snake oil and new house salesmen... a slight rant

**Burnsy** · 17th May 2007, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

But tell me why the bloody hell do these wankers think they have to lie? I mean I have quite a sum of money to spend on this house and Im researching the information on designs and other things and were in no rush to build as yet so surely it stands to reason that if they say something to me about the shire requirements BEFORE Ive signed anything that IM going to check... I mean surely???

I think they deal with that many people with no idea they actually believe everyone is like that and consequently think they can rip you off. I have a close friend who did a unit development, he got his contract from the project builder, hidden in it was $3500 for new sewerage cut in. He rang the water authority, they told him "nah mate there is already a t junction there, they just need to connect in and notify us" - one $15 pipe joiner charged out at $3500!! Did the project builder learn their lesson, no way about three months later he gets a call saying, "mate we have been held up by brick supply, this is out of our control so we are invoking our right to increase the price based on time constrains beyond our control, we will send you out an amended contract to sign. Stupid project builders did not realise that the client is actually a comercial representative for the said brick supplier who was apparently holding them up. A quick call to one of his coworkers tells him there is no hold up, the builders put a hold on delivery because they were not ready for the bricks. So he screws the project builder to the wall and has them build a heap of extra retaining walls for him at no cost - they could see their current brick price going up real quickly as the brick supplier was not happy that they had been used as a .

Moral of the story, believe very little any project builder says and question everything, make them earn their dollars. When it comes to contractors, I go by a simple rule, don't employ anyone who you would not invite over for a BBQ and it not happy to have you work with them. If they won't let me help them I put them in the dodgy category. I can't see how our supplier is making any money out of us because this is what I have done, to the point that they offered me a job as a site supervisor

My contractors, all fantastic and we will be having a big BBQ at the end

**joe greiner** · 17th May 2007, 01:04 AM

In about 40-odd years of construction consulting and/or sub work, I've known two (yes, 2) contractors/superintendents who were true gentlemen. One upscale private renos; the other public works. I don't think any of the others were crooks, mostly just in over their heads.

One of my chums is quadriplegic. When he and his wife were looking at existing housing, they specified need for wheelchair access. Damned if the agents didn't insist on showing them two-story houses. They wound up having a house custom built from standard (+/-) plans in a new development. Even then, the spa had to be replaced with a drive-in shower, and the main closet had to be rebuilt wider and with a wider door. The first thing these subdivision builders do, it seems, is to leave the plans in the truck. Luckily, they invited me along for a look-see from time to time during the experiment.

Living next door to the new project could give an edge, but you'll need to watch them like a hawk.

Joe

**LotteBum** · 17th May 2007, 04:56 PM

I'm going to sound a bit sexist here, but I gave up dealing with salemen a long time ago, when spending larger sums of money. These days I only deal with women. I get fantastic service most of the time, and they're frank, straight down the line and tend not to be full of ?????. That said, I'm sure there are plenty of good salesmen around - I just won't be dealing with them, thanks to the bad experiences I've had...

**ozwinner** · 17th May 2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Burnsy

When it comes to contractors, . If they won't let me help them I put them in the dodgy category.

Fair go.

I have had a lot of people ask me to do a job for them in the past and want to help out.
I always say no!

I find that most people in this category have no idea what is what or what they are doing and end up costing ME money, the same money that they think they are saving by "helping" out.

Al

**peter_sm** · 17th May 2007, 07:53 PM

Try being a panel beater and seeing how much trust you get? Sheesh!

I can hand build a classic prototype car from almost nothing, or build a stretch limousine. But at an hourly rate, it becomes a very very expensive exercise.

**Iain** · 17th May 2007, 08:33 PM

[QUOTE=Burnsy;512258]they had been used as a . /QUOTE]

I am not generally a spelling nazi but on this this occassion I will make an exception, Google the following:
1. (wipe screen so SWMBO doesn't see it)
2. Pawn ( Chess related, sacrificial as well as strategic piece)

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