Developers...scum or poor losers?

[idb]

At least the arseholes I meet guarantee my income.

Nice people would end up with redundancy for me.

But you at the 'coal-face' can pick the winners and avoid the losers - and hence guarantee you will lose jack-shit.

There are no guarantees I'm afraid, we still make bad calls and as Winston has said, that's the risk of being in business.
You just hope that you manage to avoid too big a hit...we insist on a significant deposit up front in most cases.

[idb]

what do you do for them?

Design and install power supplies.
The best developers are the locals that have been doing it for years, it's a small place here and everyone knows the pricks and the goodies.
The pricks, in the main, struggle to get contractors and pay more when they do.
In fact one local developer, known as a difficult client, went on the front page of the local rag to complain about how tradesmen were ripping off the poor developers and couldn't be relied on to do a good job, just before (weeks before) he started on a multi-million dollar development. He ended up having to start up his own building company to do the job because no one would work for him!

[scumdog]

Ferkin Ducati owners, use to unreliability, 'character' and 'failure to meet expectations'
No wonder your job seems easy!!

[idb]

Ferkin Ducati owners, use to unreliability, 'character' and 'failure to meet expectations'
No wonder your job seems easy!!

At least if the bike breaks down I can kick the shit out of it...very therapeutic after some days at work...

[scumdog]

At least if the bike breaks down I can kick the shit out of it...very therapeutic after some days at work...

Ya got me!!

MY 'subjects' kinda 'object' if I treat them the same way - in fact some have been known to scream a bit. (bloody blouses)

[RantyDave]

Nice people would end up with redundancy for me.

But face it, having to look for another job would be a small price to pay if the world became suddenly devoid of arseholes. Sadly I think your job security is actually very good.

Dave

[alanzs]

Ya got me!!

MY 'subjects' kinda 'object' if I treat them the same way - in fact some have been known to scream a bit. (bloody blouses)

Don't worry, we won't tell...

[The Pastor]

no one knows the whole story, lots of things can happen to a project to cause it to fail, and they dont even have to be large ones.

maybe his site when digging found some grave or somthing - say good bye to working that week/month all those machines sitting around all day $$$$

but whats real bad is the intrest they get charged every day its overdue!

[Timber020]

Design and install power supplies.
The best developers are the locals that have been doing it for years, it's a small place here and everyone knows the pricks and the goodies.
The pricks, in the main, struggle to get contractors and pay more when they do.
In fact one local developer, known as a difficult client, went on the front page of the local rag to complain about how tradesmen were ripping off the poor developers and couldn't be relied on to do a good job, just before (weeks before) he started on a multi-million dollar development. He ended up having to start up his own building company to do the job because no one would work for him!

There are alot of developers around wellington, its hard to keep up with who are scum and who are lesser scum. Developers come and go, different names, different developments, same sort of dickheads running the show. I stand by what I say about every one of them I have met or worked for here. Developers are corrupt lying get-money-no-matter-what rats. The crap I know thats gone on just sickens me.

[Brett]

Having worked as Project Manager for developers (some very very large investement fund ones) and been a developer on a small scale myself, I have to dissagree with some of the statements made here.
Firstly, let me start by saying that it is one of my personal pet hates when a developer goes down and takes down numerous contractors, small and big, with him. That is pure and simply poor cashflow management and/or greed. Thinking that something was going to come along at the 11th hour and save the developers sorry arse. 70% of the work in property developement (any development for that matter, be it product, systems etc.) is in the frontend. In the design, the structuring of the project, the construction economics and in particular the funding and the contracts. Do this right, and yoru only headaches during construction will be monioring cashflow and contractors...and changing govt legislation. Maybe this is a little over simplified, but I hope you get the drift.
I have met quite a few developers who are absolute arseholes that will screw even a friend over at the drop of the hat for a small return.
I have also met some very good developers, particularly in the commercial sector, who are providing new facilities and infrastructure that are of huge benefit to their clients. Sometimes the client is a private organisation, sometimes they are us, the public.
A good developer will take all environmental factors into account when designing and planning the project to ensure that the building they are to produce will enhance the local area. They will seek funding that is solid, well organised and they will investigate and lock down costs as vigorously as possible. Then they will (usually their PCG team) monitor the project to ensure it goes ahead as planned.

Unfortuanately, there have been many developers caught out in the latest credit crunch. Remember, developers are clients of the funding lenders too. WHen the financier falls over, it has implication for the developer also. A project steaming along perfectly fine can find themself screwed because they suddenly are unable to drAw upon funds to carry on with the project. Thus, time catches up on them and they are caught with their willies out.

A good developer is a good asset. Like it or not, construction is a strong driving force in the NZ economy, and developers are the ones who seek the opportunities that promote this construction.

However, some need to find a bit of a moral compass.

[JimO]

its not only developers thet go belly up owing millions, builders get to do it as well and the latest craze of people getting housing franchise companys to build their houses, how many of them go belly up, I could probably name a dozen in Otago in the last few years

[Brett]

One other little rant of mine...WHY OH WHY do people cry and moan when a development company, usually listed or offering some form of term investment, goes under and the investors loose their money? I mean, comeon...it is property development, there are risks associated. Yes, some of the companies have been incredibly devious in their accounting and the portrayal of investment stability and returns and this does need to be sorted out. A bit more transparity would be a good thing.
However, if you don't like the thought of loosing your investment, stay the hell out of the property market and also the sharemarket. They are both fun and offer good returns when done properly, and yes....when the wind is in your sails. Even a very solid development in a bad market can go belly up. Don't like risks...put your money in the bank and get interest, because investment offers a return because it carries a risk.

[terbang]

Where is Finn when we need him most..?

[Swoop]

When they dont pay your often wasting your time dealing with them, they treat it like its part of the game, but annoy his wife by dumping tonnes of tree stumps, mulch, logs and broken concrete in there driveway a few hours before shes having a big flash birthday party, money appears REAL fast. AND they will pay extra to clear it up!

A mate of mine has had "issues" in the past with developers. He states (in writing) at the beginning of the contract, that items that he has made will remain HIS property untill full and final payment has been received (regardless of whether the item/s are fixed in place on-site).
Previous problem clients have had to be visited on-site to uplift a cheque.
Other times he has a very simple method...
A long-bar chainsaw with an old, but very sharp, blade...
Leaving the site with his property back on his ute and the developer with a fucking big ragged hole in his building, studs and lintels all chopped through.

Quite simple and also quite effective. Dunno why?

[Oakie]

My step-brother is a developer. Big time! He did a few sub-divisions and is now doing a whole town...'Pegasus' north of Amberley. Went into it with solid financial backing and has maintained a good cash flow through making development expenses match sales revenue. Has also tried to keep the locals and the local iwi onside. Things seems to be tracking well there and the first people moved in last weekend I beleive. Huge undertaking which would scare me shitless.