Why does no-one want to work for me?

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Why does no-one want to work for me?

39 posts & 27 voices | Started 4 months ago by ScottChegg | Latest reply from totalshell

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ScottChegg - Member

Following on from my kitchen worktop question

Clunk

I got the names of three kitchen geezers to come and price the job up. Two didn't show to look at the job and give me a price. One did, so got the job by default.

He should have started Thursday at 8.30. By 10.30 I rang to see what was going on. No reply on his mobile, but 1 minute later I get a text saying something has come up, he'll ring me later. He still hasn't.

This on top of last week were an electrician was coming to replace my consumer unit. I'm still waiting for him to turn up and do the job. He took the job on Xmas Eve and there has been nothing but reasons not to since.

Why is it so hard to get a tradesman to take my money?

No wonder B&Q is so popular; Do It Yourself must be the call of the craftsman these days.

Back to Thomson Local.

Posted 4 months ago #
alpin - Member

not enough trades about. kids should think about learning something practical rather than sociology, history of art or american studies and hampering their young lives with a mountain of debt.

Posted 4 months ago #
willard - Member

Do you live in a really nasty area? Do you have a lot of pampass grass outside your house, or has news of your industrial scale swinging and S&M got out into the local gossip?

Posted 4 months ago #
ti_pin_man - Member

Rated people?

Posted 4 months ago #
ScottChegg - Member

The areas smashing, no swinging coz I'd rather have a nice tea than chase women about and I'm too soft for a spanking (It'd make me cry, I think)

Rated people? No, I don't rate them. Not one bit.

If you mean the website I got 2 of the kitchen types from that. Waste of time.

Posted 4 months ago #
don simon - Member

I think he means rated people.

Posted 4 months ago #
Stoner - Member

There's pretty much nothing I wont tackle myself these days. I can get sparks stuff supervised and signed for by my accommodating neighbour.

Doing DIY properly is very satisfying, saves a fortune, and adds to your knowledge base and experience.

I think the only think I dont do myself is service/MOT/change tyres (not wheels, I can do that) on the cars.

Posted 4 months ago #
ton - Member

mate, where are you based.
i have a mate who did my bathroom and kitchen. he is very good.

Posted 4 months ago #
deserter - Member

I used to do a lot of work self employed and got an awful lot of jobs by being the only guy that turned up, I only did what you talk of once because it was an awkward job that I knew I'd lose on, but I was gratious enough to tell them I couldn't do it as I was too busy, I find it very rude when people don't call you or return calls etc

I wouldn't trust anyone in my house who didn't turn up when agreed or at least call promptly to explain why and would instantly tell them there done and get someone else, they obviously don't have much pride if they can't even turn up on time, what would happen if you were employed and turned up late? you'd hear about it thats what!

Posted 4 months ago #
Cougar - Member

Try http://www.mybuilder.com perhaps?

Posted 4 months ago #
chakaping - Member

Ask for a recommendation on here, I can put you on to a great bloke if you live N London-ish.

Posted 4 months ago #
Dave Vanderspek - Member

I needed a quote for kitchen extension circa 15-20k job.
1st builder couldn't give me a price, just an hourly rate, what possible use is that when i need to know how much to borrow FFS!

Posted 4 months ago #
project - Member

Theres somebody on here who does work top spicing, cant remember his name though.

Its a complicated job, requireing a good bit of training and kids are not being/want to be trained anymore, they play games on computer and chat on computers.

Posted 4 months ago #
cinnamon_girl - Member

http://www.checkatrade.com

Customers are encouraged to report back on completion of work and in my last house, I had a few good results.

Now that I've moved and had no internet for 2 months, life was rather difficult so picked a tradesman from the local town directory (Denton's?). He did a good job and in turn recommended an electrician and plumber, both of whom have been excellent. Completely reliable.

Posted 4 months ago #
kerv - Member

If you're anywhere near milton keynes i can do your consumer unit and recomend a good chippy for your kitchen.

Posted 4 months ago #
ScottChegg - Member

I'm very near Ramsbottom, not handy for Milton Springsteen.

Posted 4 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

Sorry to hear you've been messed around. On behalf of those of us who turn up when we say, provide quotes (as long as you're not a nasty), and arrive to start the job sometime in the same year as we promised, I apologise. Best of luck getting the jobs done.

Posted 4 months ago #
ton - Member

scottchegg, my mate is in meltham. only 30mins away.
you want his name and number?

Posted 4 months ago #
hambl90 - Member

take a look on mybuilder.com for tradesmen in your area complete with reveiws.

Posted 4 months ago #
yunki - Member

have you got an annoying telephone manner..?

Posted 4 months ago #
uponthedowns - Member

not enough trades about. kids should think about learning something practical rather than sociology, history of art or american studies and hampering their young lives with a mountain of debt

Absolutely and if they were good and reliable I can't see them ever being without work given the unreliability of the competition.

Posted 4 months ago #
chakaping - Member

Surely learning a trade won't set a youngster up for life as well as doing Beyoncé studies though?

Posted 4 months ago #
ernie_lynch - Member

I don't see many construction trade apprenticeships being offered these days. I occasionally see a plumber or electrician apprentice, but it's been years since I've seen a carpenter apprentice on site.

Construction trade sees fall in apprenticeships

"THE Government has been urged to “radically” change its policy on apprenticeships after new figures revealed the dwindling numbers of young people being employed within the construction sector."

Posted 4 months ago #
Bear - Member

Having looked onto employing an apprentice and got in contact with the relevant authority, they never responded to my requests, despite having a very good one lined up. In the end just employed him myself, gave up trying to get any help.

Posted 4 months ago #
Junkyard - Member

re the apprenticeships there is not the demand ..alpin why ar eyou no tin the uk as a chippy?
LMI { i can post links if you really want] shows that we have an oversupply in all construction trades so apprenticeships are not the answer - I am sure a few more thousand unemployed folk with a trade is not what you are after.

No offence everyone thinks it is as simple as give young people an apprenticeship but there are hundreds of college qualified NVQ people who cannot find work in their trade and never will.
Employers dont recruit apprenticeships as they can easily get trained staff or a labourer.

It has always been like this people thinking if we just got more young people trained in trades it would all be ok Have you seen the growth sectors in the uk - call centres, leisure, etc its not construction or manufacturing is it.
I see why you think it would help but in reality it is in oversupply at the entry level
PS if industry needs folk WhyTF do we pay 10 k per year to train them in a trade - its an employer subsidy.

BEAR - beyond free training which is easy to sort out there is no help- by which i assume you mean someone to pay/contribute to the wages= you are employing someone for circa £100 a week and you want help to pay the wages.
You can register with CITB if you are construction but it wont be easy

Posted 4 months ago #
Bear - Member

No it wasn't help in paying as what you have to pay a first year apprentice is peanuts, more in the training / administration side of things.

Employed him anyway and he has been really good.

Posted 4 months ago #
Junkyard - Member

You do know if he is not doing accredited training you cant call him an apprentice and have to pay the minimum wage - e-mail in profile if you want some help advice [ I am not trying to sell anything I am a careers adviser and have worked/sourced apprenticeship training. With an employee in situ folk [cooleegs providers] will rip your arm off to train him as they make serious money from it at no cost to you.

Posted 4 months ago #
Neil F - Member

The building trade seems to go tits up every ten years or so, why the hell would any kid want to join the trades?

Posted 4 months ago #
alpin - Member

i never went on any official apprenticeship. i jobbed with a few blokes and learnt the trade whilst on the job. in fact, many of the blokes i learnt with hadn't completed a proper apprenticeship.

it is true that i'm now in germany partly because at the beginning of 2008 i sat on my arse doing nothing as the work was so scarce. but old workmates are working again. the same can't be said for many people who worked for Woolworths, Peacocks et al.

doesn't the building trade go tits up every ten years or so beacuse the economy in general goes tits up, taking the building trade with it?

Posted 4 months ago #
ernie_lynch - Member

That's seriously depressing Bear - over 1 million young people out of work and those responsible appear to be incompetent in providing apprenticeship support.

I have long been bitterly disappointed at how the scandal of a million unemployed young people is not treated with any urgency. You would have thought that in a civilized society the issue would be treated with some importance - regular articles in the newspapers, TV discussions on how to deal with it, and so on.

Yet all that happens is that the figures are released, everyone says "how terrible", and then it's forgotten until the next figures are released and everyone says "how terrible" once again. No one seems to frankly give a toss.

And if people aren't prepared to tackle the problem for simple reasons of compassion and 'social responsibility', then you'd think they would do so just out of self interest, after all - you reap what you sow. And then they will wonder "what went wrong". Grim.

Posted 4 months ago #
monkeycmonkeydo - Member

Don't forget Ernie,the mass unemployment is a price well worth paying brigade are back in power.No such thing as society etc.

Posted 4 months ago #
Bear - Member

Junk - thanks for that, might do at some point.

He is paid more than minimum wage anyhow. He only wrote to me to get some on job experience as he had taken himself to college etc. A good motivated individual who is nice and neat and tidy.

Only some sections of construction industry go tits up, refurb is still strong. New build is rubbish but then again so are their standards of work.

Posted 4 months ago #
ScottChegg - Member

I know some Time served Printers who have another trade so that when Printing is slack, there are always jobs out in the real world.

Unfortunately all the ones I know are Printing and don't have time for other jobs.

I had a chap who I called to do my owrktops, and he said he was busy with full kitchens. Fair enough; he was upfront enough to tell me.

Posted 4 months ago #
oxforddan - Member

back to the op - Are you supplying the worktops ? I am a kitchen fitter and I very rarely fit just worktops for anyone. I would only consider it if I was supplying the worktops and/or kitchen so I could put a mark up on the products to make more money. I contract for a kitchen manufacturer and get paid per kitchen that i fit - If i were to charge someone for a days labour to fit their tops I expect they would think that I was taking the **** out of them especially with these stupid web sites that suggest a day rate ! We earn different levels of money due to our different skill levels , quality of workmanship , productivity etc etc .It can also be a real pain if the carcasses have been fitted to a crap standard so I prefer to do it all.

Posted 4 months ago #
2unfit2ride - Member

So, give'n the above, & forgetting the national average wage, just how much does the average tradesman earn per day?

More than £200?

Posted 4 months ago #

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