Getting quotes like pulling teeth

[needmorespace2026]

Anyone have any tips for getting builders to get round to quoting for a job?

We have planning permission for a wrap around extension on our semi detached house. I had three carefully chosen builders round and all said they would go away and write up quotes. But none of them have. It’s been six weeks.

Is this normal? I messaged them last week to check they were still interested but only one replied so I’m afraid the other might have decided not to bother (although will ring them to check)

So before I restart with other builders, any tips for making the job/ process of quoting for it more attractive?

I had the same experience when getting my kitchen done, it's so frustrating. Honestly would be better if they just said they were not interested!

Yes that’s it, I don’t want to hassle or waste anyone’s time but I also don’t want to waste my time!

did you just get new people in to quote in the end?

We've just started building work. I had to contact 17 builders to get just 4 written quotes. Most of the other 13 didn't bother to reply and a couple made appointments and didn't turn up. All of those who came round to look did send quotes, so I'm surprised that some of yours have now gone quiet.

It was an incredibly frustrating process. Sorry - no tips. I just kept contacting people until we had enough quotes to pick between them.

Hm ok well at least it’s not just me :-( it’s a big job so maybe the time involved in quoting is too effortful

im wondering whether it would help to get a quantity surveyor to draw up a bill of quantities for people to quote against…? Could make it easier for builders and maybe help us keep costs under control although the QS is expensive in itself ….

It is really frustrating but I do have some sympathy as it takes a considerable amount of time to properly price building works. All builders are aware you’ll be getting more than one quote but only one builder will get the job. Even our architects didn’t get quotes back from everyone who they approached. We also got our own and had one who seemed promising and then didn’t quote. It’s normal for architects to allow builders 4 weeks to quote and some of ours took longer than that. It’s also really difficult to compare quotes once you have them which is incredibly frustrating.

Your last post is making me wonder if you’re contacting builders and contractors with inadequate plans when if that’s the case then you need ‘design and build’ contractors.

So to make that clearer… Planning usually only requires RIBA stage 2, bit of 3 information.

To build you need stage 4 info unless you use a design build contractor. Which is NBS spec, bill of quantities, laying out, GA, technical details etc.

Yes, I’m afraid it is. I had a new kitchen last year and my drive was relaid just last week. I prefer to use contractors who have been recommended by friends or on the Nextdoor App for my local area so I only approached a few selected contractors.

About 50% either did not get back to me after I left a message or did not turn up to quote. Some came to look at the jobs then did not quote.

Luckily, I did find two brilliant contractors to do the two jobs, one had recently installed a kitchen for a friend and the other had done a massive project landscaping a neighbours garden. Both were able to give me addresses of recent customers who I could talk to and see their work which as a single woman was reassuring.

However their prices were very high, much more than I had planned and probably double the prices other contractors were charging but the work was completed to a very high standard, the guys were polite, tidied up well and discussed each stage with me and suggested improvements.

I’ve come to the conclusion that you have to pay considerable sums to get reliable contractors, maybe those who let me down with quotes would have been cheaper especially if they were one man companies but their work might not have been as good.

My next job is a new bathroom but I can’t stand the stress of sorting things out just yet!

No we have construction drawings, the email to invite builders was written by our architect and one of them is someone he regularly works with so I think it should be enough. But still they will need to cost up all the materials. A QS could do that bit which would save the builder time, but at our cost though :-/ the architect advised me it shouldn’t be necessary but now I’m wondering.

That’s good news. Ask the architects their fee to run the tender. Then it’s not your problem.

@Ihateslugsoh dear. It’s just a seller’s market for building work isn’t it?

Thanks @Randomesttnought that might be a good idea, although I’m not sure he offers that service I could ask.

I normally DIY everything to avoid the stress of dealing with contractors but even I wont be DIY ing the whole extension (although I was impressed with the poster who did so a couple of years ago!)

Welcome to the world of dealing with tradespeople. Not turning up, not sending you a quote etc is pretty standard. I’d never get away with treating clients like that in my work.

When I need a job doing I contact about 10
tradespeople for quotes. 3 or 4
never turn up, and I don’t chase them. Another 3 or 4 don’t send a quote, and I don’t chase them. That leaves 3 or 4 who are reliable enough to send me a quote without being chased. So one of them gets the work. I then save their details for any future work, and recommend them to my friends.

I contacted every roofing firm that advertises in our local paper or on our town's Facebook page.

Not. One. Reply.

Presumably roofers in Berkshire are over-run with work.

Did you message them or phone them? Tradespeople are very good at ignoring messages. You’ll have more success if you pick up the phone.

Wouldn’t that actively put builders off? Having to work to prices prepared by you (or a QS on your behalf)?

My DP is a trade and he’s just insanely busy. He’s particularly busy at the moment and expects to be until Christmas. He is currently saying he can’t quote though so at least communicating.

I'm an oldie. I phone not message.

@kirinm do you this having a QS would put people off? Genuine question, I haven’t done an extension before. I was thinking it would save the builder work as they do t have to look up the price of all materials but instead just cost the labour

Yes clearly trades are just very busy. Don’t mind how long they take (within reason) to prepare a quote if they are definitely doing it, and would also understand if they said no.

Ive got this problem at the moment with some minor joinery work I need doing. Either they turn up and quote a huge sum, don't turn up at all , or turn up and never quote. It's really bewildering.

I agree. I find if I don't phone them they don't respond.

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but you had them round 6 weeks ago and have not called them to chase the quotes, why ever not!?

They probably think you have gone off the boil so why should they waste many hours getting a price together.

Pick up the telephone and call them, you will be spending a not insubstantial sum with a builder and their lack of any response also speaks volumes.

@Wowthatwasabigstepno, I have been in touch three weeks after I met them (at which point people were apparently still working on it) and reached out again (unsuccessfully) three weeks after that. I’m pretty sure I haven’t done anything weird actually.

i guess my mistake was only asking three to quote. Should have asked more to allow for drop outs. But I didn’t want to waste people’s time.

I never chase for quotes. If they aren’t reliable enough to give me the quote I asked for without being chased, then they aren’t the sort of person I want working for me. I just move on to the next one.