Mr Browne the builder
Years ago, when I was flush with cash, I decided to get a study put on to the house I was living in. My (at the time) partner "knew" the builder, in that he was a friend of some distant relatives of hers. He came round.

He explained how when you factored in the costs of the foundations, it made just as much sense to build on top of the study - make an ensuite of the main bedroom. Why not alter the stairs at the same time. In fact, the main bathroom could do with being extended...and the kitchen...and the lounge.

All of this I agreed to. Mistake number 1.

But where I really, really made an error was in thinking that I could get all this done on time and in budget. I remember this bastard builder (who actually looks a bit like Morgan Freeman, i.e. trust-worthy) telling me he couldn't understand why builders got such bad press.

I then of course watched estimates rise, and even worse agreed timescales go by the wayside. As I was running my own business at home at the time, I witnessed the inevitable falling-off of his attendance to finish the job. We lived for months in a half-finished house, knowing full well that if he and his minions turned up for even three days a week, it could all be over within a month. The situation though drove me mad, and any criticism didn't work, and I'd already paid him most of the money so I didn't even have the ability to withhold payment to get his arse moving.

Ironically, he did a good job (eventually) but I got to enjoy the house for about another 2 months after it was all done, then I left my partner...

...who sold up shortly afterwards, and bought another house...

...and listened to the same builder's spiel (again) even though I tried hard to tell her not to...

...which is why she's now lived in a building site for 18 months, and the work he's done is crap.

So, if you're in Ipswich, don't use the builder who looks like Morgan Freeman. Just don't.

And yes, I know after my last QoTW answer, compared to the lot of many I've got nothing to complain about...

...but in my experience and those of people I know, all builders are wonderful at selling you dreams, then abandoning the job half-way while they work on some other unfortunate's property, and you'll be lucky to see them one day a week once they've got their hands on the cash.
( I_Was_Mordred, Thu 21 Aug 2008, 23:22, Reply)