gettin a frikkin quote of a builder...

[dreamz]

why is it so hard?!

i'm having a bathroom fitted - its mostly labour only but the job is still worth a grand and half...

i've had 5 people come down so far, 1 has given a quote and the others just dont seem to be wanting to give a quote despite me chasing them up!

i thought there was a recession on?!

[Stu R]

Nope, thanks to some greatly massaged figures and £200bn of quantitive easing we showed 0.1% growth, just enough to bring us out of recession.

HTH.

Try a bathroom fitter? Or just keep hammering the phone lines 'til you get a decent one. Personally I only go by recommendations though.

[dreamz]

yeah they are bathroom fitters the ones i'm trying.

they're all like oh yeah we can do this and we'll do that thats not a problem 3-4 days at most - and then nothing.

[speed8]

I go on the principle that if they're too slow or lazy to provide a quote then they probably don't want the work despite what they say on the phone.
Even if they do want the work, if they are too slow to provide a quote I write them off on the basis that it would probably be hard to get them to do the work in the agreed timeframe anyway.

[fatboy b]

Try advertising your job on here - http://www.ratedpeople.com/

Anyone who wants to call has to pay for the privilege, so they generally want the work. You also get to describe the work required fully, and an expected budget, so you get the right person. I've used it a couple of times now - seems pretty good.

[ln1234]

i've used www.mybuilder.com successfully in the past. Try to look out for the guys with good feedback in the relevant field you want. i.e. if you're looking for a tiler then a tiler with 5 feedbacks for tiling work is worth more than a plumber with 20 feedback for non tiling work.

[Dr_Rick]

fatboy b said:

Try advertising your job on here - http://www.ratedpeople.com/

Anyone who wants to call has to pay for the privilege, so they generally want the work. You also get to describe the work required fully, and an expected budget, so you get the right person. I've used it a couple of times now - seems pretty good.

This can fail though. I posted a TV aerial & TV point job on there having exhausted the local rag options. I got one response. He did a quotation for me which was reasonable enough for me to accept. Then he stopped answering my phonecalls when I tried to get hiim to confirm a date. He'd stated that he's got too much on.

So I've panned him on the Rating side of things. I've got rennovation timeframes to stick to and he's cocked them up.

Dr Rick

[Jasandjules]

dreamz said:

yeah they are bathroom fitters the ones i'm trying.

they're all like oh yeah we can do this and we'll do that thats not a problem 3-4 days at most - and then nothing.

Sometimes it's a bit of a catch 22. The good ones are always busy, which means it will take them ages to get a quote to you. Whereas if you find one who says no worries I can do that next week, you have to wonder why he's not booked up for a month or two.......

[Pickled Piper]

I found in my area they were operating a cartel. They all knew each other. Despite all coming round to see the job only one submitted a quote. They wouldn't quote against each other and had decided amongst themselves who would have the job. I found someone from out of town in the end.

Normal tradesman rules apply - only go with someone that has been recommended by a good source. Ideally have a look at work they have completed and as someone else stated, remember the good guys will be booked up for some weeks.

Good luck.

pp

[mxi933]

Hi - Im a cabinet maker based out of Mossley nr Ashton - not too far from you.
Between commissions I fit bathrooms and kitchens.
Pop me an email with the details and I should be able to give you a rough idea of cost.
Hope this helps

Steve

[fido]

Jasandjules said:

Sometimes it's a bit of a catch 22. The good ones are always busy, which means it will take them ages to get a quote to you. Whereas if you find one who says no worries I can do that next week, you have to wonder why he's not booked up for a month or two.......

That's a bit defeatist, but i suppose 3-4 weeks seems to be the expected wait for a decent builder.

Pickled Piper said:

I found in my area they were operating a cartel. They all knew each other. Despite all coming round to see the job only one submitted a quote.

Always good to get quotes from a bit farther away than Local, though for small jobs you often get screw8d or wait ages for someone who has plenty of time on their hands .. back to point 1 above.

Edited by fido on Monday 17th May 16:56

[Skyedriver]

Jasandjules said:

dreamz said:

yeah they are bathroom fitters the ones i'm trying.

they're all like oh yeah we can do this and we'll do that thats not a problem 3-4 days at most - and then nothing.

Sometimes it's a bit of a catch 22. The good ones are always busy, which means it will take them ages to get a quote to you. Whereas if you find one who says no worries I can do that next week, you have to wonder why he's not booked up for a month or two.......

Same situation where I am living at the moment...not on Skye BTW.
Recommendations are all very well but again they are the busy ones
Might end up doing much of the work myself and to the OP firring a bathroom isn't that difficult if you have a modicum of practical knowledge

[dreamz]

yeah i gotta agree with the catch 22 - but even then at least give me a quote and if your good enough i'll wait

i did try that my builder and i thought it was a bit of a joke to be honest.

one guy from leeds quoted me straight away (the cheapest price mind u) despite being 40 miles away and without having had a look at the job - the bathroom isnt 4 walls exactly the same size etc there's curvature and the corners arent 90deg.

one +9 feedback guy came and hasnt got back to me despite me asking him to - another +5 hasnt either.

and its not as if i've said i want it cheap as possible and started haggling - i know its an expensive job so if i'm spending that kinda money i dont want some cowboy on there.

its not bad if they're booked up - as long as they give u a quote to book u in!

skye - i wouldnt mind popping it in myself - but there's quite a few hurdles which i think i'd let a pro deal with it.

[mxi933]

dreamz said:

yeah i gotta agree with the catch 22 - but even then at least give me a quote and if your good enough i'll wait

i did try that my builder and i thought it was a bit of a joke to be honest.

one guy from leeds quoted me straight away (the cheapest price mind u) despite being 40 miles away and without having had a look at the job - the bathroom isnt 4 walls exactly the same size etc there's curvature and the corners arent 90deg.

one +9 feedback guy came and hasnt got back to me despite me asking him to - another +5 hasnt either.

and its not as if i've said i want it cheap as possible and started haggling - i know its an expensive job so if i'm spending that kinda money i dont want some cowboy on there.

its not bad if they're booked up - as long as they give u a quote to book u in!

skye - i wouldnt mind popping it in myself - but there's quite a few hurdles which i think i'd let a pro deal with it.

Er - did you not read my post

[dreamz]

• L* sorry bud!!

i'll link u what i've put up in mybuilder - like i said its not the cost i'm too worried about - its getting the job done!