Get three quotes they say

macafee2 · 18th August 2021, 08:47

It is often said to get at least 3 quotes before deciding on who you use to do the work.

job 1, company A no quote despite chasing, company B no quote to much like hard work, company C gets the work by default

job 2, company A seem to make a mess of the quote missing off work, company B no quote despite chasing and being told when I'd get quote and chasing yet again, company 3 been 9 days and just rang to chase for quote

job 3 Rang chap, got a quote, turned up did job, very pleased. Easy money
for him as experienced. My lack of experience I would have made more of a mess but have learnt from him

job 4 company A turn up as agreed, give quote as agreed. Company B, too much wood work and they need to get a joiner in but they are too busy. Still waiting for them to try and arrange a joint visit with joiner. Company C fail to turn up, make new appointment, fail to turn up, today is their last chance, due in 45 minutes. company A may get work by default

macafee2

update to job 4, company c did turn up, quote should be with me in the next week but leaning towards company A as despite them telling me stuff I did not want to hear it was stuff I "knew or gussed as much" about.

Vossy · 18th August 2021, 09:14

My son recently moved into a new house, the garden needed landscaping properly so he did the same thing, 4 local contractors came and looked, all promised drawings and plans with a few weeks, that was in June, the job itself according to all contractors will take at least a week if they can get a mini digger to the rear, if not it will be pick and shovels and 2 weeks work, the prices are all similar around the 10k mark so not a small job, as yet he has only received one contractor come back to him without plans or anything asking if they had the job.

The week before last he went on to the builders site, put his job on there and picked a contractor to come and estimate for him, he had a few thousand feedback on his profile and all were positive complete with pictures of his work.
He priced it and took photos, 2 days later he was back with the price and drawings of what he would do, the bricks he would use (to match the house etc), assured him that he could get a mini digger around there with zero damage and the work would take a week, also said if there is anything else you need to add in to the job as long as they didn't have to completely reorganise the site they would do it as part of the price, and they start on Friday, he has had 2 email confirmations this week complete with all details.
Complete professionals all along.

Some people just don't want the work, when he said it was a landscaping job some Johnny probably thought we will mow the lawn and get a grand out of it, others see it as too much work, others I guess see that you know what you are talking about and just back away. Maybe it's society today.

The guy he has starting has full credentials, my son works in finance and has already checked the contractor at Companies House and that he is legitimately registered for VAT.

Sometimes you just drop lucky, around my area all builders I see are dressed as the cisco kid.

SCP440 · 18th August 2021, 13:06

A few years ago I wanted a double garage building. I had the planning permission and the plans so all was needed was a builder.

The first one came around to quote and when I received it I think he must have quoted to rebuild the house as well. Second builder quoted but he would need to get some one else to do the footings. When he eventually got back to me the person reckoned the cost of digging the footings would make it uneconomical so would not quote. Final builder said he had too much work on but if I was happy for him to do Saturdays and when he had odd days he would take it on. As I was in no rush I accepted and his quote was a lot less than I was expecting. He dug the foundation over a couple of Saturdays and within 3 weeks the footings were in. Anyway over a couple of months the garage went up.
To cap it off the first builder rang me a few weeks after it was finished and I told him it was done for a lot less than he quoted and he said I should have said and he would have matched the price.

macafee2 · 18th August 2021, 14:24

an update, job 2 the missing quote from company B has turned up, twice what company A quoted.

Job 4 I have it seems been warned off company A seems I will need to find a company D and E

Oh for the builder we used at our previous house. Once we had used him we never got quotes from anyone else, we would just go on his list and wait until it was our turn.
He was old school, hard working and his brick work was fantastic.

macafee2

18th August 2021, 08:47	#1
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,908 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	Get three quotes they say It is often said to get at least 3 quotes before deciding on who you use to do the work. job 1, company A no quote despite chasing, company B no quote to much like hard work, company C gets the work by default job 2, company A seem to make a mess of the quote missing off work, company B no quote despite chasing and being told when I'd get quote and chasing yet again, company 3 been 9 days and just rang to chase for quote job 3 Rang chap, got a quote, turned up did job, very pleased. Easy money for him as experienced. My lack of experience I would have made more of a mess but have learnt from him job 4 company A turn up as agreed, give quote as agreed. Company B, too much wood work and they need to get a joiner in but they are too busy. Still waiting for them to try and arrange a joint visit with joiner. Company C fail to turn up, make new appointment, fail to turn up, today is their last chance, due in 45 minutes. company A may get work by default macafee2 update to job 4, company c did turn up, quote should be with me in the next week but leaning towards company A as despite them telling me stuff I did not want to hear it was stuff I "knew or gussed as much" about. Last edited by macafee2; 18th August 2021 at 11:25..

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18th August 2021, 09:14	#2
Vossy Why? ... MG ZT+ Cdti Auto saloon. Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Blockeswich, South Staffs Posts: 1,547 Thanks: 173 Thanked 483 Times in 330 Posts	My son recently moved into a new house, the garden needed landscaping properly so he did the same thing, 4 local contractors came and looked, all promised drawings and plans with a few weeks, that was in June, the job itself according to all contractors will take at least a week if they can get a mini digger to the rear, if not it will be pick and shovels and 2 weeks work, the prices are all similar around the 10k mark so not a small job, as yet he has only received one contractor come back to him without plans or anything asking if they had the job. The week before last he went on to the builders site, put his job on there and picked a contractor to come and estimate for him, he had a few thousand feedback on his profile and all were positive complete with pictures of his work. He priced it and took photos, 2 days later he was back with the price and drawings of what he would do, the bricks he would use (to match the house etc), assured him that he could get a mini digger around there with zero damage and the work would take a week, also said if there is anything else you need to add in to the job as long as they didn't have to completely reorganise the site they would do it as part of the price, and they start on Friday, he has had 2 email confirmations this week complete with all details. Complete professionals all along. Some people just don't want the work, when he said it was a landscaping job some Johnny probably thought we will mow the lawn and get a grand out of it, others see it as too much work, others I guess see that you know what you are talking about and just back away. Maybe it's society today. The guy he has starting has full credentials, my son works in finance and has already checked the contractor at Companies House and that he is legitimately registered for VAT. Sometimes you just drop lucky, around my area all builders I see are dressed as the cisco kid.

18th August 2021, 13:06	#3
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	A few years ago I wanted a double garage building. I had the planning permission and the plans so all was needed was a builder. The first one came around to quote and when I received it I think he must have quoted to rebuild the house as well. Second builder quoted but he would need to get some one else to do the footings. When he eventually got back to me the person reckoned the cost of digging the footings would make it uneconomical so would not quote. Final builder said he had too much work on but if I was happy for him to do Saturdays and when he had odd days he would take it on. As I was in no rush I accepted and his quote was a lot less than I was expecting. He dug the foundation over a couple of Saturdays and within 3 weeks the footings were in. Anyway over a couple of months the garage went up. To cap it off the first builder rang me a few weeks after it was finished and I told him it was done for a lot less than he quoted and he said I should have said and he would have matched the price.

18th August 2021, 14:24	#4
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,908 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	an update, job 2 the missing quote from company B has turned up, twice what company A quoted. Job 4 I have it seems been warned off company A seems I will need to find a company D and E Oh for the builder we used at our previous house. Once we had used him we never got quotes from anyone else, we would just go on his list and wait until it was our turn. He was old school, hard working and his brick work was fantastic. macafee2