What a Saving

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

I had a cold-call visitor from a roofing company saying that they would inspect my roof free of charge and check on its condition. He scampered up on the roof and came back with the suggestion that the ridge-cap needed replacing along with 7 panels. I was quoted over $4,300 for the repairs.

I contacted a plumber in the yellow pages and asked him to inspect the roof. He said it was in good condition with just a few minor repairs needed. I gave him the job and have just received his account, which is $187.00.

Well with a difference of over $4,000, I strongly recommend that more than one quote is obtained when anybody offers you a "Free" inspection of your roof.

[casstony]

The first guy was obviously a criminal. They probably score a hit every now and then from an unsuspecting housewife or elderly person. Some of these guys will offer to paint a roof for a cheap price; in the process they spray everything around the house too.

[Wavytone]

Manufacturing work that never needed doing in the first place.

A lot of car owners are fooled similarly, not just home owners.

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

I am on the executive committee of the body corporate for the apartment development where I live. About 15 years ago, body corp fees were going up and the maintenance services we were paying a lot for, were crap. The management company looked into the activities of that property manager, he did a runner.

We got rid of that management company and now have a new commercial manager that does all our accounting, billing, pays bill and submits annual returns for $5000 a year which works out at about $130 per apartment. The committee vet and handle all repair and maintenance contracts. If a service provider doesn't do the job we've hired them for, like our current cleaning contractor, they get the boot like our current cleaning contractor is about to get. They take money but don't turn up thinking nobody will notice.

This arrangement has worked out very well, our body corporates finances are very healthy and fees are stable and among the lowest in the ACT for any strata title.

A few years ago, we had roof leaks on the complex. The ridge capping was leaking and the whole lot really needed to be redone. First quote was quoted for 500 metres of ridge capping at ~ $156 per metre, $78000. When the quote came in, I laughed. The buildings only have a total of 120m of ridge cap. We eventually got it done for $6000 including replacement of rotting barge boards on some sections of the building.

Free quotes and assessments are never free. A friend of mine had a cold call of a "free financial check up and assessment." I told him not to buy the product they eventually sold him. 2 years later he got out and lost all the money he'd paid into it - many thousands of dollars. Would have got more back buying lotto tickets, which would have possibly returned a few cents in the dollar in minor division winnings if he'd blown the whole $5000 on lotto tickets.

There are a lot of trade contractors out there who do an honest days work and deserve to be well paid for it. But there are a lot of sheisters out there doing this sort of thing, underpaying their trades people or worse, using non-qualified people to do shoddy work, and over charging gullible customers for it.

Well done, Bob

Joe

[w0mbat (Ian)]

I recently purchased an investment property. Before the purchase I had the building inspected and he found water damage to a bathroom floor which would require a complete strip out of the bathroom and full renovation. I renegotiated the sale price and went ahead with the purchase.
I had a builder friend I trusted do the job.
The tenant told me it was five years since the bathroom had been last fully renovated.
My builder found that the people who had done the last bathroom renovation had used NO WATERPROOFING AT ALL.
In other words a job that would have cost around $10,000 was a complete rip off that was done with no interest in longevity.
I find it difficult to maintain any respect for the trades these days. Either shonky or ridiculously expensive. No wonder I try to do everything myself!
Ian

[Visionary (David)]

We are in the midst of renovations. I have been shocked to discover the costs of Trades Persons. A Builder is around $600 - $800 per day, a Floor Layer is around $600 - $900 per day. The costs of Trades Persons is extraordinary, the reality of our Trades' shortage is only appreciated when paying their outrageous bills.

[deanm (Dean)]

We had a double garage converted into a 'shed room' - extra bedroom + bathroom. We paid some bloke to line the inside with Gyprock panels & install insulation.
Ten years later, when I had to replace a roof panel, I discovered that the insulation we had seen at the ends of the Gyprock was just that - only at the visible ends: there was zero insulation behind the panels.
Dean

[jimmyh1555 (James)]

Last year, a man called round and offered to give us a demo of carpet cleaning. My wife said "OK" might as well have a free carpet clean..... Well, he came round allright, stayed 3 hours and left us $3000 poorer for a lousy vacuum cleaner that is too heavy and too complicated to fit the attachments. We were "done" well and true. Could have bought 6 Dysons (or a beaut telescope) for that. Can't believe we were that dumb!!
FOR SALE One vacuum cleaner with attachments. Good condition. Cheap

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

" A fool and his money are soon parted " .

Brian.

[sil (Steve)]

You also need to beware of people showing up to give free inspections like this, I new people who were apprenticing so they would borrow the work gear and show up to case people places for burglery later. While on the roof (where most people never ever go) they are free to test and maybe loosen roof tiles for easy access later on and via inside hatches to the house itself. Free vacuuming/window cleaning etc they get a good look around inside to see if you have a security system and if you have goods they can sell easy. Or even small things they can pinch on the spot.

Unless you called them just dont bother taking the risk. I've always found my local guys to be good and I dont feel inclined to ring around or try others next time and they remember I'm a repeat customer. You get better service and most honest advice this way.

[Wavytone]

Originally Posted by sil

case people places for burglery later.

My first thought too but didn’t like to be so negative here.