So after the best part of 6 months trying to get quotes from builders, we secure the services of a builder who has provided a quote in the format requested, is under budget (we only have to sell one of the kids 😉 ) and has good references from other people he has done work for. So last week, we agree for him to start in April, I paid a small deposit and have we effectively signed a contract sealing the deal.

Now this morning, Mr Local Builder who lives at the end of the street, and whom we have not yet managed to get to come and have a look in detail, let alone, provide a quote turns up on the door step and says he wants to do the work, will undercut any quotes, provide materials at trade costs blah, blah, blah. But he hasn’t provided a written quote.

Now in my professional life as a some time project manager, I’d tell him politely that his services are not required. I intend to do the same here, but its more complicated because he lives at the end of the street, and his son is in the same nursery as ours etc., etc.

So what advice can the great unwashed provide to help me let the local builder down gently.

* bombers, wee and shoes are not an option.

Tell him you have already signed a contract that you can’t get out of?

Tell him you’ve already agreed & shook hands on a deal with someone else & you can’t/wont go back on it

TJ & UL – of course. Simple and straight forward. Sometimes the obvious is hard to see when you are as dense as me. Thanks.

Yeh that old ‘telling the truth’ thing just doesn’t seem to be peoples first choice these days..

Never ever employ a builder from down the eend of your street, if he does a great job, which he should , great, but imagine if he makes a mess, every day youve got to pass his house, meet him washing his van that youve paid for, and then he may possibly go bust, then what.

Thats why i never do jobs for neighbours unless theyre small, as its so easy to fall out with a neighbour, as opossed to a customer.