus if he has to hire machinery , nothing is free , and cancellation always incurs a penalty , It's the way of the world I'm afraid , as for every dodgy tradesman , I bet there are 50 even dodgier potential customers .

Furts

I am tending to side with Mr Poves. OP has chosen to use a check a trade type website and this works both ways - cowboy clients and cowboy contractors and becomes a marriage made in heaven.

I would not be paying up front, but instead wondering about fundamentals. A sewer pipe is covered by the Buildings Regulations, so exactly what is being specified, what materials, what testing and what inspection? Sewers take foul waste so there is also a public health implication here. Then what is proposed on safety, excavation, CDM Regs and so on?

All in £1500 for sewer pipe replacement sounds dodgy.

Mr_Poves

Furts wrote: »

I am tending to side with Mr Poves. OP has chosen to use a check a trade type website and this works both ways - cowboy clients and cowboy contractors and becomes a marriage made in heaven.

I would not be paying up front, but instead wondering about fundamentals. A sewer pipe is covered by the Buildings Regulations, so exactly what is being specified, what materials, what testing and what inspection? Sewers take foul waste so there is also a public health implication here. Then what is proposed on safety, excavation, CDM Regs and so on?

All in £1500 for sewer pipe replacement sounds dodgy.

Totally different game than my trade , but across the board trust works both ways , I did comment on a similar thread last week , if a customer refuses to pay a deposit I walk , simple as .

glasgowdan

Ask him for list of materials and supplier details so you can make the purchase yourself