Can I Use My _____________

genecarp

For the GC"S OUT THERE. job size $150,000 to $250,000. If the customer says you got the job, but i would like to use my own _____________PLUMBER, ELECTRICIAN, WHATEVER. how do you feel about plugging in an unknown tradesman to your job, historically i have said ok, but i assume no responsibility for your guys work. i am finding lately that when i am put in this posistion no matter how accomodating the stranger SUB may be, my timing is off, my job continuity is not as smooth as i would like it to be. G

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rbsremodeling

No no and hell no unless it is a company I know or they have a good reputation. It never works out because they feel like its a favor and not a real job

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neolitic

It always seems to leave the
HO and the sub in charge
of your schedule, and neither
give a flying fig for what it does
to you.
To be avoided unless desperation reigns,
and despair seems to follow anyway.

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Jason Whipple

I've worked with other peoples subs before and it always worked out ok. Communication is key and you have to be able to do that on your own and not through a third party (the customer).

If it's a buddy or a relative doing it...... um, no thanks!

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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rbsremodeling

My second biggest problem is if I write the check I write the rules.

If the home owner's sub is not under my management/terms, they are not obligated to follow my lead/rules

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neolitic

There you have it,
the "golden rule."
Them as has the gold
makes the rules.

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AtlRemodeling

The only way I have accepted doing this in the past is to have a meeting with the subcontractor AND owner prior to start of construction. During that meeting we layout the schedule that must be adhered to and the consequences of not sticking to the schedule. If everyone agrees in writing and good communication is maintained throughout then I have no real problems with this.

If everyone is not willing to go along, I would politely express my concern and if the owner persists then it may be better to walk.

Mike Finley

The only way I will do it is if the homeowner's electrican or whomever turned out to be the same one I would hire.

Actually I wouldn't even do that.

Hell no! You'll lose no matter what, no matter what you write into the contract, when you have to enforce it, and you will, you will be the bad guy.

If your schedule isn't important, go for it, if it is, Just say no!

AskForTheSale

Mr. Customer, I have built my reputation on quality work which my sub-contractors are a big part of. If I hire “your” friend / brother, this means “my” sub-contractor, who has worked for me for several years, will be forced to move on down the road and I might not get him back being he will think my actions showed I do not care about him or his families welfare.

Being your friend / brother, who you want me to use for this “one” job, will too move on, I can not see where this puts me but in a losing situation. I will have to kindly reject your offer.

The customer will still use you because you came highly referred and he wants a quality job. He will not chance losing you over this insignificant matter.

Bottom line, you run “your” business, the customer does not.

Remodel Bud

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Remodel Bud

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genecarp

100% of my work is referel, i have the reputation of being an easy guy to work with, who will deliver the correct job, in my most current situation the electrician owes the client $ for dental work that was performed. he (the client)knows he will never get paid, so he wants his electrician to do the work. (BARTER). being a reasonable guy, i accepted , i could have pushed back and left the customer feeling like he has to come up with $15,000 that he would not have had to if i would have accomodated his request. or i could have said "NO THANKS" and passed on the job, all over a 15,000 electrical number. these did not seem like reasonable options. in general its ok, i have done it before, and will do it again, i was just curious how others dealt with this request . for the guys who said "NO WAY" if you had a 200,000 job sitting on your plate, and the client said his brother is a plumber and he will do the plumbing, i have a hard time believing you would walk away!!

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Bkessler

What if the ElECTRICIAN was a legit company and not just like a brother in law or college friend or something, of the client that had good references and was looking to make an impression to secure future work. I respect all of your opinions and obviously to feel so strongly it has not worked out more than it has. I have been that electrician in the past and it has worked out good, although both time my check came through the owner and both times said contractors said I was expensive.

Remodel Bud

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Bkessler

In the situation you really need to lay down the law if it's going to work, and make sure the delays caused by the patient don't cost you money. And time equal money. CAn you be a big A-hole? It will probably help in this situation.

AskForTheSale

Do you walk into a restaurant and tell the owner your wife is a great cook and can she go into the kitchen and cook your meals?

Asking a GC to use someone else is essentially ordering him how to run his business.

I did not go into business to have customers dictate how I run “my” business. Let them GC the job themselves if they want to run it.

No Thank You.

neolitic

Any time it has come up for me
it has been much smaller jobs with
tighter margins/less profit.
It has usually then come to mean
even smaller profit/no profit and
bigger head aches.
If you can work with them great.
I've not had many who would respect
the schedule, and if they aren't looking
to me for a check, why should
they care about my problems?
May be things will get bad enough
for me to work for a HO/GC again,
but I hope not.
You're playing a slightly different
game there. A business man has more
incentive to see that his business is
disrupted for the shortest time possible.
That puts you two in a more like mindset.

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Remodel Bud

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joasis

As the jobs dry up, this situation will come up more often then not. 3 months ago I would have said no, without exception....now, it would depend on the sub.

The guys I work with are pretty tight...we kick work back and forth, and more are trying to get in the club......and loyalty is a great tool when price negotiations must happen. An unknown sub can really be a pain.

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nap

If this guy is working under your contract, I don't see how you can deny responsibility for the work. After all, if you are GC'ing the entire project, this guy is contracted to you and not the customer. You would be the only one with a contract with the customer and as such, makes you responsible for all work, regardless who does it.

To make this legit, you would have to GC your work and not include the "whatever" under your contract. I would suppose you would need to insert into the contract clauses that set a schedule that must be kept and some sort of penalty (payable to you) should the schedule not be kept. Of course, that could come back to bite you in the ass if for some reason you got behind but other than that, I see very little way to force the other contractor to keep on schedule.