To want quotations in writing from builders?

[Buxtonstill]

I have some building work that needs doing, value prob between £500-1000 . Not only is it a complete nightmare trying to find a builder, but finding one who will provide a written quote with schedule and costs, is nigh on impossible. They just want to quote by text. We had just asked a local builder to do the job, but have now cancelled, after the cost went up every time he opened his mouth (and all kinds of red flags were being waved)
Do builders not provide quotes on paper/email anymore?

not to people who talk about 'red flags', no

YANBU - if they can't provide a written quote, how can you expect them to provide the works?

Even if it's just a shorthand "note" on headed paper - at least you'll have their company name and something to refer to if costs change.

I have normally found that only 50% of builders who view a job will provide a quote. The good ones (who will provide a quote) are busy so can pick and choose on their work. For £500-£1000 they might not feel it's worth their time - they'll make more money (with less headaches) on larger jobs. It's a tricky situation - I wish you luck.

It's not worth their time, it's a tiny job, sorry.

What is the job you need doing OP?

TBH if you want a detailed quote for a smallish job like that, you should probably expect to pay for it. A good builder will have more work than they can do, so taking time out of paid work to produce a detailed quote for a low paying job is not going to be top.of their priorities.

Last year I asked a landscaping firm to quote for my garden. After a visit to the house he refused to quote in writing unless I said I wanted him to go ahead! He ended up being quite rude when I said that I wanted a quote before I decided.

itsall this is true.

The number of times my DH has sat down for a whole evening to do a detailed break down for a small job - sourcing the materials and estimating the amounts ect. only to hear nothing back from the customer or to find out if was for an insurance claim or worse have the customer start umming and ahhhing and trying to fit another 3 jobs in with that one - ''while you're there ....'' ect. - while quibbling over his proposed charge for his hard days work. Don't know if they expect us to live on dry bread?

It's not worth it.

Oh, and a quote is a difficult thing to give - you have to tend to err on the side of expensive and think of every possible eventuality. An estimate not so much - you might get more builders prepared to give an estimate.

It's not worth it for such a small job.

I wouldn't expect a headed notepaper written quote for a small job like that. I would ask for verbal or text quotes from 2 or 3, and then once you've confirmed you are actually going to ask them to do the job, it might be worth their while writing it down for you.

Thanks for your replies. It is to replace the plastering and rendering underneath a bay window, and to replace a little bit of window frame. I am just so wary, as the last two builders we have had to do stuff have quoted a price for the job, and within an hour of starting it have found something else wrong and felt the need to add another few hundred pounds on. You can hardly get them to stop there and then, so have had to pay up. Am I being a total thicko, is this par for the course and
should I just mentally add a couple of hundred pounds on to every estimate we are given?

Backforgood, that is a great idea, I shall ask them to do that.

How can you replace a little bit of a window frame?

When I read £500-£1000 I thought - whoa, that is a tiny amount of "building" work, and now your post clarifies that it's just more like a day or two work for a handyman. I wouldn't expect a written quote for that amount of work and I certainly wouldn't expect a schedule?! For that amount of work, I would, and have been, happy with a text/message giving the cost.

Offer to pay for the written quote

But even then it will have to change if something is found that causes a problem and wasnt factored in

We had £50k of building work done recently. The quote was on a scrap of paper.

In my experience the best work I've had done for small jobs is by a known and respected 'handyman'. He comes and looks at the job, tells me how long it will take and I pay him by the day. I'd not think of asking for a written quote for anything under a few thousand

Yep, too small a job. My ex could spend hours doing quotes, pricing things up, doing research and quite often never hear a thing from them again. Unfortunately with building work out its often the case that more work needed becomes apparent once the job is underway. I know my ex hated it when he had to tell clients of further costs and he often didn't charge nearly enough.

Also - and this is not directed at you OP but just a bit more ranting - so many people want stuff done on the bloody cheap! They've no idea what the job entails properly and their nephew's friend's mother's boyfriend has chirped up at some family gathering and said he could do it for about £50 (if only he was a builder) and not to pay a penny more than that

When you start estimating for the amount of time it will take to remove the old x, y, z and make good whatever is found underneath it, and start then estimating for decent materials and the labor it will take to do a good job they're all - oh! THAT much? Perhaps we'll just leave it. Or could you just slap cement over it? Or do as much as you can one day?

Honestly - people!

You should only use builders on recommendation. There are a lot who perform shoddy (sometimes so dangerous it's illegal) work and constantly raise prices. You also have to write your own contract that is fixed price and fixed term. Do not sign standard contracts as they let builders get away with enythibg

I would possibly accept the work and confirm in the reply text or email " thanks for agreeing to fix ... Which you estimated at £500, when can you start." It makes it clear you have noted the cost.

Thanks for all the helpful replies! We don't want it done on the cheap, and realise that it will take 1-2 days to do. I wish we could find a good all round builder by recommendation as we have quite a few jobs we need doing over the next year or two. My neighbours builder has just retired unfortunately and I live in south London, and all my colleagues live in north London/Hertford/essex. No builder will want to have to cross London. I have tried my local forums, but all I can do is leave messages as I imagine they are all busy working!

I've just had decorating quote for £1500, I simply tx back and said, 'just to clarify this price includes...'
Listed tasks 'and the final price will be x and won't cost more than this?' To which the decorator messaged back and said 'that is correct'. Then it's all clear and as good as having a written quote.

A text is fine as a written estimate / quote, for a smallish job.

Think yourself lucky you've even got that! We've had 1 no-show, 2 who have visited but not quoted as "too busy" and a few enquirers from MyBuilder who have negative reviews. Hmmph.