Need help which contractor to go with

[JLeague]

So on a house rewire I have finally got back the three quotes and they are all pretty much in the same ballpark but there are some differences which may be significant or not. The main differences were.

Quote1 - Fit 10 way Crabtree Unit, schneider sockets, 4 Aico smoke alarms, - will not fit metal socket fronts supplied by me as he said 1) cannot guarantee their quality and b) they fail more often. Job will take 7 days.

Quote 2 - 12 way High Integrity Wylex unit, MK sockets, will fit metal sockets - BG are ok. 4 FireAngel smoke alarms. Job will take 5 days.

Quote 3 - Hager 10 way (can opt for RCBO). 4 smoke alarms (no mention of brand) I can supply the socket fronts. Job will take 3-4 days.

After the quotes I asked each one about adding network cables, their responses were as follows.

Quote 1 - will not fit cabling as it requires certification.

Quote 2 - Has not done a network cable install but can do.

Quote 3 - No issues with doing network install.

Now the final point is that all will provide certificates of completion but quote 1 said he will provide 2 certificates one for smoke alarms and the other for the rest of the work.

I like bits of all the quotes but I am finding it hard who to go with.

 

[bill01803]

I think I would look elsewhere for quotes explaining exactly what you want

 

[Dustydazzler]

You are missing a key bit of information....

the price

 

[James]

Firstly, congratulations on making best endeavours to get this done correctly.

You are doing all the right things to avoid the pitfalls many fall in to.

Get several quotes from professional contractors
Actually read quotes and compare on details, not just cost
Get advise from independent people who understand the topic

I am not keen on contractor 1, seems a bit inflexible and wants to do it his way or not at all.
Sometimes this can lead to conflict as the job progresses, often regarding the positioning of accessories etc.

As to fitting your own supplied sockets etc, I think his attitude seems stubborn and unwilling to provide the finished job that you envisioned.
As said before, as long as it meets the relevant standards then in my opinion, it should be fitted if requested.
(As with any device purchased by the end customer themselves, the warranty lies with the person that supplied it. Not the person who installed it, providing it was installed correctly)

Number 2
Just a little concerned about the comment,
Not done network install before but can do.

Although not dangerous normally if not done correctly, if you are paying someone to install networking, you expect to have someone who has experience and knowledge required to do the job correctly.

I like the “can do” attitude of number 3

Seems to want to do the job you requested, rather than provide the job that he would like to do.

The next steps you should be thinking of are

Email preferred contractor,
If not already detailed on the quote
Specifying quantities of switches and sockets required in each room
Specifying type and quantities of lights in each room

Ensure that you agree on the heights and position of sockets, switches, distribution board etc.

Suggesting a reasonable time frame for the job to start and finish within.

Ensure that payment terms are detailed correctly

Being a short job. Days, not weeks. I would not expect any staggered payments etc.

Money up front for materials etc, would be a big NO WAY, whatever the Back story or excuse was.
Personally, I won’t pay anything until presented with an invoice detailing what I am paying.

I expect there standard payment terms for that type of job are
TOTAL INVOICE DUE ON COMPLETION

If you have never dealt with them before, I would consider agreeing with them 90% on completion, final 10% on supply of all relevant certificates.

 

[Taylortwocities]

^^^What he said^^^^

…and don’t forget to check that your selected contractor really is a registered with one of the COMPETENT PERSON SCHEMES. Check if they are listed here:
www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk

 

[James]

^^^What he said^^^^

…and don’t forget to check that your selected contractor really is a registered with one of the COMPETENT PERSON SCHEMES. Check if they are listed here:
www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk

Dam, forgot that bit, it is really important.
Well spotted Taylor

 

[Dustydazzler]

I dont do many full rewires anymore , But for most part I always asked for 10% upfront and 90% on completion...
never had any issues with this method of payment.

for board changes and smaller jobs it’s just money at the end of the job
[automerge]1595144205[/automerge]
I always struggled quoting on rewires to get the price right and often left myself short because I didn’t allow enough time for getting all the chasing done / lifting floors etc...
hence I don’t do many anymore , far to labour intensive

 

[James]

We could have an entire thread debating payment terms.

It is a tricky one to balance the protection of the customer against being scammed by someone
and the protection of the contractor against being fleeced by a customer.

A balance might be 10% on delivery of materials to site.

Above all, TERMS MUST BE AGREED BEFORE WORK STARTS.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Quote1 - Fit 10 way Crabtree Unit, schneider sockets, 4 Aico smoke alarms, - will not fit metal socket fronts supplied by me as he said 1) cannot guarantee their quality and b) they fail more often. Job will take 7 days.

Quote 2 - 12 way High Integrity Wylex unit, MK sockets, will fit metal sockets - BG are ok. 4 FireAngel smoke alarms. Job will take 5 days.

Quote 3 - Hager 10 way (can opt for RCBO). 4 smoke alarms (no mention of brand) I can supply the socket fronts. Job will take 3-4 days.

so now you got the quotes, days taken to do it, they seemed rather short in my apinion. Quote 2& 3 must be a firms and quote 1 must be working on his own.
I would love to be a a fly on the wall before and end of the job. who ever you pick Moving granny around the building.

 

[James]

Link To poll about payment terms.

Payment terms

What are your preferred payment terms? This is really aimed at people who’re are supplying home owners, not Comercial contracts.

www.electriciansforums.net

 

[Vortigern]

I always ask for a 25% deposit in the contract, this is signed by both parties and work does not commence until the deposit is paid. This is to cover "materials on site" which is a standard contract clause.

 

[pc1966]

Totally agree with the above comments that you have to have a written agreement (even if some is just an email trail) covering:

• What is to be done in reasonable details (as said above: number of sockets, lights, etc, and thier placements, type of board and options fitted such as SPD+all RCBO+spare slots)
• Who is responsible for any redecorating aspects (not normally an electrician's task, but as there will be some impact it is important this is covered to avoid later arguments)
• Warranty terms (especially to separate any customer-supplied items from contractor-supplied)
• Payment details such as total price and schedule

For a big job it is reasonable to ask for a deposit up front, but that should be small like 10-25% and followed very quickly by the job starting.

Final payment should be on delivery of the installation documents / certificates / Part P notification when it is all in and working.

 

[JLeague]

You are missing a key bit of information....

the price

They were all within the same ballpark - listing the price adds nothing other than too many people fetish over a number. I can understand your point but I don't think its relevant. No one over the net can say what is the correct price as they haven't seen the job. The most you can say is cost of materials.
[automerge]1595160628[/automerge]

Suggest you have a contract from who ever you choose. This should list all the work agreed and location of accessories such as sockets. You need to clarify items such as carpets and relaying them where removed. Rubbish removal off site. Plastering, who is going to do the making good for chases etc. The contract should mention these matters and the price and time scale. You should also see a complaints procedure if things go wrong. You should have site of their credentials such as competent person scheme, insurance details and clarify building control procedure.
Number 1 sounds a little deficient in that he will not fit the items you want. He is not sure about network cabling, and is not clear with you that he does not understand it and requirements. It would have been better for him to say it is not in his skill set rather than say certification is needed. Five days is about right assuming you don't run into problems. It is rare for a job to go perfectly as planned. If the house is occupied then maybe a couple more days.
You should have been offered the chance to fit surge protection devices, also Arc Fault detection devices. I agree with the above in that RCBO are the way to go. Dual RCD boards are so yesterday!

Thank you for this. I totally forgot about making good- wasn't discussed - you raise some really important points - that I will endeavour to tell anyone else who is getting work done.
[automerge]1595160758[/automerge]

 

[JLeague]

Just to add to this. One issue was the location of the bathroom switch.

Now Quote 1 said pull cord only in bathroom - no switch outside bathroom because you can still use it with wet hands - thats why you only fit pull cords in bathrooms. Quote 2 & 3 said can have switch outside the bathroom - its still within regulations.

 

[ipf]

Just to add to this. One issue was the location of the bathroom switch.

Now Quote 1 said pull cord only in bathroom - no switch outside bathroom because you can still use it with wet hands - thats why you only fit pull cords in bathrooms. Quote 2 & 3 said can have switch outside the bathroom - its still within regulations.

Of course it's within regs. Those having showers or baths in the dark should have white sticks and won't need a light anyway. He's talking tripe. 'Wet hand switch reaching'?....
The only problem with an external switch is someone knocking the light off whilst you're in the middle of 'something'.

 

[Andy78]

Just to add to this. One issue was the location of the bathroom switch.

Now Quote 1 said pull cord only in bathroom - no switch outside bathroom because you can still use it with wet hands - thats why you only fit pull cords in bathrooms. Quote 2 & 3 said can have switch outside the bathroom - its still within regulations.

You can, according to regulations, have a wall switch inside or outside the bathroom. If inside the bathroom it needs to be outside zones.
Different electricians will have their own conventions and practices though.