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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Paying a builder upfront

88 replies

Tinkerbellanne · 11/07/2021 22:02

Hi everyone. I am going to have the wall that divides the kitchen from the living knocked through to make it open plan. I have been in touch with different builders and the cheapest quote I have been given is £450 to knock through the wall, plaster it all and run different cables through such as CCTV and virgin and make it today. I have had the quotation sent via email and they are asking for £150 for materials before the job and £300 after satisfied after completion. I found this builder on rated people. They don't have any reviews on rated people, as they have recently set up this new business after leaving another building firm so I can't even look at reviews.
Is this upfront deposit reasonable?

Thanks

OP posts:

Sewaccidentprone · 12/07/2021 16:20

Day rate for a builder is normally £200 a day, plus labourer at £150 (ish). But these are for full days.

Original poster

Tinkerbellanne · 12/07/2021 17:12

Hmm interesting, not sure where that leaves me

OP posts:

womanity · 12/07/2021 17:39

I don’t think you’ve said where you are but where we are somewhere between £120 and £150 is far more normal for most trades.

Original poster

Tinkerbellanne · 12/07/2021 19:26

I live in the west Midlands, Dudley area.
So just to clarify to everyone he will be...
Knocking down a stud wall
Plastering it
Taking a radiator off
Moving a light switch slightly over
Taking a door off and frame and making/plastering it into an arch way so it looks like a door was never there..
More opinions welcome if anyone has more advice

OP posts:

Eleoura · 12/07/2021 19:49

So what qualifications does he have? Have you checked if he is an electrician/qualified trade of any sort???

Gemma2019 · 12/07/2021 21:12

@Tinkerbellanne

I live in the west Midlands, Dudley area. So just to clarify to everyone he will be... Knocking down a stud wall Plastering it Taking a radiator off Moving a light switch slightly over Taking a door off and frame and making/plastering it into an arch way so it looks like a door was never there.. More opinions welcome if anyone has more advice

What other advice do you need? Everyone has warned you that you have been quoted too low, the guy sounds dodgy and the quote isn't worth the paper it's printed on. I know you really want to believe you can get this job done to a good standard for £450 but it's extremely unlikely that this is a legitimate quote. It would be great if it was.

olidora63 · 12/07/2021 21:21

Ensure you get a receipt for the materials money. Absolutely no offence to any builders but I personally got stung and gave £120 for materials to a local guy and he then never came back and couldn’t track him down.
The quote does seem to be very cheap .

Cissyandflora · 13/07/2021 08:05

The materials for that job are not 150. So that’s a red flag in itself. You can go ahead if you can afford to lose the money. But factor in the cost of getting it redone if this doesn’t go well. I know I’m being a negative Nancy but I’ve had so many bad experiences with tradies.

Cissyandflora · 13/07/2021 08:08

I also think it’s more than a two day job. Are they also decorating? Painting etc?

checkoutchick22 · 13/07/2021 08:19

My dh is in the business of home improvements, he has to ask for deposits as he's a small local business.
He has had a situation where the customers had their work done and then refused to pay, even going as far as having someone tell him they had moved!
He's been going for years and has an excellent reputation but only gets a certain amount of credit with suppliers so always asks for a deposit for the initial outlay, but never the full amount until they're satisfied.
I actually didn't think it was unreasonable to ask for a deposit.

Willwebebuyingnumber11 · 13/07/2021 08:22

2 days for that?

It’s too cheap. No builder is working for £75 a day, trust me.
Even my husbands labourers are on more than that.

Cissyandflora · 13/07/2021 08:22

@checkoutchick22

My dh is in the business of home improvements, he has to ask for deposits as he's a small local business. He has had a situation where the customers had their work done and then refused to pay, even going as far as having someone tell him they had moved! He's been going for years and has an excellent reputation but only gets a certain amount of credit with suppliers so always asks for a deposit for the initial outlay, but never the full amount until they're satisfied. I actually didn't think it was unreasonable to ask for a deposit.

I agree. Asking for a deposit sounds reasonable. It’s unfair that builders have to chase payment for their work. But I think in this case some of us are warning the op that she is not paying the correct cost in total. The invoice doesn’t specify the work being done though so that’s not giving assurance to the customer.

Willwebebuyingnumber11 · 13/07/2021 08:24

@Sewaccidentprone £200 is a very cheap day rate for a builder, especially now. I would be very wary or a builder at £200 a day.

OP, my DH orders the materials required then gets the customer to call the merchants so they can pay directly for them. They get confirmation of what is being ordered and an email receipt from the merchant.

Sometimes customers ask him to sort it but this is the option he always offers.

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