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Original poster

Why don’t builders start and finish a job?

54 replies

Malteser71 · 23/03/2021 08:39

Genuine question. Is there a perfectly good explanation?

We had a patio laid last spring. They said it would take about seven days, it took them five weeks, they started well but seemed to start other jobs, then didn’t come here some days.

It was particularly annoying because this was during the good weather of the first lockdown, so the garden was basically out of use for five weeks to my ‘locked up’ children. They also presented us with a bill based on a daily rate (including days they hadn’t turned up), which of course we disputed and didn’t pay in full. They agreed it was their mistake snd all ended amicably.

I’m having another patio laid at the moment, I’ve chosen a different builder who has done work for us before and who is charging a rate for the job, not per day.

He said it would take two days (it’s not very big) and asked (last Thursday) if he could come last weekend to do it, much earlier than we expected, he had a cancellation. We hadn’t bought the flags at that point, and we were clear that the job would have to be finished over the weekend (for various reasons) and that we would go out and get everything required.

Having worked really hard all day on Saturday, he didn’t turn up on Sunday. On Monday he arrived and moved his cement mixer and cutting machine without telling us he was here. The new patio is half finished.

I know he’s going to finish it, but it’s due to rain after today. Why don’t they just finish a job? Has any else had this experience?

OP posts:

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 23/03/2021 08:52

I imagine it’s because they have to try to get as much work as possible and juggle everything around. You’d think it ought to be possible to do one job and move on to the next, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I don’t think it’s just a question of being in the middle of a pandemic either. Some time ago, we had some building work done and I never knew when or whether they would turn up.

I guess things happen to put a spanner in the works though. Neighbours had some patio work done and the wrong slabs were delivered at the wrong size. Putting that right obviously delayed everything. It is frustrating though, to be left in limbo.

Original poster

Malteser71 · 23/03/2021 08:55

It is! We padlock the back gate when we are out. I have to keep asking if he’s coming so I can unlock the gate.

I unlock it and he doesn’t come.

OP posts:

TeenMinusTests · 23/03/2021 09:05

My guess is

taking on jobs to secure the money coming in (whereas if they said not for 6 weeks you might go with someone else)
delays due to needing to get materials
delays due to needing things to set / dry
delays due to needing good weather
delays due to fitting in with other trades

BRB2021 · 23/03/2021 09:55

They dont like to be out of work so are juggling loads of balls at the same time. Understandable, but ruddy annoying

Veuvestar · 23/03/2021 10:12

I am currently waiting on
Outside painter- done about 4 days work since Xmas, 2 days was fixing something he broke.
Roofers- left loads of their stuff behind and left one gutter off. Told me they’d be here last week. The roof took 4 months, should have been 3 weeks
Scaffolders- left planks and poles behind. Also replaced a paving slab that they broke, their pathetic attempt at cementing has failed.
Electrician- went to get lights two weeks ago- not been heard of since
Inside painter, gone to get materials.
Pool builder- promised me a quote a month ago.
But wants to get started ASAP apparently.
Also, the bathroom company is telling me that my shower valve is stuck somewhere in customs, since Christmas.
I’ve had one company that was reliable, out of about 30

crossstitchingnana · 23/03/2021 10:17

Glad it's not just me. It's bloody irritating. Fwiw my dad was a builder and he had one job at a time.

Sillyduckseverywhere · 23/03/2021 10:28

@Veuvestar

I am currently waiting on Outside painter- done about 4 days work since Xmas, 2 days was fixing something he broke. Roofers- left loads of their stuff behind and left one gutter off. Told me they’d be here last week. The roof took 4 months, should have been 3 weeks Scaffolders- left planks and poles behind. Also replaced a paving slab that they broke, their pathetic attempt at cementing has failed. Electrician- went to get lights two weeks ago- not been heard of since Inside painter, gone to get materials. Pool builder- promised me a quote a month ago. But wants to get started ASAP apparently. Also, the bathroom company is telling me that my shower valve is stuck somewhere in customs, since Christmas. I’ve had one company that was reliable, out of about 30

The only thing out of all of those that is out of their hands is the shower valve. The rest is just sheer incompetence.

"Gone to get materials" biggest load of bullshit known to man.

I used to work in various trade industries. Trust me. They are normally just pissing about.

Veuvestar · 23/03/2021 10:32

Why don’t they realise that if they got the job done quicker, they could do more work? More money. Seems like a simple equation to me.

dewisant2020 · 23/03/2021 10:42

This is exactly why I hate dealing with tradesman, they are so unreliable and it actually gives me anxiety. You wouldn't believe we are paying them most of the time I actually feel grateful they have turned up when promised

iluvpickles · 23/03/2021 10:58

I've experienced jobs running over but not to that extent. I would have been hassling them to finish it. Most of work I've had done finished on time.

We got our driveway done and they told me they wld start at some point weeek commencing say 10th May. They actually started the Wednesday and finished by Friday but they had a big group of guys that were fast. They did have to come back though as they had dug up a bit of next doors grass 🙈 so they had to returf a bit of their grass. I didn't pay until they came back and they had it sorted within a week.

With my kitchen and utility it was a big job taking a wall down too. They said it wld be 5 days. It was clear by the Friday it was no where near finished and obvs they had jobs booked for Monday. I was really annoyed with that. It was a company too, they worked a bit at the wkend and then came back days here and there or at 4/5pm clearly when they were finished at another job. The bulk of it was done so I wasn't left without a functioning kitchen but it was annoying.

CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 23/03/2021 11:00

How often does anyone need or have repeat business with the same tradesperson? Not many I would suspect. Just as estate agents are poor in general because no-one sells houses every month.

user1497207191 · 23/03/2021 11:09

@CuthbertDibbleandGrubb

How often does anyone need or have repeat business with the same tradesperson? Not many I would suspect. Just as estate agents are poor in general because no-one sells houses every month.

If the tradesman only ever wants "big" jobs, then obviously repeat business is limited - you only need your house rewired once, you only need a new boiler every 10-20 years, etc.

But the decent tradesmen also like a mix of big/small jobs. We have a joiner, plumber, window fitter, electrician, plasterer, decorator, and landscape gardener who we use for a variety of small/medium jobs. We'd never even think to ask others to quote, for say, re-plastering around a window or replacing a radiator or a new front door or whatever - we just phone up one of our regulars and they just fit the small jobs in between other work.

When you find a decent tradesmen you keep hold of them. It works both ways, they don't have the time/hassle of coming out for quotes etc., and we don't have the time/hassle of phoning around. Most of our "tame" tradesmen don't advertise, and some don't even have sign-written vans - they're busy enough with repeat business.

In fact, it's usually the ones who heavily advertise who are the ones who are unreliable - they need to keep advertising to get a steady stream of "mugs" as they have next to no repeat business.

Original poster

Malteser71 · 23/03/2021 11:09

Totally agree that’s get more work/money if they didn’t piss about.

OP posts:

Whenthesunshines · 23/03/2021 11:34

I’ve never understood this.
Half a days work and then they piss off to other jobs, miss days, come when it’s raining and sit in the van for 10 mins before disappearing,
We had a roofer who started our job at the start of a sunny week and buggered off for most of it. It rained the following week and could do even less work.
Just do one job at a time. He’d have had ours finished in a few days if he’d have stayed. Instead it took him 3 weeks.

IrmaFayLear · 23/03/2021 11:41

I hate having workmen in. There’s never a chance to go to the loo!

I am still traumatised by the guy who came and smashed up the bathroom, and then failed to materialise the next day. When I called him he was in Lanzarote For three weeks!

Veuvestar · 23/03/2021 12:24

My outside painter just told me because he came by and saw me talking to a man he didn’t feel safe, so he went home. Wtf? You work outside, alone, up a ladder

Crinkle77 · 23/03/2021 12:44

@TeenMinusTests

My guess is

taking on jobs to secure the money coming in (whereas if they said not for 6 weeks you might go with someone else)
delays due to needing to get materials
delays due to needing things to set / dry
delays due to needing good weather
delays due to fitting in with other trades

It wouldn't be so bad if they just kept you in the loop but they don't. They just don't turn or ignore texts/phone calls.

BRB2021 · 23/03/2021 13:52

@Veuvestar

My outside painter just told me because he came by and saw me talking to a man he didn’t feel safe, so he went home. Wtf? You work outside, alone, up a ladder

No way!!!! That borders on insane - how did you keep your cool?!

Veuvestar · 23/03/2021 13:55

He text me- I haven’t replied yet. The rest of the message was garbled and I think suggested that he’d be here in the next hour. He text about 2 hours ago!!

ForeverBubblegum · 23/03/2021 14:03

They often have several jobs on the go at once, and the timing for some jobs will be dependent on other trades. Eg. If they don't get an extension waterproof, the electrician can't come wire it. Their long term working relationship with the other trains is usually a priority over annoying a one off customer, so as no other work is dependent on the patio been done on time, it slips down their priority list.

Whenthesunshines · 23/03/2021 16:57

@ForeverBubblegum

When a job slips down their priority list do they also forget who is paying them?

Whenthesunshines · 23/03/2021 16:59

And how to use a phone?

ForeverBubblegum · 23/03/2021 19:38

I'm not saying it's a good system, ideally they would manage their work load so no one was annoyed. But when they have over booked and then have to choose between upsetting the op, who is probably still going to pay and will only ever need a finite amount of building work. That's the better option to them then risking losing a contract who might pass work on week after week, and who reciprocates by moving their own little jobs, so the builders big jobs getting keep on schedule.

It's not that they don't care about the ops work, it's more that there often other people that they can't afford to pass off.

BRB2021 · 23/03/2021 21:00

@Veuvestar what happened in the end? (nosy alert)

Veuvestar · 23/03/2021 21:20

Well he didn’t turn up!

Shower valve been released from customs though!

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