Any tips on how to get hold of tradesmen at the moment?

ginger_chocolate

So I am looking to get some work done on my house  (next step is the addition of a small porch as soon as possible, but I have other projects planned over the next few years). At the moment I have the money sitting in my bank account, and I have quite detailed plans for what I want. Yet I am finding it impossible to get hold of anyone to help me do the work. 
My first project was getting a garden fence replaced, I contacted six local companies (by both phone and email) and got a response from just one. I knew I was supposed to get three quotes before committing, but frankly with the rate of the response I couldn't see how that would be possible, so I just went with the only guy who responded to me (he did a great job but he was very young and his business quite new).
My next project is the porch - I have, over the past two months contacted fifteen local builders - I had a standard email response from one, saying he didn't have capacity to do the work at the moment. None of the others have picked up the phone or responded to messages/emails. 
Are builders really snowed under at the moment? Might this be because of Covid-19? Is there some secret to finding a tradesperson who might help you, or in getting them to respond? Or do I just continue with this scattergun approach until I've finally contacted all of the builders in the area then start again? Could it be because I'm a woman (I hope not, but it has crossed my mind!)? What am I missing?

Teapot55

Contacting trades via text initially often works well. Friday afternoon especially good as they’ll be planning their work for the coming week.

Brief message should include

the job you’re needing doing, eg ‘porch’
timescale, eg ‘by end July’ and approximate location eg ‘South Street’.

Also include at least your first name, eg ‘Fred B’, & your preferred method of contact, eg ‘text or email is fine’ 

TELLIT01

Decent builders are often booked up weeks or months in advance.  I'd be wary of the guy who is keen to start next week.  It may be a case of a genuine cancellation, but it may be because other people know them better than you!!

ginger_chocolate

TELLIT01 said:

Decent builders are often booked up weeks or months in advance.  I'd be wary of the guy who is keen to start next week.  It may be a case of a genuine cancellation, but it may be because other people know them better than you!!

And I am perfectly happy to wait weeks or months if needs be.  But at the moment I can't seem to actually speak to anyone in order to arrange something for several months time because nobody responds to my enquiries at all!

Teapot55

ginger_chocolate said:

TELLIT01 said:

Decent builders are often booked up weeks or months in advance.  I'd be wary of the guy who is keen to start next week.  It may be a case of a genuine cancellation, but it may be because other people know them better than you!!

And I am perfectly happy to wait weeks or months if needs be.  But at the moment I can't seem to actually speak to anyone in order to arrange something for several months time because nobody responds to my enquiries at all!

Try texting this afternoon like I said in my previous post & put specifically that your timescale is this year (or whatever) & that you just need an estimate at this stage? 

fenwick458

leave messages. give them windows of time when you will be in for them to come round and have a look at the job
for example, if a get a message about a job they want a quote for, and they say call in anytime in the afternoon during the week, then theres a good chance i'll get there and give them a quote.
if the window for quoting is something like 10am saturday morning, or anytime after 7pm in the week, then I probably won't get there!
but yeah everyone seems busy at the minute so just gotta bear with it, keep being persistent. if you don't get a response, ask again, get them to either say they can come or say they can't come.

ginger_chocolate

fenwick458 said:

leave messages. give them windows of time when you will be in for them to come round and have a look at the job
for example, if a get a message about a job they want a quote for, and they say call in anytime in the afternoon during the week, then theres a good chance i'll get there and give them a quote.
if the window for quoting is something like 10am saturday morning, or anytime after 7pm in the week, then I probably won't get there!
but yeah everyone seems busy at the minute so just gotta bear with it, keep being persistent. if you don't get a response, ask again, get them to either say they can come or say they can't come.

Thanks - it's good to know that this is at least partly because it's busy at the moment and it's not just me! I have tried leaving messages with windows of time when I'm free (which is quite a lot of the time at the moment) but no luck yet. 

Doozergirl

Teapot55 said:

Contacting trades via text initially often works well. Friday afternoon especially good as they’ll be planning their work for the coming week.

Brief message should include

the job you’re needing doing, eg ‘porch’
timescale, eg ‘by end July’ and approximate location eg ‘South Street’.

Also include at least your first name, eg ‘Fred B’, & your preferred method of contact, eg ‘text or email is fine’ 

I think I'd think that was a scam and ignore it 😬

In honesty, with the way things are, the carrot is going to be a much bigger job than a porch.    I might suggest that one of our subbies do it as a sideline weekend job for a friend, but it's not a big enough job for any 'firm'.  

henry24

I was talking to a man who does coving and artexing and he has 31 people waiting for him so how many have popular trades 

twopenny

It's a relief to know it's not just us around here.

"get them to either say they can come or say they can't come." if only. Some come, look at the job and promise a quote which never materialises. I wouldn't mind at all if they just said ' I'm too busy' or any excuse so that I could move on but waiting for them to come then waiting for a quote  leaves me 2 weeks before I realise they aren't interested and my blood boils.

I need a small bathroom doing out, an ensuite too, new kitchen worktops, paving relaying and fencing so I wait and wait for those who say they can. I've got to the point I'd accept a sky blue bath with pink spots if only someone would put one in.

Sorry, just had to rant. It's hit a nerve. But interesting about Fridays. I always avoided getting in touch on a Friday thinking that they would mentally switch off for the weekend and forget me by Monday.

kazwookie

Try walking around your local area or drive and 'spot the workman' doing the trade you want, photo their phone number off the van then ring them.

Ask for recommendations on FB

Talk to neighbours who have had work done and ask them who they used.