Paying builder to renovate new bathroom

animalhouse

Hi

I have had a quote from a handyman builder to renovate our bathroom - stripping out, putting everything into a skip, then putting in a new bathroom which will have a shower cubicle instead of a shower. We have bought the new bathroom and all fittings, cupboards, mirror, mirror light, towel radiator, etc., apart from a pump for the shower, which we will buy this week.

We had an email quote which said, 'all traders labour £3200' but which didn't go into detail. We had had several telephone conversations and he said that this quote covered everything I was asking for.

We agreed the quote yesterday and I asked for a contract to be drawn up and agreed to pay a deposit. This morning I have just another quote, similar to the first but missing several stages, eg fitting the towel radiator, tiling to the walls and floor, etc. and asking for 50% of the cost up front.

I want to have a small build contract before I hand any money over - should I draw this up, or should he? Also, I'm a bit uncertain about paying 50% of the labour costs up front, but wonder if I'm being unreasonable.

any advice as always would be most appreciated.

System

I can't remember off the top of my head the homeowner contracts I've looked into before but they should always as a basic function, dictate the payment terms and any advance payments etc.
Some of the trade bodies have standard forms of contract for their members, but if your builder isn't suggesting one then you will have to get one and put it forward to them.
Don't be forced into paying anything until the contract is in place and signed by both of you.
If your builder doesn't want a contract, insist on it, it offers protection for you both. They may say that they want money up front as a guarantee but a signed contract would offer the same security for him.

TheCyclingProgrammer

I wouldn't pay a handyman a penny to fit a new bathroom. Get a proper bathroom fitter and a decent tiler.

Doozergirl

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

I wouldn't pay a handyman a penny to fit a new bathroom. Get a proper bathroom fitter and a decent tiler.

Agree. Especially at that price. You're not saving anything against having relevant, good trades for each job.

Doozergirl

I wouldn't pay 50% of labour up front. Some may ask for a deposit, but 50% is a lot when they're not supplying.

Furts

£3200 to a handyman to fit a bathroom is a lot of money. Hence you need to establish what is happening. Is the work being sub contracted to specialists? I say this because handyman types usually work for lower rates of pay because they are not tradesmen.

50% up front is crazy - again find why this is. Basically the work is labour only so there are no up front costs or substantial materials to be purchased. Labour should be paid as the work proceeds. If the handyman does not trust you to pay up then talk about this. He may have bad experiences of bad paying consumers and such types do exist.

All round your scenario sounds worrying. Step back and do some deep thinking, and ask many questions, before even considering a contract.

Annie1960

I think this job is beyond the skills of a handyman, and 50% deposit is far too much, especially when you are providing the materials.

TheLastMongoose

Any tradesman that asked for 50% up front from me would be out of the picture instantly.

mysterymurdoch

This is a 1-week job for 2 people... if the business he runs can't sustain themselves for 1 week without payment then I question their validity as a business.
In your shoes I would 100% get someone else to do the work.

I got a bathroom removed and new one refitted for under £1k 8 years ago by a pair of Polish guys. They did a good job. Ok, so you won't get that price, but under £2k should be normal. I supplied the suite, tiles, grout, flooring, light fitting. They supplied fixtures, adhesives etc.

Cloth_of_Gold

I'm having my bathroom refurbished at the moment and I had a similar quote, although there is not quite as much work being done. I have provided most of the materials but they have provided smaller items such as grouting, silicone, paint, etc. I paid a £500 deposit up front for them to buy materials, which I thought was reasonable, and then at the end of the first week I paid for what they had done up to that point and will pay the balance at the end of next week when it should be finished.If they don't use the full £500 on materials then they refund the balance at the end.

Paying 50% before anything has been done is unreasonable. Also, as others have said, re-fitting a whole bathroom is not a job for a handyman, it requires multiple skills. In my case, one set of people are doing the redecorating and another set, from the same company, are doing the plumbing, tiling and putting up of cabinet and towel rails.

animalhouse

Thank you all. The builder is doing the plumbing (he was a plumber but moved into general work also) and removal and installation, he has a plasterer/tiler and electrician doing the other works. I've told him I'll pay £500 up front and then 50% of the remainer at the half way point and the rest at the end of the job when everything is finished and signed off.
I'm trying to pin him down on the quote so I can draw up a contract. if I can't then the job is off.