Dealing with the big boys!

[Rick2517]

Was approached out of the blue by a suited guy in a new jag if i would be interested in felling and clearing 9 mature oaks on one of their most recent building sites in mid norfolk whilst we were taking a tree down for a home owner in a newly occupied part of another of their developments.

Having got tangled up with big developers in the past,i sidestepped his invitatation and hope that the poor fellows who do jump in and do it, get paid in a year or two for at least some of the work they do.

 

I just don't get it, why do they do it? Surely is it not only beneficial to them but allot easyer to just play ball and "be nice" I understand that they need to do business in a slightly different way but why be so hard faced and aggressive about it? I tried to explain this to our contact in the company, whilst he was making his demands of "you will do this for us and you will do it now" I said "just stop a minute and understand something, I bend over backwards for customers every day, but I do this because it makes me feel good about myself for helping people and providing a great service. How do you think you're attitude and way of doing business makes me feel about bending over backwards for you??

His reply was "this is how it works in the construction industry".

Well if that's true (and it seams it is) then give me a pain in the arse conifer hedge to reduce for mrs smith any day

[Stihl Unknown]

Ha, sand lube

 

Sounds daunting, Ive done a few quotes that where for a weeks worth of work and its nuts how sometimes you get caught out by the volume of work the disposal or large amounts of ringing up.

 

I would be concerned about the deduction on the pay when it was blatantly their fault you couldn't get in for stump grinding. Though the asbestos thing may catch you out if its in the contract small print. All in all its a load of old bollocks and thank you for raising awareness. Ill be on my toes if I quote for a construction company or any big firm at that.

[Gary Prentice]

Not every firm is the same though. We did a site for one of the top five construction firms a year or two ago. The project manager was asking for the invoice as we finished up. As we normally mail invoices, I was surprised to be told that if I'd brought one on the day we could have been paid then and there - in cash (incl vat).

 

I called back with an invoice that day and got paid. I've got a slightly bigger job in the pipeline, see if thats the same.

[Mortimer Firewood]

Not every firm is the same though. We did a site for one of the top five construction firms a year or two ago. The project manager was asking for the invoice as we finished up. As we normally mail invoices, I was surprised to be told that if I'd brought one on the day we could have been paid then and there - in cash (incl vat).

 

I called back with an invoice that day and got paid. I've got a slightly bigger job in the pipeline, see if thats the same.

 

Wow that's a first.

[combined tree services]

Not all of the large construction firms are nightmares to deal with , I have found it to be fairly strait forward to deal with them if you make your payment terms clear from the beginning and have a paper trail that clearly defines what you have quoted for and the exact scope of the works that are being carried out within your quotation , if there are extras then again confirm this with a email whilst on site and ensure that it is made clear that it will be added to the original quotation and that the same terms apply - if you don't get an email accepting that then no extra works are carried out .

 

I have actually had more trouble workng for the bigger companies within our own industry , infact one significant national company down here in cornwall was actually that poor at paying that we looked into " factoring" or the invoice loan system that banks offer , sadly lloyds refused as they knew how poor that company was at paying and didn't want to take the chance of not getting paid . It really is sad when there is no respect for the smaller firms in the same trade and even more so when the smaller firms are keeping the contract alive .

[Tom D]

We d loads of work for builders and developers, as well as big construction firms, they all take ages to pay, its just the way the industry works. If you are prepared for it and have sufficient cash flow then its a nice way to work. You just need to make sure that you can afford to work for a few months without the money.

 

We are constantly owed a big chunk, right now its about £35k 2 months ago it was £80k, its never normally less than 20k, once you get used to it its fine.

[Mark Bolam]

As long as no one bumps you Tom!

 

Did a couple of days for a Civils firm last week at short notice.

Emailed them an invoice on Monday and it was in my account Tuesday.

 

Nice.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[Tom D]

The only way you get bumped is if they go bust, otherwise you'll get paid in the end. Well I always have. There was one small building firm who took 2 years to pay but it was only 2 grand and we still got it in the end. I have more trouble with domestics not paying than commercial.

[hamdogg]

The only way you get bumped is if they go bust, otherwise you'll get paid in the end. Well I always have. There was one small building firm who took 2 years to pay but it was only 2 grand and we still got it in the end. I have more trouble with domestics not paying than commercial.

 

 

I've never had trouble with domestics! I won't go near big construction firms! Who can wait 2 years for two grand!?

[Paul Jenks]

https://www.lovetts.co.uk/knowledge/Claiming-Late-Payment-Interest-and-Compensation.aspx