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peter: Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2012 8:53 PM
Looking ahead to next week, I have four enquiries to go and view, great news. All sorts, patios, decking, fencing, and some brickwork. I aim to give everyone as always a great price, I go by the old saying, half is better than none. So I like to keep busy, but we all have bills to pay so I have to make a profit. Waiting for "jack the lad" to raise from the dead soon, with his lorry and silly prices, one customer whom I am seeing this week has had him turn up last year, said he do the work for some low price, I do mean low, not only did he get the work all wrong, but he turned round and asked for more money at the end of the job, in the end the customer did pay. But was not happy with the service he gave. Time and time again I hear this, he gave no quotation, just a verbal price. I know what you are thinking the customer should have asked for paperwork, which we give by the way, but I suppose with some they just want to get rid of the workmen. I saw in a strood area which was called a "cold calling free zone" no go for jack the lad. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2012 9:23 AM
Well what a day, we have had to give up on it. Too wet for what we have to do, tomorrow seems ok. Building a fence in this weather is not a good idea, the wind would blow it down before the cement is set. See you all soon!! |
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peter: Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2011 8:42 PM
Looking great this year, created a better way of working and getting materials which creates better gardens for everyone, its not that we got it wrong in the past, but now its a simpler way. Decking and Patios are my main income, great suppliers are the key and thats exactly what i have got. A good work force as well, me included, makes some of the others think twice I reckon. Although price is a great decider, but to bear in mind when you are spending money on your garden the last thing you want is for it to go wrong. "Jack the lad with a lorry" will always be there, the people doing "private work" or "cash prices" but will they be there if it goes wrong? Possibly not!! Our prices are very good for what you get, a good job, great full time workman that do not go off site to other work booked in at the same time or doing the work at the weekends only and locally sourced materials. See you all soon!! |
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Peter: Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2011 6:18 PM
hello its Sunday again, my father in law, was talking today about a firm that a friend of his neighbours was using to landscape her garden. Why they did not come to us words fail me, anyhow, they were supposed to do the work in about a week, and I know sometimes work can carry over, but this was months ago, the work was for some paving and other bits and pieces, but they were also engaged to lay some astro turf. Well after some attampts to lay the grass, in fact they were going to stick it down which is fine, if you use the correct glue, anyway to cut a long story short they then admitted that they had not done this before and was not sure how to do it, so the customer asked them to leave, the customer is now stuck with astro turf rolled up, a base she can't use, and the garden not finished. Why this firm took the job on beats me, oh and the reason they were taking such a long time to get the work done, they used to turn up at midday and then leave around 4 or sooner. The work was around £3000 the customer has only paid them £1000 so far, and I believe she is not going to pay them anymore. Out of business I think very soon, who ever they are. I on the other hand am waiting for a phone call""" See you all soon!! |
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Peter: Posted on Monday, October 03, 2011 9:57 PM
Hello everyone, hope you are all well. Getting a few enquiries coming through which is great. One of them is a very sad case. These poor people have been through the mill and still see no sign of it ending. A decking company local in kent have not only left them high and dry, and with a deck that is, to say the least, darn right dangerous. No supports whatso ever, nailed together instead of using screws, as we do, half of the nails are splitting the timber and coming through so that points are exposed, these people have small children, need I say more. I am not expecting to be praised as the only company that does things correctly, but when someone pays you to do a job even as we do, we take interim payments on work done and scheduled, well at least they should have used the correct materials. As I have said in a previous blog, it really does amaze me how some companies get away with things. Please people, if you do not choose us or even read this, the people that have read this pass it on. Regards Peter Again I really wish I could name and shame them!! Because its firms like them that get us tarred and feather like they should. |
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Peter: Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 9:26 PM
It ceases to amaze me, how some companies get away with it, today I went to see a job in Rainham Kent. The client wanted to have a small section of fencing replaced and a new gate, no problem at all.
The we went onto talk about the patio that was laid around two years ago by a local company, I wish I could say who it is, but lets say they should have known better, the client wanted the paving pointing done again, the paving is Indian sandstone, now you may know that with this type of paving there is a "dressed" side to it. If the paving was concrete slabs as with this type when you butt them together they create a "V" so you point this area, with Sandstone they are dressed so that you create an "A" in other words the opposite way up as apposed to concrete. This company who laid them had to go back four times to point the paving because it kept on coming out.
The reason for this is that the paving has laid upside down, all the rough undressed side is seen and quite frankly looks and feels terrible. £1800 they charged the customer, which is about right, Indian sandstone is more expensive, but I feel we could have done it cheaper for them. But now they have to live with it because the dressed smooth and nice side is ruined because this company has laid the cement onto this side.
I really wish I could name and shame them, needless to say they known for laying driveways, perhaps they should stick to that and let us professionals do the patios. |
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Peter: Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 7:56 PM
As I always say "a cut paving slab always looks like a cut slab". Sometimes a patio will need a slab cut to size, to fit in to the measurements of the garden. When you cut a slab you loose the edge and expose the ingredients. The edge of the cut can look unsightly but when the slab is pointed it hides this edge.
What you must never ever do, in my book, is leave an exposed edge for all to see. Well we are working in Parkwood Rainham at the moment. A so called professional landscaping company in the Medway Towns has done just that to a pathway next door to the garden we are working on. The bottom step is at an angle so the slab has to be cut to fit the shape, fair enough I say, but inside of laying and extra brick high so that the slab fits into the void, therefore hiding the cut edge, they have left the bricks low so the slab rests on top of the brick exposing the cut edge. Bad Practice, very Bad Practice. Not only that the customer apparently was charged a lot of money for the privilege.
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