Why do so many tradespeople fail to show for potential work

[reesewithoutaspoon]

So frustrated, been trying to get some work done (removing old flags, relaying new patio and further flagging around front and side of house. so not a small job) 2 separate firms have offered to come out and measure and give quotes and arranged time and day to do this and neither of them have turned up, no phone call to let me know they were held up on other jobs etc. just radio silence.
How are you supposed to trust a firm who cant even be arsed communicating.
I just want my bloody flags done

Who knows. I spent months trying to find a gardener. Had chats on line with potential gardeners about others not showing up and then they didn’t show up. It’s not as if there is endless well paying work out there. Is there?

Woody Allen was once asked why he had been successful. He said - I show up. I sometimes think that is why my business has gone well - I do what I say I will do and exactly when and that is pretty rare so it is not that hard to make yourself better than most people

This drives me bonkers!! When we had some rentals and needed work doing urgently it was a bloody nightmare!

Have you tried trust a trader?

I dont get it. Its happened so many times now over the years I,m more suprised if they do turn up.

If they are too busy to take the work on or provide a quote then why not say so. why have you waiting in for them to arrive and just not show and not even phone or email to let you know.

I wish I knew
I sometimes wonder if it's because the job is too small, but then I do take pains over the phone to describe the job and encourage them to say if it's not worth their while. Plus doing a small job well gets repeat custom - the plumber who fixed my tap for me got first refusal on refurbing the bathroom.

I also have problems with Quote and Disappear. I'd rather be told that they're simply to busy or just don't fancy it so I can move on to someone else, but don't want the hassle of arranging further quotes (with a 50% no show rate) if someone's quoted and does want the work.

I have reflected on whether I am an arsehole of a customer, but generally try to be polite, unobtrusive, and specific but not fussy. I don't try to haggle, expecting a professional to give me a fair price, and pay promptly by whatever method requested. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Yup. Fed up of tradespeople not even bothering to get back in touch. Not as though they are small ones eotjer

This was from trust a trader so they had to pay to get my contact details to quote for the job.

They probably only have resource for so much work, and let some enquiries fall by the wayside. If they get an enquiry in for a £15k project they'll grab that because it will keep them in work for several weeks.

It's pants.

The other side is they take time and effort to quote and they don't get the job. So they do the same to others.

We took a year to find someone to refurb our stone wall. Finally got someone who's great and very reliable, but it stuck in my craw that we even chase someone up who promised to do the work and they still didn't bother, so I hope they're driving past our house every day seeing our lovely chap fixing our wall!

Exactly the same here. Gardener promised to cut hedge the other week- he didn't turn up. Sent several texts - he replied saying he would do it the following week and then didn't give a day. He's ignored all texts/calls since. Rang another gardener - he said he'd call me back and arrange a day to come and quote - not heard from him. 3rd time lucky I thought -- he came to quote on Saturday, agreed price and said he'd come and do it this morning - he didn't bloody show!...or even let me know how wasn't coming. Sent him 2 messages before he responded saying he had to go to an important meeting and he'll do it another day.....not holding my breath!
Find it really bloody rude and unprofessional...no way to a business. How do these people pay their bills??!!!!

I find this to be extremely common and mostly around companies that don’t allow themselves to be reviewed.

To find a good trade, your best looking up there reviews first which many people don’t check out first.

I actually dread needing work doing because of this. I put off getting my kitchen done because I couldnt face the prospect of trying to get quotes and someone to actually come and do it who was reliable.
Why dont they just say sorry we have too much work on atm. or not bother to respond to listed jobs.

This drives me mad. Too many incidents to mention. We have our own business and we are so conscientious it's not true.

We were supposed to have a man clear out the gutters. Three houses, all near neighbours, so an easy mornings work.

Arranged a day and time. No show, radio silence.

The best traders don't go on things like Trust a trader, they are busy with work by word of mouth. The man who came to do our flat roof, answered our message in two days, came and quoted the next day and did the roof a week later. He has done a flat roof on just about every house in our road, I couldn't even find his phone number I had to drive past his house and get it off his truck.
Our Neighbour does kitchens and bathrooms, he hasn't got his out number anywhere, he is run off his feet, all word of mouth.
Walk around your neighbourhood and look at gardens see one with what you want and as the people who did it as it's lovely. Thats the best bet.

I certainly find the ones I build up a relationship with over time and recommendation are more likely to turn up. Also my heating man and my tree man both do big contracts for hospitals and schools (one had been busy recently putting extra hand basins into a hospital due to CV19 he was saying and he has most men off on furlough until July too at the moment) so their availability ebbs and flows but they are always clear about it (eg we have to do the school tree work before September and that kind of thing)

I used to live in a period property and assumed they were coming out and seeing my Victorian pipe work and thinking ‘no thanks I’ll go do a nice simple new build’. But my current house is 9 years old and it’s similar. We do live in a swankier area now and I’ve noticed we get more crazily high quotes- I think some people assess both what it will cost and what you might be able to afford...

I certainly find the ones I build up a relationship with over time and recommendation are more likely to turn up.

You've got to get them to turn up first! I've used mybuilder websites and so on; not much positive to say really! 10 months to get someone to do gutters, never managed to get a house painted and ended up doing it myself (took me ages). Not job too small, my arse!

It's such hard work arranging to get anything done. Maybe we should leave negative reviews when people no show.

I thought it was only me!!!

This drives me mad. I want tiling done but I know they won’t bother so I’m not going to even try

OP are you me??? Trying to get my kitchen done and it’s nothing but a headache, I’m trying to
Give someone a lot of money ffs.
Then the window cleaner didn’t call me back and the car lot didn’t send me a spec for the new car they promised me. Seriously? Wtf

I’ve had the same problem. I can only imagine they are so busy with work and simply rolling in cash that they can afford to be rude/unprofessional with potential clients

Have you tried asking for local recommendations via local Social Mesia? Obviously avoid uninsured Darren and his trusty, rusty van, but if lots of people speak highly of a firm, it's worth a try.

Trust a Trader is not worth a light. I described my boiler problem as it is quite old & he diagnosed a new boiler over the phone & quoted £3k. He was able to install it the next day. Could try a power flush for £700 plus VAT if I wanted..... I didn't.

Waited a week for my trusted plumber, who was on holiday. Two drain down, 2 containers of rad & rust cleaner and £100 later, sorted.

We have this loads. We have a car port which has sheeting as a 'roof'. Next door has exactly the same. It blows off maybe every two years. DH usually replaces it but we need to get someone in to do it now.

Our neighbour's handyman has been going to them for small and large jobs for years and years. They wanted him to replace their sheeting so we asked him to do ours too. It is exactly the same job He came to look at both houses about two months ago, took measurements etc. No quotes have followed. Neighbour has chased twice. We're not chasing as he clearly doesn't want the job. But why not say that, especially as he has been doing jobs next door several times a year for so many years?

My handyman moved to Spain I miss him so much. DP is really brilliant at building & DIY, but my god the mess & time it takes.

My fantastic handyman (Perfect Pete) was found via his small homemade card in a shop window.