Giving advice to builders and developers

[^woody^]

I've been meaning to ask this for a long time, and a post yesterday tipped me over the edge

As this is a DIY site, I wondered where people draw the line between answering questions from DIYers wanting to do something themselves or save some money, and answering questions from those in business or those who are buying and selling property for profit?

We see the type of posts from a "builder" along the lines of "I'm quoting someone to fit a window. Can you tell me how to fit a window". I see this as not only defrauding their customer, but also doing a proper tradesperson out of a job.

Then we get the posts from people who are going to build some properties for sale, or buy a property to refurb it for sale - and profit, and just want some free advice to increase profit margins

So is it just me being a Grinch, or are others selective in the posts they answer. Or does it not bother anyone about the reasons behind the question?

 

[noseall]

It's a fair point Woodshed, mebbe those that are in it for profit should be vetted and made to pay a donation to the DIYnot benevolent society.

You could argue that free advice benefits ALL parties financially, albeit inadvertently.

Morally speaking though, i do find it repugnant when wealthy tightwads fleece the DIYnot benefits system.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

I know where you are coming from.

I answered a post yesterday (maybe it's the one you are on about) confirming that a beam would be OK.

Maybe on another day I wouldn't have answered. Is he planning to install the beam without getting calcs done? I don't know. I read it as he was trying to price the job and wanted to give the client an accurate price.

If the client allows the builder to stick the beam in without getting calcs, then that's their problem. The builder knows that calcs are required for building regulations and should advise the client of this, but at least I know the beam is safey sized.

On the flip side, I often see DIY posters with questions such as "I want to replaster my kitchen wall. It's back to bare brick in places with a few cracks here and there."

The replies come flooding in. "You don't want to attempt that mate. It'll look sh*t. Get a professional in."

It is a DIY site. Let them have a go at DIY! Most DIY jobs aren't as good as a pro would do, but you have the satisfaction of Doing It Yourself! And saving some £££.

 

[tony1851]

But where do you draw the line?
There was the recent case of the builder (obviously in the business for profit) who wondered if you could put coping stones on a timber-frame parapet wall. He wasn't trying to skimp on the job because the client had specifically asked for this,so it was a genuine question.
This I think was a legitimate use of the site because it raised an interesting point and made people think about the issues.
And at least he was considerate enough to come back and tell us the outcome.
But yes, it's a DIY site. and there will always be people who want something for nothing, as in many walks of life.

 

[^woody^]

Yes there are technical questions about new situations which may or may not be outside of someone's usual work. I think we can all see those easily.

But when a builder should know about the work he is plying, or should know who to refer his customer to, then it becomes questionable.

 

[catlad]

I will admit I am starting to be more selective. Its a cracking site but I think some people are taking the pi$$.

 

[SimonH2]

The replies come flooding in. "You don't want to attempt that mate. It'll look sh*t. Get a professional in."

It is a DIY site. Let them have a go at DIY! Most DIY jobs aren't as good as a pro would do, but you have the satisfaction of Doing It Yourself! And saving some £££.

I know you said most rather than all, but a lot of DIY jobs are better than those done by pros. Not because the pros are bad, or the DIYer particularly good, but because the DIYer often has the luxury of time. The pro will be working down to a price, and against the clock. If the DIYer cares, then they probably have the luxury of taking their time over it and doing just as they want it doing rather than how it can be done in the time available.

Mind you some pros are better than others, and some are, ahem, not so good.
A mate recently had half a dozen doors fitted. Dunno what sort of joiner the guy claims to be - but I reckon a one armed blind man could have done a better job of trimming them with a felling axe His plasterer, on the other hand, did an excellent job.

 

[vv2806]

How can you draw the line in practical terms? I found the answer for most of the questions I had without asking. The topics were already here.

 

[AronSearle]

I have to give advice as my job.

The approach I take is just to give the best advice I can, no matter who. Because at the end of the day there is a customer at the end of it, and the better the advice, the less chance they have of getting stuffed.

Rarely, I might say to people, "look, I don't think you should be doing this", but only when I think they will actually listen, most of the time I know they are going to try and attempt it anyway.

I don't concern myself with the issue of them doing a "real" tradesmen out of the job, partly because it's up to the customer to vet the tradesmen (and they mostly go for the bad ones because they are cheap), and partly because it's hard to judge, people who have been in the business 40 years still make a dogs dinner out of some jobs, and refuse to take any blame.

 

[indus]

It is a diy site and anybody who is polite and bothers to do some homework before he asks the obvious deserves a reply imho.

Does it matter if it is a property investor or home owner?

The property investor may well be able to share experience that others find useful. That's what websites like this are all about imho.

 

[vv2806]

Yes, indus, I agree. The property investors who pay builders to do the job probably don't ask many questions here. The ones who do the work themselves are actually DIY-ers.

And yes, I find it annoying when somebody doesn't bother to search and posts something like "I am going to tile my bathroom floor, had never tiled before, please, tell me what to do".

 

[r896neo]

My favourite are the

''What is the going rate for a 2 storey extension? Oh yes i forgot to mention its made of bricks''

 

[^woody^]

Does it matter if it is a property investor or home owner?

So you don't see a difference between someone wanting to do a bit of DIY, and someone plying a trade, and then going to a website to either get someone else to price the work or tell them how to do the job they will then get paid for?

Do you not think that someone who is being paid for a service should actually know how to provide that service. Next time you want an extension, do you want a handyman asking here how to draw your plans or what planners will accept? Would you be happy paying that handyman?