Help please.....

[sythai]

Evening Chaps....

Got a bit of a situation not sure the best way to deal with this as of yet.

Site meeting tomorrow to see whats what and whether I'm happy to proceed.

What it is, I've been put in touch with a potential customer that is currently having a 'huge' property built from scratch.

Their current electrical contractor has been booted off site (not sure the reasons as of yet) and first fix has been completed.

They want me to carry on where they have left off.

Normally I wouldn't entertain something like this, but this is quite a special job and potentially a lot of ££ to be made.

I'm thinking the only way would be for me to spend however long it takes (couple of days maybe?) carrying out a full visual survey and testing it all out to see that I'm happy, before I proceed to submit my price.

But when I come to fill out my EIC at the end would I have any issues, would I need to note it was first fixed by another contractor ?
Wonder what the NICEIC's thoughts on this are ?
Any extra clauses I could put on my estimate to cover myself ?

Thanks for your time,

Sy

 

[Richard Burns]

This is potential mine field and you would need to cover yourself, however if the cable runs are all available for inspection and you can do a proper survey and remove anything that you are not happy with and redo it at their cost, even if it is just because you cannot see the run, then I think​ I would probably consider it.
Terms and conditions in estimates rarely come off and if you were to sign off for the installation at the end then they would be null and void if there was a problem with the original install.
Would you be able to get the previous company to sign off design and installation to first fix (very unlikely).

 

[dean.diy]

Or just a chat with the previous company.

 

[needasparks]

Or just a chat with the previous company.

As above, how do you know it was not the sparks walking off through no payment or other issues you have not been made aware of.
May be good for a call before you commit to a quote.

 

[sythai]

Think we'll see how tomorrow goes and like you say would be good to see if I can get hold of the other contractor.....

Just wondered if anyone else might have been faced with this scenario before and gone through with it?

Many Thanks,

Sy

 

[Richard]

Would be interesting to know why they're not back. Presumably they're workmanship was acceptable seen as they finished it. Do you know any of the other contractors on the job? Are there downlight plans, other info ect that the other company might have as a trump card that could cause you problems?

 

[sythai]

Would be interesting to know why they're not back. Presumably they're workmanship was acceptable seen as they finished it. Do you know any of the other contractors on the job? Are there downlight plans, other info ect that the other company might have as a trump card that could cause you problems?

Reason I've been offered this job is a colleague of mine that I do a lot of work for has got the contract for kitchen and utility fit out. Seeing him tomorrow first thing anyhow so will get a more in depth update from him beforehand, he did mention the client was getting fed up of various trades not pulling their
finger out, he's also booted off the window firm.

 

[telectrix]

getting fed up of various trades not pulling there finger out, he's also booted off the window firm.



this could possibly suggest an awkward customer. 2 trades getting binned doesn't look good.

​

 

[rsp84]

Weve been a job like that for an interior designer on his own house for renovation. He had got rid of 2 builders, a chippy and a spark. We were the only two heating guys who stayed for the whole 18months of ****ing round, had to move the boiler 3 times before he accepted the location(all his choices). He had his "own" guys do the underfloor heating circuit downstairs then asked us to sort it out when it didnt work, we declined on that part, told him to drag his crew back.

 

[needasparks]

I trust my nose with these and if it smells, watch where you stand. All sounds a tad strange for trades to not be up to speed in this market so tread carefully and do your homework.

 

[sythai]

Well went to have a look this morning just out of curiosity if anything, think I'd already made up my mind beforehand.....

First question I asked was what had happened to the other contractor - fallen out over money and 'they' had walked off site. Apparently they were trying to sting him for a load of extras.

Good luck if he can find anyone to carry the job on / best and only option I think is for him to try and patch things up and get the original contractor back, or rip it all out and start again!

Definitely not your standard property - 5000 sq foot, 3 storey place with concrete floors & ceilings, glass curved walls, not a floor board /chip board anywhere to be seen, no loft and half of it skimmed already.

 

[dagrat]

Does sound a dodgy customer. Although another option might have been to include stringent T&amp;Cs that include a specific interim payments, that way if it goes pear shaped you shouldn't be out of pocket. I've found in the past that these characters start hiring and firing only when they owe money!!<br>However sometimes, even then the hassle is just not worth it.

 

[dpiers1980]

why not visual inspect first fix make sure it's all up to scratch and everything is ok and not mention anything at all just carry on as normal and say A. you ripped it out and did it again? or B. Nothing Why mention anything at all and make more paperwork for yourself