Near 50% pay upfront?!

Hannimal

They have come and started the work this morning. I will update here what happens in the next two weeks. Sorry to take over someone else's thread. I hope it is just my anxiety and nothing else that is making me worried. 

Hannimal

@Mickey666
 look at the context of the comment. It was not at all irrelevant. I have already paid the money. 

However upon reading this thread I would not do so again. I think and hope my building company is going to do their job even if they're a bit delayed but the risk is not worth it and this has been incredibly stressful. 

Risteard

Hannimal said:

They were meant to start working today and no one showed up. They've apologised and said they'd come in tomorrow. I am feeling physically sick as I may have just lost a life-changing amount of money. I have no idea what I can do now, other than just hope they come tomorrow. 

Relax. Start dates can only ever be an approximation as jobs may run on.

comeandgo

Risteard said:

Hannimal said:

They were meant to start working today and no one showed up. They've apologised and said they'd come in tomorrow. I am feeling physically sick as I may have just lost a life-changing amount of money. I have no idea what I can do now, other than just hope they come tomorrow. 

Relax. Start dates can only ever be an approximation as jobs may run on.

I would expect  my contractor to have told me a few days in advance that the start date needed to be delayed, not just not turn up.

Risteard

comeandgo said:

Risteard said:

Hannimal said:

They were meant to start working today and no one showed up. They've apologised and said they'd come in tomorrow. I am feeling physically sick as I may have just lost a life-changing amount of money. I have no idea what I can do now, other than just hope they come tomorrow. 

Relax. Start dates can only ever be an approximation as jobs may run on.

I would expect  my contractor to have told me a few days in advance that the start date needed to be delayed, not just not turn up.

They won't necessarily know several days in advance. Particularly at the moment with the COVID scamdemic and illegal totalitarian "lockdowns" which affects supplies and has huge knockon effects.

Hannimal

Very odd that they only know on the start day after I've chased with several calls and messages. There was someone here yesterday and I was told work would continue today but no one showed. They told me on the phone it was because I had requested so many "extra" jobs when the guy was here yesterday. I have requested these jobs in writing on 17th october and have a response that says "Ok I'll sort all this". I get that mistakes happen on the way but a bit !!!!!! off that this is being spinned as if my fault now. There was a bit in the job that wasn't anticipated with some fittings on fitting well and requiring extra work that I understand makes it take a bit longer and I'm being charged more for this, but I didn't change what I asked for several weeks ago. Also don't mind paying a bit more as it is an extra day of work for someone, but it's just not my fault and there is no one here now doing the work. It's past midday. Is this normal?

Doozergirl

Hannimal said:

Very odd that they only know on the start day after I've chased with several calls and messages. There was someone here yesterday and I was told work would continue today but no one showed. They told me on the phone it was because I had requested so many "extra" jobs when the guy was here yesterday. I have requested these jobs in writing on 17th october and have a response that says "Ok I'll sort all this". I get that mistakes happen on the way but a bit !!!!!! off that this is being spinned as if my fault now. There was a bit in the job that wasn't anticipated with some fittings on fitting well and requiring extra work that I understand makes it take a bit longer and I'm being charged more for this, but I didn't change what I asked for several weeks ago. Also don't mind paying a bit more as it is an extra day of work for someone, but it's just not my fault and there is no one here now doing the work. It's past midday. Is this normal?

In a word? No. 

Yes it's normal for a job to overrun, but it's not normal to turn up day 1 and not day 2. 

What would be due to happen today? 

What are these extras? 

You need to manage this relationship and yet not pay any money until you're 50% into this work.  

Hannimal

Doozergirl said:

Hannimal said:

Very odd that they only know on the start day after I've chased with several calls and messages. There was someone here yesterday and I was told work would continue today but no one showed. They told me on the phone it was because I had requested so many "extra" jobs when the guy was here yesterday. I have requested these jobs in writing on 17th october and have a response that says "Ok I'll sort all this". I get that mistakes happen on the way but a bit !!!!!! off that this is being spinned as if my fault now. There was a bit in the job that wasn't anticipated with some fittings on fitting well and requiring extra work that I understand makes it take a bit longer and I'm being charged more for this, but I didn't change what I asked for several weeks ago. Also don't mind paying a bit more as it is an extra day of work for someone, but it's just not my fault and there is no one here now doing the work. It's past midday. Is this normal?

In a word? No. 

Yes it's normal for a job to overrun, but it's not normal to turn up day 1 and not day 2. 

What would be due to happen today? 

What are these extras? 

You need to manage this relationship and yet not pay any money until you're 50% into this work.  

Maybe you missed my earlier post but I've already paid for more than 50% of the work being done. 

The work that was meant to be done yesterday did actually take place but I was advised someone would be here in the morning and someone else in the afternoon. Both people came in in the afternoon. 

OilyByker

So as a customer some of you all believe that a builder should spend his or his companies hard earned money on materials for your work ????? You expect an agreed start date and let the contractor pay his men, expenses, and materials for a job you may never pay for????? 
I ran a £3m a year company and frankly  would never even put customers in the diary with 33% with order and 33% after the job is started. Yes folks get ripped off, but comments like " I wouldn't pay anything up front ' are delusional. It doesn't matter a jot about the companies cash flow, £56k job and they are expected to foot all the costs ...... I only got ripped off twice..... both times by those that didn't pay a deposit, both business clients. 
Do interim payments based on work completed, but allow a £30% materials per job payment. 

shinytop

OilyByker said:

So as a customer some of you all believe that a builder should spend his or his companies hard earned money on materials for your work ????? You expect an agreed start date and let the contractor pay his men, expenses, and materials for a job you may never pay for????? 
I ran a £3m a year company and frankly  would never even put customers in the diary with 33% with order and 33% after the job is started. Yes folks get ripped off, but comments like " I wouldn't pay anything up front ' are delusional. It doesn't matter a jot about the companies cash flow, £56k job and they are expected to foot all the costs ...... I only got ripped off twice..... both times by those that didn't pay a deposit, both business clients. 
Do interim payments based on work completed, but allow a £30% materials per job payment. 

I do expect an agreed start date just like the builder does.  I wouldn't expect to be able to tell a builder to come back tomorrow when they turned up to do a job nor would I expect them just not to turn up without some prior discussion.   30% materials, payment on delivery to site sounds reasonable.