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

silvercar

I always seem to get a better response when saying that I've been recommended by X, Y and Z rather than not mentioning the connection. (Always making sure that I get recommendations off people who I think would treat trades fairly!)

plumb1_2

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   

So in your opinion European builders are better and cheaper than our native builders.
with that type of attitude it’s no wonder people find it hard to get trades.
99.9% of them went back home with £50k bounce back loans in their pockets, if not more if they suddenly had multiple new companies. And will never be seen again.

Nobbie1967

The fact you’ve bought your own materials may have put off some tradesmen. Why not just specify what you want and allow the tradesmen to source everything?

travis-powers

plumb1_2 said:

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   

So in your opinion European builders are better and cheaper than our native builders.
with that type of attitude it’s no wonder people find it hard to get trades.
99.9% of them went back home with £50k bounce back loans in their pockets, if not more if they suddenly had multiple new companies. And will never be seen again.

Just taken over a job started by a Polish builder and the work was shocking!
We had to call in a structural engineer and spend £1000s just to make the house safe!
On the other had I have worked with some outstanding Eastern European carpenters but they was on the same money as me.
Sometimes tradesmen get a gut feeling about a protential client and will act on it, there are as many rouge clients as there is rouge builders, not saying that you are but I’m on a lot of trade sites where clients will post work which is fine trying to find fault so they can knock the tradesmen.

Simonon77

travis-powers said:

plumb1_2 said:

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   

So in your opinion European builders are better and cheaper than our native builders.
with that type of attitude it’s no wonder people find it hard to get trades.
99.9% of them went back home with £50k bounce back loans in their pockets, if not more if they suddenly had multiple new companies. And will never be seen again.

Just taken over a job started by a Polish builder and the work was shocking!
We had to call in a structural engineer and spend £1000s just to make the house safe!
On the other had I have worked with some outstanding Eastern European carpenters but they was on the same money as me.
Sometimes tradesmen get a gut feeling about a protential client and will act on it, there are as many rouge clients as there is rouge builders, not saying that you are but I’m on a lot of trade sites where clients will post work which is fine trying to find fault so they can knock the tradesmen.

Well there are always some bad builders out there wherever they come from. I found it was more to do with the attitude. The Polish builders who used to work for us would turn up at 8 and expect to work a full day and work hard. Not turn up at 10, faff around for 10 minutes, go out for an hour randomly, wander off to other jobs, couple of hours for lunch then maybe do an hours work in the afternoon before knocking off early.

[Deleted User]

silvercar said:

I always seem to get a better response when saying that I've been recommended by X, Y and Z rather than not mentioning the connection. (Always making sure that I get recommendations off people who I think would treat trades fairly!)

That's what I did for a bathroom refit. Still never heard back. 

twopenny

I'm the same. I've lived in the area most of my life, always pay on day of completion, I make tea coffee biscuits cake stay out of the way.

Those who've done jobs for me come back.

You have to remember they have problems too. My painter had cancer, the plumber had a divorce, both handymen had a seperation, the gas man had his partner threatening to leave with their child etc, the bathroom guy is seriously unwell. And so you're starting afresh.

Even the guy who;s worked with trades is having the same problem having his garage fixed.

It seems to be more that they are not  a species who like to communicate well

Appologies for the tradesmen and women on here who do try to help........we do need just a 'sorry, it's not a job for me' so that we can move on and are not left wondering

plumb1_2

Deleted_User said:

silvercar said:

I always seem to get a better response when saying that I've been recommended by X, Y and Z rather than not mentioning the connection. (Always making sure that I get recommendations off people who I think would treat trades fairly!)

That's what I did for a bathroom refit. Still never heard back. 

I’ve just checked the Black list, and unfortunately you’re on it.😂. You need to get stocked up on custard creams and kitkats.😊

greenface2

telling me or my team how to do our job . gets my back up . 

breaking_free

RonRamsgate said:

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d939Io0Flp0&ab_channel=DavidSaveryElectricalServices