Orangeries - Payment Terms

[harrison1999purple]

DH and I have finally agreed to add a kitchen extension by way of an Orangery. It's expensive but probably worth it...However, we have contacted a couple of firms and the payment terms to be so in favour of the supplier that it almost puts us off! I note on the fancy websites they don't mention this until they've popped round and done their drawing and spiel..so I'm just trying to find out if there are companies out there who don't want the majority of the cost upfront? the company we are looking at want 90% of their money before they've even dug a hole in the ground!!

Have you tried a local joiner? They are more likely to work on traditional contract terms.

put it to them that of course you will not be paying for work before it has been completed to your satisfaction, but you might consider a deposit, provided that it can be paid on your credit card so that if you have a claim the card co will be an addition port of call.

if they only ever deal with mug punters who hand over the cash in advance, avoid them.

We built an orangery kitchen extension earlier this year (which turned out fabulous). The company we used required 30% deposit, 20% on Manufacture, 40% on on-site delivery and 10% on completion. Is that what you mean by "90% upfront" ?

To be honest, these are effectively prefabricated to your specifications so are completely useless to the manufacturer if you pull out after making the order but before installation - that is why it seems so expensive before the installation period.

If you use a reputable company I don't see why you would have a problem with this.

you mean, apart from the risk that the builders might do an awful job, or fail to build it, and go bust with no assets, and possibly having the materials repossessed by the suppler?

you would have paid 50% of the finished price with not a pane of glass delivered or a spade turned.

It is far from uncommon for companies to go bust, starting up again after a few days with a strikingly similar name, but leaving their creditors and customers empty handed.

Is this company for some reason unable to obtain materials on credit?

Also, the company we used manufactured and installed the steelwork, roof, glass windows/doors and rooflight but did not build walls, foundations, electrics, plaster etc - our builder did that. The builder began work around the same time the orangery went into manufacture so we had only paid the 30% deposit before any holes were dug in the ground.

You should probably check the scope of work your firm is offering.

PigletJohn - the orangery company we used IS the supplier - the items were manufactured at their factory and installed by their workmen in conjunction with our own builder.

I don't see it as any different to paying a builder on a milestone basis - I wouldn't expect my builder to work for six months without getting any payment until the end.

but would you pay 50% of the finished price before seeing a brick delivered or a spade turned? That's not milestones.

Maybe so - but we had this company well checked out before we went with them so were as confident as we could be that they would deliver (which they did).

OP by all means try and negotiate something more in your favor if you want. But do your homework on your supplier.

Where are you based? I agree a local firm would be better and def one which won't expect the majority of payment up front.

When getting some stuff done earlier this year I used this website: www.conservatoryonlineprices.co.uk/conservatory-quote/

How it works I think is that they put you in touch with companies in your area. I don't know if their quoting engine includes orangeries but you can call them and do it that way.

A good company will never ask for all of the payment upfront!

Good luck :-) Let us know how you get on!