Are all tradesmen etc too busy?

HappyG1rl

Is everyone really busy these days so that they don't need work? I've been trying to get a quote for plumbing work and everyone says they are busy.

HugoSP

Whereabouts in the country are you?

I specialise in some small jobs on the basis that a lot of tradesmen can't seem to fit them in.

TBH a lot of what you've experienced is down to small builders not managing themselves properly. I have never refused to give a written estimate if asked, although I can understand someone being reluctant to write one if they don't think the customer is serious. Another time explain that you want to compare 3 estimates and need them all in writing.

Sometimes the job is so small or the customer wants a ballpark figure that I have given a verbal figure clearly stating assumptions. I use specialist contracters and expect them to agree a price with me before we start, unless I am paying them by the hour.

As for the time delay thing. It is all down to time manegement. Everyone wants their little job done yesterday. Some people have a real problem with saying no. I tend to do the opposite, which surpises people that I can't turn up for half a day and do some plastering etc, but people don't understand that if I keep saying yes then someone gets let down.

If you can find yourself a good handyman he will be able to do the small jobs and may be able to recommend specialist trades in your area

safesound

I wish you were local to me Hugo
I have the same problem as Toots, I still cant get anyone out to put a chimney cowl on (I've been looking for nearly 2 years!) and I would dearly love someone who can externally render but I either a) cant get anyone to come out (lots of promises but they never turn up), or b) they heavily over quote because they just don't have the time. Two have admitted this to me (ie, its only worth turning down other work if its going to be REALLY lucrative).
Even my BIL (builder) told me they were too "little" to bother with when he could be doing bigger, better paying jobs.

PasturesNew

I think they're just disorganised. They're good at what they do, but not administrators. Neither are their partners who often end up being the administrator by default.

They could fit twice the work in, in less time if they were more organised, thus producing more than twice the money as their waste would be cut down too.

Or, they could work half as hard to earn the same.

Or ... they could work the same hours, be more organised ... and reward customers with lower prices

Peartree

It is just so incredibly difficult, particularly to get someone to do a small job for you. I can understand why. If you're a roofing firm you're going to prioritise the big job and not the replacement of a few slates.

I think HugoSP is focussing on a real need in the market. I've been very, very lucky, my Dad is an electrician who can also tackle lots of plumbing, carpentry and other home maintenance tasks. So far, he has sorted out every home maintenance emergency I've had! However, he's not getting any younger and I'd love to have a really good, versatile jack of all trades, handyman to call on.

I know most of my friends have a similar problem so if we knew someone like that who did jobs for a good price I think they'd be in constant work! One suggestion, though is to only use people who have been personally recommended and keep asking around. When I had a slate off the roof, a colleague at work recommended someone her dad (a joiner on building sites) worked with. He replaced my slate and filled a small hole around a drainage pipe for me (more neatly than anything I'd ever seen) and only wanted to charge me £10!!! I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd only given someone who'd taken the time to get to my house and spend an hour or so up a ladder on a freezing cold day £10 though!

Sometimes you don't want a top, professional just someone who will do it to the same standard as you would if you had the time, particularly with decorating. My ex-window cleaner (he couldn't get the staff and had to give up) stained all my fence panels for £50. It wasn't the best job in the world but it it was no worse than if I'd done it myself and saved me a morning's work which was cracking value for money to my mind. I don't think I could have got proper tradesperson to do that job for me. I'm a pretty good DIYer but, on the decorating front, would be happy to pay a reasonable price to someone who would do a job to someone who would do it to the same 'good amateur' level so that I didn't need to give up all my precious weekends to do it.

What is incredibly annoying is the 'not turning up' to give a quote. Even more annoying is this assumption that there is a 'little lady' in every house who has nothing better do do with their lives than wait for the decorator/roofer/plumber/whatever to turn up when they feel like it. It is probably cutting off my nose and so on, but if someone is unreliable at quote stage, forget it!

Annabee

I agree with you Toots it is really annoying. If they're so busy, why do they even come out to quote?

A couple of years ago we had a small job that needed doing and called a local person to have a look. He say he'd let us know the price. He didn't. Called him a couple of times and even said to him 'are you too busy to fit the job in?' 'Oh no it had just slipped my mind and I will definitely get back to you' he replies. Of course never heard from him again!

Tradespeople out there = why for goodness sake do you do this? I really would like to know. Why don't you just have a bit of honesty and say you're too busy?
Also if you mess people around like this because you don't fancy doing their small job then they're hardly likely to consider you when they have a big job that needs doing.

nickj_2

people ring up and expect you to do the job within the month , when you tell them that they will have to wait for 3 - 4 months they can't believe it . do they think we just sit at home waiting for them to ring ? tradesmen do have other work to do , if you are any good at what you do , you will have a waiting list

misgrace

I agree with annabee about the majority of tradesmen who never contact you.
It drives me mad, and I am a tradeswoman lol, this is why I tell the client I will ring them in approx 4-5 days after I have seen them, to give them a rough idea how much it will cost, that way they have something to work on and not waiting in limbo.
Then I will post them a detailed breakdown of how much it is.

I find by doing this asap, I am assuring them I am reliable and keep my word, and 99/100 times I always get the job.
Also when I begin thier job, I still am the reliable worker that I give the impression of at the beginning.:D

baldelectrician

I should point out that if you find someone in the trade that is quiet you should be concerned.

I am booked up until late oct / early november and am still able to fit in small (<3 hour) jobs.

The public are very fickle. They expect a good tradesperson to be busy, but still to have soneone waiting and available just for their job.