Hello,
can anyone maybe shed some light on this?
I've already heard from two companies that they cannot provide a quote for installing the washbasins we supplied ourselves because they are not allowed to install them dürfen. Even our plumber, who is handling the rest of the house installations, said he is not allowed to do it. Then I asked a carpentry company installing our staircase, and they also say they are not allowed to do it. I am also not receiving any offers or inquiries from my request for quotes on MyHammer.
I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here to understand. Why exactly is no one allowed to do this?
can anyone maybe shed some light on this?
I've already heard from two companies that they cannot provide a quote for installing the washbasins we supplied ourselves because they are not allowed to install them dürfen. Even our plumber, who is handling the rest of the house installations, said he is not allowed to do it. Then I asked a carpentry company installing our staircase, and they also say they are not allowed to do it. I am also not receiving any offers or inquiries from my request for quotes on MyHammer.
I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here to understand. Why exactly is no one allowed to do this?
11ant schrieb:
Haha, "would be" is subjunctive *LOL*
But flipping the perspective and asking the builders very naively: where exactly is the general contractor supposed to make their profit—does anyone seriously believe that could happen with the line item "stacking stones"? well, with €450,000 (about $480,000) the profit definitely shouldn’t hinge on his not-earned €4,000 (about $4,300) for plumbing fixtures
besides stacking stones, there are 100,000 other items where the general contractor can make significant profits. that’s also why he’s there for me
A
Alessandro5 Oct 2020 15:09Not really. But in total, it does make a difference, depending on how many projects your general contractor handles per year.
Joedreck schrieb:
Make sure not to forget the electrical installation. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying 120€ net per outlet.That’s true. It’s best to have the contract include 100 outlets, n power points, and m network sockets right from the start.H
hampshire5 Oct 2020 17:53We purchased some of the washbasins and light switches ourselves because the contractor was unable to order these items directly. This was not an issue with individual contracts, and the contractor certainly made a reasonable profit. That’s fair, as the work was also well done.
What does not work well is trying to lower the contractor’s price by controlling the material purchases. Nobody ends up happy with that approach.
What does not work well is trying to lower the contractor’s price by controlling the material purchases. Nobody ends up happy with that approach.
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pagoni20205 Oct 2020 17:59Alessandro schrieb:
A different question:
Can you buy brake discs and calipers online, take them to the authorized workshop, and only pay labor for the installation? Yes, that’s possible nowadays... even when it comes to car tires.
Alessandro schrieb:
This industry is basically a cartel or a mafia. Unfortunately, that is true in some cases. With a good plumber or general contractor, there might be a solution that works for both sides. I totally understand the need for margin and warranty costs, but less so for "mafia and cartel" practices. There is something in between, though.
@exto1791 This is a widely discussed topic, and you just have to see what is possible with your general contractor. Of course, they need to have a margin and their warranty obligations must be properly covered. In our circle of acquaintances, we had the case where, for example, a fixed budget was given per bathroom and they were free to shop as they wished.
But as @Alessandro already mentioned, there are some “mafiosi” and with such cases, I would take a closer look. As is known and also discussed here, there are different behaviors in the market.
I think there is something in between — something far from “ripping off customers” and just as far from “disrespectful behavior towards tradespeople.”