Forum

Replies

• PRO

  Geoffrey King December 2, 2012 at 11:29am

  A good idea, but how would you apply this in reality?
  
  'Friends' might struggle with wanting to sign documents.
  
  How would you extract money from people who broke the contract?
  
  Perhaps better to spend time finding reliable trusty folk!
• PRO

  Brian www.mibservices.co.uk December 2, 2012 at 12:18pm

  Agree it wouldnt really be enforceable. Move on to establishing a trustworthy contact. I have a similar set up with a tree surgeon but he always asks me to look at the job together.
• 

  Ashley Meredith December 2, 2012 at 12:35pm

  This was the problem I was trying to sort out, as and when I get big jobs where I need to sub contract. How do you stop the subbies from takeing all the work away from you. Think its down to a Gentleman's Agreement, sadly thats becoming rare.

  My father sub contracted in the past and had the subbie go behind his back and quote the job cheaper and he was ment to be a "friend".

  Send in the heavies haha. (joke)
• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd December 2, 2012 at 7:59pm

  Choose your subbies wisely. I subcontract to other companies and would never dream of marching in and taking other work. It is very short sighted in my view.
  
  I say the same to the people of sub for me - if they steal my work I won't be using them again.
  
  Business is often built on mutual trust. I won't work with someone if I don't trust them.
• 

  MWJONES December 2, 2012 at 8:03pm

  I will see if I can put something together which would give an unofficial gentlemans agreement written down.
• 

  neil aldridge December 2, 2012 at 10:34pm

  its simple enough to write a document that states that all money  from client x goes to you and you will be the one making the payment to the sub contractor. regardless of who is doing whichever part of the job. failing that, just write a simple document stating that the sub contractor will be sued the amount of work that they procure from your client away from you. take it to a small claims court and they'll make a judgement against your sub contractor based on your ability to create the lead, provide a quote and then provide work for some cheeky blagger who essentially took food off your table. a county court judge would see the situation for what it was you wouldnt even need a solicitor!
• 

  Steve London Stone December 3, 2012 at 1:32pm

  What a short sighted individual.  The subbie has effectively cut off a long term source of income for the sake of making a couple of quid extra on one job.  Doesn't sound like somebody you want to work with going forward, who knows what else he may do to save a few quid. 
• 

  Colin Hunt December 3, 2012 at 6:29pm

  It's all about trust. I sub out our treework and now fencing to tried an trusted guys, but always accompany them when pricing, any questions from the contractor or customer can be answered there and then.
  
  Its nothing new tho, we had exactly the same problem 30 years ago! There were just two of us then with more work than we could cope with, so I had the bright idea of subbing out the excavation and concreting of an in-out drive prior to us laying the paving. Thought all was going well until one of the groundworkers 'just mentioned' how pleased they were to have taken the job on, as they had picked up two jobs in the same road - even though we had our board up!
  We employed and extra man the next week!
  
  Not sure I like the contract/statement idea, most guys are honest and hard working. Put it down to experience and move on.