How are you coping with the inability to get a tradesperson out?

NibblyPig

Thanks for the responses. Glad I'm not alone. Will just keep plugging away.

plumb1_2

NibblyPig said

At this point I'd pay double just to get it done.

Put the kettle on,I’ll be there in 10 minutes 😊

[Deleted User]

Yup, i too have been contacting tradesmen who have the available time to actually come out in the first instance.
Waiting for tradesmen, who do have the time to do it to actually come out and quote the job.
Then waiting for the accepted quote jobs to actually start.

The whole thing is experienced by almost everyone i speak to !

I wonder if the more mature tradesmen have retired early ?
If the younger guys aren't going into trades any more ?
If the furloughing system has shown people they don't need to work as much if they cut their cloths accordingly - thus resulting in less people around wanting, or needing, the work - and demand exceeding supply etc ? 

Whatever, it's irritating, but is what it is  😕🤷‍♀️

onomatopoeia99

[Deleted User] said:

Yup, i too have been contacting tradesmen who have the available time to actually come out in the first instance.
Waiting for tradesmen, who do have the time to do it to actually come out and quote the job.
Then waiting for the accepted quote jobs to actually start.

The whole thing is experienced by almost everyone i speak to !

I wonder if the more mature tradesmen have retired early ?
If the younger guys aren't going into trades any more ?
If the furloughing system has shown people they don't need to work as much if they cut their cloths accordingly - thus resulting in less people around wanting, or needing, the work - and demand exceeding supply etc ? 

Whatever, it's irritating, but is what it is  😕🤷‍♀️

Plenty have gone home due to Brexit, means those that are left are hoovering up all the steady work on building sites etc., where they know they'll get paid without a fight, and the average householder is struggling to find anyone.

Slinky

Yay, just had a quote from a builder!

Doozergirl

Slinky said:

Yay, just had a quote from a builder!

Show off! 😉

[Deleted User]

It’s not easy. 

I’ve signed up to British gas home care. Pay a monthly fee plus £60 per call out. You book your slot online and the type of repair you want doing. 

It’s handy for all the little jobs like plumbing and electrics that you keep meaning to get done. Also if you have an actual home emergency then you don’t have to go searching on the yellow pages (I’m old!).

NibblyPig

I think the conclusion is, DIY...

So perhaps I can find someone to safely disconnect the hot/cold and sort out the soil pipe, and remove the radiator... then I can just rip everything and sledgehammer the wall down and we're all golden..? Maybe..?

CoastingHatbox

NibblyPig said:

I think the conclusion is, DIY...

So perhaps I can find someone to safely disconnect the hot/cold and sort out the soil pipe, and remove the radiator... then I can just rip everything and sledgehammer the wall down and we're all golden..? Maybe..?

I think that is probably the solution too.

YouTube is a good source of suggestion and advice, although some of the content creators will be encouraging people to buy certin products in order to please their sponsors, so just be aware of that.

Break the big job down into the smallest tasks possible, and then think about the skills, the tools and supplies you need for each task. If you can't answer those questions, then you need to do some more research.

It certainly helps me out.

twopenny

I had a gas man call as per appointment!

He'd booked to service the boiler at a bargain price via a leaflet through the door and attending my neighbour when I cornered him.

He had to change the timer switch to service it. I've been waiting 3mts to get that changed. He had one in his van as mine was not the right one.

Took all of 3mins but the price was annoying for the time.

I couldn't complain because it's done at last and he told me the disfunction wasn't the switch but the pump and how to deal with that.

So a bit of a money for old rope but hopefully now I'm up and running for the hot water and heating.

Then he said he might be giving up the job because there was too much work and not enough time with his family!!!!!!