I contacted 3 builders to quote for a garage conversion... they turn up but never get back to me with a quote.
I ended up having to call loads more builders and spend more days off waiting for them to turn up, to eventually get just 3 quotes.
According to online guides, small single garage conversions should be around £2000 - £8000 max.
One guy quoted £4500, didn't seem to know anything, couldn't speak english or understand what I meant by damp-proofing, and omitted to include anything I told him to in the quote (radiators, damp proof course etc.). When I reminded him of it all, he replied "damp-proof course is very important that is why I raised the issue with you"
Another building company that seemed *good* assured me they'd get back to me with their quote... but after chasing for 2 months for their quote and not heard back, I've given up. Then yesterday they emailed me saying they want to send another builder out to me to quote, when I'd already been over all the details with their first 2 builders for over an hour.
One builder seemed really good, I was set on going with him, he said it'd cost no more than £7000, but then 2 weeks later emailed me a quote for £16,000 ! - That's for a small single garage conversion into an empty room with no decorating (!)
From my experience, none of them ever turn up on time or provide quotes when they say they're going to, or stick to their word, or provide good quality workmanship. We're not talking about the 5% cowboys, I'm talking about literally all tradespeople we come into contact with.
I must have had to take 3 days off to call around 40 people for various jobs and still almost all of these jobs haven't been done. And the ones that are done, are atrocious in quality.
It's exhausting. How is anyone meant to get anything done in their lives with tradespeople behaving this way?!
I ended up having to call loads more builders and spend more days off waiting for them to turn up, to eventually get just 3 quotes.
According to online guides, small single garage conversions should be around £2000 - £8000 max.
One guy quoted £4500, didn't seem to know anything, couldn't speak english or understand what I meant by damp-proofing, and omitted to include anything I told him to in the quote (radiators, damp proof course etc.). When I reminded him of it all, he replied "damp-proof course is very important that is why I raised the issue with you"
Another building company that seemed *good* assured me they'd get back to me with their quote... but after chasing for 2 months for their quote and not heard back, I've given up. Then yesterday they emailed me saying they want to send another builder out to me to quote, when I'd already been over all the details with their first 2 builders for over an hour.
One builder seemed really good, I was set on going with him, he said it'd cost no more than £7000, but then 2 weeks later emailed me a quote for £16,000 ! - That's for a small single garage conversion into an empty room with no decorating (!)
From my experience, none of them ever turn up on time or provide quotes when they say they're going to, or stick to their word, or provide good quality workmanship. We're not talking about the 5% cowboys, I'm talking about literally all tradespeople we come into contact with.
I must have had to take 3 days off to call around 40 people for various jobs and still almost all of these jobs haven't been done. And the ones that are done, are atrocious in quality.
It's exhausting. How is anyone meant to get anything done in their lives with tradespeople behaving this way?!
