Bradstone assured scheme

[local patios and driveway]

I know dn is a member, ive met the rep today and got the schpeil from him. Looks good but dont they always.

Any good?

[lutonlagerlout]

how many leads can they guarantee?
LLL

[DNgroundworks]

None LLL, but as its relatively new, and not as saturated yet with contractors as other schemes, i thought it was a better bet than the others, which i have also been with. Its second to Marshalls size wise, and alot better to deal with i have found.

Ive had one job out of it so far, but to be fair it was launched at the wrong end of the season, spring 2012 will be time to ask if its any good.

Did you deal with James Crossland LPAD?

[local patios and driveway]

No the guy down here is called ian miles.

For 300 a year i think its worth a punt simply because i was looking to buy a good quality gazebo amd they give you one for free which im sure is minimum of 150 in value anyway. Hopefully they will get leads in spring. See how it goes i guess. Didnt want to be part of marshalls as ive heard bad things about the way they have treated contractors in the past.

[lutonlagerlout]

well david sarti sometime poster on here could probably put you right on that
the way I understand it is that if marshalls give you a lead,they want you to use marshalls gear
which i think is reasonable
they dont want you turning up and saying "i can get this stuff £10 a metre cheaper from joe bloggs paving"
I have spoke to mickG at length about being on the marshalls register and it has worked very well for him and his business
but like all big operations there is bound to be someone not happy
I refuse to join any scheme that either wants me ,or I have to pay to join,we are in masterbond but that is a prerequisite for doing council jobs and they may be changing that soon

thing is if you just do patios and drives you need 20 lined up all the time so may be one of these schemes is for you
I prefer 2-5 month builds,steady money
LLL

[London Stone Paving]

Even if Marshalls or Bradstone do give you the lead then whats to stop you buying your paving from another company?

[local patios and driveway]

Well i was told that if i get a lead and they want something else then what can you do, but the fact that they have asked bradstone for a contractor, that they already want bradstone, i think it would be unprofessional to advise another product at that point. Its all about scratching each others backs, and im nothing if not loyal

[lutonlagerlout]

Even if Marshalls or Bradstone do give you the lead then whats to stop you buying your paving from another company?

Lets say coca cola put a fridge in your showroom steve,gratis

they wont like it if you fill it with pepsi max will they?

if LPAD or DN go and price a job where they have been rang direct they can use whatever supplier they like

but if the lead comes from bradstone,I think its only fair they use bradstone gear?

and that is why I dont want to join,not interested in tugging my forelock to any master ,It works for some for sure

same as when occasionally somebody recommends us for a job,most people are happy that their friend/relative etc is going to get a good job

but there are always some that want commision
not a drink,but commission
so i walk away
sod that
LLL

[haggistini]

I found Bradstone good quality and cheaper than marshalls. I don't what affiliation with them if it cost me money they should be privelidged I would show the customer their catalogue which is only affordable for smaller majority of people theses days

[haggistini]

Its all well and good trying to be the best but the cost is always down to the customers budget which you need to asses early on.

[London Stone Paving]

Lets say coca cola put a fridge in your showroom steve,gratis

they wont like it if you fill it with pepsi max will they?

if LPAD or DN go and price a job where they have been rang direct they can use whatever supplier they like

but if the lead comes from bradstone,I think its only fair they use bradstone gear?

I fully agree Tony, but never underestimate the desire of a human being to try and save some money

[DNgroundworks]

I agree too Tony, im just going to see how it goes, i didnt like the way marshalls operated, on the phone demanding that they come and see me, and see what im up to, i wasnt even on a paving job i was subbing to a civils outfit but he was adamant that he wanted to come and see me, my dad was also very ill and i cba with the guy, i stopped answering the phone, sent the guy an email telling me to take my name off the register, and what i thought of him and the scheme in comparison to bradstone.

[lutonlagerlout]

I concur 100%
but i still feel it would be ethically wrong to take the lead then install a competitors products
I was doing a job and my normal plasterer couldnt make it so i used another guy
anyway i had priced 3 days plastering @£150 per day = £450
obviously i hoped he would do it quicker than that so i could make a bit
anyway i was on a different job and the client rings me and tells me she has paid the plasterer direct
I was not happy with either of them
He should have waited till i paid him,and she shouldnt have asked me to price the whole job and then try and break my balls
the bottom line is he has never done another shift for me (and never will) and mrs.X had to find her own tiler and carpenter as i pulled my blokes away
its not quite the same but you can see the parable
LLL