Paying upfront for garden fence job

[Ted Phillips]

Hi

We are having new feather edge fitted in back garden. I know this is expensive and will make up a considerable percentage of overall quite. (Also having other garden work done) The contractor asked for £450 to cover purchase of wood from his supplier. I paid this as thought it was reasonable request. We are having job done next weekend and was discussing earlier with the adjoining neighbour. She was gobsmacked when I said I’d paid for an element of the job upfront. “Why on earth did you do that?, I’ve only ever paid for fencing and similar jobs when completed etc”..

I know you’re comments will represent contractor so wondered what the consensus was?

Thanks

 

[Bosswhite]

By handing over a deposit on goods one is entering into a binding contract, There are customers from hell that will try and delay payments etc, leaving the contractor out of pocket
As said a reasonable request

 

[Ted Phillips]

Thanks. I suppose it may be reasonable request, but would most customers pay all on completion for something like a garden fence? Should also have mentioned that guy has cancelled twice now, so wondering whether payment is good thing or not? (Potential to be contractor from hell?)

 

[Diver Fred]

£450 for materials seems to be a lot...

Just done a weatherboard fence, 6ft high by 24 ft run with 3 arriss rails, capping, nails and other fixings - materials cost £170.

But if the builder is cancelling then I'd be very suspicious - will he do the job...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It depends how much the quote is for the entire job? If something is made up specially to order, then a deposit to cover the cost of specially made items is reasonable, providing they are a proper company, with a landline number and address. What reasons were given for cancelling twice?

 

[Ted Phillips]

Overall quote was a grand for supply and fit 14m fence, remove old fence, tidy hedge, shrubs and fuchsia bush. The fence total within the £1000 is £840.

First cancellation as wife having a baby. Second one (at v short notice) for family visit to see his new baby. He’s promised to do it this coming BH weekend. If he cancels again we’ll find someone else. (£450 bacs transfer paid into his wife’s business account)

 

[Ted Phillips]

Hi

Provided the intel requested. Is this a case of the establishment closing ranks?

 

[conny]

The only thing you can really do at the moment is sit tight and wait.
He says his wife has just had a baby. That's a major event in anyone's life so understandable. Second cancellation because of a family visit to see the baby. Again, understandable. When my 2 kids were born, 4 years apart, relatives from around the country came both times. As we never really saw them at other times they were quite a clan gathering lasting a few days to a week. He says he will do it BH weekend, which is the 24/25/26th of this month so I think it's fair to wait and see if he does.
You could give him a reminder on Friday 23rd to confirm he will be doing it at the weekend but be polite. If he says something has come up then ask for a full refund as you are going to get someone else to do the job. Be polite at all times as if it ends up in court it will go in your favour. Slanging matches and threats never solve anything.

 

[Ted Phillips]

Thanks

Didn’t want to leave it till Friday. Sent polite text today, confirming still on for weekend. No response yet.

I paid the £450 via bacs into his wife’s business account. If we cancel, and he’s reluctant to return deposit, will this make it harder or easier to recover the dosh?

Cheers

 

[JP_]

BACs is hard to get back i think. Bit late now, just hope they turn up, and if they go AWOL, lesson learned! With any luck they'll do a great job. Nothing you can do about it now, so don't worry!

I had 60m of fencing put in over a period of a month (they came for 3 days, then finished the job about 2 weeks later in another 2 days). Invoiced me on completion, and I paid straight away of course. But I guess once you are burned once, you are extra cautious.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A BACS is no different to cash, you cannot claim it back, but at least you have proof of payment if the worst happens. Suggest you warn that this is his last chance to get the job underway, that if you are let down this time, you expect a full refund.

 

[Ted Phillips]

Thanks again. Still no reply. Hopefully will turn out ok. A strange one. Was all sweetness and light when he came up, reasonable quote (thought?) etc. Now cancelled twice when he said both dates were originally “perfect”. He was recommended by someone in my office. We have a staff site for services required etc. (I told him that) If I have any grief, the reputational damage for him will be significant. He must realise that, surely.

 

[TeeDub]

There should be no requirement to pay upfront for materials. In fact, this is a common "red-flag" (usually alongside other things). Other red flags include no landline number, no website, no registered company, no address, bad time-keeping, cancelling, disappearing in the middle of jobs, untidiness, extremely low prices.

On it's own, if it's a small, odd-job builder it might not be too much of a problem, but if they have bad time keeping, poor workmanship, shoddy materials etc it may be more difficult to get your money back if you aren't happy. If you agree to pay on completion and you're not satisfied that the work has been done to "reasonable skill and care" and the materials are "fit for purpose", you are in a better position to ask them to come back and do the work.

A good builder will have a good credit at a supplier so can buy the materials first. You should get a quote and separate price for materials and labour, so you can determine if you want to supply stuff yourself (and save some money perhaps).
By having the builder supply materials (rather than buy them yourself) they are responsible for replacing them if they're incorrect or faulty. If you buy the materials you have that relationship with your supplier.

Credit Card or PayPal will mean you have a better level of protection than a BACs or Cash payment, in-case you get into a dispute.

Lets say it this way. I will never ever pay up front for any building work anymore. I'd just say no to that builder and seek someone else.

 

[Eccles]

I also never pay up front. I anyone wants materials I always ask them to specify what materials they want, then I go and buy it and have it sent to my address. Last did this a while back for a new boiler and the guy was quite happy for me to do it because it helped him keep out of VAT registration.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I also never pay up front. I anyone wants materials I always ask them to specify what materials they want, then I go and buy it and have it sent to my address. Last did this a while back for a new boiler and the guy was quite happy for me to do it because it helped him keep out of VAT registration.

It also meant that if anything went wrong with the boiler it would of being up to you and not the gas engineer.

Andy