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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would this put your off? Builder quote

86 replies

Sparklfairy · 28/04/2023 14:26

I'm neither the builder nor the customer in this scenario. I know the builder.

He told me he never drives one of his branded vans when he goes to give a quote. Instead, he takes his car. A luxury model with a personalised plate. I don't know shit about cars but a quick google tells me in the region of a £75k car.

He said the reason he doesn't take the van is that competitors could see he was at a property and go in after he leaves to undercut him and poach his business Confused Obviously he uses the vans if he actually gets the job.

He'd never listen to me and he'll never know about this thread. But would a builder turning up in a swanky car put you off? I just think my first impression would be he's a bit of a flash twat, and probably charges too much Grin

AIBU?

OP posts:
afrikat · 28/04/2023 14:27

I doubt I'd notice. If I did, I think I'd just assume he has a successful business

USaYwHatNow · 28/04/2023 14:28

It wouldn't put me off, instead it would make me feel like he's quoting me in his 'free time' if he turned up in his personal car, and would either make me feel like I've inconvenienced him, or that he's not got much work on which in this climate would make me quite suspicious, as finding a reliable, reasonable builder is like hens teeth!

Hoppinggreen · 28/04/2023 14:28

I wouldn’t mind, I don’t have an issue with people having successful businesses

CreepyDibillo · 28/04/2023 14:29

In all honesty, not sure I'd give it a second thought. What car he drives has no bearing on his reliability/trustworthiness/competency.
I have no experience of construction so have no idea if what he says is correct.

BarkyMatherson · 28/04/2023 14:30

Nope. DH won’t drive our nice car to quotes as people don’t like a tradesman to have a nicer car than them. Plus it’s a professional business which a strong brand image, we quote the price that’s right for us, if someone else can afford to undercut then they are welcome to that job.

Ironically our vans cost more than are car!

Whippetlovely · 28/04/2023 14:31

I’d probably think if he’s not got a van then he’s not a proper tradesman. What a load of crap about competition you can hardly get someone to turn up to do a quote let alone them be following other peoples vans around to poach their business! Sounds really odd

TheSnowyOwl · 28/04/2023 14:31

As long as he had good reviews and, especially if personally recommended, I would see it as a sign of a successful and thriving business which would give me confidence in him.

Newuser82 · 28/04/2023 14:31

I wouldn't care one way or another to be honest. I used to work with a vet who always had an old crappy car as he didn't want people to think he was well off as his prices were too high 😂.

WhoHidTheCoffee · 28/04/2023 14:32

The only builder I know who does that locally to me is the one who charges 20% more than his competitors, guarantees speed - and then takes as long as everyone else. I was glad we chose someone else. Who turned up in a branded van and only ever came in his (normal level of) nice car on the odd weekend visit.

Rainbow1901 · 28/04/2023 14:33

That many people have cars on PCP that you wouldn't know if they were well off or not.
So no - makes no difference to me but I can understand your builder mate not using his van when turning up for a quotation.

Bluevelvetsofa · 28/04/2023 14:38

I’d just prefer a tradesman to actually turn up, both to quote and do the job.

I’d prefer a branded van I think, particularly one that looks as though it’s looked after well. It shows pride in the trade I think. Obviously, if someone is just starting out they probably won’t be able to do that.

If someone turned up in a flash car, I’d probably think exactly the same as you OP- flash twat, charging over the odds and I’d be paying for it.

ReviewingTheSituation · 28/04/2023 14:42

Cars are so much nicer to drive than vans. If I had access to both, I'd totally be going in my car than my van, on occasions where both were an option. It wouldn't make any difference to me what a builder turned up in.

Having said that, his reasoning is bonkers!

dietcokelime · 28/04/2023 14:44

I wouldn't care what he was driving - I'd be happy he turned up and quoted!

A 75k car would only suggest a success business to me, as would a branded van.

ejbaxa · 28/04/2023 14:46

A 75 grand car? I'd wonder if he was dealing drugs on the side. That's a fuck of a lot of car!

Comefromaway · 28/04/2023 14:47

For our company the people who provide the quotes drive cars whereas the men who carry out the work drive a van.

Hoppinggreen · 28/04/2023 14:48

Also if a Competitor turned up at my door having stalked a Builder there I wouldn’t be interested in a quote from them. I choose who to get quotes for and it’s not someone who turns up with no appointment

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 28/04/2023 14:49

When DH saw our builder’s new Mercedes sports, he decided to get an alternative quote. Which saved us three grand.

MrBit · 28/04/2023 14:50

Most people get 3/4 quotes anyway so I think not turning up in his van is a silly excuse

eloquent · 28/04/2023 14:53

I wouldn't notice the vehicle tbh

Anyotherdude · 28/04/2023 14:54

Only if he “postcodes” your quote, based on what car you have!

Annaissleeping · 28/04/2023 14:55

Honestly I might also think there was a possibility he was a crook. That is a very expensive car. I appreciate some builders are very successful and deserve to be, I just think it would unsettle me. I can't fully explain why. Maybe because a builder local to us when I was growing up had flash things and was dealing drugs on the side. He went to prison, the family lost all their expensive possessions.

I think a branded van would look more professional too. I recently had builders in and there are lots of other companies in the area doing houses - none of them knocked on my door after someone came to do a quote because builders here are booked solid months in advance. There's simply no need for them to do that. Rather, I had people come to quote and then disappear on me as I imagine other jobs came up for me.

Annaissleeping · 28/04/2023 14:55

for *them

nomoredriving · 28/04/2023 14:55

Wouldn't know a luxury car if it ran me over and wouldn't google the car.

Sounds like he's doing great TBH!

Twiglets1 · 28/04/2023 14:56

It did cross my mind when I saw my builder one day in a very swanky car instead of his usual van that he's obviously making an awful lot of profit out of his jobs. But it didn't really put me off. Good builders are like gold dust - they could get from A to B in a private jet and I'd still employ them again if they do a good job!

LadyVictoriaSponge · 28/04/2023 14:56

ejbaxa · 28/04/2023 14:46

A 75 grand car? I'd wonder if he was dealing drugs on the side. That's a fuck of a lot of car!

Good builders, plumbers, electricians etc, if they are good and have their own business can earn a lot of money, I know, I’m married to one, we have expensive cars and an expensive house, no drug deals necessary.