why can't I get a plumber

soolin

I'm a bit fed up hence posting on the vent board. Once again I have wasted a day waiting for a plumber to arrive..and when I finally tracked him down he says 'he forgot'. This isn't an isolated incident, I got this one to quote because the previous one failed to turn up, and the one before that said he had crashed his van and would have to reschedule and call me back...and he never did.

Every time I watch documentaries on the TV they appear to suggest that foreign workers, plumbers in particular are causing problems for our existing plumbers who can no longer make ends meet..bring them on is all i can say.

3 months ago I was actually stopped in my local town by a lady handing out business cards for her husband. She said he was a self employed plumber finding it difficult to earn enough to do a full weeks work..I told her that I need a boiler and full central heating service and a week later her husband turned up to quote. His quote was high, but as I had spectacularly failed to get anyone else to turn up for the previous 12 months we accepted it and he gave us a confirmed date. The day before we emptied out the airing cupboard, pulled beds away from the radiators in case he needed access and stocked up on chocolate biscuits for his tea breaks..and he failed to show. he had also forgotton, and since then he has forgotton to turn up on a secod occasion (that time he claimed he was a bit ill) and has failed to remember to contact us to re arrange a new appointment. The wife is still out there in my local town with her little stall handing out business cards and telling everyone how her husband can't compete against other people undercutting his rates. We have actually given up trying to get the heating serviced now.

So for the third week running I still have no washing machine (my mains tap is broken and the plumber was going to free it and replace it so I can put my new washing machine in..the old one can't be removed as I can't turn off the water). My gas hob (the plumber was going to do that as well as he is Corgi registered) still loses the flame and leaks gas into my kitchen and the new one that has been sitting there for ages will be out of warranty before I ever get it fitted at this rate.

If I were paranoid I would think the house was jinxed in some way or else we are blacklisted..maybe the quality of my tea break snacks are not good enough? :rotfl:

dmg24

If you are in North Nottingham I may be able to help?

(Don't worry, I'm not offering to do it myself ... though I may come along for the snacks!) x

soolin

Frankly I'd move to Noth Nottingham if I thought I could get a plumber...I'm in London where we are supposed to be awash with tradespeople.

I'm sorry I know I'm having a rant here..I'm turning into a shrew but for the last plumber that actually turned up I even bought him pie and chips from the local chip shop for his lunch rather than let him go hungry as he said he hadn't got any sarnies.

tanith

I used to be wed to a plumber and even then many years ago he would leave me to carry the can when he 'forgot' about a job... he either would take on too much work or a job would take longer than anticipated or a better 'job' worth more would come along. He was sooooooooo thick skinned whereas I was embarrassed to heck.. He liked to have lots of 'jobs' in the pipeline to ensure he didn't run out of work but the upshot was lots of very angry and disappointed people who would ring our house shouting the odds and me trying to find reasons why he hadn't turned up for the 3rd morning running...in the end I refused to answer the phone as he would even do the same thing to friends and relatives until I washed my hands of him and his business... ( there were many other reasons :rotfl: ) not really got any advice but just wanted to let you know that it must be something in the 'water'........:rotfl:

dmg24

Do you not know anybody who can recommend one to you, or are you all in the same boat?

My ex is a property developer, and he is so sick of tradesmen that he has learnt everything he can and does it all himself now.

From what I have heard, the people who don't like the foreign tradesmen are the UK ones that are being shown up by these new guys!

Have you got a Polish club nearby? If so, I would be a bit cheeky and give them a call and ask them to put up an ad for you? x

Tallymanjohn

I'm having the same problem getting a roofer - need the ridgetiles removing/rebedding & the gables infilled. It's a largish house so expect it to be a fairly expensive job, but out of around 10 firms I phoned only 5 came out to visit, 4 quoted & 2 gave definite start dates - neither have turned up. Neighbour, who's 60-odd has been up on his roof & doing his own - I hate heights so it's put me to shame :-(

PopeSock

I know someone's who's had a similar situation, not just with plumbers but electricians, either not turning up for the job or not turning up to give a quote.
I suspect it's either a case of..

a) Workmen not having the guts to say that a job isn't worth their time or money.

or

b) Deliberately over-booking jobs so as to have work in case one client cancels.

Either way, it's pretty damn rude for someone not to turn up.

vikingaero

I'm finding that there are 3 types of plumber:

(1) Mr Big Contracts who holds a housing association contract but is a one man band. He still advertises so that he can squeeze in cash jobs and rake it in. Except he gets so much crap from the HA that he overruns like mad and never turns up.

(2) The good plumber who doesn't do emergency call outs nor night work. He only works 9-5. Because he's so good he's booked a fortnight in advance. But he's worked for 30+ years and won't do emergency work anymore.

(3) Mr Whingy Plumber who doesn't do boiler or electrical work because he's crap. Doesn't like dirty jobs. Doesn't like it when we call up at night. Doesn't like it when we call up in the morning because he's been up all night on an emergency job. Doesn't like it when we call up during the day because he's run out of fags. Doesn't like it when we find out that he's only a plumber because he went on a course that he paid £2,995.

soolin

I'm glad I'm not alone then, I thought it was just me. I watch these house developing programmes on the TV and they all seem to be able to get builders , plumbers etc at a drop of a hat and I like many of the examples above I can't even get someone out to quote. My job is either to small, too big, the weather is wrong ..or very commonly they don't have a van as it was crashed/broken into, repossesed...whatever, and can't get to me as planned.

Well my man is due again today at about 10 am..wish me luck!

golddustmedia

If you want a plumber in London I've a trade secret for you.

Go and find the nearest housing development by a large name builder such as Persimmon homes etc.

Walk up to a house you can see is actively covered in builders/tradesmen and ask if there is a plumber on site as you have a cash job needs doing.

Within 5 minutes you'll most likely have spoken with and maybe even agreed a price with a plumber who'll most likely do the job within a day or so.

Basically he'll dissappear off site and do your job for cash.

Yes it's iffy, no there's no guarantee, but it'll get the job done quickly, most likley by one of the many foreign workers and at a decent price.

I did this last year for an outside tap, relocating a radiator and changing a basin. Took 1/2 day and cost £100 with me supplying the parts.

Don't lecture me about morals, right/wrong etc, it's just an easy solution when "proper" plumbers can't be bothered.