getting tradies to do extra stuff??

obviously i have to look into our contract with our builder before doing anything but can anyone tell me if they have got tradesman to install extra stuff not in your building contract.

for example if you supply them with a towel ladder that you have purchased will they hang it for you if you pay them out of your own pocket?
do the builders have a problem with it?
are the tradies willing to do it?
if there are things you have got the tradies to do that isnt in the contract do they ss pick up on it and query it?

It depends on the relationship you have with your builder and if you have direct access to the tradespeople.

My builder has been happy for me to deal with the electrical contractor and the AV/data/alarm contractor directly to ensure I get the installation I want. Once the variations were issued by the builder for both their scopes of work a couple of things have popped up where I've just had a chat with the tradies to get thing added/changed (and maybe even just paid 'cash'.... ).

As I said, it really comes down to how you're working with your builder - I'm lucky that my builder is not a big volume builder and that we've worked well together.
Will the tradespeople do extra for you? - just ask, they can only say no but that's not been my experience so far.

I think it will differ with each build. All of our tradies were excellent with that type of thing (extra lights, noggins in walls, extra painting, wall-mounting tv, etc etc). Towel rails aren't a big deal so I don't imagine that would be a problem!

at this stage i am thinking towel ladders, shower shelves(got them to remove the cheap white soap dishes) and installing some pendant lights over kitchen bench(didnt think to get it in contract at time ) and possibly installing other pendant lights.

We are hoping for nice willing helpful tradies too!!!

hatchy, I've been wanting to ask them to install shower shelves for us too, I don't imagine it would have been a problem, but I think we've left it too late. I'm not sure whose job it would be, the tilers? The shower screen installers? I really have no idea who to ask. Just make sure you get in early about it, that would be my tip.
Also, we had 5 pendant lights that we were expecting to pay extra for, but they happily installed them and never charged us.

Our builder required a form to be signed stating that we weren't permitted onsite without prior appointment with SS & that we were not to speak to tradies - actually contract was in DW's name so IMO didn't apply to me

We had a good SS who wasn't concerned when a ducted vac system got installed, put us in contact with landscapers for an extra slab & ag pipe. let us know when plumbers were installing HWS & we had them fit tap to connect water filter.

We did this with our electrician, paid him cash and he took off with the money and never did the job

[quote="Mitchandamy"]We did this with our electrician, paid him cash and he took off with the money and never did the job /quote]

oh no i am very sorry to hear this

I wanted to get my paver guys to install the paved crossover at the same time as they did the drive way.

I called the building company to get the paver's name and number. They were happy to pass it on for that particular job and the paver was happy to do the job for the extra $$ he quoted.

If you don't ask... you don't get