50% upfront payment on decorating job

Risteard

HampshireH said:

Trades are so busy right now, I can't even get a date off my carpenter!

Sounds like a chancer.

Maybe buy him flowers and invite him to a film with plenty of popcorn. Or maybe he's already married?

Eldi_Dos

Plenty more fish in the sea.

VV17

Dear all,

Thank you for your comments. 50% doesn't seem reasonable. I will have be extra careful when getting people to quote next.

Have a good day and take care.

Grenage

Yes 50% is unreasonable, but really mull over the workmanship of anyone who can start immediately.

Ask around for recommendations.  Ideally of work you've inspected.

SteveVy

This reminds me of a painter i encountered a few years ago he quoted around the same price to fully paint a 4 bedroom house. He said he would need 50% up front I said why? he goes I need materials I said I don't feel comfortable paying that much up front. He goes I can't start the job until you pay for the materials so I said how about this...

I'll go with you to buy the materials and I'll pay it all my card? he said no they won't accept your credit card

I said how about I'll go to the bank take out the money in cash and get the materials with you? he said no that won't work

I said okay how about you tell me what you need and I'll buy all the materials at my own cost and then you start the work? he said no.

I am glad I didn't use him!

In the end I found someone else who only asked for around £200-£300 up front for materials and didn't ask for any further money until the house was done.

The guy was excellent! I've tried several times to contact him again and he doesn't answer! I hate it when you loose a good trades-person!

Also PS - Please understand the difference between a painter and decorator...a few years ago I spoke to 8 different trades people only 3 out 8 said they could hang wallpaper! the rest said they only do painting!

DE_612183

Has he got decent feedback on Facebook? You could always ask someone who's posted on his page ( assuming they aren't his mates! ).

MalMonroe

DE_612183 said:

Has he got decent feedback on Facebook? You could always ask someone who's posted on his page ( assuming they aren't his mates! ).

That's not reliable. Anybody can write anything on FB. 

Brie

The red flag to me was that he was willing to dump some other job for yours.  Who's to say he wouldn't then turn around and do the same to you?

MalMonroe

Just to add my NO. 

And the bit that worried me most was the lack of a proper address. 

Does he have any qualifications?  Two of my relatives are professional and qualified painters and decorators and they have served apprenticeships (5 years each). They both have excellent references from previous employers and have also worked on construction sites where they had to pay for their own 'green cards' 

https://www.get-licensed.co.uk/licence/green-cscs-labourer-card

They both think it's worth it. And their availability is never 'next week'. They're booked up at least six months in advance.

Anyone can say they're a painter and decorator - imagine your horror if you handed over £2.5k and never heard anything from him again. You could report him but the police would have to catch him first and then of course, prove that what you say happened really did happen. 

Facebook is the most unreliable place in the world to find anything or anybody. People lie to get other people's money. If you don't have any recommendations you can look online for decorators who are members of associations so you can report them if anything does go wrong. 

But I agree with others, £5k is too high and 50% is also too high. This screams 'conman'.

I know you're already convinced but just in case you waver!!   

ritz55

Find another decorator. They should at least have started the job before expecting any payment. My guess is you pay them and you will never see them again and end up out of pocket