Doing work on own block of flats to save money

[Deleted member 174758]

The small little jobs by rip off tradesman need eliminating. Like propping a fence back for £500 etc and rip off fees from maintenance company.

Just remember that any legitimate tradesman will want to earn £500 to £600 a week as a minimum after overheads, materials, so £180 to £200 a day isn't beyond the bounds of reason.

Due to insurance I'll call maintenance company and explain situation with small jobs and ask what's gonna happen if I just do stuff the gardener or handyman cant regarding insurance.

You, personally, will need to carry Public Liability (probably £5m or £10m as it is a large structure, multiple occupancy) and you will probably also need Professional Indemnity insurance as well (not hugely expensive TBH) - talk to a solicitor. Better to be over insured than under insured.

If it comes to scenario of you're not covered but I perceive it as rubbish and an excuse to make money e.g. cutting above three metres from ground etc then I'll just do it myself .

Bear in mind that for general works you will need some form of written RAMS which you need to get tradesmen to sign up to and that for specific tasks a specific RAMS may need to be produced and copies retained. This is not an option, it is a legal requirement, but it doesn't take long to do!

Ultimately,money has to be saved and people are skint and the roofs need fixing so something gotta give.

Beware cutting too many corners. Patch repairs on flat roofs tend to just delay the inevitable whilst costing money - flat roofs with a mineral felt or asphalt covering have a finite lifespan, so at some time it will all need to come off and be redone (probably every 10 to 15 years).

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The small little jobs by rip off tradesman need eliminating. Like propping a fence back for £500 etc and rip off fees from maintenance company.

It's the smaller jobs which eat money and time. You have many of the overheads of going to site, seeing what is needed, collecting materials, then setting up on site to do the work. Someone living on the site, or very familiar with the site, can win hands down.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It's the smaller jobs which eat money and time. You have many of the overheads of going to site, seeing what is needed, collecting materials, then setting up on site to do the work. Someone living on the site, or very familiar with the site, can win hands down.

You are right. Also worth noting that time spent going to the merchant, doing quotes/estimates, book keeping, etc is often never seen by the client, either, but it all cuts into your working day

 

[Keitai]

Just remember that any legitimate tradesman will want to earn £500 to £600 a week as a minimum after overheads, materials, so £180 to £200 a day isn't beyond the bounds of reason.


You, personally, will need to carry Public Liability (probably £5m or £10m as it is a large structure, multiple occupancy) and you will probably also need Professional Indemnity insurance as well (not hugely expensive TBH) - talk to a solicitor. Better to be over insured than under insured.


Bear in mind that for general works you will need some form of written RAMS which you need to get tradesmen to sign up to and that for specific tasks a specific RAMS may need to be produced and copies retained. This is not an option, it is a legal requirement, but it doesn't take long to do!


Beware cutting too many corners. Patch repairs on flat roofs tend to just delay the inevitable whilst costing money - flat roofs with a mineral felt or asphalt covering have a finite lifespan, so at some time it will all need to come off and be redone (probably every 10 to 15 years).

I've got £5,000,000 public liability insurance which was fine when I was working on a block. No one asked for indemnity. What's that? And what's RAMs ? I may have signed a form dont remember.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

RAMS - Risk Assessment and Method Statement. Statutory requirement, believe it or not, although not normally done formally in writing on a small job they are required on stuff like multiple occupancy jobs. Once you've done one it can be cut and pasted for future ones with extra text as required