How often to chase builders for quote/reply/commitment? Getting really fed up now. :-(

ChasingtheWelshdream

It's not really money saving I know, but I'm just getting really fed up trying to find a builder. We're diy-ing most things, but have decided an RSJ is one step too far.

We waited months for our first choice, who pencilled us in only to let us down and is no longer interested in the job, but took weeks to finally admit it. Leaving us unable to move on with the rest of the work and living in a half-finished shell.  I've contacted 5 other recommended builders, only 2 have replied and visited. Both seemed happy with what we want, took copies of the structural drawings/calculations away, but neither have since come back to us. I know we need to wait potentially months for the actual work, but I just want to book someone in so we have a timescale. 

What's the etiquette with for following up with people? I'm loathe to chase them too often as I don't want to be blacklisted as a pain, but I also feel in limbo and getting really fed up. I don't know if their silence is just because they are too busy to do the quote/admin, or if it's their way of saying 'nope, not interested, but don't want to have an awkward conversation'. I have sent quick 'thanks for coming round, hope to hear from you soon' emails after a couple of weeks, but no response.

I'm beginning to get paranoid that it's me! I've been saying 'yep, really flexible, happy to just get the structural stuff sorted and we can finish up if you prefer. Not at all fussed about mess, do whatever you need to, happy to fit around you'. Maybe that sounds too flaky? Even though we've got all the building regs stuff already and chomping at the bit to start.

We really don't want to go down the Check-A-Trade route, so have been sticking to local companies with good reputations. Everyone is busy, but surely at some point they have to take on new customers?
 
What are we doing wrong? :-(

Doozergirl

You're not doing anything wrong. 

The construction world has turned upside down.  We're experiencing hyperinflation in materials, but also just a lack of labour.   It seemed quite innocent at first, but our regular subbies are abandoning us - they're not saying they can get better money, they're just getting it.  Everyone got a pay rise last year, except us, and yet rates are rising faster than we can keep up. 

I know people walking from the business at the moment because it's so stressful.  My
husband is potentially one of them -
he's burning out and I'm making plans to diversify.  I'm on a call with the Chief Exec of the FMB on Tuesday, it will be interesting to hear what everyone has to say. 

In the past, I'd have said you're doing every thing right, but when the good guys start jumping ship from regular work with no word, I don't know how a one-off job lures people in... 

ka7e

A lot of builders are having to organise their work according to the availability of materials. I think uncertainty of supply is throwing their admin and forward planning out, but it's often the case that persistence pays off. If you are really woolly with your demands, you'll get put to the back of the queue.

Ask outright if they are likely to be quoting for the work and when they might be able to do it. If you can't get a commitment at all, write them off and look elsewhere. Cast your net wider. There is usually a local FB page where you can ask for recommendations for builders or check your local builder's merchants for business cards. I've even taken the phone numbers off tradesmen's vans when they've worked in local streets!

ChasingtheWelshdream

Thanks, seems it’s a very common issue. We’ve had plenty of trouble in the past trying to find plumbers/heating folk for small jobs, hence going down the diy route in the end. But this is just too big/scary to attempt so I’m getting desperate. Especially as we thought we’d booked someone months ago. This RSJ is stopping us moving forwards in 3 rooms, all of which are in various states of un-finish. 


What I can’t figure out, is where the new customers are coming from to fuel the work, if they don’t seem to want the jobs? Or is it just that my little £1500-£2k job is just not worth it? It’s a lot of money to us, but I guess small fry compared to an extension. 

We do have a local Facebook page with lots of recommendations, but to be taken with a pinch of salt. A couple of unscrupulous guys last year suggested I was being OTT talking about building regs (because ‘it’s not needed for inside work’), and yet their names are regularly mentioned. One of which walked out on a friend’s job half-way through, so I’m still erring towards personal recommendation at the moment.


I did say to both of the people I’d pinned my hopes on, to please let me know if they decide they’d rather not take on the job. But as both seemed happy, I had hoped they were. One said he might be able to fit us in within a few weeks, the other was 4 months but possibly sooner if there was a spell of prolonged wet weather.  I’d be happy with either!

I will give them a call tomorrow rather than email, to see where they are at. And so guess give up if we don’t here within another couple of weeks.


I just wish I’d pressed our original builder much sooner, so at least I would have known earlier.

Rant time over (looks sorrowfully at bare brick walls that can’t be plastered yet :-( )

FaceHead

I think the crucial end to the conversation where you agree to send the plans and they agree to quote is 'so when you think you'll be able to get that quote?'. Some can do it same day, and some will take a couple of weeks, and you can chase after the agreed time. 

If they don't make good on their commitments and/or need too much chasing, then it's time to move on. 

twopenny

I so sympathise. I had a plumber string me along for 2yrs! Always a yes I'm coming and in a small town you don't want to upset a tradesman.

Ditto with general jobs. And like you I'm organised about what's needed so nothing fuzzy, I'm up front that it's a small bathroom - still £3,000 though. One asked for precise fittings which I did with 3 places to obtain them and order numbers. That seemed to put some off.

I've come to the conculusion that if I haven't heard after the first week or so I won't hear at all whether general work or skilled work. And this seems to be the case. It got me down to the point where I had to stop.

But, with the paving I thought I'd been ditched, got an appology just before Christmas, site visit & quote New Year and then done 4mts after that. So it can be done. That was a reputable building firm.

Slinky

The only way we can get anybody to quote for us is to say we don't want the work done til next year, even though we'd rather have it done sooner. The builder who came yesterday said his quote could be vastly different by next year because of the changing costs of building materials.

ChasingtheWelshdream

FaceHead said:

I think the crucial end to the conversation where you agree to send the plans and they agree to quote is 'so when you think you'll be able to get that quote?'. Some can do it same day, and some will take a couple of weeks, and you can chase after the agreed time. 

If they don't make good on their commitments and/or need too much chasing, then it's time to move on. 

That’s a very good idea, thanks.

Twopenny you are right about the small town. We disputed a final invoice for something that was much larger than the fixed price quote we had. In the end we just paid it as it’s a small town and we didn’t want to get blacklisted by other folk.

We’ve got more future work but don’t know how much until we have an idea of what is possible budget-wise, so need ball-park figures on a couple of options.  And that just wastes people’s time, so it could be years hence yet 😆

Slinky yes, I think you are right and we know there will likely be an increase. Unless we are talking double then we will still go ahead, as it will completely change the flow of rooms for the better.

You know, I am seriously fed up with my job, and seriously considered re-training in a trade, with a commitment to always responding to everybody, even if just to say ‘no thanks’ And keeping a few days aside each month for folk’s little jobs. Problem is, I’m terrified of spiders and would probably come across many!

ComicGeek

Doozergirl said:

You're not doing anything wrong. 

The construction world has turned upside down.  We're experiencing hyperinflation in materials, but also just a lack of labour.   It seemed quite innocent at first, but our regular subbies are abandoning us - they're not saying they can get better money, they're just getting it.  Everyone got a pay rise last year, except us, and yet rates are rising faster than we can keep up. 

I know people walking from the business at the moment because it's so stressful.  My
husband is potentially one of them -
he's burning out and I'm making plans to diversify.  I'm on a call with the Chief Exec of the FMB on Tuesday, it will be interesting to hear what everyone has to say. 

In the past, I'd have said you're doing every thing right, but when the good guys start jumping ship from regular work with no word, I don't know how a one-off job lures people in... 

This in spades. Our workload has gone up more than 30% for the last 12 months compared to an already high level before. It's just not possible to sustain this level. 

The experienced people are retiring as it's too stressful - just left with the inexperienced and the useless, as there's been a lack of trainees coming through over many years. Materials are increasing in cost so quickly that no one is able to fix prices, and we're still experiencing lots of delays in manufacturing and deliveries - you wouldn't have thought that we've been working with this situation for nearly a year now, it's just a mess. We've got multi million pound projects that are being delayed by months due to issues that just wouldn't have been tolerated 15 months ago - now it's just accepted as normal...

But I still get people phoning me up expecting me to work for peanuts and at very short notice, and then get really cross that I'm so busy.... the industry has always been peaks and troughs, so a lot of people will just have to wait until the next trough, and just hope that enough good people are still working.

elsien

At least you're getting people out, OP - trying to get a certificated electrician to get back to me to even discuss the work I need doing is near impossible. I know there's a wait. I'm not expecting people to drop everything. But just getting someone through the door to give a quote would be a starting point. 

mug2007

Everything seems a little mad at the minute.  Our electrician said he'd been working 7 days a week for the last few months.  We can only get a builder at the weekend. Carpenters I have called are either unavailable or I have to wait over a month.  Prices have noticeably increased for many things. 
Persevere and you will get there.
Some of the workmanship has been really poor, there are not enough skilled workers coming through, it is really concerning and it would be good if the government could do lots more.