Builder asking for more, second time around.

[frank999]

I've told him I have no more money available for now.
He is a decent bloke, hard working, I just think he has been too keen to please, and under quoted ... which comes back to my original point, why make that my problem, especially as we have been through this all before.
But I want us to finish on a good note if possible.

I've negotiated the £3k down to £2k, after I told him we both need to find a compromise to break the deadlock, £2k is not £1500 though, ie half way.
He's coming back on Monday on his own to continue, and didn't make any noises about the extra money, so guess that is a positive sign.

As much as it seems odd, I may consider him for more work -on the next job, I trust his work and him, but he needs to understand the implications better of failing to fullfill a contract, and put in place a signed water tight legal obligation, that helps build a good business relationship.

... are there any templates and T&C's out there fellow builders know of I could download.

 

[algas]

I have been in business for about 40 years, subbing jobs out here and there, a few years ago I wanted two properties painted and a bit of rendering, got a price of this chap who I had used in the past. 1st house all ok and on budget 2nd half way through and easiest part done he comes to me and says he needs more money, his men won't do any more unless they are paid, I had paid stage payments, and supplied the materials, he had spent the men's wages and now he was only going to get paid on completion ( keep em lean keep em mean) so they all go off job leaving 2 good ladders , step ladders , crawling boards etc I held these as I estimated he was slightly in front, after a while he came crawling back asking to finish on day rate I told him either honour his quote or get lost, we argued quite heatedly an away he went, couple of days later one of his lads came to see me I told him what was outstanding and how much was left on the job he said ok, job was completed by this chap at origination cost and I ended up keeping ladders etc, Moral of story don't be blackmailed!

 

[bourbon]

you are a total mug if you want to employ this chancer again, no matter how good his work is.

 

[Thomasthepiperson]

Never pay in full, or even pay fully before any work has been done. If the builder does off, so will your money!

 

[James45632]

you are a total mug if you want to employ this chancer again, no matter how good his work is.

It's as simple as this.

 

[frank999]

OK, so he came back for a couple of days, but then disappeared, I called him twice over the next two weeks, and he promised he would come in to finish off, last contact was on 05/02/2020, I have heard nothing since.

It appears he has rushed some things, and has broken some things in his hurry to fit stuff..

He has provided no invoices for work done.

I have had men picking off the stuff he left behind un-finished, and am considering them completing the rest.

Presume he has no right to rock up onsite unannounced, try and finish what he hasn't done, and demand the £1500 that we kept back.

He has also left an old belle cement mixer we could make use of, does he have any right to that.

Guess I should write him a letter of my intentions.

It is gong to cost more than the £1500 withheld to put right, but I'd rather i have control with my men - I just wouldn't be able to trust that works wouldn't be done in a rush.

I don't get why someone would burn their bridges for work that pays well, I have several projects coming up - but just can't now consider him, he has lost my goodwill ... what a way to conduct oneself, he just couldn't wait to get offsite to start the next job, I just pitty the next poor sod who will be short changed.

 

[Mottie]

I don't get why someone would burn their bridges for work that pays well. ........he just couldn't wait to get offsite to start the next job....

^^^^ You've answered your own question. He’s no good at building or finishing what he starts but good at starting, taking money up front and disappearing.

 

[noseall]

good at starting, taking money up front and disappearing.

Sounds like a bloke chasing his tail - financially. Up to his eyes in debt probably.
Gambler, womaniser, drinker coke head...?

 

[Notch7]

he just couldn't wait to get offsite to start the next job

to get his next deposit.

when builders get cashflow issues they start to use the next job to finance finishing the last one off.

Sometimes its caused by customers refusing to pay for a job -usually their game is to complain about work, the builder then does more and more to try and get his stage payment until the customer has work done well beyond the amount paid and the builder is stuck. Other customer bear the brunt.

 

[frank999]

It was made quite plain several times through the job, that within reason we expect the various parts of the job to be done within the budgets allocated for them, but he failed to do that at several stages of the job, always asking for more than had been agreed.
I think what rubs salt into the wound is that the bloke spent more time off site, doing work else where, leaving another man here - so I ended up paying him to 'manage' another man (who, to add to the fray couldn't read or write English, which led to some strange things happening with the way things were done).

He must have been rolling in it, I was paying him nearly £1000 a week.

I didn't and don't need another manager onsite, or a middle man.
An honest days pay for an honest days work ... ?

 

[Mottie]

So are you managing all works from now on?