How busy are builders currently - does this sound right?

49IM

The builders I liked the most aren't free to start work with me for 3-4 months, is this normal and how things generally are for decent builders? It feels like a long time but I suppose that could just be, say, two jobs lined up before mine, which is pretty reasonable.

What do you reckon, is that just how things are?

Thanks,

Dan-Dan

Its normal , for good builders , especially builders who dont have teams around the area , what are you having done?

Be more worried if they could start tomorrow

marc81

I waited around 6 months for my builder (this was delayed slightly as his previous job ran over as they kept asking for extra work done). Afer he's finished my extension which should be within the next 3 weeks he then has work booked in which will take him up to next January. It's the price you pay for a good tradesman, like someone has said already i'd be worried if a builder was available straight away.

Doozergirl

You'd be waiting over a year for us at the moment. Unless it's a relatively small job and we really, really like the people asking.

I need to know where the money's coming from for as far ahead as I can. The right people are prepared to wait for the right people. I had a couple wait from December 2014 to their job last summer.

martinthebandit

They can start in the summer? This summer? If they're good you've either been very lucky or it's only a small job.

49IM

Thanks for the replies, sounds like it's about right. It's a small single-storey extension with no complications such as drainage, 19k kind of thing.

I'll get myself booked in, then!

seashore22

I think we waited about 3 months for ours and another builder that we liked had a wait of at least a year.

I would take it as a good sign that they have other work lined up and would be slightly wary of one that could start immediately.