reno rage (continued)
So I gathered quotes from five builders for our relatively small renovation. The cheapest (which was still more expensive than we'd envisaged in the first place) was literally half the price of the most expensive - or to put it the other way, the most expensive quote was double the least expensive (and we're talking tens of thousands difference). Most expensive was thus out of the picture.
Last week we had exhausting weeknight meetings with three builders, trying to figure out what was included in their prices, what could come out, etc. Wouldn't you know it, the remaining most-expensive are the nicest and probably best of the bunch.
The fourth - and cheapest - builder was scheduled to come for a meeting on Saturday at 3pm. The time came and went. We rang his home number and mobile and left messages.
Yesterday I sent him an email asking what happened.
Last week we had exhausting weeknight meetings with three builders, trying to figure out what was included in their prices, what could come out, etc. Wouldn't you know it, the remaining most-expensive are the nicest and probably best of the bunch.
The fourth - and cheapest - builder was scheduled to come for a meeting on Saturday at 3pm. The time came and went. We rang his home number and mobile and left messages.
Yesterday I sent him an email asking what happened.
Today he replied: I did come on Saturday, but drove around for half an hour trying to get a car park. My mobile was flat so I couldn't ring, sorry. Parking is pretty bad isn't it!
Could you please find out from Council about a "work zone" permit out the front of your place. It needs to be at least 16 metres (3 car parking spaces - one for me, one for a waste bin and one for another tradesman). If we can't park, we can't work!
Oh for goodness sake. He could have parked in the lane behind our house and knocked on the door to say he was having trouble parking. Saturday afternoons are the most crowded time of the week, car-wise, living near as we do to a desirable shopping strip and market.
I'm not sure whether to believe his excuse and then I'm not sure whether to bother pursuing his services - but when I think about the thousands of dollars we could save by using him (which might come in handy when I'm 75 and on the pension), I guess I will ring the council.
Could you please find out from Council about a "work zone" permit out the front of your place. It needs to be at least 16 metres (3 car parking spaces - one for me, one for a waste bin and one for another tradesman). If we can't park, we can't work!
Oh for goodness sake. He could have parked in the lane behind our house and knocked on the door to say he was having trouble parking. Saturday afternoons are the most crowded time of the week, car-wise, living near as we do to a desirable shopping strip and market.
I'm not sure whether to believe his excuse and then I'm not sure whether to bother pursuing his services - but when I think about the thousands of dollars we could save by using him (which might come in handy when I'm 75 and on the pension), I guess I will ring the council.
Maybe its an indication he may not be so cheap in the long run. Who is to know. Its a lottery.
When we had a swimming pool put in we chose the contractor in the median of the quotes. He seemed very pleasant. He was a bit strange toward the end, refusing to give us the colour we (I) wanted (it seemed he only "did" one colour). Then he said he was a creationist. I wish I'd chosen the most businesslike, not the insane one!
Posted by: Jacinta | Tuesday, June 03, 2008 at 04:34 PM
Have you got any personal references for any of the builders? In my limited experience, the cheaper ones are just not including all of the unexpected costs you are likely to incur.
Posted by: Mikhela | Tuesday, June 03, 2008 at 10:17 PM
"beware - beyond this gate, there be TRADIES"
Good Luck!
Posted by: brownie | Monday, June 09, 2008 at 10:24 AM