Builder gone off the radar

[Isafahan]

Hi all,

New to this finding and hiring contractors. My Dad, now deceased, worked a trade and has left a house to me. There's a lot needs doing, as he was always working doing jobs for others and for various other reasons, neglected his own home, which he built himself.

I've managed to get a few big things sorted, and it's a great house, but it needs at least 3 of the downstairs picture windows making smaller, 1 of them bricking up altogether, new windows putting in in the entire house, not just downstairs, many other jobs.

I had a few builders give me bad advice last year, 1 let us down, then another elderly relative needed a lot of help so everything got put on hold. This year I really thought I'd get things moving, but in some respects it has been more of the same with unreliable contractors.

I thought I'd found a good one. He came last month and said he'd be back in touch once he'd ordered bricks, which could take up to 1 week. Just over 1 month later... crickets. One of the reasons I haven't tried to contact him again, is that his price wasn't itemised, didn't include a couple of jobs I had asked for, and when I sat down to figure out the cost of his labour minus materials, it really did seem he had just added on at least 2 k out of nowhere.

I decided today to ring around and have another one (with seemingly good reviews online and CheckaTrade registered) to have a look and give me a quote. He said if I am happy with his price he can start Monday....even though the bricks could be an issue.....

If I decide to go with him... or another contractor.... what should I do about the fella from August? He said he was ordering bricks, but there's no sign at all of any contact from him. I can he is on Whatsapp every single day though, so still alive etc. etc.... I sort of feel guilty at not contacting him, but find it odd that he gave me a provisional start date and timeline and then just disappeared. Do I need to call him and chase him? Or just keep looking for a better price... etc. etc.....

No wonder my Dad was so busy. He was an excellent communicator and always going to the customers face to face, never just on the phone.

Feeling frustrated but don't want to let anyone down myself either. I haven't parted with any money yet.... fortunately!

I would just forget the first guy, and crack on finding someone who does respond.

It may be worth paying for Which membership so you can access their recommended traders list.

Don’t use check a trade - they only allow good posts not negative ones and can’t be trusted. If you leave negative reviews I’ve know people be hounded and abused until it’s removed

use a national window company for the replacements
for the chap from August one last chase stating on the message that if he doesn’t reply you’ll have to go elsewhere

Don’t feel guilty for a second about the 2nd builder. He’s ghosting you. Do some background checks on anyone you employ, check them out on Companies House. You can also see if they have ever had a CCJ. https://www.trustonline.org.uk
Look at Which? Trusted Traders to find a builder. Sorry to say but if you are going to employ builders you are going to have to toughen up.

A builder who’s ready the same week? That’s a red flag.

Its SO hard finding decent tradespeople these days, your experience is very typical.

Are you looking to keep the house or sell? If sell, then I would just sell as is. Renovating doesn’t make you money anymore.

Oh and if you feel bad about builder 1, perhaps text them to say you need to get on and if they’re interested in the job, to get back to you by Friday. That way, if he miraculously turns up with bricks, you can tell you him you gave him a chance to respond and he didn’t.

Arghhhhh... update..... there's a builder down the road who has a good reputation. He came yesterday to get an initial idea and said he'd get back to me asap with a price and timeline etc.

It's now just over 6 weeks since my last contact with the other fella. Well he's only gone and texted me this morning to ask if he can start tomorrow.

This is the only communication I have had since the third week of August about ordering bricks. My Mum said if we end up using another contractor and first builder has bought the bricks, that we could always buy them off him, if he would do that.

Help Mumsnetters! Despite my Dad running his own construction business, the past year or so is the first time I've had to "project manage" anything at all.... I think it's feeling overwhelming because I've had flu, Covid... am still fatigued.

Actually hoping to live here permanently. My Dad pretty much built the house single-handedly back in the late sixties, but they never updated or renovated... he was always working for other people I supposed, that and other factors.

And yes, to the poster I just quoted, I think it could well be a red flag... he said "we need the work" as well...

The other fella who disappeared is now back, he didn't do an itemised quotation though, just a single figure for the whole job with no inkling of a timeline and it seems like a heck of a lot.....

Posting this again so it shows up and I can hopefully get some advice.....

Arghhhhh... update..... there's a builder down the road who has a good reputation. He came yesterday to get an initial idea and said he'd get back to me asap with a price and timeline etc.

It's now just over 6 weeks since my last contact with the other fella. Well he's only gone and texted me this morning to ask if he can start tomorrow.

This is the only communication I have had since the third week of August about ordering bricks. My Mum said if we end up using another contractor and first builder has bought the bricks, that we could always buy them off him, if he would do that.

Help Mumsnetters! Despite my Dad running his own construction business, the past year or so is the first time I've had to "project manage" anything at all.... I think it's feeling overwhelming because I've had flu, Covid... am still fatigued.

Hard to know what to advise. You say builder no 3 has a good reputation. What does that mean? Has he been recommended by people you trust? Have you seen his work?
For builder who can start tomorrow- is he the one who has just given you a price, without itemising the work? Can you stall
him by asking for a fully itemised quote? Then you are in a better position to make a decision. Don’t worry overly about being polite, he’s ghosted you since august.

Well, it's all been sorted out. Thanking people for their advice on here. I spoke with the original builder from a couple of months back, he explained why he hadn't been in touch, a combination of serious family stuff and other jobs. He has bought all the materials and has also offered to carry out the work in a way which makes it much more convenient for myself and my elderly mother. He's going to start next month, which works out great for us, as we can order the windows we will also need in that time, giving us enough leeway to make important decisions.

I've apologised to the other builder who came to look. I do feel a little bit bad about that, but I've explained the situation and the other contractor has already bought everything for our job and basically to stop him wasting his time sitting drawing up an estimate.

I'm glad you've got it sorted, hope it goes well.

I'm a bit suspicious of 'family emergency' type excuses, have heard those too many times (albeit one genuine one). Also 'van problems'.