Perhaps the managers of the site can consider something like that. It sometimes even helps to say to a defaulter that you are going to list him on the internet for whatever it is that he is defaulting on. So if it can be organised (say according to areas, etc.) it may be very useful. One can then add contractors that you have used and has given great service, but if someone else is not happy with the way they got treated, they can comment. Something like that....
Folks. It's all about honouring your workmanship and your level of accountability..
James! It is so, This is my aim as well as added value. I have a small but growing biz and at the moment I don't have huge cap. The prob. is that it only takes 1 con man along the line and I have lost a lot of biz simply cause soon as I ask for dep. I get told to piss off and "not a nother one!". To go get a loan to cover this is madness. The con man will give ref. of 10 bogus people and is the pot. cliens doing to phone NO or if so it is his brother sister ex.
i am considering writting a book on my 20 year experience in bussiness as a small contractor...and boy have i heard it all...from why payments have not been paid...to promises of bigger jobs if i just fix one or 2 things while doing the quote...to promises of bigger jobs if i do the little jobs at a good rate...to i will see you right on the next project because there was no profit on the one we just finished...man i have heard it all and learnt to move away from certain companies which drain me physically and mentally...i thought i would loose a lot of money...but in fact make more profit now for less time on site...and i get to see my family more.
let this be a warning to small contractors...those bigger contractors who you sub contract to dont drive 2 million rand cars and live in 5 million rand houses because they lost on the last project you did...it because they manage to con small contractors like us into doing the work for nothing or a t a rate well below what they are making
i will give you an exampe i use to do the entire contract for a company from the tender right to the commissioning...so i knew how much profit they were making...and the cheek of it would be that the owner of the company would still tell me he lost so much money on the project yet..one contract in particular we turned over just short of a million rand...my bill to him R25000 total...the profit on one of the panels that i installed was more than my total bill...so like i said just becareful of these big comapnies...some of them thrive on your hard work and time away from your family...and i talk from experience i have been given a second chance with my little one...no amount of money will keep me away from her...my older 2 are all grown up and i dont even know what their teachers names where...because i was working away for long periods of time making other people rich.
Last edited by murdock; 20-Jan-11 at 12:20 PM.
Retha (08-Feb-11)
I know nothing about building except where my mom got run in by a small contractor. He ran off with all her money and a job half done and she ended up having to take out an additional loan on her house to get the job completed using another company.
I agree with murdock and think he has a great idea going. Maybe you can get a lawyer that sets up a trust for each project and it will work on the same principal as when a child is a minor and money is kept in trust for them. The money is only released upon receipts submitted and then only for the amount on the receipt. The details of commission can be worked out with the lawyer. Then on the question on who will establish whether the work was done according to what was in the original quote..Isn't there a Master Builder Association that might buy into this idea and appoint someone specifically for this task? This could mean money and opportunities on both sides.
Also, the place to go and complain? Try hellopeter.com . Some stories you read there are horrific. I personally feel all companies should register there and handle their complaints in a public way. Imagine the government departments being registered on hellopeter.com........
Well, that is my two cents worth. I say GO FOR IT and good luck!
very good strategy
Without wanting to change the direction of the thread, I think another challenging form of 'small contractor' is the 'painter' 'tiler' 'builder' that you pick up at the paint or tile shop. He quote you a price and you accept. Say it should be three days work. At the end of the first day he wants to draw against the work he has already done. He will want a third of the contract money. He will point out that the work is done and you should pay him for it and he has expenses, etc. You say: 'No, what about you not coming back tomorrow!?' He says: 'I am leaving my tools here, so I must come back' You give him the money (if you don't, you will have a very unpleasant exchange!) So tomorrow he doesn't pitch. Next week he will come round to pick up his tools - and just try to stop him taking it!
I now tell them beforehand (and let them sign!) that he will only receive enough for bus/train fair at the end of the day. He must tell me how long it will take and I then allow another day or so (otherwise he can take ages, and still get the money out of you). He will then only get the balance when the job is finally done to expectations.
The problem is that if he just thinks that he is a tiler, you will have a problem with getting a decent job done!
why is there people i buzz and why is the chap standing at the door? If the man was trustworthy he will not be there and has nothing to loose, not even his name. He knows that the person has not got a contractor in and this person is looking at "saving" a couple of cents. This the person an easy target. This chap is a con. and smooth with the mouth. He makes his money not by doing a job but by conning the lady coming out the door and at quick glance sums it up and if you come out with tiles his a tiler and if you have paint he paints and if you got it all he can do it all.
His work is often not fin and gets to your home and checks this out to.
A week later you broken into. Use this chap and get what you pay for, cheep rip off and do the people in that has a name and something to loose.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
and 2 weeks later your premises are broken into...using registered contractors who pick up labour on the side of the road also create a safety hazard for you premises...been contracting for many years and noticed a trend....we have a quiet period with breakins...one neighbour in the pan handle has his thratch roof repaired within a short period of time one nieghbours house is broken into and the others vehicle is broken into.
Retha (08-Feb-11)
Yes, I have also noticed that trend. If there are building activities, etc. going on in the neigbourhood, the risk increases exponentially!
We buy at a tile place where they provide you with a tiler on their panel. You pay the tile place for the tiling when you buy the tiles and they provide you with a slip you must sign when the work is completed to your satisfaction and you must then give this to the tiler. He submits the slip and gets his money (with their commission deducted) from them. In the two instances where we have done it like this, we have had the best ever standard of tiling. The tilers complain about the lower rate they get, but it is still worth their while and there is very good control over them. They also work fast, which is a bonus.
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