Payment Terms Builders

[MW Smith Ceramics]

Hello fellow fixers!.......

So just interested to hear back on this one......what sort of payment terms do you work on with your existing builders and would a new builder be any different you hadn't worked for in the past??.......good to get some advice from all you pros out there

Cheers

Mark

 

[Andy Allen]

I would want it on completion.
If not ...minimum of 7 days.
But be warned most take the pxss and you will be lucky to see it this century !!

 

[MW Smith Ceramics]

I'm exactly the same as that now Andy, upon completion or 7 days now or I don't bother.....- ( gotta keep that cash flow going )

 

[MW Smith Ceramics]

I'm the same with the smaller builders too, if they expect me to wait then until they get paid then I don't bother.....if they don't have the funds upfront then that worries me........

And for that reason Andy I'm afraid to say.....'IM OUT!'

 

[One Day]

i wont work for builders - period.
if they want to recommend me to their client then it's materials cost in advance from the client and a signed quotation before starting work.

 

[MW Smith Ceramics]

Mmmmm, a signed quotations a good idea if ever you had problem with payment or anything else......are clients always happy to pay for material upfront as I've never done that ??......

 

[Flintstone]

I work for a couple of builders who pay up straight away but I have had bad builders, waited 6 weeks to get paid from one once. One made me wait 4 weeks then made up some rubbish to knock me a few quid. Some are total arse holes, some are ok. Probably best to talk about the money situation before doing the first job. It normally works on trust for me.

 

[Italy]

ooo weeks ???
then you lucky !!!
me talking months or years ...
not anymore, I select.
still have a builder who pays me one once a year.
(Small amounts).
but I always doubling the total.
him happy, I happy (is crazy)

 

[Andy Allen]

I have a few "trusted" builders that pay within a few days.
TBH any new builders get interrogated MI5 style. ...anything sounds the slightest bit iffy. ..then they can find someone else.

 

[MW Smith Ceramics]

Y

I have a few "trusted" builders that pay within a few days.
TBH any new builders get interrogated MI5 style. ...anything sounds the slightest bit iffy. ..then they can find someone else.

yes this is the issue , I'm meeting a new builder on Monday they got a couple of big jobs coming up but yes I'm going M16 on them.....you just don't know who your dealing with, there are so many crooks in this game

 

[MW Smith Ceramics]

ooo weeks ???
then you lucky !!!
me talking months or years ...
not anymore, I select.
still have a builder who pays me one once a year.
(Small amounts).
but I always doubling the total.
him happy, I happy (is crazy)

Months!....years Antonio!....oh man !....no way I'd be pulling my hair out!....( well what's left of it anyway! ).......Antonio that sounds crazy, you must have a few bob put away to wait that long!!!

 

[Ian]

7 days is on all my invoices. I'm fortunate that 90% of my work is for the same 3 contacts so payment issues are quite a rarity for me.

 

[Italy]

I have a few "trusted" builders that pay within a few days.
TBH any new builders get interrogated MI5 style. ...anything sounds the slightest bit iffy. ..then they can find someone else.

Months!....years Antonio!....oh man !....no way I'd be pulling my hair out!....( well what's left of it anyway! ).......Antonio that sounds crazy, you must have a few bob put away to wait that long!!!

in fact, it eliminated almost everyone ...
I think I'm tiler. no bank

 

[Flintstone]

I've been shafted before for around £1700 from a kitchen/bathroom outfit. They got paid, shut shop and did one!

 

[peteablard]

I only work for 4 builders and one of those gets us to invoice the client direct. They've kept me busy for about 3 years now so I'm very fortunate that I don't have to take risks with new ones. Been there, done that and have been shafted for a lot of money in the past. I trust the ones I work for now 100% and nearly always get paid within 7-10 days.

 

[Just Rizzle]

if your worried about them do a check on the internet if there a limited company then you can check there accounts on line if there accounts are iffy walk away.
when I do any job I tell the client my quote is the price for payment with in 10 days of invoice. my invoice shows the price of the job say for £2000 my discount on the job is £500 so payment is £1500 which is the discounted price I quoted the client
my T&C is payment within 10 days to receive the discount,if payment not received in 10 days( I usually state a date so no arguments, so an invoice to day would say by 14 march 2016). then the full amount will become due,
£2000.I USUALLY RING THE CLIENT ON THE 8TH DAY after invoicing to remind them of the discount last year I had no late payers . it also stops them using u as a free money lender

 

[Just Rizzle]

I only work for 4 builders and one of those gets us to invoice the client direct. They've kept me busy for about 3 years now so I'm very fortunate that I don't have to take risks with new ones. Been there, done that and have been shafted for a lot of money in the past. I trust the ones I work for now 100% and nearly always get paid within 7-10 days.

I trusted a builder I worked for for over 12 years I got shafted for over £12,ooo when he crashed in 2009

 

[One Day]

I have a very low opinion of builders personally. Anyone else have the same? I've met some fantastic joiners, plumbers, plasterers, brickies... But builders seem to suffer from delusions of grandeur.

 

[peteablard]

I trusted a builder I worked for for over 12 years I got shafted for over £12,ooo when he crashed in 2009

I got done by a firm for £13.5k 2 years ago, had 6 subbies on the go at the time so price escalated very quickly before I knew something was wrong. I'm back working on my own now and invoice work done and materials purchased every week so it doesn't get out of hand.

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

Y

yes this is the issue , I'm meeting a new builder on Monday they got a couple of big jobs coming up but yes I'm going M16 on them.....you just don't know who your dealing with, there are so many crooks in this game

one question only needs to be asked can you give the contact details of your last 3 tilers please if there head is moving to the right again and again while they look down when they are talking to you walk away .ask your wife to lie to you again and again no mater what you ask .look and watch nobody can hide a lie you just need to now how to see it

 

[Italy]

nobody do barters?
I have also done.
I was lucky, a few months later failures.
1 bartered 100 bags adhesive Keraflex Maxi + various articles.
for payment of € 2,000 invoice after one year.
1 bartered grooving machine new, for payment of € 400 bill.
last 8 tires for account of of 700 €. ahahhah

 

[One Day]

nobody do barters?
I have also done.
I was lucky, a few months later failures.
1 bartered 100 bags adhesive Keraflex Maxi + various articles.
for payment of € 2,000 invoice after one year.
1 bartered grooving machine new, for payment of € 400 bill.
last 8 tires for account of of 700 €. ahahhah

hmrc (tax man) doesn't like when we do trades. They can't really tax it properly. Trades like those are called 'benefit in kind' and we are supposed to declare them in our tax returns.

 

[Italy]

hmrc (tax man) doesn't like when we do trades. They can't really tax it properly. Trades like those are called 'benefit in kind' and we are supposed to declare them in our tax returns.

you say that it was better to lose money?

 

[Italy]

you say that it was better to lose money?

I have paid taxes on the invoices that I made them.
indeed, I still be a debtor. ( By law)

 

[aytiling]

I don't work for builders. Had to take too many of them to court to get paid in the past.

 

[hmtiling]

Just started a big one for a new building firm. Was really worried at first and had a payment plan agreed befroe starting work which was a draw paid every friday and balance on day of completion. They've stuck to the payments even though i was a week late to start and as things stand i owe them money.

 

[bcd-87]

I have a very low opinion of builders personally. Anyone else have the same? I've met some fantastic joiners, plumbers, plasterers, brickies... But builders seem to suffer from delusions of grandeur.

I stopped working for builders last year and it's been stress free ever since.. I do a job I get paid and move on.. No BS no waiting for money

there all james blunts

 

[bcd-87]

I don't work for builders. Had to take too many of them to court to get paid in the past.

That's crazy, what happens when you take them to court ? Do they fight back ?

 

[aytiling]

That's crazy, what happens when you take them to court ? Do they fight back ?

Some pay up a few days before the hearing, some try the adjournment ploy to get you to give up. Some downright lie to your face in front of a district judge.
Thing is that judges have seen it all before and are very fair. They see through the flannel. I've only lost one case in probably 10 times I've had to take a builder to court.

 

[bcd-87]

Some pay up a few days before the hearing, some try the adjournment ploy to get you to give up. Some downright lie to your face in front of a district judge.
Thing is that judges have seen it all before and are very fair. They see through the flannel. I've only lost one case in probably 10 times I've had to take a builder to court.

Legend, fair play