Feeling annoyed by local tradesmen - would you feel the same or am I being silly?

[GnomeOrMistAndIceGuy]

I have a front patio/rockery that's overgrown and needs an overhaul. Very happy to pay a fair price to get it done properly. I asked for recommendations on the local FB page and got a few responses. I contacted a guy with his own business as tbh I thought that would be more reliable than just someone who wanted a couple of quid cash in hand.
He came and checked it out, quoted a reasonable price and we agreed he would come the next day. Well, he just didn't turn up and didn't answer his phone until the evening when he replied to my message, explaining another job had come up and he would be there the following day. Predictably, he didn't turn up again and has blocked me on Facebook.
Second guy seemed really helpful and professional in his replies then asked me to Whatsapp pictures of the work. I did this and instantly his tone changed, - winky faces, asking if I make a good coffee, what time could he "knock me up," etc and in the end I just didn't confirm. I found it really off-putting. I assumed afterwards that he might have seen my Whatsapp picture (overly flattering, I'm not gorgeous!) and thought I'd respond to that kind of "banter?"
Just feeling annoyed. I just want the job done. My partner is from Down South and claims tradesmen don't prat around like this - they're punctual and polite. I think he's just being anti-North, as usual :D

They most definitely do pratt around like this in the south. Getting workmen to quote and even do a job is like a modern day miracle. I eventually got someone to do some re-pointing a few years ago and he vanished 25% of the way through. He must have had the sense to not come to ask for any money, as l would have told him to go fuck himself. I then had to start the rigmarole to get someone else .

Well I dont use F.Book or Whatsapp, so I would always email them I suppose.

I know it won't stop the twattery as such but surely it's less of an invasion of privacy if your photo is on there?

I also never put my name, just an initial and surname when I end the email.

Or a simple 'cheers' then they can't assume I'm female or male.

I will shut up now!

Cheers

Where we are the supply and demand is currently in the favour of the tradespeople as so many people want to improve their homes in case they are confined in them so they are behaving very much as they like (or they are just not great at customer service when things get busy).
We put up with it recently, but I wouldn’t stand for innuendo. I don’t invite someone in who’s already sexually harassing me.

I find people just don't turn up to quote. I advertised my job on a site where people can give you aquote and 4 people quoted. I gave one the job and he didn't turn up, and another and the next. I mean, on a quoting site, they don't even have to quote if they're not interested.
I tried to get a gardener for a substantial amount of work who took 3 goes to get to my house (broke down en route, forgot he had another appt) who looked around, said it was a big job (which I agreed with) and never gave me a quote. I never heard from him again.
But this has only happened to me in the last year. I never had problems before then.

Just not turning up seems to be a constant Princeton with tradespeople. I've lost count of the number who have just not bothered turning up when they said they would. It is very frustrating.

Ugh! It's just such a waste of time, isn't it? @EL8888 can't believe he just buggered off mid-job?!
@Wilsonscaresme I think you're spot on there - not a bad idea at all!

it happens down south too.
tradesmen/women who turn up on time, provide quotes, do the job when they say they will, no fuss and finish on time and then promptly invoice you for their work do exist and need cherishing. they are the true professionals and are seemingly thin on the ground.
i'd go back on FB and ask again for recommendations of reliable professional gardeners who turn up on time, do the job and don't perv that people have actually used and been pleased with their work.

@GnomeOrMistAndIceGuy yep! My mum is a touch on the dramatic side, she thought he was in prison or dead. He never came back for some tools and materials he left. The replacement tradesman said what he had done was crap and needed re-doing again so it all worked out for the best

So annoying - the battle to get a tradesman to actually turn up, quote, accept then actually do/finish the work is a familiar one - the smaller the job the worse it typically is. I am perfectly prepared to pay extra/well above going rates for someone who is reliable and professional, and also happy to be told my job is too small or not what they are looking for so as not to waste both our time, but this rarely seems to be the case, instead you just get ghosted, sometimes after booking them to do the job, arranging time off work, buying materials, withdrawing the cash to pay them as requested or similar which gives me the [anger]!

People with good reviews on trusted trader or similar, or recommended by word of mouth are the best but no guarantee the above won't happen sadly!

Go onto your local next door and ask for recommendations