[Closed] What is wrong with tradesmen?

It's one of the first things the building trade learn. How to piss off paying customers.

It always feels like you are asking for a favour rather than being a paying customer

And Brexit is only going to make it worse.

I have pretty much said the work is his

and

I know he does a good job

Perhaps for him to be able to meet demand, he needs a reliable working colleague.. which as he cant find, he cant grow and satisfy demand hes created by being good?

We’re not all like that! 🙂

Anyway, I noticed you said this...

I know he does a good job so I have pretty much said the work is his.

Maybe he now feels he doesn’t have to try to hard to “win” the work. (Which is not to excuse him but y’know...)One missed appointment is forigiveable. Two and three are not (IMO). Sometimes it’s hard to give people bad news - and some guys adopt an ostrich approach.

All that said, I have, in the past, just had to ignore people whose jobs I didn’t want to do until they stopped pestering me.

I have pretty much said the work is his

makes him complacent
and
I know he does a good job

probably means he's already beyond his work capacity if he has this reputation
Perhaps for him to be able to meet demand, he needs a reliable working colleague.. which as he cant find, he cant grow and satisfy demand hes created by being good?

Perhaps correct on both fronts, but no excuse. IF he doesn't want the work, can't do it or is too busy, then just tell me. Don't arrange to come out to the house and not turn up, three times!

All that said, I have, in the past, just had to ignore people whose jobs I didn’t want to do until they stopped pestering me.

Did you tell them that you didn't want to do the work? I wouldn't have an issue with that at all, I would rather know up front.

Did you tell them that you didn't want to do the work?

No, I didn’t. I just ignored them until they stopped pestering me. 🙂

All that said, I have, in the past, just had to ignore people whose jobs I didn’t want to do until they stopped pestering me.

I find this particularly annoying. I'd rather people were up front, if they are too busy and don't want the work then say so. Having to chase someone even to quote or commit to a date doesn't bode well. I normally give up on them if I feel like I'm the one doing the chasing.

I understand good people get busy though. And I bet there's a fair few dead end quotes as well.

I'm pretty much always booked 2-3 months in advance. When I get a call I try to look at the job in a timely manner still, but make sure the potential customer is aware nothing is going to be happening until whatever date, which I try to stick to as close as possible.

Not turning up for a pre arranged appointment once, let alone 3 times, without a phone call in unacceptable in my books.

I do get a lot of people however, that expect you to be sitting at home waiting for their call to come and have a look. Quoting often has to wait until the weekend as I don't have any other time to do it.

It always feels like you are asking for a favour rather than being a paying customer

Ahmen.

Crap tradesmen that are crap - readily available.

Not quite as crap tradesmen - arse you about.

Decent tradesmen that are not crap - 6 month waiting list.

I'd happily pay £300 + a day for anyone if they turn up and just do the job, properly.

I will defend them to a point though, as most people are dicks and I couldn't fancy doing work for the majority of the public 🙂

As far as the phone answering / getting back to you thing, I have some sympathy with that - they are specialist in a trade, not necessarily skilled in running a business.

Richard, still with a chimney that pisses water into the hearth because of above 🙁

Edit:

He’s getting a review on his trust a trader

I know the feeling.....

Having a brick shed built, walls are up, just needs the roof and door sorting.

Four no shows so far and the twunt never answers his phone but then texts me with his next promise / latest excuse.

He’s getting a review on his trust a trader / Facebook pages if he doesn’t show up on Monday.

I normally give up on them if I feel like I'm the one doing the chasing.

My kinda guy! 🙂

I had a similar experience to the OP with getting a bathroom floor tiled and have had many similar experiences with mechanics. I'm musing here but I think this behavior flourishes because the margins between standards are quite small.

Tradesmen who are really good will presumably expand and quickly be pricing themselves out of smaller jobs in relatively short time, so as a private householder you're left with people who are content to stay small, take on smaller jobs or people who perhaps aren't good enough or don't have the desire to move past that.

I mean, if you can get someone who is semi literate, answers his phone and gives a quote somewhere in the ballpark of what you expected then that's probably good enough so that's the standard you end up with.

Ive had this all year (though found some good people in the end just in case the top bloke who did my extension is reading). Ive learnt to be wary of anyone who answers the phone / turns up on time / can start next week. They usually seem to be really shite or not even doing the work themselves.

I don't answer my phone during the working day, all that happens is that you make arrangements to see people that are simply not practical. I like people to text me; I might take a while to respond but when I will suggest a time which doesn't mean I have to leave a job unfinished in order to spend 3/4 hour in traffic crossing town to make the appointment.
Are you happy to pay someone £30/hour to be on his/her phone half the day doing admin for other jobs?
The fact is there is a massive shortage of people doing trades; it's not something youngsters aspire to. Once the Poles all leave the situation will get worse.
I agree it is very unprofessional not to turn up for an appointment. I forget maybe once every couple of years but will always call to apologise as soon as I remember.

All the above is so true. But what gets me is why when you do managed to get 2 or 3 quotes, how can they vary so wildly. Just had a patio installed and got quotes ranging from £7k to £13k! It's just a patio for Christ's sake - I provided the design, specced the stones, and gave exact dimensions.

TL:DR however what I do know is when you find a good one, be nice, forgive them for the odd mistake and pay them pronto. You will miss them when they are gone.

Same here. Plus I'm getting rip off merchants. One guy says whole flue needs replacing at £1k another guy says to just replace the seal and bracket at £100. I currently have one chap wanting me to commit to a date for a job, he hasn't even confirmed if he can access the roof in that location or a price...

I reckon I would make a killing as a trade just by doing what I said I would when I said I would

Absolutely OP. My number one 1st world pieve. If I ran my business like they do I would be out of business.

Have you tried checkatrade?

I stay loyal to regular guys, so same trades each time. Anyone new i need some collateral with, best to overpay which i probably do but the price is soon forgotten when the jobs done well. Buy cheap buy twice.

As a self employed person myself, I hate talking on the phone with customers. I can understand why they prefer it; presumably so they can get answers to eighteen questions in a thirty second phone call.

But for me, i’d rather correspondence was via text or email. Apart from the fact that I’m generally WORKING when they call. The main reason being is that there is a record of everything discussed that you can refer to at any given time. From dates and addresses, to quantities and specifications. It’s all there.

I’m generally WORKING when they call

But theirs is the ONLY job anywhere that needs doing this year. You should be flattered. 🙂

Ditto, three weeks to find a bathroom fitter, quoted me two weeks and a price. After 10 days he was no where near done and wanting more money.
Sacked him, next one turned up three days later than arranged so sacked him too.
Ended uo fitting it myself, peice of piss. They are having giraffe so to speak.

There not as bad as heating engineers though who are all psychopaths, thats why they work for themselves.

I hate to generalise, because there are loads of good tradesmen out there too.....

.....but how many of them are in the trade because they can’t be trusted to be reliable in a professional environment, where they would be accountable for their performance?

Before anyone explodes, I’ll stress I’m aware there are good, professional tradesmen too, amongst the sea of crap ones. In other Countries you need formal qualifications to call yourself a builder or similar, unlike some of the cowboys we get here.

I’m not sure it’s just Tradesman. Certainly in my experience ‘anything’ done in construction and development, including all professional services is done last minute and testing the respective Client / bill payers patience to within an inch of them snapping.

....but how many of them are in the trade because they can’t be trusted to be reliable in a professional environment, where they would be accountable for their performance?

I’d certainly put myself in that category.

let me hit the other side of the fence button.. woken at 04.58 one morning this week to a text from someone i ve never heard of.. ''can you fit a shower today pref this a.m.'' twelve times a bloke rang and left a message every single time.. because he didnt know if he needed batteries in his timer that hes had for 3 years.. today attend a shower not working call.. turns it on shower runs for 3 minute 40 seconds and stops ..'' there.. you ve broken it, im not paying to have it fixed'' and the worst trend.. folks now wanting written quotes for boiler repairs.. would you travel to a property.. tools out, diagnose fault, reassemble, travel home to write a quote for a 65 quid repair..?? website NO No No all you get are people who now how to do everything telling you the best way to do the job you ve done for 20 years.. i dont do ads. websites. and get by nicely on word of mouth by been cheap, cheerful and nice to old folks.. 🙂

I'm going through it at the moment. The romanians/poles turn up within 30 minutes of you calling them and want to start the same day. Brits tend not to, although most people i call tend to come around and quote on the job. I've had good and i've had shit with both approaches. The Romanians tend to really push for the work. Some of them are charlatans, but many are decent workmen. I had an Asian plasterer in yesterday, who agreed to labour for me today (...HE didn't have work today and was keen to just have a day's work). He turned up at 0700 both mornings and worked like a beast until 1900 this evening hauling concrete in and out of the house in buckets.

The most amazing thing is how many differnet opinions there are to solve basic problems...and wildly different prices. Trying to get a patio done (THANK god one of the final jobs) and really unsure at who to go with...

...but think of it from the tradesmen's point of view. People with google at their fingers, call loads of people, get loads of quotes...you traipse round town quoting on jobs after doing a long day of work yourself and then are expected to take odd jobs here and there at a day rate which equals a salary that most office workers would sneer at.

As for the person above who said "it's easy"; DON'T be so ****ing riduclous. How can you claim that the trades are easy? Everything is easy when you know how. I am pretty competant when it comes to most general building tasks, but stuff like bricklaying/plastering aren't worth my while and the difference between an amateur job and a pro one espeically when it comes to finishing is night/day.

let me hit the other side of the fence button.. woken at 04.58 one morning this week to a text from someone i ve never heard of.. ''can you fit a shower today pref this a.m.'' twelve times a bloke rang and left a message every single time.. because he didnt know if he needed batteries in his timer that hes had for 3 years.. today attend a shower not working call.. turns it on shower runs for 3 minute 40 seconds and stops ..'' there.. you ve broken it, im not paying to have it fixed'' and the worst trend.. folks now wanting written quotes for boiler repairs.. would you travel to a property.. tools out, diagnose fault, reassemble, travel home to write a quote for a 65 quid repair..?? website NO No No all you get are people who now how to do everything telling you the best way to do the job you ve done for 20 years.. i dont do ads. websites. and get by nicely on word of mouth by been cheap, cheerful and nice to old folks..

Heating engineer got called on Monday came to look wends with a 1 hour time slot diagnosed the problem coming back next week to replace the boiler as it goosed.
Sorted

I had it with a 'reliable/excellent' tiler. Needed a kitchen & bathroom doing but he had a 3 month waiting list. I was OK with that, some other stuff needed doing. 2 weeks before he was due he emailed to say it would be another 2 weeks as his current job was running over, fine I can go with that. 2 days before the reviewed date he emails to say he can't actually do it at all, no reason at the time but he's still in business.
Then emails again to ask why I'd given him 1/10 on a review site. 🙄

Have phone number for work. Get indigent when people use it to contact you about work. 🙄

I hate talking on the phone with customers.

Seriously??? I don’t expect someone to be available 24/7 but a ring back would be nice.

I’ve tried texting tradesmen but that almost never gets a reply. 🙁

I think a lot of tradesmen are operating like it’s the 1970’s still.

I think a lot of tradesmen are operating like it’s the 1970’s still.

Certainly felt that way when Mrs Johnson commented on how hot it was in her house last week.

Checkatrade and trusted trader rated people they are a laugh so many dodgy folk on them a bit like the guild of master craftsmen from years ago as long as you pay the money anyone can join
If you see ads that start gutters cleaning then monoblocks upvc facias then eventually more serious stuff beware as the can't or shouldn't be doing it
It is tricky but word of mouth is probably best, avoid those that turn up in trainers to work in construction or look like they ate all the pies

Is there any other industry where it is so common for people to be so unreliable and not have basic business norms like a good website, telephone answering, published references, guarantees etc.?

the NHS/ gp surgeries etc

Certainly felt that way when Mrs Johnson commented on how hot it was in her house last week.

😯

AS one of these tradesmen,2 nights at 22.30 woken up by phone call asking how much to fit 2 internal doors, had to get up to answer the phone but it went to voicemail before i found the phone.

Last night 2315 another call went to voicemail just heavy breathing, again had to got up to check phone.

3 months ago went to a customers house measured up and drew out what they wanted delivered estimate a few days latter, 7 weeks latter they deciided to go ahead with part 1 at a cost of 100 quid.

3 weeks ago they decided to go ahead with part b cost 95.00 quid bought materials, materials increased in price, decided not to charge extra, day of job they rang up to totally change specifiation, they would now buy materials, had to then return materials as not needed , hassle, havent heard anything since.

To those with phone calls late at night. Have a business number?

Dual-sim or another phone etc.

If too drastic put Android on block everything apart from known numbers.

No way you've got to tolerate that.

It's like the Blue Planet. The reliable decent tradesman is like the receptive female grouper fish; the customers are all the males competing to try and be the one who gets his moment of glory....
Guys, you just need to up your act: Help to unload tools & materials whilst telling traffic wardens to **** off, freshly cut flowers? Are you sure your tea & biscuit offerings are up to the mark? Single estate tea? Green % Blacks chocky on the biscuits?
It's dog eat dog out there... 😈

I've had lots of work done on my house in the last 18 months. Insurance appointed disaster recovery company were absolutely shocking, altho the insurance co were brilliant at kicking arses along the way to get stuff done and mistakes altered, but it was a constant challenge. I had lots of extra personal work done by locals on top of the insurance claim and some of them were unreliable, liars, job jugglers, shisters. Only guy who was top notch was the most expensive quote and required a big deposit. He turned up on the day when promised and worked straight thru till the job was finished, all that was a gamble on my part (paying him a deposit up front), but paid off. You get what you pay for was my closing summary, but it's still very difficult to separate the shits from the good guys, for sure.

Without going into details....GGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH! 😡

I reckon I would make a killing as a trade just by doing what I said I would when I said I would

I find this! I'm a tradesperson and find I can pretty much be garenteed of getting the job by turning up when I say I will for the quote. Often people have already tried several others with no shows.

I don't advertise and am mostly word of mouth and have taken my phone number off my website due to too many calls when trying to work. Much prefer an email enquiry I can answer in my own time in the evening.

I'm about to downsize the business due to the difficulty in finding employees so am sadly having to cull a load of regular customers and the first to go will be late payers and ones who don't offer tea or Christmas tip. If you find a good tradesperson let them know you appreciate them as being self employed there is no one but your customers to tell you that you're doing a good job and even a small gesture like a bit of cake can tip the balance.