Are tradesmen really this unprofessional?

chefman99

We’re having a bathroom fitted and it feels like our tradesman isn’t taking our job seriously enough. The work is good… when he does work. He seems to turn up whenever he feels like it and it’s taken a month and we’re not close to being finished yet. Some days he doesn’t turn up despite saying he was going to and then ignores my efforts to contact him. Sometimes he turns up an hour or 2 late thus limiting the amount of work he gets done in the day.

I understand he may have other jobs, but surely taking more than a month for a simple family bathroom refurb is a bit much! 

I have paid 50% of the money to date and I have a degree of leverage in that he won’t get paid the full amount until
the work is done. However how do I let him know that this is taking too long without winding him up and him doing a slap-dash job or leaving in the middle of it? 

Bendy_House

What does he say when you calmly explain your concerns?

If the answer is, "I haven't said anything yet", then good chance that's why he's prioritising other jobs. 

I suspect he's making hay, and has taken on too many jobs. I think that's nuts - I just couldn't flit from one bitsie job to another.

(Fence half done - must go and do nan's decking... :-(. )

stuart45

It used to be standard practice with builders. Start a job so you have the job.
If they told someone they couldn't start for 12 months people would go elsewhere.

Bigphil1474

Think of a reasonable deadline and tell him you need it finishing by then (relatives coming to visit etc.) As above, if you haven't said anything he probably isn't too fussed. We used to use a carpet fitter who was a mate of a relative. He was so slow, basically doing 10 minutes work, then a fag break, 10 minutes work, then a tea break, but he charged for the job rather than per hour, and he was dirt cheap so we didn't worry about it. If your happy with the quality of the work, I'd let him get on and do it his way myself. It will be finished eventually. 

diystarter7

It's like any profession, you get the crooks, frauds, fools, lazy, p takers, useless and many decent ones.

Sorry about your plight OP. Just shows that when I take on a tradesman, depending on the size of the project I will pay them at the end or if big project pay them when x amount of works completed

Also in writing, we have start, finish times and the number of days the project will be completed.

If tradesman is not happy with your questions etc, get a new quote

Seek start and finnish date

Things can change and we all have to be fair but yours is taking the P.

However, the above is too late for you but you can ask for a finish date

Have someone with you and put it to him that you happy with most of what he has done but not this and please put it right.

Tell him you are not happy with the time taken.

What was your agreements before start?

Be aware, some lazy sods do get nasty and make you feel guilty/awful and fearful. Any threats, call the police.

chefman99

Bendy_House said:

What does he say when you calml explain your concerns?

If the answer is, "I haven't said anything yet", then good chance that's why he's prioritising other jobs. 

I suspect he's making hay, and has taken on too many jobs. I think that's nuts - I just couldn't flit from one bitsie job to another.

(Fence half done - must go and do nan's decking... :-(. )

Thanks. I’ve said it to him a couple of times that I’m keen to get the job completed and he responds that he is too. Maybe I need to be a little more point blank and tell him I want it done in the next couple of weeks. 

chefman99

@diystarter7 thanks for the response. I still haven’t paid the full money and I have kept the rest behind on completion as all materials have arrived and been bought. I will have a word with him and make my expectations for an end date clearer I think. Same as the other posters in this thread. T

diystarter7

chefman99 said:

@diystarter7 thanks for the response. I still haven’t paid the full money and I have kept the rest behind on completion as all materials have arrived and been bought. I will have a word with him and make my expectations for an end date clearer I think. Same as the other posters in this thread. T

Thanks and good luck

We had a really awful bathroom installed about 25 years ago. I should have seen the warning signs when he was going to back out the first day when he found the existing tiles too hard to take off, they was massive glass tiles form the 1930's. 

TBH, he did 100% at the end but only after he nearly attacked me for almost saying nothing when he asked about something and how I wanted it done.  He was a big strong guy and I had to back down and tell him to be quiet and I did not want a fight in my house with my wife there. After that I told him politely he needs to do the job as promised and speak to my wife only and politely otherwise I will take him off the job.

A sister had to call the cops as she had what you are getting and was widowed and alone with young daughters, the police were very good as they could easily see my sister was honest and fair

I dont want to scare you but be prepared for almost anything, and keep polite, no point scorings, no threats of witholding cash, listen to what he says, digest it, then answer with min repsosne. It may be a pleasant surprise and or good promises that are not kept.

Not sure if you did, but check the trade sites for reviews even where builders have 100% positive fedback I look for gaps where no feedback is left. But, next builder, do as per my op here and if thengs go wrong, you've done your best and the fact is that there are crooks out there.

Good luck

ps - sign of trouble/abuse - just tell them politley you will call the cops - you've done nothing wrong dont forget that.

koalakoala

I think it's par for the course nowadays in my experience. They take on too many jobs, not wanting to turn them down

FaceHead

Always agree upfront how much it will cost, how long it will take, and what they'll do. 

Once the time agreed is up then you can start imposing deadlines, and if it comes down to it say you'll get someone to finish it if they don't get it done within a reasonable extension to what was already agreed.

At this point, you have to ask 'when will this be done - it's taking longer than I expected'. And a bit like asking 'how much is this going to cost' halfway through the job, you open yourself up to them saying pretty much anything. But at least then you have an agreement, and can start managing them to that. 

DRP

Ask for a date when he’ll be done, and at the end of the week/beginning of the week ask what the plans are for the week ahead. Then you’ll know if you’re running behind or not.