Plasterer wanting 30% payment up front?

NSG666

It seems like the warning signs are there and you need to pass on this particular plasterer, he might be fine but if you feel uncomfortable it's not worth the hassle. Ask friends or work colleagues for recommendations or wait for the one you know you'll be happy with.

I always used to fund jobs and invoice on completion but it did used to annoy me when the customer took more than 7 days to pay and needed reminding. I know some people ask for money to cover materials which they need to fork out for but I don't know how anyone can justify asking for labour cost upfront.

For info
Many tradespeople are self employed but are not set up as a limited company so not being able to find them on companies house is not an issue.
Many have a turnover below the VAT threshold so do not charge VAT
Some will do a job for cash which is obviously defrauding HMRC (or you could say everyone) as they do not have to pay income tax and NI on this they can pass on a bit of the 'saving'
Many tradespeople are excellent at the hands on stuff but terrible when it comes to presenting themselves as a professional to a customer and will trade using their name and a mobile number which, when googled will offer no info.

Doozergirl

Come on, you've got good guys in the bag already, why would you use someone who is not only available at shorter notice (which can ring alarm bells) but expects a deposit for a third of the labour?  The guy isn't buying materials, he doesn't have to employ staff and demand is high - his risk is close to zero, certainly not 30%.  

He's probably claimed Covid grants through the whole of this, to boot.   You paying cash keeps his income down when HMRC come looking to see what he's 'legitimately' earned.  

Makes me feel queasy, especially given that you already know the quality of someone else's work.  

If he's a one man band, he's unlikely to have a Ltd Company and he's unlikely to be VAT registered with no staff, no material costs and, most glaringly, the fact that he offers a cash price straight off the bat.  

It makes me angry, frankly, as someone who has 
not had one grant, pays income
tax correctly and sends a lot money to HMRC each month as an unpaid tax collector to rake some of it back from subcontractors, yet these guys rake it in, consequence free and make customers think they're getting a deal. 

stuart45

NSG666 said

Many tradespeople are excellent at the hands on stuff but terrible when it comes to presenting themselves as a professional to a customer and will trade using their name and a mobile number which, when googled will offer no info.

Anyone who has worked for a number of years in the trade knows this. The best tradesmen are often quite poor at it.
Dodging tax has been ingrained in the trade for a long time. Up to around 73 anyone working self employed for a company only had to give a name and address. I remember on one job one of the plasterers couldn't remember what name he'd given when we went in the office for our wages. The clerk told him to come back when he knew it.
Foremen used to make up names (known as booking in dead men) to claim an extra wage packet or 2 for themselves.
You would be surprised how many people ask for a cash price, even though they wouldn't probably admit to it on a forum.

twopenny

He's dripfeeding you. Each new thing you are'committin' to him and with no written agreement and bank transfer you are stuffed and he's in control.
Maybe this is why he's free when most are busy. 
Plastering is essential to get right and this is a gamble. Wait for your other company and get it done right first time and you can relax.

rainbow_fountains

Thanks everyone I think I’ll avoid.

I would love to use my previous tradesmen but sadly I have to time this with a kitchen delivery and fit and october is just too late, I’ll search for someone else

Section62

rainbow_fountains said:

I would love to use my previous tradesmen but sadly I have to time this with a kitchen delivery and fit and october is just too late, I’ll search for someone else

Have you asked them for a recommendation, or if they know about the reputation of the cash in hand guy?

If they are too busy to do the job themselves they won't be losing much by suggesting someone they know, or warning you off someone else.

Good traders, although theoretically in competition with each other, are also collectively in competition with bad traders... there is a payback from steering customers towards someone known, rather than leaving them scratching around in the dross.

Explain (if you haven't already done so) why you need the work done by a particular date and see what they say. There could be options.