Browse Forums Paving & Concreting Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 2Jun 30, 2012 9:52 pm I be paying no deposit, 50% or whatever the concrete costs them and the balance2 weeks after it poured. Make sure they get the joints done quickly and they clean up. If not start deducting money from the bill. Just me though. BAD run with all building related works so far. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 3Jul 01, 2012 12:31 am We are getting an exposed aggregate driveway and path around the entire house and paving to the front porch. As it's a large job we were happy to pay a 20% deposit but were told there was no need for a deposit or any payments prior to completion of all work including 2 coats of sealer. They explained that they buy on account therefore have minimal outlay before completion and payment. The same with our floorboards, one company wanted 20% on job order, 70% before laying and 10% balance before sanding and sealing. We got other quotes and have chosen one that requires no deposit or payments until completion and we are happy with the work, which they guarantee we will be. I can understand a company wanting a deposit but it worries me them wanting such a large amount. I would definitely be getting more quotes. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 4Jul 01, 2012 9:01 am They are asking too much too soon, I would be very concerned that if something goes wrong you will be exposed. Instead find a contractor that will do the job with payment on completion. It is much safer for you that way. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 5Jul 01, 2012 9:58 am The deposit is in line with the law I'd guess, 10% up to $20,000 value of works and 5% above that, in Victoria at least that is law, I know a carpenter who was fined for breaching it. The progress payment though is a concern, sounds like he has no capitol and no credit with the concrete supplier and needs money, which may leave you in the cold! If you like the guy you might be able to negotiate and say that's to high, but probably best to talk to the next cheapest quote! The bitterness off poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten! - Benjamin Franklin 2 Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 6Jul 01, 2012 11:34 am I agree with stormjr but the law is there to govern maximum allowable deposit that builder can take legally, the no deposit option (or even no payment until completion) is negotiating option that you might want to pursue and that will put you in the position of control and not weakness. Having said that, the best problems and disputes are the ones you can avoid altoghether, find another contractor. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 7Jul 01, 2012 12:55 pm building-expert (or even no payment until completion) Your kidding right? Landscape Design & Construction http://cherub.squarespace.com/ Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 8Jul 01, 2012 2:58 pm No! I am not kidding, I have done it many times, the last time when I had exposed aggregate finished concrete in my backyard. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 9Jul 01, 2012 3:52 pm Well I'd be guessing you knew the contractor very well or you hired a goose, as there is no way that I or any contractor I know would pour concrete without any payment what so ever. And I don't believe any customer would expect that. Can people use your service and then decide if payment is warranted at a latter date? Landscape Design & Construction http://cherub.squarespace.com/ Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 10Jul 01, 2012 3:58 pm Did my driveway at my current home and paid on completion, that was all any of them wanted. The only time i have done a deposit was for our bathroom remodeling 2 Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 11Jul 01, 2012 5:00 pm We had $16K worth of concreting/exposed aggregate done with no deposit required. We didn't have to pay a cent until the job was totally complete (including sealing). This was simply the way his company operates, no negotiating involved. Did a great job too. Definitely get some more quotes and compare terms. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 12Jul 01, 2012 5:34 pm We haven't long ago poured our house slab with piers prior to that. Paid no money at all to the concretor until completion of the job. Admittedly had used him before but that was 8 years ago. I am not aware of any around my area that want payment prior to pouring. Settlement 1/2/12 New Shed 23/3/12 Slab poured 27/3/12 Frame complete 4/5/12 Roof complete 1/6/12 LOCKUP 29/6/12 Our new build blog http://kareenhillsownerbuild.blogspot.com/ Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 13Jul 02, 2012 11:24 am We are about to have around 100sqm of exposed ag installed in Perth and are not required to pay anything until completion. All jobs completed by this company are of great quality. I questioned the "no deposit" but that is just the way they operate. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 14Jul 02, 2012 11:35 am cherub building-expert (or even no payment until completion) Your kidding right? I paid my driveway 100% at completion. Whats the problem. , and it was aggregate so it was like a week after the pour once it was sealed. If they know they do a good job and have no issues, they wont have a problem. I rejected 3 quotes because they wanted 20, 40 and 50% before they even started. Which means they either dont have a account with a concrete supplier, and/or dont trust their work. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 16Jul 03, 2012 8:57 am Thanks everyone. We told him that we weren't happy paying those percentages and he wasn't fussed how we paid to be honest. I think he just has that payment structure as a template on his quotes. Anyhow we will be paying 50% on pour day and 40% on completion. We have no problems putting a 10% deposit down to book in our date either. I can imagine that trades like this get shafted all the time from people who change their mind at the last minute. FYI - I had contacted 8 different concreters in the area and it was a nightmare just getting them out to do a quote. Many of them told me they are booked out for up to 10 weeks and didn't need the work which was why they took so long to come out and quote. Some didn't show up at all after arranging times to meet them and others didn't bother sending through the quote after meeting them onsite. I'm not sure if it is just the Newcastle area that is like this or other areas are similar. Maybe its all the rain we have had? Either way we didn't have time to ring even more concreters and wait for them to do a quote. We need the work completed ASAP. Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 17Jul 03, 2012 9:22 am I know you have it all sorted but there are lots of comapnies who do work and get payment after We have just had about 150 metres of post and rail fencing put up and i havent paid a cent for it yet. It was only finished on the weekend but Danny is happy for us to pay him when we see him next Re: Concrete Driveway - Payment Breakdown 18Jul 10, 2012 6:37 pm There is no need for more than a 50% payment before completion as thats all that is needed to cover materials. Anything more than that then be careful. If its an established company with a good reputation and perhaps a good ranking on google etc then they are not going to lose all that just to run off with your deposit. A random ad in the paper then who knows. To my understanding early saw cuts are to control shrinkage cracks, so doing them now would be pointless. Control joints may reduce ugly cracking during periods of soil… 3 9863 Hi all I need a guidance on how far I need to space expansion joints in the concrete driveway and its type (keyway/foam.) Contraction joints are at 3m max for a 125 slab. Thanks 0 10947 regardless, your contract stipulates a payments schedule and SOPA doesn't give provision to that scenario. Your contractual terms appear to stand. Hence get a lawyer, it… 4 11879 |