Joiner rescheduled an hour before coming

[janeseymour78]

I was expecting a joiner at 9.30 this morning to carry out a piece of work which would take about 5-6 hours. I've cleared the place and moved the cat to another room with her things to make room

Weirdly I had this feeling he was going to cancel last night, no idea why! So he messaged an hour before this morning saying his vehicle won't start and he needs to get it fixed, so can he come on Tuesday instead

I have this feeling like it's a lie. He's offered the best price of everyone I quoted, but is this a big red flag? This is my first home so not used to dealing with people working on the house etc

Of course it’s a lie 😆

I think workmen often take on the work then realise they’ve not got enough hours from the previous job etc etc. If you can make Tuesday work then it’s probably less hassle than getting a whole new quote etc

Lol at moving your cat as being a big part of getting prepped

At least he phoned to let you know.

we phoned 3 different plumbers for a small job regarding out water tank overflow, each said they would come end of the week and none have turned up. We then remembered we had a retired plumber neighbour and asked if he could recommend someone and he said he’d pop round and do it for us for a case of beer! Job done.

unless it’s a huge job with a decent wage at the end of it tradesmen don’t seem interested.

my friend tried to get a joiner to hang a single internal door for her no one interested but as soon as she said she needed other more expensive work done too then they were interested!

Aw @ShirleyPhallus she's an old girl and doesn't deal well with a lot of disruption these days.

I think it's complete bollocks I was looking forward to having it all done before the weekend and I do think it's a white lie.

Because we've been chatting over Facebook it shows me his 'story' which is him posing with a pint, why do I think the reason isn't a broken down van 😂

Oh!! Poor cat then 😊

It's been a run of nice weather - he's working outside. So long as he comes in this market!

If it was the fifth or sixth time he had cancelled I would be concerned.

Of course it's a lie. He's just got another job somewhere else to do. Tradesmen do it all the time. Probably either another job running late, or he's got a call from another tradesman friend who needs him for a job they're on.

Unfortunately, they always prioritise their colleagues, especially when multiple trades are required, i.e. a kitchen fitter needing a plumber of electrician but won't know exactly when they'll need them, so they'le be effectively "on call" to drop everything and go to do their bit otherwise the other tradesmen won't be able to progress.

Sadly, it's just to be expected with tradesmen. They are a law unto themselves, and the good ones are in such demand they can get away with shoddy treatment of their customers.

The worst for us was when we had our boiler replaced - it was a big job because we were changing from a hot water cistern to instant hot water boiler, so needed floorboards up to lay new pipes from the kitchen boiler to the upstairs bathrooms (hot water cistern used to be upstairs). We literally cleared two bedrooms, all furniture moved out, carpets up in bedrooms and landing. Took us all weekend to clear it all. The sod didn't turn up, didn't answer our phone calls, literally never saw him again!

Nowadays, we check beforehand whenever any kind of tradesman comes, as they're just so unreliable. At least phoning them a day or two before improved the chances they'll actually turn up, or at least gives them chance to tell you they'll be delayed so you don't waste time clearing the rooms for them.

I read it really quickly and thought of 'joiner' as in 'new joiner', so thought you were expecting them in the office at 9.30 and thought 'blimey, that's not a great start..'... then faced confusion WRT the cat 🤣

@user1497207191 I wonder if these joiners know, that we know, it's a lie 😁

Yeah I spent 2 hours clearing rooms last night
Could've been worse but still annoying.

My main concern is he doesn't show on Tuesday. I think at that point I'd have to call it.

When I was growing up my family always used the same reliable joiner between them, so I think I expected a better experience.

Really annoying, but best to wait to see if they come on Tuesday. I’d be suspicious as well but what can you do. Hopefully it will be fine once he’s here.

We completely emptied a kids bedroom - giant task, huge heaps of stuff inconveniently piles in corners all over the house, furniture moved away from the walls, curtains down etc - because a decorater was coming to rapidly do both kids bedrooms over a week and a half. We called him an hour after he was due to show up on Monday morning and he said he couldn’t make it at all. I think he was poorly, but he could have given us some warning (had apparently been poorly for several days but hadn’t told us). Of course these things happen but we were so stuffed and it took weeks to do it ourselves around work, kids were displaced for ages.

I’d say yes Tuesday’s ok because it’s a right faff finding trades nowadays. Then I’d take great joy in asking him with great concern about his van.

@Talipesmum

We called him an hour after he was due to show up on Monday morning and he said he couldn’t make it at all. I think he was poorly, but he could have given us some warning (had apparently been poorly for several days but hadn’t told us).

That's why we call them a day or two before now. It gives them a chance to warn you they're not coming. Of course, courtesy would dictate that they'd make the effort to warn you beforehand rather than just not showing up and waiting for you to call them. But, with most tradesmen these days, they don't have common courtesy! You have to be proactive with them unfortunately.

That's really annoying @Talipesmum it sounds like the behaviour has become normalised because they can have their pick of customers.

I'll see what Tuesday brings. The thing is @user1497207191 I spoke to him about 7pm last night when he confirmed the time he was coming. I'll contact him again on Monday and I think if he cancels on Tuesday I'll need to leave it and find someone else. That would be a real pain.

Yes, that’s what we do too, now!

Thing is that sometimes after they've let you down, they just randomly turn up without notice or prior agreement and then take offence when you tell them you've made alternative arrangements. The entitled attitude of some of them is quite staggering.

We had booked a firm to replace our garden decking. Not a "one man band" but a proper, supposedly respectable local firm who'd been around for donkey's years. Simply didn't turn up on the agreed day. Didn't answer the phone. Left answerphone messages. Finally phoned us back a couple of days later, same story of broken down van. I was quite sarcastic and asked if their mobile phone had broken down too! Promised they'd come a few days later, but didn't appear then either. So we just gave up on them and didn't chase them again. Got someone else to do it - an odd job/handyman kind of person who did a cracking job on the decking. Must have been a month or so later, and two vans from the original firm turned up around 9am one morning - started unloading the vans with decking boards, etc., and we went out asking what they were doing, told them it had been done, etc. They were really quite rude and aggressive! We told them they should have contacted us to explain why they were no shows for the second time, and contacted us to re-arrange, not just randomly turn up so long after missing the first two times without even a phone call to re-arrange!

Well @user1497207191 today is the today. They were meant to be here 2 hours ago and are no shows.

Even messaged last night confirming. Why bloody bother?? It's so disappointing as I'm back to square one.

Oh wait he finally messaged to tell me his mother has fainted and he can't make it today. That's a new one 🙂

I can understand people having an emergency and cancelling, but to have two, so close together, must make him very unlucky!

What I hate most about it, is that it takes you straight back to square one, having to search for someone and start again. We’ve had it twice recently. First the bloke was on holiday, then he was unwell, then his wife said she’d remind him. Eventually he came round and we agreed a price, discussed a date and finally agreed it. Phoned the day before to be told he wasn’t coming.

Tried another Checkatrade bloke, who simply never turned up. I hope it comes back to bite them one day. No excuse at all, when everyone has the means of communication in their pocket.

I agree @Bluevelvetsofa he must be very unlucky!

It's so disappointing because I'd picked the doors and handles out and was so looking forward to having it all done before guests arrived later this week.

So my options are

1. start again from square one, no guarantees.
2. give him one more chance tomorrow but it will mean inconveniencing my team at work as I'm supposed to be in meetings in the office.

The unlikely thought that it could all be done by tomorrow is a nice one but how likely?

He did apologise profusely but that doesn't mean he'll turn up.

This one made me laugh out loud!

Yep @momtoboys he was messaging from the hospital where she'd been admitted for heat exhaustion...

These tradesmen must think we're thick if they seriously expect us to believe their lies!

Agree with the previous poster, I hope their shoddy customer service skills (or lack of) will come back to bit them on the bum in the future when things calm down and they're short of work. They're just taking the mickey because people are desperate, but that won't last forever.

Exactly @user1497207191 it's a joke.

The thing is I AM desperate!

So what do you think...take my self dignity and start over again? No third chance?

I'd give the benefit of doubt with the van but mother fainting now he's really scraping the barrel with excuses now. I'd look for another one.