Wooden flooring - paying for fitting before the job's done???

Wizwoo

Hello,

I just wondered if anybody who fits flooring out there could tell me whether they would normally asked to be paid beore they fit it?
We've been asked for full payment to be made 5 days before the fitting is done..."Normal practice" was what we were told in the shop.

We've never done this and it strikes us both as a bit of a risk...what's to hold them to the fitting?

Thanks,
Ww

dora37

We are having a laminate floor fitted in DS2's bedroom on Saturday by a self employed tradesman not a shop and we don't have to pay anything upfront.

We have also had other floors done over the last 5 years or so and never had to pay for these upfront either.

TroysMum

Absolutly not, i would probably agree to half up front, but definatly not pay in full up front.

Doozergirl

We don't pay for anything up front. It's fair to pay towards materials etc for a tradesperson but assuming you've already paid for the actually flooring then I think it's unreasonable to ask for full payment

I'd withold at least some of it until the job is done.

Aliktren

never, ever pay up front

Canucklehead

Good afternoon: We've never paid up front for flooring (carpet) to be fitted but my OH does require 25% on the first day of a new job to partially cover his material costs but I'm talking central heating, bathroom and kitchen installations (have to keep an eye out for the 'rogue customers';) )

HTH

Canucklehead

Wizwoo

Thanks for those replies. That's what I thought. We said that we had never paid up front for carpets / tiling / new bathroom etc in the past. He said that it was pretty standard practice.

They said that it was partly due to the fact that they have to get the fitters in (i.e. they don't work for them).

What should we do?

If we refuse to pay will he refuse the job?

What I've not said is that he already has some of our money (it's a bit of a complicated story but we have paid for some of the materials already).

ajtrader100

I work in the flooirng industry and I would advise you to speak to them and pay half upfront.

Have you already paid for the material? Did the fitter supply this?

Only pay the full amount when the job has been finished to your satsfaction. See if they are a member of an association such as CFA etc. Any member of this would not normally do this.

Obviously if they are just fitters they may have lost money in the past by people refusing to pay for work they have done......

ukwoody

I have never ever asked for money up front for any work. I have occasionally insisted on part payments once started (large jobs), and I have once or twice also asked to be re-impbursed for the materials the day they are delivered to site. But this is usually people I don't know and have doubts about.
I would NEVER recomend anyone to pay upfront for fitting. A basic desposit, fair enough the shop needs some assurence, but thats all.

Woody

misgrace

Wizwoo wrote: »

They said that it was partly due to the fact that they have to get the fitters in (i.e. they don't work for them).

.

If you bought a carpet from a big retailer like 'carpet right' for example, you pay for the carpet etc, the firm pays half for the carpet fitters which are normally subbed to them, and after the carpet is laid, you pay the fitters the other half.

But I have never heard, or come across the customer having to pay the whole fitting amount up front for flooring.

misgrace

Meant to ask what area you were in, as I have used an excellent wooden floor fitter, and he works for himself, no middle man or anything.