Question to the tradesmen here, what puts you off doing a job?

[Deleted User]

I'm looking to get my house done and starting to wonder if it's me. First it was the bathroom refurbishment. I got 2 quotes - one never got back to me when I let them know I wasn't going with an electric mirror but happy with everything else. The other simply didn't respond. Got a recommendation from a neighbour, the guy showed up but never got back. I ended up returning all the items (tiles etc.) as I just gave up. 

Forward a few months, thought I would get the bedroom done. Again, got a quote and he was very quick responding to a message. Asked him how long it would take and when he could start and absolutely nothing. 

The house is a little run down (as in it just need a repaint) because of years of chasing around kids and them drawing on the walls. This is what we are fixing!

The job isn't finnicky, it's your bread and butter and you're free enough to come round, measure and quote. What is it then that puts you off the job? 

Risteard

More than likely just too busy.

[Deleted User]

@Deleted_User ..... i have the exact same problem, i have a very large job to get done aswell as a smaller one ...... will people respond or get back after quoting - no they don't.

Simonon77

The problem at the moment is most tradesmen are so busy they can pick and choose ( and charge what they want! ), and just choose the jobs that make them the most money. We have Brexit to thank for this a lot as so many of the European tradesmen went back home. 5 or 10 years ago you could get Eastern European builders in who would start within a few days, and do a better and cheaper job than most of the British ones   

plumb1_2

Just like customers vett builders, it also works the other way round.

silvercar

plumb1_2 said:

Just like customers vett builders, it also works the other way round.

So how do we show we are good customers?

Section62

Simonon77 said:

The problem at the moment is most tradesmen are so busy they can pick and choose ( and charge what they want! ), and just choose the jobs that make them the most money. We have Brexit to thank for this a lot as so many of the European tradesmen went back home. 5 or 10 years ago you could get Eastern European builders in who would start within a few days, and do a better and cheaper job than most of the British ones   

Not round here they haven't.

What has happened is the EU workers who were picking up casual work, often off the books, are now established in the UK and have either become traders or moved up into relatively senior positions within contracting companies.  First it was the Poles, now the Romanians.  Good on them.  It was always the case that expecting people to come to the UK and work for buttons would only work for so long as there people willing to work for buttons.  When your buttons are no longer good enough you'll have a problem.

The other major factor is Covid.  We've had a huge boom in building activity (in addition to some major projects such as HS2 and the Tideway Tunnel) which has massively increased demand, coupled with people having time to reflect during the pandemic and deciding there's more to life than slogging your guts out working for ungrateful customers who expect first class work done for buttons, then quibble when it comes to paying for it.  Working directly with/for the public is a nightmare, more so since early 2020.

The work done by those in the industry who've decided to step back and enjoy life more is being backfilled by bright and keen EU workers who've now established themselves as reputable traders and now get to pick the jobs they want to do, rather than being desperate to do work for anyone for buttons.

Anyone finding a builder who could start within a few days should stop and ask themselves why that is possible.  That was as true 5 or 10 years ago as it is today.

[Deleted User]

plumb1_2 said:

Just like customers vett builders, it also works the other way round.

How so? How does one vet a customer? 

Tucosalamanca

For me it's loyalty to existing customers and the shear volume of work out there.

We're only taking on new customers through recommendations and even then we're declining a large number of jobs.

A few months ago I could direct enquiries to other trades who weren't so busy.
Today I don't know anyone who's not working at capacity.

Bottom line is that it's competitive out there. Homeowners are competing with businesses and affluent private customers.

Skilled, reliable trades are in demand and will almost certainly not be looking for work.

As a carpenter recently said to me, I'm glad we're in a recession, I have no idea how I would cope otherwise...

Risteard

Simonon77 said:

The problem at the moment is most tradesmen are so busy they can pick and choose ( and charge what they want! ), and just choose the jobs that make them the most money. We have Brexit to thank for this a lot as so many of the European tradesmen went back home. 5 or 10 years ago you could get Eastern European builders in who would start within a few days, and do a better and cheaper job than most of the British ones   

It's nothing to do with Brexit. The outrageous totalitarian overreaction to COVID is far more to blame.

RonRamsgate

Some customers can be a pain 
youtube video of electricians DSES.UK  

video name, Our customer gets arrested 

(some bad language) Not suitable viewing for all