Tradesman who knock your door looking for business

[LeibnizQueen]

When I was young. It was an absolute no-no to agree to any work being done by someone who cold called. Parents used to say you'd pay, then they'd only half do it and disappear. ..

Generally I'm pretty on it and when this guy came around about my drive a couple of times in the past years I've said no but maybe in the future. Back this week.

There's a company name, he's on checkatrade, has uniform -the works.

He's come back now and I've let him go away to give me a price. He's going to put it through the door.

However now I've looked into the reviews they are all clearly written by the same person, same style, all 10s. All unrealistic. I'm a bit suspicious. I now actually think it's a repeat of the 1970s persons mentioned in my first paragraph but now disguised as a business.

I'm a little afraid of what happens when you say no to these people after they have got as far as a quote.

I'm maybe paranoid but I've got a bad feeling about this. Anyone got experience?

Good tradesmen are like rocking horse shit, if they are going door to door, they are either shit or going to con you.

Our neighbour let a door knocker do work for them, the quality was shit and when they wouldn't pay, it got very, very nasty.

I have a pretty explicit notice on my door which makes it clear that I dont buy at the door, engage in religious or political discourse or accept callers without appointments. If a tradesperson knocks on my door without an appointment they are likely to be asked "Do you have trouble understanding English" in a pretty terse manner.

Worst job I have ever had done (painting a room and some wardrobes) was done by a guy local to us whose van claims he’s on checkatrade. He isn’t actually. He was a total cowboy: not a trained painter/decorator. Just used to fit blinds. Job he and his younger helper did was atrocious and painting of our MDF fitted wardrobes had to be totally sanded down and redone.

Lesson learned.

Checkatrade is loaded with fake, glorifying 10* reviews about dodgy traders from their family and friends, as most of them are too good to be true! Also one can not edit posted review on checkatrade, need to look after their paid members right!

Proper trademen are so busy they are avoiding people as too much on, never mind knocking on doors.
Would these guys be of a certain 'culture'. Avoid avoid avoid. Don't answer door. Tell them you will ring police. Do Not engage

A rule of thumb for me is if I wasn't looking for it I won't be signing anything, employing anyone, clicking on it.

If I wanted someone to do my drive I would be asking friends or family for recommendations.

As has been pointed out usually any good trades person is usually booked for a bit and doesn't have to go drumming up business.

Ooh zombie thread resurrected to mansplain, followed by some racism.
Lovely.

My husband is a roofer. He has never advertised anywhere and is booked up now until the end of March with new jobs coming in everyday. He gets the odd bit of work fixing things that door knocker cowboys have messed up.

Check a trade is paid for and you can delete bad reviews. It is well known, around here anyway, to be mainly used by the travelling faternity.

A uniform tshirt can be bought for £5 in screwfix, and a van can be screen written cheaply too. Checkatarde is a joke. These things mean nothing. You should only ever used a tradesperson recommended to you. No proper tradesman ever needs to knock doors.

I dont tend to give cold callers work. Just had one firm that "are cleaning the gutters in your road, would you like yours done " on the phone.
Ive already got a firm that did a good job on my gutters last year.
However, many years ago we had someone knock wanting to replace our fascias and gutters as they were doing others in our road, and we were a bit green then, but they did a good job and 25 years later all is still well.

Blast hadnt realised it was a zombie thread

Decent tradesmen are turning work away not knocking on doors to tout for business.

@HotelCaliforniaOnRepeat

Tradesmen are busier than ever since covid. If they have to knock for work then your instincts are telling you the right things.

Literally coming on to say the exact same thing. It's really hard to find anyone to do stuff at the moment...I'd be suspicious of any tradesman who needs to go door to door to find business.

Checkatrade isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. You pay to be part of it and that’s pretty much it, then they harass you constantly.

Word of mouth recommendations, where you can see the work done, plus a sign saying ‘no tradesmen or cold callers’

Likely to give you a "quote" rather than a price for the job and then hey ho it'll be more work than he expected so the price increases. You'll question the rise he'll get annoyed and the heavies will intimidate you into paying. On inspection the job is shite but you're backed into a corner now. Said trader leaves with a fist full of cash back to the caravan site.
The moral of the story.

1. Good workmen don't go door to door as they're busy with work after recommendations.
2. If you can't trace the business to an address don't go there.

3.Get a price for the finished job.