Sign of the times

[Feltwell]

I've put a planning application in for a garage to go next to my house - 2 days ago the application appeared on the council's website.

Today I've received 2 letters from local builders who've seen this, and are asking if they can quote.

Full marks to them for being enterprising and chasing business, but isn't it a sign of the times we're in that this is happening at all. Until recently it's been the devil's own job finding builders who will even respond to give a quote.

 

[Flyfisher]

Full marks indeed, but I'm not sure it's a sign of recent times. I've had similar letters for all the planning applications I've submitted over the last 15 years.

I wonder how successful such an approach is though because we'd already chosen our builders before submitting the planning application - how else can you get the required estimates to confirm you can afford the work ?

 

[Feltwell]

First planning application I've put in this area so I can't compare to pre-recession times here. Where I lived before I never heard anything from builders when planning was applied for. Maybe it's a regional thing.

Not sure everyone does choose their builders upfront - we haven't, I've costed the job up roughly myself. I'm working on the basis that if I can't afford it this year I'll do it next year! Mind you borrowing is so cheap at the moment, and one of my existing garages is in real danger of not making it through another year, I may well just stick it on the mortgage!

 

[Flyfisher]

Could be a regional thing; my experience is in Hertfordshire and Norfolk.

And fair point about costing the job yourself, if you have enough experience, which I didn't have at the time.

 

[Penners]

I've had similar letters for all the planning applications I've submitted over the last 15 years.

Goodness, yes. Except substitute over 40 years for your 15.

And house removal letters when we've been moving (how have they discovered that?!), plus babygoods letters when Mrs P had been eating too much new bread, plus "anything for the weekend, sir?" letters when our engagement was announced in the personal column... and so on.

I think enterprising/nosey parker (delete as applicable) companies have been doing this since time immemorial.

 

[Feltwell]

We must have had lazy builders around Southampton then! (only place where I've applied for PP before, and where we never heard a thing). In fact we had problems finding builders to do the work at all.

plus "anything for the weekend, sir?" letters when our engagement was announced in the personal column... and so on.

Not sure I dare ask what publication that was announced in Penners! Royal Mail do rates now for Letter or Large Letter, did they do one for French Letters as well back then??? :wink:

 

[Penners]

Not sure I dare ask what publication that was announced in Penners

Well, you probably imagine it was in the Court Circular. An understandable mistake, given my obviously aristocratic poise.

Actually we came over all bourgeois and put it in the Torygraph. That was back in the days when the Torygraph used to use quite long words, sometimes.