Handyman has asked me to order supplies

[widelegenes]

Msg from the guy who's fitting a loft ladder this w/e.
He's sent me a link to the ladder, asked me to order it and he'll collect.
I already have a quote (which included materials).

I'm not missing something here, am I?
Wouldn't a VAT registered tradesperson get this cheaper?
Do I need to confirm with him that this cost will come off what he quoted for materials?

I don't know why he hasn't just ordered it himself is what I'm asking.
He has asked me to pay him in cash.

If he’s asking you to pay in cash it may be that he’s keeping it off the books and not paying VAT, in which case he wouldn’t be able to claim it back on the loft ladder. Or it may just be that he has a cash flow problem and can’t afford to buy it himself right now.

It’s up to you how deeply you want to go into his tax affairs, but, yes, I would ask him to clarify whether the ladder is included in ‘materials’ and therefore whether you will be invoiced for the amount quoted minus the cost of the ladder.

He's probably not VAT registered. But I agree it's strange if his quote includes what he is asking you to buy. I would check with him that you have understood it properly.

Thank you. I wouldn't offer to pay someone cash ie hint that they don't have to put it through the books, but if someone asks for cash then I'm not going interfere, not for these small jobs.

I'll ask him to clarify.

My son has been burned so many times with doing work for people when he's paid out for materials and done the work and people get shitty and won't pay.

Now he gets them to order the materials themselves so if they don't pay him then he's only lost out on his time, rather than owing the wholesaler money.

Ah ha. I didn't think of that.
It's no problem for me to order it, I just haven't done it that way before.

Make sure you deduct the cost off his quote and get him to send you another quote stating customer will purchase loft ladder

I usually buy materials myself. But yes if materials included is in his quote I'd say point blank that you will be deducting any materials you buy from his bill.

Yes, it seems to be coming more and more common. A friend had it recently with a painter who asked her to order the paint herself as he had been caught out many times with buying the paint for jobs and then the job being cancelled last minute.

This is the third time I've tried to get someone to fit a loft ladder. I really hope he comes and does it on the 12th as agreed!

I don’t think I’d include the ladder itself in the materials as such, but it should have been clearer for you.

The quote says "supply and fit" so I was expecting him to supply it.

Well that’s clear cut then isn’t it? If the quote says:

To supply and fit 1no loft ladder (make blah blah) and materials @£x

I can’t see the discrepancy? So you should definitely raise it with him if he’s technically now asking you to supply it.

What’s he charging for labour? Our handyman charges £20 per hour, with us supplying all materials and items needed (eg skirting and tiles, most recently).

If it says supply and fit then he supplies it. Is he asking you to order it and pay or order it and he pays for it when he collects it which would be very unusual.

I asked him to clarify a couple of hours ago.

All fine. He's clarified that the cost of the ladder will come off quoted price.
Off to Screwfix I go 🪜