Owning your own home

I'm only reading documents. People die if I don't do it, and I ain't doing that shit out of hours in my own time and wallet.

People need compensation for their time or >>>DIY thread
Otherwise it's slaves and kids doing chores.

Seems a little over screwfix prices -but it depends where they’ve got it from. I’ve found that screw fix often has stuff for similar or cheaper on certain items but the quality is absolutely laughable. The PVC conduit and accessories I buy from wholesalers are noticeably thicker and better made. There’s also the issue that screw fix doesn’t actually hold a lot of stock compared to an electrical wholesaler. Which either means waiting or visiting multiple stores. Unless it was an arm and a leg difference I’d always try and buy from a wholesaler as the whole thing was just easier in the long term and the quality always superior. Check against CEF for prices too ;)

The way to think about it is how long would you spend figuring out everything that's needed and ordering it vs the saving and how do you value your time?

Our kitchen just done, we had 2 rads. One standard type 21 and a feature rad.

Quote agreed with the builder was supply 1 fit 2. There was a markup on Screwfix prices for the supply rad but then a Screwfix stelrad/kudox is different from a well made Myson premier. No idea what was supplied.

This is different from some copper pipe or cable though isn't it? As you say there are style implications etc but you'll often find they can order through their wholesaler and get better prices that you can RRP, even if they add on a "picking them up" charge you still pay less than you would have otherwise done.

Could be you are comparing Appleby to Deta though? What brands would be be supplying.

This is all getting staggeringly dull and hypothetical after some good entertainment value back up the thread. Shall we move on?

Needs must though as I dont have the time during the day to sit and price it. The other thing is that a lot of folk forget, you sometimes dont get the job so dont make any money from doing it but that's the way it works sometimes.

Possibly, and my ignorance as to which of those is supposed to be the good one is probably why its worth paying the premium for someone else to choose for me!

Depends what your budget is, panels are all much of a muchness although I do like the softline stelrads but they aint cheap. The days of cheap stuff even non branded are gone.

If it was fancy radiators the person wanted Id just tell them what they needed for the room and let them order them and take the hassle out it but only if I knew I was doing the job.

I done a job and the customer wanted these old style but new cast rads. The radiators all leaked at the joints as he supplied them it wasn't my problem(manufacturer replaced them all) and he had to pay me again to change them. That's one of the reasons I dont like supplying fancy stuff, if that happens and then your back spending a day fixing something that isn't your mess.

Trades will usually not pass on discounts but then they will often have that part/screw/fixing/pot of expensive sealer/stopper/filler to hand. they will get £ for the old copper cylinder and pipes too.

the flip side of this is getting the job done better/quicker than you could do it yourself.
i’m happy with them getting the materials mainly because I can then say i’m not dealing with the kerbside delivery or carrying tiles/flooring up 3 flights of stairs!

Also as a sole trader in a different area it’s often not about the money but the thinking behind the penny pinching and questioning, it totally changes your mindset about the job and how you approach it.

I don't charge extra or refuse to fit online bought parts, never have (bike shop).

HOWEVER. If the parts you brought in, because it was a banging deal on a non UK registered business has the wrong front mech type, cassette size or mismatched R/L crank arm lengths, then I'll still be charging for the time up until that customer mistake was realised. Because if I'd ordered it, I would have checked it was the right part for the job, thats why you make margin, to cover the grey areas between direct working on the job (hourly) and what it takes to actually get the job fixed.

The squabble over the past 5 pages highlights this quite bluntly, you aren't always in the customers house, hands on the tools, but you are getting the job done*

*Trades that piss me off are the ones that turn up at 8.00am, bang on, nice, then get a coffee, then a smoke, then at 8.30am (peak rush hour) realise they need to go to 7 different builders merchants for stuff for your job, their next job, and collect the misses argos' click + collects. At 11.45am they turn back up and get to work.
THIS IS OK. So long as I'm not being charged for those 3 hours of driving around when almost all of the items collected have nothing to do with me or my job.
Am happy to pay for their time to go and pickup stuff for my job though, not like its gonna get here on its own.

That’s it though isn’t it - if someone turns up with everything they (expect to) need for a small job, who cares if it says ‘materials’ on the invoice and what % is added.
If they’re not prepared and need to buy things during the ‘day’, then any saving should be passed on as the time is already accounted for.

*scans last few pages of thread to make mental list of good forum workfolk and potential customers to avoid like the plague.

Customers are the number one reason I prefer to hide in a workshop and let my boss filter out all that bullshit.

I only take on my own work for trusted friends these days, preferably on a barter. I don’t mind paying out for stuff myself if I’m getting an equal(to me, whether perceived or actual) service/thing in return.

Wealthy people be vultures, especially when kitchens are concerned 😅

That's not quite the same is it.

If I get my bike serviced at the bike shop, and the bloke says you need a new Chain and rear cog, he will presumably go over to the shop shelf and pick up the chain and the rear cog and I get charged the sticker price.

What he doesn't do is pick it up off the shelf, add 20pc for doing so, and then pass on the extra to me.

In this example, the bike shop isn't charging you COST PRICE, they are charging you their retail, which is cost price (the price they paid for the parts) plus their margin. And you're happy with that.

Why are you not happy for a builder to do the same thing?

happy to pay for their time to go and pickup stuff for my job though, not like its gonna get here on its own.

That's what couriers are for. It's idiotic for a £40/h tradesman to drive both ways when a £20/h van driver will only need paying one way.

Can we get back to my question about whether to take a loan or a mortgage out to get work done?
This “what I think is fair” got old last night.

So tradesman is sat around whilst arranging and waiting for the courier... who turns up with a wrong or damaged part

£40/h tradesman

Jesus, I'm really falling behind, inflation these days is mental!

Jesus, I'm really falling behind, inflation these days is mental!

You mean disinflation!! Plumbers around me seem to start at £90/hour.

That's just the ones that used to be bankers.

@chrisbmx116 is that “adding/borrowing” on your mortgage I.e taking equity out or an additional second mortgage?

I’ve never personally taken a home improvement loan but I feel like it would be weighing up the best deal and running with that.

I feel like it might seem simpler to borrow on your existing mortgage as it’s retained to a single lender but you might find a good rate for a loan.

Are credit cards not an option? I recall seeing that mentioned before.

I’m shit with money so don’t feel the need to pay any of the above any attention

Just had a chat with the wife over a bottle of M and S fizz, think we are going to do non mortgage loan as fuck having it hanging over us for 20 years and giving an extra 30k to the bank.

Thanks for chiming in though, better than the rest of the dead beats on here!

“better than the rest of the dead beats on here!”

that’s a mighty lure you have dangled there, i’m sure somebody will take a bite.
glad i did most of my kitchen on a 0% interest 5 year loan. inflation will take care of some it.

new place will have the bathroom, heating, windows and interior insulation funded at remortgage time (if we ever exchange which is another year long story of shithousery )

tradesman is sat around whilst arranging and waiting for the courier

Tradesman orders parts from supplier, supplier organises courier, tradesman gets on with other things, profit. Except in the case of a small repair job, it's unusual that the shortage of one part would leave the tradesman with nothing to do on site, but even then the likely proximity of the courier to the parts supplier means the part is usually on site sooner by using a courier, unless the warehouse which has the stock is very close to the job site.