Vendor Vs Builder - Which installation option do you use?

It is a difficult decision, which do you use?

Now anyone who has read my books will know; I feel very strongly about the subject of responsibility when deciding whether a builder/trade should supply and fix an item, fix only an item provided by you, or even you fix a particular item that you have bought from a third party.

Most often, when employing a builder as a main contractor, his scope would be to supply and fix all elements, and that is by far the safest way to ensure that if an item fails or is incorrectly fitted then your redress is with the builder.

However, those of you compartmentalising the works and using sub-contractors will be faced with the dilemma of who fits what, and the temptation to do some of the works yourself to keep unnecessary costs down.

A few of the popular aspects where the kit can be bought from a supplier and fitted by someone else can be such as windows, kitchens, sanitaryware and even MVHR systems, therefore saving money.

Lets take the latter as an example; MVHR.

There are many suppliers out there selling the kit and components and surely it is a simple job for anyone half handy to install it right?..... Well not necessarily.

Designing the correct unit and ducting size and runs takes specialist knowledge to ensure that the system will perform optimally and quietly, in other words do its job properly.

The installation itself mechanically is straight forward but as with all trades needs the knowledge when installing say the ducting that it will not leak (air), junc tions and bends in the right places etc.

And what about the commissioning of the system when complete?

Apart from the fact that (with new build) the system will need certifying for Building Regs compliance, it will also need balancing and setting up to do its job correctly, and this requires a piece of equipment to measure pressures etc.

Yes you can possibly buy and install it yourself but unless you are trained and have the test equipment, the money you think you have saved will be wasted by the system not doing its job correctly, or not at all.

Of course there are many general construction aspects that can have your input, but my advice is to think carefully as to why you sometimes have to pay a bit more for a specialist to supply and install. He is not only guaranteeing (literally) that it will work as promised but will also fix it if it goes wrong. Of course there is a price for this but that price works both ways.