Tradesmen doing more chatting than any actual work

[SadKenny]

Is this normal? I've got a tradesman in my house this morning, I am working from home. This is the 2nd occasion he was supposed to attend, last week he didn't turn up as "something came up". He's here now but seems more interested in chatting about his work in general and other houses than doing the actual thing I am paying him to be here to do.

So fed up with tradespeople being impossible to book, then completely unreliable, then not just getting on and doing the job.

If I get charged labour by the hour for the time he's been pissing about I am going to dispute it.

It drives me mad. You need to agree a rate for a job so the talking eats into their own time.
A perfectly good decorator has managed to lose all future business with me (and anyone I tell about him) due to charging a day rate then spending a disproportionate amount of time chatting on the phone/to me/to passersby/ going for 2 hour lunch breaks, knocking off at 3.30.

who is he chatting too? if you he is probably angling for a cup of tea, point him in the direction of the kettle, walk away and let him get on with

I agree, I have this most times. I don’t mind having a chat and a cup of tea if they get the work done but they never do! Always arrive late, leave early, don’t turn up, start a job and don’t come back. It’s a nightmare.

He's trying to talk to me! I've already made him a cup of tea and told him to help himself to any further cups.

He keeps yammering on about the people that did the original work on these houses, and similarities to other houses he's worked on.

I don't give a shit. I just want the work done.

But this guy isn't a one off, it seems like every tradesman I've had here in 10 years has been a fan of time wasting!!

I let them in, offer them a cup of tea, then leave them to it with a polite, "I'm just in the other room getting some work done."

Do not engage. You don't have to be rude but you don't have to stay chatting.

"I'm sure you want to get this done as quick as possible and I've got things to be getting on with so I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything..." and off you go.

Are you paying for the job, or paying by the hour?

If paying for the job, it is not your problem.

If paying by the hour, you can say to him in a joking tone 'I had better let you get on as I am only going to pay for working hours, not chatting hours!' or similar.

I think you need to be blunt because piss takers rely on you being polite to get away with it.

Did you agree a day rate or hourly rate ?

You could ask
“So what hours am I paying for today, because you haven’t started yet?”

I'm in another room already, he keeps walking through to give me a full commentary.

I'm about to put my headset on to join a fake meeting.

Are you paying for the job, or by the hour?

Surely you've agreed the costs up front?