House repairs

[vickster]

No need for anyone to come near my house to fix fence, end terrace, side and rear access. Needs to be done for security reasons (got damaged in Feb storms)

 

[The Brewer]

Its just so difficult to find a builders merchant open at the moment. I'd never usually buy from B&Q, but they're opening today and hoping to grab some cement for a garden patio.

 

[screenman]

Folk chime on about builders, and in the next breath complain about the “bloody cyclists” brigade.
I’m sure there are a few useless IT consultants or dodgy Strategic Delivery Programme Consultants, or whatever.
Very lazy.
My suppliers are closed. I can’t work. Wind your necks in and wait till it’s over. There will be plenty of good tradesmen when Normal returns.

I am sure you are correct, but roofer in this area are great at coming here to get thier dents and screens fixed quickly and sometimes for free, however they are not so good at doing what they say they will which is come fix my roof. I have never questioned a quote and expect to pay for the job.

 

[cyberknight]

Just before lockdown we decided to not move as everything we saw in our price was going to be smaller so we thought we would get a bit more on the mortgage and get a downstairs loo and the roof sorted , now i darent go and see the bank as im furloughed and with social distancing i doubt anyone would do the work even if they had the supplies.

 

[MarkF]

Glad I sold my business, I'd had enough of dishonest (Can't you lose the vat?), unreliable, cheapskate and downright crooked householders.

 

[screenman]

The old saying, business would be great if you did not have to have customers. I think I just have a thing about unreliability, one of the things I teach here when helping a new business set up is never make a promise you cannot or do not want to keep, if you are going to be late phone before not after.

 

[Alex H]

Its just so difficult to find a builders merchant open at the moment. I'd never usually buy from B&Q, but they're opening today and hoping to grab some cement for a garden patio.

MKM are open at all their branches, but for account holders only (so that'll be builders, roofers etc? @Yellow Fang)

 

[carlosfandangus]

Construction has opened up here this week as long as social distancing is complied with, the builders merchants and associated business are open too, local builders have quite a lot of customers waiting and it is a slow start, as said upthread, people have to wait even more now

 

[derrick]

No problem getting all the gear i have needed, ie Plaster boards, plaster, sand bricks, timber, screws You just have to queue for it. have not tried to get roofing tiles though.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Buildbase have commenced a re-opening strategy from today, a list of sites and their re-opening dates can be found HERE.

I understand though they will only be open for click and collect and telephone orders for delivery.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I manged to get my leaking boiler fixed yesterday. The gas fitter is an ex neighbour and is still doing emergencies without charging a fortune. £210 for a new expansion thingy in the boiler itself and a programmable room thermostat which he recommended we fit. That wasn't just for me, he has a reputation of being very fair to customers.

All through the books too as he wanted payment by bank transfer.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Why did he bother answering his flipping phone then? Why did he bother coming out to see the job? He'd be working on the roof, it's not exactly crowded up there.

I had similar here.

Guy was supposed to come and clean our roof of moss, clean gutters and repaint the chimney stack.

He didn't turn up so I phoned him and said I was doing it myself (I'm now halfway-ish through) and he was really upset - said I was depriving him of business.

Like your roofer - he wouldn't have been anywhere near us and could've got on with the job. We've a detached property with decent gardens in a small village so it's not like he would be at risk.

In a similar vein I have a (what loosely could be called a friend) builder that I use occasionally. Father & son duo and live at the same address. They were supposed to be coming to do some work on the garden walls a couple of weeks back but he phoned and said (almost gleefully) that they were taking a Government paid holiday and would fit us in when they returned to work. I've cancelled that too and a guy in the village is, as I type, doing it instead. He's not been within 10 metres of us two all day.

I also have a friend who is a somewhat upscale builder (high-end properties and conversions) and he is really trying to keep the wheels on the bus so to speak. Subbies are his problem - they don't want to work right now despite the fact that on the several projects that he is working on at the moment it is very easy to keep to the distancing guidelines. All materials are available and he can plan for one sub' to work on each property for as many days as required in total isolation. He has told me that he wont forget and when they want work in the future, as they often do, they will get short shrift.

 

[vickster]

No need for anyone to come near my house to fix fence, end terrace, side and rear access. Needs to be done for security reasons (got damaged in Feb storms)

My fence was done yesterday, good job done by selected company Now very stable and secure (I do need to get a padlock or two though)

 

[Yellow Fang]

Why did he bother answering his flipping phone then? Why did he bother coming out to see the job? He'd be working on the roof, it's not exactly crowded up there.

To be fair, he did ring back about a week after I posted this, and he did the job.