To think building trade practices wd be unacceptable in any other industry

[escapingthecity]

We are doing our second big renovation. Yet again we are constantly chasing, constantly being let down, constantly being told things will happen and then they don't. Including:

• one sub contractor messing up and not coming back to finish their bit of the job for three months, delaying several other parts of the project
• another sub contractor making a specialist bit going silent for two months and installing two months late, meaning we've had to delay our move in date
• lead contractor overselling his experience and turning out to be incapable of working on more than one room at a time, delaying things yet again
• labourers telling us they can work on given days and then pulling out at short notice
• me only finding out on an unannounced site visit that decorators had ballsed up the wallpaper, which is why they asked us to order more
• spending a full day on holiday ordering client supply items which were apparently needed urgently, but which then sat unused on site for 8 weeks

In the industries we work in, this would all lead to you getting fired. On the first job we switched lead contractor partway through. On this job the contractor is excellent but we keep being let down again and again. We are good clients - we haven't changed the spec since the tender, we pay on time, we take quick decisions. I just don't understand how this is endemic through every bit of the building trade we've ever dealt with.

[properdoughnut]

Yeah it's a bit shit

[mamabear715]

I think you've been incredibly unlucky with the tradesmen. From the sound of it, you're not living on site, and have found out things are going wrong / not happening when you've made unannounced visits.
Obviously you'll be working elsewhere, but can you possibly make more visits? Or anyone you trust who knows the set-up make visits on your behalf? It sounds horrendously frustrating.
Obviously it's best to use people who have been personally recommended, but even that's not always enough. :-(

[OneTC]

None of that is really acceptable in the building trade either.

Were you managing the project yourselves?

[Ponoka7]

I'd extend it to house builders. By my DD's one gave an estimation of eight months on a phase that meant putting a pavement and cut through by a school, out of use. It's now been two years and the site is quiet while the builders are working on two other phases of the site. There's nothing that anyone has been able to do about it.

[Cannotmakeadecison]

Are you managing the project yourself? My DH is builder/contractor and he has had similar problems with his subcontractors occasionally but the difference is that they won’t be used again if known to be unreliable and he also has numerous other contacts if he is let down last minute. The clients are never aware of any of these issues as this is why my DH gets paid more than the average builder. It’s tough if you are trying to manage everyone yourself and sometimes is worth paying for a decent project manager. Sounds as though you’ve been unlucky though OP and I’d also be frustrated in your shoes.

[escapingthecity]

Our architects have project managed both times. Our current one is excellent and has been chasing the sub contractors too. Maybe that's a lesson not to try and do it from such a distance,

[LakieLady]

My BIL has a small building company. He never takes on more work than he can properly oversee, has a small crew of reliable and skilled sub-contractors that he's used for years, and he pays them well, and treats them with respect. He doesn't take on jobs far from where he lives, because he likes to be close at hand to keep an eye on things. If things get behind for any reason, eg bad weather, they'll work late and at weekends to catch up.

He gets excellent feedback from customers, loads of recommendations from them, and is currently booking jobs for next summer. He could take on loads more work, but doesn't want to lose the degree of control he has over the quality of workmanship. The only time things get delayed is when there are problems getting materials, and that's beyond his control.

I think you've been unlucky, OP.

[Ein]

Yeah it’s very corrupt as well. Lots of them pay each other secret commissions (which end up getting added to your bill), and don’t seem to realise that’s a criminal offence now.

[minidancer]

Always worth paying a decent builder who projects manages. A recommendation is a good place to start too. I don't think this is acceptable in any trade, I think you've had a bad experience

[RedAppleGirl]

The main issue is managing unforeseen occurrences. An hr of work can literally turn into days/weeks or months, multiply this by x (Number of projects).
Magnified Swiss cheese effect.
The building trade is well known to be chaotic.