Risky To Rely On Builders/Letting Agents For Work?

[plumbandplumber]

A mate who is a GSR plumber was recently lost his job, due to the fact that the heating co. he was working for went bust.He was worried how he was going to make ends meet, due to sprogs and big mortgage.

All of a sudden, he is snowed under with work, and seems really busy. He tells me that 90% of this work is from letting agents and builders.

I didn't say anything negative, but wondered if this is a good plan to be reliant on this sort of work. Presumably, all his labour and mats. are supplied up front by him. Is he likely to get his fingers burnt. I only do private, and have no experience of what he is doing.

 

[studips]

imagine a builder who does and job, then goes bust - it happens a lot.

imagine a builder who turns around and tells you he'll pay you when he gets paid. if he does.

you can get burnt easy enough and i'm sure he will, but a nice broad customer base will cushion him. having written and signed contracts is great, but it doesn't always happen.

as for the lettings agents - don't really see a problem, especially if he gets a job order from them up front.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

In answer to the post title - Yes and Yes.

hard won advice, get the builders customers to pay you instead for your work.

Agents? Even though they hold monies in 'client accounts' so they don't actually have to pay from their own pockets, so to speak. they do hold onto it. Given up on them, and a whole load of their tenants seem clueless that LGSR's are for everybodies benefit, esp theirs. And STILL they won't let you in....

DH

BTW, does he charge £35 per house and give each one the full-monty check (you know, for instance, pull the oven out to check the hob ain't on a flexi?)

How many times have I heard "the last three times they never asked where the gas meter is"

 

[joinerjohn]

Anything that keeps the money coming in, has to be a good thing. Just got to be careful he doesn't get his fingers burnt by unscrupulous builders, or letting agents, who keep telling him "The cheque is in the post."