Wherever possible, I don't pay day rates, what is the point? I want the job turned around as quick as possible...time is money! Put the men on price, and you haven't got to be nagging them all day long to get a move on. Its a ridiculous notion to put men on day rates laying a big floor, dont these contractors have a programme to meet? Pete you say the contractors will be making a fortune of the back of those contracts, but not if they have penalty clauses when they run over their programme.
Obviously if its tricky stuff, then it has to be done on day works, its just common sense. I always sit down with the lads once a month get the drawings out for anything on tender, (only the contracts we are really targetting, the rest Im not so concerned about) Then we have a heated debate about prices, and come to some agreement. But there are times (like at the moment) when we are on a nightmare contract, the rates are rubbish, the site is pants, but we just have to keep our heads down and mouths shut, because its winter and we are warm indoors, and no one is sitting at home. A couple of the new ones have moaned about the rates, but the answer is this, if your not happy go and sit at home and wait for the phone to ring. Jan, Feb and March, are always slow.
Lynn
