Hard times in the building trade...

x12yhp

Really?! I appreciate that there are many fewer jobs in actually constructing new houses and doing big budget extensions etc.... but we cannot find tradespeople to come and do things like install new gates, fix the leaking shower or do a bit of plastering. When the pipes were bursting, nobody could seem to find anyone to come and sort it out for them! Admittedly they may have been busy but the whole thing shouts out to me that there is a fundamental problem. I think the trades have become too used to loads of big and easy jobs that would keep them going weeks or months at a time. There was no interest in doing a couple of hundred pounds here and there... and somehow they have forgotten that it exists!

So come on you builders/plumbers/sparks/joiners... roll up your sleeves and start doing the multitude of little jobs we all want done and stop complaining that there is no work out there!!

D.A.

We STILL haven't been able to find anyone to do a safety check on our gas fires either. Absolutely pathetic.

Russe11

Thats the problems with shorts runs of work, have to charge a high hourly rate to cover the quiet times, need lots of customers which means lots of advertising.

Old_Git

my heating broke on New years day .
I phoned the man who serviced it the last time ,his phone was switched off.
I got the number off another man .Phoned him ,he said he would call the following day at 10:30am .
He arrived at 10:20am on Sunday morning.15 minutes work £30 .

linni

I have the same problem. I have an endless list of jobs to be done. I contacted 4 carpenters to give me quote for fitting a new garage door and only 2 of them turned up and only one of them bothered to give me a quote. I also have loads of other jobs to be done, repairing woodblock floor, new internal wall, new driveway and much more and can't even get anyone to come out to look because they are all too busy.

x12yhp

Russe11 wrote: »

Thats the problems with shorts runs of work, have to charge a high hourly rate to cover the quiet times, need lots of customers which means lots of advertising.

That is what the rest of the world has to do as a norm...

mypie

I couldn't agree more. We needed a few things done in the house and had got a quote of a trades man working for himself (1 employee) the quote was 2k which we were happy with. He never showed up for the work - text us 2 weeks later to see if we still wanted it done tho!!!! I was livid that he had wasted our time waiting on him and didn't mind not turning up for a few days work for 2k. We ended up getting a guy that was doing the work as a homer and took longer but was half the price.

maggiecon

My OH is a trademan, he doesnt do small odd jobs, because he finds most people dont want to pay the going rate, and in fact if they know him the more or less expect it for nothing.

and those that he does do work for dont pay for ages or not at all. Thats why most tradespeople prefer a steady job with a steady wage. but then dont we all want that?

x12yhp

maggiecon wrote: »

My OH is a trademan, he doesnt do small odd jobs, because he finds most people dont want to pay the going rate, and in fact if they know him the more or less expect it for nothing.

and those that he does do work for dont pay for ages or not at all. Thats why most tradespeople prefer a steady job with a steady wage. but then dont we all want that?

I can understand the difficulty and it is fine as long as there is a steady job. But there are queues of tradespeople on the dole... it seems ridiculous to be taking public money when a bit of grinding on their own would get them through!

Your OH has a broader experience than I do but we (and those we know) just want the jobs done. A quote ahead of time and stick reasonably closely and we wont care as long as it is done and finished. We cannot get people in to do the work so, when we do get someone, we aren't that inclined to haggle. That does not seem to guarantee good service!

mypie

x12yhp wrote: »

Your OH has a broader experience than I do but we (and those we know) just want the jobs done. A quote ahead of time and stick reasonably closely and we wont care as long as it is done and finished. We cannot get people in to do the work so, when we do get someone, we aren't that inclined to haggle. That does not seem to guarantee good service!

I agree. We are prepared to pay the going rate for a job well done.

the_money_pit

I have found this thread interesting reading. My OH and son are joiners. For the first time in 20 yrs they have no work. Granted they have been used to working, self employed, for a builder.
As they have been with this builder for such a long time they are having difficulty getting jobs around the country.
So my point is this - where is the best place for them to advertise, local paper has yielded nothing so far, they will price and execute any job, big or small and to a high standard.
If any of you have jobs needing priced how could we contact you or you us?
Any suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks.