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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 8:15 pm
by Forestboy1978
OK here's the deal.
Got a call from a previous customer. We did their fence.. wanted a gate replaced and a 1m bay of feather edge with capping and gravel board. Straight away I knew it would be one of those p***y annoying jobs but I quoted it. £290 for close board gate, ironmongery, and the feather bit of fence and disposal of what was there already. Sounds a lot doesn't it but factoring in picking up the crap the 21 emails of correspondence etc. etc. and the 6 hrs of general buggering about getting it done and I made 100 quid max for 10 hrs work.
Reason being is between the gate and new bit of fence was another perpendicular crooked old crappy fence which had to be married up which meant the latch had to be cut, then sanded as it was sharp, also the neighbouring new fence had to be messed around with so the gravel board fitted over the tiny bit of paving slab that overhung. The option was to move the fence a little and mount the wall plate further up but this was on the neighbours side and he hadn't sanctioned any alterations blah blah blah.
Anyhow I used the opportunity to make my first gate. Arched top, tenon and mortised feather board gate https://www.dropbox.com/s....0(which was a PITA too as I don't have a mortiser but anyway) So did the job. Customer is happy, earnt bugger all money, but learn't something. Oh well...
NO!!! Get a text just now saying all great, looks great but we wanted black ironmongery. can you change it? I checked my formal quote, all 21 emails, and my note book and no mention of black ironmongery.
So I said yeah I'll of course grrr change it but you didn't say anything about black ironmongery.... awaiting reply.
Next time, offend customer who will have no concept of the hassle involved with a high quote, OR point blank refuse job?
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 8:24 pm
by Forestboy1978
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 8:26 pm
by Forestboy1978
Speaking hypothetically, if he didn't pay me, am I allowed to take it all down?
I've no doubt he will but I'm curious in case it ever happens.
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 8:44 pm
by dig dug dan
Can only see a picture of the gate. It looks great, but why have you screwed the hinges between the hang post and gate edge. It should go on the hang post face, so it gives future adjustment, and alignment.
as regards to removing goods, its technically illegal, but he would have to prove he has a right to them.
I have heard of guys ripping down fences when they have not been paid, and they get away with it.
I removed some 5 bar gates once when I wasnt paid, I sold them and got paid to install them again!!
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:18 pm
by Forestboy1978
Oh yeah I moved them so they are no longer valid. Hang on...
During
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kj89c91dnz4dril/20150715_092723.jpg?dl=0
After
https://www.dropbox.com/s/on9fyzlh0pq97ec/20150715_140635.jpg?dl=0
I think he did mention them now I think about it. They were chatting to me when I took my notes, probably why I didn't write it down. Dammit. Not that it makes a difference as I would have changed them anyway. I work for the whole family.
Cheers for the info on the taking fences down... So basically it's not legal but happens and if you can prove you haven't been paid, you'll likely been turned a blind eye to. Good to know cos if someone ever doesn't pay me I will cut posts and take everything else leaving more work than they started with.
re hinges... I just like them that way, hidden. Can't see it causing a problem though?
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:24 pm
by dig dug dan
Forestboy1978 wrote:Oh yeah I moved them so they are no longer valid. Hang on...
During
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kj89c91dnz4dril/20150715_092723.jpg?dl=0
After
https://www.dropbox.com/s/on9fyzlh0pq97ec/20150715_140635.jpg?dl=0
I think he did mention them now I think about it. They were chatting to me when I took my notes, probably why I didn't write it down. Dammit. Not that it makes a difference as I would have changed them anyway. I work for the whole family.
Cheers for the info on the taking fences down... So basically it's not legal but happens and if you can prove you haven't been paid, you'll likely been turned a blind eye to. Good to know cos if someone ever doesn't pay me I will cut posts and take everything else leaving more work than they started with.
re hinges... I just like them that way, hidden. Can't see it causing a problem though?
the hinges holes are countersunk, so by hanging them as you have, either the t on the gate is the wrong way round, or the hinge on the gate post is??
horses for courses i suppose
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:32 pm
by Forestboy1978
Ah, I see. Yeah I don't notice that issue cos I use spax screws which are just a tiny bit smaller at the head so they sink nicely into the whole even if not counter sunk.
Anyway, what a bitch of a job. One of those ones that could be done in 3 hrs but could take a days labour if ALL goes wrong. It did defy me though. I was even short of feather cos they must have blew out of the back of my truck lol.
I couldn't have quoted more than £300 for it though, pehaps with an arch top gate marginally so but hmm dunno. In the end I wouldn't have done it for less than £400 after all the correspondence. At least 10 hrs work and messing about. I HATE those types of jobs.
would have been so much easier if he'd asked for it to be doen with his 150 ft fence. Literally require 50% of all my tools.
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:54 pm
by lutonlagerlout
FB always write things down fella
a casual comment can cost you money
it does look a very smart gate but like dan i cannot see how the hinges work like that folded behind the gate
cheers LLL
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:41 am
by Forestboy1978
I will re adjust the hinges when I re fit lol...
Yeah I do always write everything down in my little book of pain and suffering but they were talking to me and I screwed up basically.
How much do you reckon I can ask for that gate?
I am advertising it on ebay for £100 plus £15 P&P dunno if that's a little too much but I've bought a chisel point mortice bench so I can do them tons quicker and better. I've also had an idea... I fitted a numeric lock on my mums external gate and the door to her garage a few years ago. Made life a lot easier. I am thinking of building a standard closeboard gate with thick trenched gate capping (tried to cap that arched on but kept snapping, tried boiling the kettle too, may try and get thinner capping.)
I was thinking of advertising the gate as standard when it's done and then after pics are taken, morticing the lock into it and then fitting the female housing (dunno what it's called) to a post, recessed in, and advertising the gate, with built in fitted numeric locking system on ebay, roughly £200 including post. If they are local I can instal it for them. The amount of people who come round ours and see the numeric lock and say "that's handy" and it is damn handy cos the gate is locked upon shutting, no lock, and to get in, obviously you just punch in the code.
I'm trying of thinking of other ways to make money cos I like building things.
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:11 pm
by dig dug dan
Those numeric locks dont work for long on an external gate. The tolersnce you have between the gate being able to be opened without using it, and it not working as the gate has swelled up is too fine.
Its also worth noting that if you set the combination, to say 1234, if you type in any combination of that number, it will open! Far better off with a gate lock, as its designed to do the job.
fyi, I buy a 6 x 3 cb gate for £68 plus vat, with a capping, and fittings are £12 plus vat.
nothing wrong with giving it a go as its a nice sideline if you are slack
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:32 pm
by Forestboy1978
dig dug dan wrote:Those numeric locks dont work for long on an external gate. The tolersnce you have between the gate being able to be opened without using it, and it not working as the gate has swelled up is too fine.
Its also worth noting that if you set the combination, to say 1234, if you type in any combination of that number, it will open! Far better off with a gate lock, as its designed to do the job.
fyi, I buy a 6 x 3 cb gate for £68 plus vat, with a capping, and fittings are £12 plus vat.
nothing wrong with giving it a go as its a nice sideline if you are slack
I'll have to test that combination thing out on mine tomorrow.
I fitted 1 to my mums back gate and 1 to the garage side door over 2 years ago. Both working flawlessly BTW.
The gate doesn't seem to suffer too badly with shrinkage/ swelling though but the soft wood crappy door my cousin bought me for the garage swells and shrinks A LOT. Lock works fine though.
Here's the one on the back gate. Saves me a lot of hassle!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zlzicgw7nl2ngn/20150606_141601.jpg?dl=0
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:33 pm
by Forestboy1978
And yeah I was only gonna charge £100 for the arched top gate. Was thinking £80 for standard closeboard square with capping.
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:29 pm
by michaelthegardener
nice work on the gate I do love a bit of wood working made this a couple of weeks ago for myself although its only wood on the front the main frame is 2 diveway gates welded togeather 
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:59 pm
by dig dug dan
I hope you welded them yourself michaelg :p
Edited By dig dug dan on 1437080427
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:02 pm
by lutonlagerlout
are you selling them michael?
If i win the euromillions tomorrow i am going to come down to your gaff with a16 yd skip and clean your garden up mate
i reckon you are in the trap I was years ago of not throwing stuff away that will never come in handy
it feels great having a good clear out
LLL :;):
