RE: Grand Designs tonight

["Nikola Kasic" <nikola@xxxxxxx>]

I know that you can't get something out of nothing, but we have one show
called "Rogue Traders" here in UK. They put hidden cameras all
over the
house and around and call contractors to do some jobs, plumbing,
building work, car work etc.
And people end up being ripped off, without job being done properly.
It's not that they went for cheap option, its just contractors who took
money and didn't do the work, regardless of how much money they get.
That's the scenario that scares most of the consumers.
In the case of this guy's roof, it's not that they used cheap material
to make the saving. Both plywood and glue was O.K. and up to specs. They
just didn't know how to do the job, because it was unusual and didn't
put clamps close enough so plywood popped up. I don't see much savings
there. The only saving I can see they made is by spending less time and
attention on that project.
But that company looked disorganized anyway, they send people on site
without tools and instructions, so they wait hours for that. Again, they
don't save money there, because if they had instructions and tools, they
would finish that job earlier and move to another.=20
They try to hammer out bolts and crack walls and do other damage.=20
They put plywood grain in wrong direction, etc.
O.K. they didn't put rain protection and that's where they saved a bit,
but not much.
On the other hand, he spent =A3160k+ on glazing and he run into similar
problems with Jansen and dimples on frames. And they are big, reputable
company, not "cheap".
I know that in the ideal world, if you pay more, you should get better
service, but we all know that it's not like that in reallity.
We all know that you can buy exactly the same thing from different shops
on different prices, sometimes with 75% discount.
It's the similar with builders, if they don't have job at the moment,
they will probably give you some discount just to get the job, which
doesn't imply that they will not do it properly.
So I wouldn't blame the guy too much for going for cheaper solution.=20
I blame him more for not checking that company credentials and practice.
And, at the end of the day, I must agree with you that if something is
too cheap, it raises suspicion. In that case you need to know exactly
the reasons for that.
You cannot pay Mini and get Rolls Royce, but you might manage to get
Honda :-).
Cheers,
Nik

-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Mc Alinden [mailto:armagh@xxxxxxx]=20
Sent: 13 March 2003 19:15
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight



>but who guarantees that if he spent =A3100k he would get better job.
>That's the bigger problem...

Theres one guarantee though Nik if you pay the price of  a "Mini"
you
definetly wont be getting a "Rolls Royce"

Having worked in the building industry here in Australia i have to agree
with Dean....

Frank Mc


----- Original Message -----
From: "Nikola Kasic" <nikola@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 3:25 AM
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight


Yes,
but who guarantees that if he spent =A3100k he would get better job.
That's the bigger problem...
He used the logic that if it doesn't go well, at least he didn't pay
much. And could order two roofs (=A380k) to be safe :-)
When you don't have other criteria to compare the builders, then you use
price.
But he should check their anyway, or write a tight contract because the
colateral damage (delays etc.) cost him almost more then a saving.
Cheers,
Nik


-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Barrett [mailto:dean@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 13 March 2003 08:23
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight


Unfortunately he fell in to the same trap that much of the construction
industry does - he wanted it on the cheap !!

I've spent the last 20 years in the construction industry on an almost
daily
basis negotiating contract prices. Time and time again developers will
commit themselves to the cheapest price with no concern of the
concequences.
His roof started at100k+ and after 23 companies he got it down to 40+,
where
does he think the other 60k was ?? - was it perhaps that the glue was
going
to be better first time ?? - better fitment etc.

I'm sure the joinery shop was good, but at the end of the day you gets
what
you pay for. It still suprises me how often we hear that the contractor
that
won a job submitted a price only equal to our equipment cost prices...
We do
electrical/data etc. to  2000 houses a year and I doubt there are many 1
man
band working out the back of their van that buy better than we do !!

At the end of the day he was a fool to himself - the industry is already
full of people that think they can bargain and knock down prices and
still
get a good job :(

** Sorry - rant mode off now **



Dean.
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Mouser [mailto:rmouser@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 13 March 2003 07:33
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight


LOL!

Strange guy but hey, brave.
Some of the things he said did ring very true about the building
industry. We've got over 120 staff working in the building industry
and
our business is rectifying their mistakes. His comment:

"the building industry is an open air asylum"

is a fair summary!


Many thanks

Rob Mouser
rmouser@xxxxxxx
rob@xxxxxxx


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin [mailto:ukha@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 12 March 2003 22:06
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight
>
>
> 'Ones' made a Grand Cock up
>
> Pitty we didnt see a finished job but not surprising considering
>
>
> Cheers
> Martin
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phil Harris [mailto:phil@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 12 March 2003 21:44
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Grand Designs tonight
>
>
>
> > PS. What is a  hay ho?
>
> A hooker in a straw shed?
>
> Phil
>
>
> http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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