It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

Dh6

What part of the country are you in kim1965? 

Kim1965

Far enough away from london for life to be cheaper. 
Trades are generally all busy at the mo, brexit may have depleted the trades numbers. Young lads seem not to like grime and sweat (I dont blame them). I think i read somewhete that 40 % of gas engineers are 55 or over.
 I am very much wanting to hang my spanners up. 

cfw1994

Our plumber sounds similar to you....he is doing well to train up a younger lad though, who has done a couple of jobs on his own now with us.   He does grumble that the young fella keeps taking on too much work! 
Hope you're trying to pass on the baton!!
We had a tree-reduction quote today - £275, which for the work we are after (reducing two beeches) feels reasonable.

Good luck with the work, sea_shell!

german_keeper

One of the advantages of living my whole life in a small town, I have pretty much everything covered by close friends. Car mechanic, plumber, electrician, joiner, builder etc etc. Lads who I have known since primary school (50 years!), or since I was in my late teens/early twenties and played football with for many years. Biggest concern is that they are all now at or approaching retirement so what comes next. Mind you I have already found a cracking young plumber who is the son in law of someone I went to primary school with. Hopefully as the years go by the same will happen for the others.  

It's not this "mate's rates" nonsense so much as you will get the job done properly and not get ripped off. Although I have to say in my opinion rip off merchants are probably few and far between and the vast majority of trades people are just looking to make a decent living followed by a comfortable retirement.

Sea_Shell

We always try and use local recommended trades people.

This guy has done work for a neighbour and comes recommended as are the fencers.

Our gas man has also trained up his son to take over and he's now fully qualified.

Kim1965

Sea_Shell said:

We always try and use local recommended trades people.

This guy has done work for a neighbour and comes recommended as are the fencers.

Our gas man has also trained up his son to take over and he's now fully qualified.

My lad is in his last year to be a chartered accountantant, he will have 9 of the 12 accreditations when he finishes from a good Uni, hopefully he will secure a well paid career. He had no wish to follow me and  Ipurposefully facilitated his choice. As i did with my daughter. Being a Tradesman is a hand to mouth lifestyle, i wouldnt that for him/them. Perhaps if he was not academic it would be different. 

Ibrahim5

Just do it yourself. It's cheaper and you know a proper job has been done. If you aren't happy with something you just fix it. None of this trying to get people back. Just live an independent life style.

westv

Ibrahim5 said:

Just do it yourself. It's cheaper and you know a proper job has been done. If you aren't happy with something you just fix it. None of this trying to get people back. Just live an independent life style.

If it was me I'd rather spend my time doing something more interesting ( to me).

plumb1_2

Kim1965 said:

Apologies i cut myself off. I only work for people i have worked fir previously. Gas wirk is priced around £250 pd.
 I am very cheap though, rarely price for work, prefer to do the job and bill on how long it takes, currently booked up way beyond xmas. Dont advertise, no business cards etc my wife constantly says i should up my rates to thin the work down. I also seem to have vast amounts of homemade jam etcTaken instead of payment for tiny jobs from old dears who appear to have little, Hoping i am going to heaven. My lack of business acumen is plain to see.
 I am probably the exception. Always go by recommendation, there are plenty of decent blokes who are not looking to shaft their customers. Having been shafted by the odd customer, i only work for regular customers. 

I must be your missing twin, I am quite happy with £200 a day.. never had to advertise in the 40 plus years I’ve been in the trade. You might not get the full 8 hrs on site as I include travel time in my working day. Plus it’s what you do when your on the job that counts.
 No nipping off to the bookies etc, 
I really detest so called tradesman who rip people off.

Albermarle

Ibrahim5 said:

Just do it yourself. It's cheaper and you know a proper job has been done. If you aren't happy with something you just fix it. None of this trying to get people back. Just live an independent life style.

If I tried to do serious plumbing myself, then it would definitely take ages and not be a proper job !
As for working on the gas supply/appliances myself, then just wait for the Boom !