Why clients should not purchase the materials

 Once you have found the contractor you want to work with, and if you decided to supply the material for the project yourself, your next step will be to negotiate with material suppliers.

Firstly, you need to understand that the price you pay as a consumer is about 25 to 50 percent more than the price a contractor who regularly buys a particular product will pay.

Most manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of building-related products will have two very different price lists or pricing structures - one for members of the public and one for the trade clients.

The main difference is that trade clients tend to buy in large volumes.  They usually have accounts with the relevant manufacturers or suppliers and they probably buy from them regularly. Loyalty counts for a great deal, and suppliers often renew the bigger clients with favourable pricing.

The benefits of working with small contractors

 It is cheaper to work with smaller, less established contractors.  They are usually more open to negotiating prices, more flexible as they are building a reputation rather than relying on an established one.

Most new contractors are trying to build a reputation and rely heavily on word of mouth and are likely to go the extra mile to keep their clients happy.

Smaller contractors are more likely to take on smaller, lower-profit jobs than larger contractors.

Small contractors often have a smaller team which makes them more accountable.

Your decision to hire or not to hire a newer less established contractor should be based on your priorities such as pricing.