What's the matter with tradespeople?

LirW

Oh god I need to vent - we recently moved into our house, it's in a rural setting and we encountered some initial problems, like for example the toilet stopped working.
I had to call several tradespeople and the only one I could rely on was the electrician who always showed up.

The worst ones were the plumbers. I called 4 and all of them were no-shows and didn't bother picking up the phone afterwards and only the 5th one came (and he came fast).

So we made an appointment for him to come back this evening as well as the chimney sweep who said he'll call around this afternoon. I moved everything around in the living room but a no-show.
I have to leave the house in around an hour to get something and I'm just so upset.

I also had someone set up to do the floors, after talking about the job, the price he set and I was happily willing to pay he never got back at me after I told him the starting date.

Why are people doing this and don't even call to cancel?

I need to get quotes for some major work and I already dread finding someone that's reliable.

Your Face

Queue the violins.

jamesbere

I honestly thought this was about transpeople, and read the whole thing wondering where it was leading too.

TallGlass

jamesbere wrote: »

I honestly thought this was about transpeople, and read the whole thing wondering where it was leading too.

Same!

Guess the recession is over, they don't need any odd jobs on the side!

Ronin247

LirW wrote: »

Oh god I need to vent - we recently moved into our house, it's in a rural setting and we encountered some initial problems, like for example the toilet stopped working.
I had to call several tradespeople and the only one I could rely on was the electrician who always showed up.

The worst ones were the plumbers. I called 4 and all of them were no-shows and didn't bother picking up the phone afterwards and only the 5th one came (and he came fast).

So we made an appointment for him to come back this evening as well as the chimney sweep who said he'll call around this afternoon. I moved everything around in the living room but a no-show.
I have to leave the house in around an hour to get something and I'm just so upset.



I also had someone set up to do the floors, after talking about the job, the price he set and I was happily willing to pay he never got back at me after I told him the starting date.

Why are people doing this and don't even call to cancel?

I need to get quotes for some major work and I already dread finding someone that's reliable.

The F***ing boom is back baby, the boom is back

Jim Bob Scratcher

Irish tradesmen are hard men to reach, they're too busy eating breakfast rolls and wolf whistling at women.

OnDraught

Part of the trade off for getting to live in a rural setting I suppose.

PARlance

You have to keep in mind that these are small jobs and sometimes it's hardly worth the trip from Australia.

the_pen_turner

What do you mean by , I told him the start date

somesoldiers

All the Wexican tradesmen are heading to Dublin where the big money is

LirW

the_pen_turner wrote: »

What do you mean by , I told him the start date

We talked about all the details, flooring area, what to do and the price but said I need to wait to weeks to give him a date to start because I needed to figure some things out first. But it was within a short time frame and he agreed that I can just get in touch with him once I know the best date for starting the work.


I had only "Minor" jobs but for example need someone for a bigger plumbing job that will cost me a good chunk of money.
As someone knowing f all about plumbing I was practically begging the plumber who showed up quickly to fix my toilet since I'm here with children and it didn't work for like 10 days at that point and nobody showed up until then.

It's just a headache.

_Whimsical_

There are also a lot of them quite unconcerned with standards when they do come. I've had some experiences with tradespeoples shody work in the last few years that honestly has made me nearly lose faith in humanity.
Some really have a "well what can you do? I'm not going to listen to reason, there's no point suing me so I do what I want" attitude.

the_pen_turner

LirW wrote: »

the_pen_turner wrote: »

What do you mean by , I told him the start date

We talked about all the details, flooring area, what to do and the price but said I need to wait to weeks to give him a date to start because I needed to figure some things out first. But it was within a short time frame and he agreed that I can just get in touch with him once I know the best date for starting the work.


I had only "Minor" jobs but for example need someone for a bigger plumbing job that will cost me a good chunk of money.
As someone knowing f all about plumbing I was practically begging the plumber who showed up quickly to fix my toilet since I'm here with children and it didn't work for like 10 days at that point and nobody showed up until then.

It's just a headache.

That alright. I was thinking you were dictating to him

One of the top red flags when meeting a customer us them dictating when you will start. I don't mean I'm going away in 6 weeks could you do it then. I mean , your pricing a job and they agree to it but then say I want you here tomorrow or a day really close.

LirW

I don't think I have an unreasonable attitude towards them since I worked with many trades people in the past.

The worst thing is, all the chimneys start having this lovely little clouds of smoke coming out, yet I can't even fire the fireplace (and I have solid fuel heating) because I need a goddamn sweep since the previous owner was a bit manky and the house was empty for like 2 winters.
Gonna marry dem storage heaters.

frag420

Maybe word got around that you don't lay out any tay and bishcits for the tradesmen...just something to consider!?

LirW

That's why I usually try local ones first and slowly expand my search.

jacksie66

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LirW

frag420 wrote: »

Maybe word got around that you don't lay out any tay and bishcits for the tradesmen...just something to consider!?

I usually would knowing the trades folks love their treats but at the moment I don't even have a working sh1tter to offer. Catch22

Truckermal

I feel your pain op I wanted electric gates for years and like your story phoned several installers but nobody was interested. Anyway went for a pint one night and got talking to a polish lad who done the whole job and is coming back shortly to install a CCTV system.

Plumbers are weird yokes..

Are Am Eye

Learn to do stuff yourself.
It's cheaper, faster and usually a better quality.

LirW

I got a few things done from polish folks and they always were very reliable. None around here though. Should probably try getting them down here.

sugarman

sugarman wrote: »

Happens all over the world, boom or no boom.

Trades are always in high demand, why go out of your way if you dont have to? If someone asked me to do a job 10mins away from my next, rather than spend half a day traveling to/from one job for less pay, would you be bothered?

Small jobs and being out of the way is the problem.

Is your phone out of the way as well

tomwaterford

LirW wrote: »

I got a few things done from polish folks and they always were very reliable. None around here though. Should probably try getting them down here.

Maybe try join a local facebook group and enquire from there??

LirW

Are Am Eye wrote: »

Learn to do stuff yourself.
It's cheaper, faster and usually a better quality.

I can do to a certain extend but the house we bought is from a DIY enthusiast and he did EVERYTHING himself and made massive sh1te out of it.
Therefore I'm not going to install the new heating myself (he did and I'm pretty sure this guy was absolutely mental).

Hammer89

LirW wrote: »

The worst ones were the plumbers. I called 4 and all of them were no-shows and didn't bother picking up the phone afterwards and only the 5th one came (and he came fast). .

Most men do when it comes to laying pipe.

Here all week.

Dr Turk Turkelton

Truckermal wrote: »

I feel your pain op I wanted electric gates for years and like your story phoned several installers but nobody was interested. Anyway went for a pint one night and got talking to a polish lad who done the whole job and is coming back shortly to install a CCTV system.

Plumbers are weird yokes..

They sure are if you got a Polish plumber to install your electric gates and CCTV.

red sean

Truckermal wrote: »

I feel your pain op I wanted electric gates for years and like your story phoned several installers but nobody was interested. Anyway went for a pint one night and got talking to a polish lad who done the whole job and is coming back shortly to install a CCTV system.

Plumbers are weird yokes..

I hope he's PSA licenced or both you and him could face heavy fines/jail.

Donald Trump

LirW wrote: »

The worst ones were the plumbers. I called 4 and all of them were no-shows and didn't bother picking up the phone afterwards and only the 5th one came (and he came fast).

Plumber came too fast eh?

I think we know what you've been watching on the oul' laptop while waiting to get the work done in your house.

JimmyMcGill

Last tradesman I had out in my place was the laziest person I ever came across. She didnt mind that was the way she liked she said.

keeping with the tone of the thread.

the_syco

sugarman wrote: »

Small jobs and being out of the way is the problem.

100% agreed.

LirW wrote: »

I can do to a certain extend but the house we bought is from a DIY enthusiast and he did EVERYTHING himself and made massive sh1te out of it.

Consider that most of the local tradespeople know the house by reputation, and thus avoid it.

Doing a job fresh is one thing, but trying to fix a shoddy job can waste a lot of ones time.

Hammer89

red sean wrote: »

I hope he's PSA licenced or both you and him could face heavy fines/jail.

At least there'd be video evidence.

the_pen_turner

a lot of the problem with small jobs is that customers think that just because you were only there an hour that the bill will be small. in reality the hour at their home is often 2-3 hours including travel time and time getting parts etc.
if your there half a day then its a full day taken up most of the time and has to be billed acordingly

JohnCleary

red sean wrote: »

I hope he's PSA licenced or both you and him could face heavy fines/jail.

"It's not for security reasons"


There, no PSA licence needed.

And before you get defensive, i've seen this in a district court and the Judge was happy with the response above.

pickarooney

sugarman wrote: »

Happens all over the world, boom or no boom.

Trades are always in high demand, why go out of your way if you dont have to? If someone asked me to do a job 10mins away from my next, rather than spend half a day traveling to/from one job for less pay, would you be bothered?

Small jobs and being out of the way is the problem.

That's completely understandable, but making an appointment and not showing up or calling is just arsehole behaviour.

mikeymouse

" the plumber method" ( Tantric sex) ;
you stay in all day and nobody comes.

LirW

Consider that most of the local tradespeople know the house by reputation, and thus avoid it.

That's a good point actually, didn't think of it. But we basically want to start over new, just don't find anyone!

bazz26

OP, you need this lad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz87426vDC0

It's going to be tropic!

LirW

Will ask him for a Friday afternoon appointment then.

freshpopcorn

I'd recommend buying a set of chimney brushes and cleaning your own chimney. It's not rocket science. We've never had anybody in to clean the chimney,

PS, You might be better off with a local odd jobs man.

LirW

I have two chimneys, one for the fireplace and the other one for the stove. The stove is old and can't be used anymore, it's in absolute sh1te and will be replaced very soon. If he'd go in from above the would knock the old flexible flue off because that's centuries beyond its prime.
I give that to him it rained today so he couldn't go up the roof really.

LirW

After struggling especially with plumbers I now found the most effective way to get their attention: Get their Email address, send them the hard facts about the job without emotional backstory, if the job has "MONEY" written all over it (we're talking about a 5k+ job) they ring you back within a few hours. I really struggled to even get one in to inspect my broken toilet, now they're suddenly all like the Queen's consultant.
Let's hope I finally can start with the renovation.

riffmongous

LirW wrote: »

After struggling especially with plumbers I now found the most effective way to get their attention: Get their Email address, send them the hard facts about the job without emotional backstory, if the job has "MONEY" written all over it (we're talking about a 5k+ job) they ring you back within a few hours. I really struggled to even get one in to inspect my broken toilet, now they're suddenly all like the Queen's consultant.
Let's hope I finally can start with the renovation.

Invite them all around to do the job then don't answer the door or phone when they show up

suicide_circus

Pretty much all work we've had done was by eastern europeans. Cheaper, better quality, more reliable.

Minderbinder

I thought the main reason for buying a house in need of renovation would be because it's cheaper because you can renovate it by yourself. If you need a tradesman for every little thing then you should probably have just bought a new house.

Tradesmen are notoriously unreliable in that you never know when they can come to do a job. We have a few in the family and it is even difficult for us to get them to do something.

2011

red sean wrote: »

I hope he's PSA licenced or both you and him could face heavy fines/jail.

Yeah, prisons are overflowing with non-PSA registered polish CCTV installers :rolleyes:

whisky_galore

2011 wrote: »

Yeah, prisons are overflowing with non-PSA registered polish CCTV installers :rolleyes:

Yeah, was thinking the very same.

At least they might actually get back to you and show up to do the work, not like their Irish counterparts, promising the sun, moon and stars.

philstar

thats irish customer service for ya,

the_pen_turner

Minderbinder wrote: »

I thought the main reason for buying a house in need of renovation would be because it's cheaper because you can renovate it by yourself. If you need a tradesman for every little thing then you should probably have just bought a new house.

Tradesmen are notoriously unreliable in that you never know when they can come to do a job. We have a few in the family and it is even difficult for us to get them to do something.

the general public don't see the behind the scenes scheduling that goes on
its very hard to nail down a start day
you have job over runs
delays on site from other trades not being ready
customers wanting more stuff done, 'while your here'
materials not turning up on time
weather
job cancelations at the last minute . (trying to squash in the only flexible job into too small a timeframe just so you have work that week)
some of us are even lucky enough to have lives outside our jobs
going to accountants and banks etc eats up time


there are lots of genuine reasons why we are unreliable. that's a consequence of the job.

LirW

Minderbinder wrote: »

I thought the main reason for buying a house in need of renovation would be because it's cheaper because you can renovate it by yourself. If you need a tradesman for every little thing then you should probably have just bought a new house.

Yeah, I'm not going to wire or plumb the place myself, simply for insurance reasons :rolleyes:
Previous owner did and made a mess out of it.

VinLieger

Had exactly the same experience as the OP with plumbers, 4 no shows over weeks or organising, the last one texted the morning of the day the work had to be done that he wouldn't make it. We managed to get someone last minute and he helped us out brilliantly, but baffled as to the attitude by the other 4

draiochtanois

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