rab1 wrote:that's the sad thing, 99% of all tradesmen want to do the job to the best of their ability but the owners of some companies want them to cut corners to save money and then you have the cowboys who just want to steal from people.
I guess it's a catch 22 situation rab1. The customer wants the best price, so the boss cuts the price to accommodate and clinch the deal, then he cuts corners to make a profit.
theres a certain reality that means unfortunately not many people are like you 47p2 they vote with their wallet and not whats the best value for money,
and its ok as long as you can generate work off people who know a good job but if you can't then thats when prices start getting cut and standards slip families to feed and mortgages to pay, you cant loose money on a job, but i'm sure we all have, i have been my fault but you take it on the chin.
but its getting very hard when you quote for a quality job done by good workmen with good machines etc and some ameatuer undercuts you by 50 % and the people dont know the difference because they believe what the guy "saving" them 50% tells them. even if you point them here what ever they still believe your being silly demanding the proper spec.
Giles
Groundworks and Equestrian specialists, prestige new builds and sports pitches. High Peak, Cheshire, South Yorkshire area.
There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey.
John Ruskin, (attributed)
Starting a project on this scale is something that needs lots of forward planning. There's little point having half the budget and getting half a job done, if I never had enough funds it would have been postponed.
When I started planning the garage build I knew the paving would need to be done afterwards. The reason I did most of the garage myself was to allow me the funds to ensure I could afford the paving too. Had I employed a company to build the garage my funds would not have stretched enough for the paving. I had done my research, 4 years ago when all this was in its infancy, I knew what I could afford and where I could cut costs. The garage was the easiest part for me to tackle and where I could save the most money by doing it myself. Where as the groundwork and paving I would have struggled with especially when I see what is involved.
Had I went with my cheapest quote I could have saved about £15k, but how long would it have lasted before it had to be ripped up and started again. As I said earlier, 'do it once do it right'
you did the right thing, you went with your gut feeling about the lads who are doing the work and they weren't the cheapest but who wants the cheapest quote only too have to pay more for someone to come round and fix it ???
The patio area is almost completed with just the pointing left to finish it off. The area in front of the garage blocked but still to get sanded and whacked and just to keep SWMBO happy her 'crop circle' is in.
so its not just me who lives/married the boss. once dry layed the entire kitchen tiles out and made all cuts, mrs rab walked in and said i dont like it do it in the other direction. ???
they're the dangerous ones
