Agreed, people still think cheapest is best. Great news on roadstone, will be expecting my christmas card from John A's soon so
Baldyman, while I agree completely that cheapest is not the best I think it is slightly irresponsible to be looking at things from this angle, especially in the current climate.
The coin has very much been flipped in this country. I really feel that it is very important to state that while the cheapest is not the best neither is the dearest.....this is what we should be zoning more in on i.e "people still think the dearest is best". This is just as-sorry scratch that- more important. The facts are per one of my previous posts the mentality in Ireland over the last 11 years is very much aiming towards "dearest is best". The only one with the "cheapest is best" mentality has been the plumbers and electricians, etc that have charged through the roof on labour while putting in the cheapest of materials to max on their profits.....so from their prospective of course cheapest is best. `
I have learned from experience that due diligence is the only way to determine whether work is good or not....and not whether its cheap so its good or its expensive so its good. Paying through the nose on labour coz youve heard or saw good workmanship is simply bad business if there is somebody else out there that can do just as good a job at a much lower rate. Do your research and educate yourself before emptying your pockets. There are lots of excellent tradesmen out there (in particular guys in their late thirties/forties that have seen the bad days of the eighties) these honest hardworking people have recognised the market conditions and dropped their prices accordingly.
Regarding materials I really cannot see material prices going up in January
I do agree with the comments on Roadstone....but trust me they are coming around too-they have no choice. To that person who received a letter regarding 10% increases in January I advise go somewhere else
Im speaking about labour prices here only. Im going to take the example of plastering of a 3000 square foot house as somebody before mentioned the great deal they were getting for 16K. God, Im cringing as I type. To use a Johnny Giles line " take each game on its merit" I would suggest taking each aspect of the build on its merits. Ask yourself the question what exactly is involved in this job- plastering of a 3000 square foot house- Should I bother going around and checking out whats involved in this project and pay the 16K ....after all I dont know the first thing about plastering and everyone says Joe Bloggs is a mighty plasterer!!?? Or should I ask how long will it take for this job to be completed, how many men are on the job, what does this work out at per hour, if i were to do 2-3 weeks hard work work what would I expect to get paid having paid my staff. On this note ask the question how many people do you ahve working for you? Once you've educated yourself go away and check at least 3 other plasterers work. Be prepared to spread your wings if necessary as prices on labour and materials vary so much in this country. Remember its a very small country geographically-e.g Dublin and the westa re only separated by 100 miles yet labour and material prices are non-comparable. If the tradesmen dont ahve work they will travel. Equally if a Dublin person drives a lorry from Dublin to a West of Ireland Building provider do you think the building provider will turn away the Dub that wants to fill his lorry in the current environment-I think not