To say tradesman are a bit useless?

onesign · 2025-10-23T11:11:19+00:00

Ok, that’s probably harsh but AIBU? I’ve recently had an extractor fan fitted, and it seems to be doing its job well, so no complaints there. But this is the first time it’s been windy since the fan went in, and all I’ve heard this morning is constant banging. I thought there might be a bird or something stuck in the loft, but when I checked outside, I realised it’s the vent cover flapping in the wind! It’s so bloody annoying!! It’s not even that windy here, so I can only imagine how loud it’ll get when we have some really bad weather. I’ll talk to the electrician and see if it can be replaced, probably at my own expense (which is frustrating having to pay for something twice). AIBU to be annoyed that he didn’t mention this? He installs these all the time, so he must know they can be a bit flimsy. I’d be surprised if none of his other customers mentioned it. I would have happily paid for a sturdier one. First world problem I know, but it really bugs me having to get things done / pay twice!

rwalker · 27/10/2025 11:16

There’s 2 types of of cover the one that flaps this one prevents backdrafts
the other one is a fixed louvre vent but there equivalent of having a permanent open vent and you get a draft through it and heat loss

there’s nothing wrong with what he’s fitted it’s the nature of the beast

40YearOldDad · 27/10/2025 11:09

taxguru · 24/10/2025 19:56

I think there's a big assumption among tradies that customers want the cheapest, but surely it's something they should agree with the customer and give them a range of options.

The plumber we use is terrible for this. He never used to give us any options, just came and installed things which typically looked crap and failed far too quickly. We soon got the measure of him and either told him to give us a range of options, or more recently, we buy the stuff ourselves and just get him to fit it.

Worse was when we asked for a replacement tap for our small downstairs loo sink. We expected him to replace it something like for like with the existing tap, but instead he brought a big ugly thing more akin to a public loo, that had a push handle instead of a tap. Looked completely out of place on what was a small understairs loo (basically a small vanity basin).

Then he did the same when we asked him to replace a faulty "over sink" hot water heater - we had a named one previously which was end of life and again, expected him to replace like for like, but he fitted some cheap naff flimsy plastic thing which barely lasted a year.

As I say, now we are more specific and often source the parts ourselves from Amazon or Plumbfix etc.

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Having worked for all social classes over the past 10 years, nearly everyone wants the cheapest price—very sweeping statement, I know, but it's also mostly true.

When I was pricing up jobs, I always asked customers what type of hardware they wanted, ie branded or generic trade contract stuff, or if it were a high-end job, you'd take them brochures.

As a stupid comparison, I can get a contract toilet for £50, complete, or a new imperial oak toilet seat is over £300 on it's own. When you get a call from a landlord wanting a new toilet you get a feel for what they want.

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 24/10/2025 22:49

You get a lot of threads on here talking proudly of doing the bare minimum at work and encouraging others to do the same.
Calling in sick amd being signed off is another one, seems tradespeople have joined in too.

What's good for the goose and all that....

GingerPaste · 24/10/2025 21:02

Most of the workmen I’ve used have ranged between just OK and totally crap. Only a couple have stood out as being good.

I try to do as much myself as I can in the house. I don’t touch plumbing, though: I once decided, on the hottest day of the year, to ‘fix the toilet’. Spending 5 sweaty (and sweary) hours with my head stuck down the back of the loo was an experience not to be repeated. Made the loo worse and ended up calling a plumber to make things good 😳.

Bonsatater · 24/10/2025 20:38

Mine fitted my extractor fan and it blew the light because water 💧 got in where he hadn't put silicone around it. I had to pay him to fit another one because he said id sprayed water into it. My son let him in or I would of queried it we sealed the new one ourselves. He also charged me 300 to paint my bathroom ceiling with sandtex to stop the mould after he rubbed it down and treated it and guess what !!!!

taxguru · 24/10/2025 19:56

40YearOldDad · 23/10/2025 12:44

Struggling to see how this is a trade's fault for a poorly designed fan?

Most customers want the cheapest price possible, and if a trade started pricing up the best hardware, he'd soon find himself out of work. Not saying you fall into this category, but I've seen it hundreds of times.

Three or four quotes, all with different prices, as expected, some are widely cheap and I couldn't even supply for the same price, never mind supply and fit. You then start to find out why, when they had a £40 contract tap fitted on a 3k granit worktop when you're called back 6 months later to fit an actual decent tap.

I think there's a big assumption among tradies that customers want the cheapest, but surely it's something they should agree with the customer and give them a range of options.

The plumber we use is terrible for this. He never used to give us any options, just came and installed things which typically looked crap and failed far too quickly. We soon got the measure of him and either told him to give us a range of options, or more recently, we buy the stuff ourselves and just get him to fit it.

Worse was when we asked for a replacement tap for our small downstairs loo sink. We expected him to replace it something like for like with the existing tap, but instead he brought a big ugly thing more akin to a public loo, that had a push handle instead of a tap. Looked completely out of place on what was a small understairs loo (basically a small vanity basin).

Then he did the same when we asked him to replace a faulty "over sink" hot water heater - we had a named one previously which was end of life and again, expected him to replace like for like, but he fitted some cheap naff flimsy plastic thing which barely lasted a year.

As I say, now we are more specific and often source the parts ourselves from Amazon or Plumbfix etc.

SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess · 24/10/2025 19:47

There are some excellent tradespeople but a lot them are really. thick, have few skills, couldn't give a shit and massively entitled.

Ok wouldn't trust them to wipe my dogs arse

notaweddingdress · 23/10/2025 18:23

Some are, some aren’t. True gof most jobs I think.

BoldBlueZebra · 23/10/2025 16:21

onesign · 23/10/2025 14:31

I didn’t know the vent would be noisy, except when it’s running, obviously, which is why I didn’t ask him about it. I’m not a professional. I’ve never owned or installed a fan before. That’s what I hired him for. It’s a bit silly to say the electrician couldn’t have known it would be noisy, but somehow I was expected to?

Apparently, there are covers available that stay put in the wind, so it is indeed possible to have one that doesn’t make any noise.

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And random stranger you rang from the yellow pages knew that you wanted this because ……?

BreakingBroken · 23/10/2025 16:15

I’m lucky all the tradesmen I know/ have employed have been excellent.
We had an excellent meticulous plumber a few weeks ago who did amazing tidy work!

Extractor fan flaps need to be light, and yes when the wind blows in certain directions will make noise AND sometimes drip rainwater if windy and rainy.
This isn’t a trade installation issue.

tripleginandtonic · 23/10/2025 15:58

Yabu He's an electrician not a fan salesman. I'd expect a noise in the wind tbh.

NotMeNoNo · 23/10/2025 15:57

To be fair it has been a severe weather event for wind over the last day or so.

Bluecrystal2 · 23/10/2025 14:58

I paid £2,000 for a gutter last week. The gutter did not hold back rain and has caused damage to next door's property. I did get them back but was told more lies and made to feel like I was imagining it. Upsetting my neighbour has left me unable to sleep. I've written the money off and cut contact with them for the sake of my mental health.

I'm elderly, single, mouse like and female and am no stranger to being ripped off. I know I'm a twat but will lick my wounds and then start looking for a roofer again next week.

FullLondonEye · 23/10/2025 14:41

Well to be honest it's exactly the same design that most extractors have in my experience. On an average day the flaps don't bang around but in severe weather they might or if your house happens to be situated in a very particular spot where the wind just happens to hit a certain way. We had the same type in our old house and it used to bang fairly regularly. We also have one in our current house and I've never heard it bang, ever. It's quite unusual to have never had an extractor fan so I don't think you can blame the trademan for 1. not knowing the exact weather pattern around your particular house or 2. for your inexperience, although I take the point about how 'you don't know what you don't know'. No-one is really at fault here, it's just one of those things and is easily fixed. Given that this seems to be a particular problem at your house you clearly need a fixed vent rather than the type with moveable flaps. It's not difficult to do but there's no reason your tradesman would have known in advance that it would be necessary. He will have fitted many of the same vents without a problem.

Given the title of the thread and being married to a tradesman myself, I often feel obliged to point out to people that while there are, yes, a lot of cowboy trademen there are also a lot of cowboy customers! Those with whom you have to have every single conversation in writing as they keep suggesting 'oh I thought that was included in the price' when they ask you to do a load of extra work, for example. Of course they always know it wasn't, they're just trying to get something for nothing. My husband got to his job yesterday and it wasn't ready for him (happens ALL THE TIME) but the client threw up his hands and started screeching that he can't be expected to do that prep work at 76 years old - that's fine but why didn't you say so when we came to survey and told you what needed doing and you promised that you'd have it all ready to go? Then we could have organised the time and materials to do it for you but not when that's not what was agreed and expected. My husband will now be at that job an extra day (for which the client doesn't expect to pay), which will mean he'll start the next job a day late and that next client will judge him as unreliable for not being there on time. This is why tradies become just as suspicious of customers as the other way round.

NotMeNoNo · 23/10/2025 14:35

All that needs changing is the outside grille/flap. Just get a different one without the loose flaps and undo 4 screws to change it. If your very lucky he will come back and do it. The whole thing doesn't need changing.

Original poster

onesign · 23/10/2025 14:31

TheSwarm · 23/10/2025 14:20

The flap needs to be light enough to, y'know, actually let air out of the house. If you have it so heavy that the wind never rattles it, then it's not actually going to open when you are running the extractor fan, is it.

Some things will make a bit of noise. That's not the fault of the tradesman. If you were that bothered you should have asked what, exactly, he was going to fit before he did it.

Edited

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I didn’t know the vent would be noisy, except when it’s running, obviously, which is why I didn’t ask him about it. I’m not a professional. I’ve never owned or installed a fan before. That’s what I hired him for. It’s a bit silly to say the electrician couldn’t have known it would be noisy, but somehow I was expected to?

Apparently, there are covers available that stay put in the wind, so it is indeed possible to have one that doesn’t make any noise.

OP posts:

Arlanymor · 23/10/2025 14:28

onesign · 23/10/2025 13:01

@40YearOldDad@Arlanymor@TheSwarm

I understand your point, but he never brought it up. If he had said, "this is the price, but the vent cover will be sturdier and won’t make any noise” or "I can do it for less, but the cover might not be as good” then I would have had a choice and could have picked the better option. I’m not blaming him for the poor quality of the cover, they just clearly shouldn’t be supplying them. However, he’s supposed to be the expert and could have at least given me some advice and options. Now, I’ll likely have to pay again to get it replaced.

Maybe it's a 50/50 issue then if neither of you had the conversation with each other? I always ask for options so that I can determine what might be the best one for me and then ask questions - not just pricing, but practicalities. They are the expert of course, but they are not the expert on what would work for your situation if you see what I mean?

safetyfreak · 23/10/2025 14:20

Bring back the Polish tradesmen😓

Harder workers and fairer prices.

TheSwarm · 23/10/2025 14:20

onesign · 23/10/2025 13:10

I’m not the expert, he is. That’s what I'm getting at. I had no idea I needed or wanted a sturdier cover because I wasn't aware this would be a problem. I’ve never had an extractor fan before. If he had said, "some covers are a bit flimsy and can flap in the wind, would you like to pay more for one that stays put?" I would have definitely said yes.

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The flap needs to be light enough to, y'know, actually let air out of the house. If you have it so heavy that the wind never rattles it, then it's not actually going to open when you are running the extractor fan, is it.

Some things will make a bit of noise. That's not the fault of the tradesman. If you were that bothered you should have asked what, exactly, he was going to fit before he did it.

Hoodlumboodlum · 23/10/2025 14:18

Out of interest, how much was your extractor fan and fitting? I need a new one (obviously not with the same issue as yours 🤣)

Original poster

onesign · 23/10/2025 13:54

SpunkyKoala · 23/10/2025 13:48

No more childish than someone who complains because someone has done precisely what they were paid to do. When the wind changes it won’t do it

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I have to admit, you must have remarkable tolerance if you can ignore (or even sleep through) constant banging day and night without it bothering you. I wish I could tune it out.

OP posts:

SpunkyKoala · 23/10/2025 13:48

onesign · 23/10/2025 13:30

Childish response. People pay a significant amount of money for tradespeople, and justifiably so (before anyone criticises me), because they have the necessary qualifications and knowledge. However, when a substantial amount is paid, it is only natural to expect that the work is completed correctly and to a good standard. Surely, this is a reasonable expectation?

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No more childish than someone who complains because someone has done precisely what they were paid to do. When the wind changes it won’t do it

Original poster

onesign · 23/10/2025 13:48

Danascully2 · 23/10/2025 13:32

I think this specific example is a bit of an odd one to complain about but I agree with the general principle of 'I don't know what I don't know and I need you to advise me'. I find some tradesmen seem to want me to know exactly what I need/want them to do. I know very little about most aspects of house maintenance, sometimes even just working out which trade I need is not at all obvious to me! So yes I would definitely want some options from eg 'cheapest but x y and z downsides' to 'mid range' to 'premium with advantages x y and z' and then I can make an informed choice.
We are lucky to have had some great people but have also had some really dodgy ones and hard to tell the difference sometimes.
I think I would probably feel less nervous about it all if I knew exactly what needed doing and just didn't have the time/strength/tools to do it myself. I'm a bit more in that situation with gardening so feel less out of my depth there (although also it's harder for someone to cause me extra problems by doing work in the garden so the stakes seem a bit lower...)

Thank you, I think you get my point. I know it might seem like a small thing, but I live in a bungalow and work from home, so I cant escape the noise. It's been banging all morning. I agree, it's not the electrician's fault that the fan is rubbish. After doing a quick Google search, it seems the fan only cost £4, so I’m not surprised it’s such terrible quality. But he's been in the trade for nearly 30 years, so I'd be surprised if this issue hasn't come up before. That's why I'm a bit frustrated that he didn't check with me first, as I would have happily paid more for a better one, given the option. Like you, I don't know much about house repairs, which is why I need to pay someone to do the work. Imo, you’re not just paying for the work, but also for their knowledge and advice too.

OP posts:

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 23/10/2025 13:44

Could a cowl be fitted over the existing flapping grill. Something like these. There are different sizes.
www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=extractor+fan+cowl&crid=32Y32O1OFYUGQ&sprefix=extractor+fan+cowl%2Caps%2C118&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

mummabubs · 23/10/2025 13:41

I have many sweeping generalisations about how I swear tradesmen operate on a completely different understanding of time and communication to the general population...

... But purely in relation to your extractor fan issue honest to God go to Screwfix and they'll sell you a different external hood. We had a new extractor fan fitted a month ago (first time we've ever had an external one) and the banging in the wind drove me mad. Husband went and grabbed a new hood for about £30. (You can even get ones that are advertised as being for costal properties where there's high wind). Took DH under 30 mins to change it over and literally no sounds at all now. Will be so much cheaper than getting another tradesperson in.