To be fed up of trades men and their lies

Around here it's often the building inspector who is the cause of delays! Nice bloke but very pernickety. I recently had 'my' brickie back to build a small retaining wall in the garden but had to wait an extra 10 days because the job he was on had to have additional works to satisfy the inspector.

I sent the brickie a slightly tart text asking for a 'realistic' idea of when he might be back and he stuck to that date, fortunately.

So something like could account for a small amount of the delays. But I found that a lot of tradespeople favoured big jobs over my relatively small one, which was very annoying. I was lucky in the end though- I started shamelessly asking everyone I knew if they knew a roofer/electrician/groundsworker personally and got most of it sorted that way.

I totally agree OP. I don't think they're all dishonest, they seem basically disorganised and a bit useless (at being organised)

That's generally been our experience in the past too - apart from the amazing roofers who recently re-roofed our house, who arrived bang on time each day, did their job very well and cleaned up after themselves, too. That I'm commenting on it shows how rare it is!

The ones that piss me off most are those who don't keep in touch - how hard us it to text and say "Sorry, running late...etc"?

I think some of them are like small children and get bored quite quickly and so a new thing is more attractive than the one they are 'playing' with, or the new job provides doughnuts instead of Rich Tea biscuits, or your job has just got a bit difficult.

Have you tried getting an apprenticeship? They take them on for a fees weeks works when they have a two man job and then drop them like a stone.

They promise work and do t deliver. They are supposed to teach them XYZ and don’t fill in the paperwork.

College needs an apprenticeship- and without one they lose their place. College suggest ‘advertising on FB’ for places and have no relationship with trades.

So many are dropped in their final year.

Apprenticeships aren’t included in minimum wage so they are paid well under the standard rate.

Apprentices are expected to provide their own tools, own vehicles and pay their own petrol.

Wonder why there’s few takers?

Totally agree!
I work from home so im more flexible but I was wondering how
Those who don't cope.
I read about a lady who would negotiate a starting time with the tradesmen and if they were
Over an hour late wouldn't let them
Onsite. She said she made it crystal clear that if they said they were gonna be there they had to be or she wouldn't pay them.

She reckons that works. I'm in NI and
I don't think it would fly here.

It's not something I've ever experienced (in NZ). They sometimes arrive a bit later than they say they will but that's all.

Agree. There's stuff we need doing to our house that we've got the money for but we keep putting it off because we can't deal with this bullshit.

Maybe people need to encourage their children to join trades or rather not try to push them away from them because everyone must have a uni degree.

More tradesmen/women would mean they couldn’t keep pulling this bullshit as they would be easy to replace. Problem is we don’t have enough to they can pick and choice where and when to go and know 9/10 you’ll still be sat waiting for them.

Oh and I am in Ireland btw so it is definitely not unique to the UK!!

Completely with you I have not had one yet that has turned up when they say they will or even messaged to apologise. We are waiting on roofers to come back to fix an issue (we renovated our house a couple of years ago). Our builder has been liaising with them to come back and there have been so many no shows I have lost count. They were due on Friday our builder was at our house he messaged them to see where they were, they said they were half an hour away. Surprise surprise never showed it is now Tuesday and no word from them. It never ceases to amaze me how any of them stay in business I have blacklisted so many at this stage

Honestly I hope there is a special place in hell for tradies like this. All the wasted hours waiting round and ringing. How they get any business with their carry on I don't know

feels like it’s impossible to find a tradesman who will arrive even on the day most times let alone on time.

They are a law on their own like scaffolding companies. They arrive when they arrive and leave when they do and your expect to be grateful.

No you’re not unreasonable at all.
It didn’t used to be like this. It’s because these days tradesmen (if they’re any good) are in huge demand, so they feel able to take the piss.

I sometimes wish I lived in a world where the buggers were desperate for work.

I totally agree with you OP, we are mid renovation too at the moment and the constant lies from trades is driving me nutty. Decent and honest tradesmen are hard to find.

Put your hard hat on though (see what I did there) as you'll get lots of responses on here from wives of trades saying their husband/partner is as honest as can be. Nobody ever owns up to being shite.

It's enough to drive you insane, isn't it? The lying is maddening.

I can only say keep a note of their hours, what time they arrived and left, and what they did.

Don't play "Mr Nice Guy" or they will take even more advantage.

Check their work and make sure you're not being over-charged.

Take a deep breath and just get the job done.

I feel your pain.