Why is it so hard to get a tradesman?

[BushyDreamer]

Just that really.

I've got 2 basic jobs that need doing and all I get is time wasters and people ghosting me. I don't know where I'm going wrong, but I'm on the verge of having a go myself. I'm no carpenter, how hard can it be? 🙄

🙄Good grief, the lengths people will go to to bring up Brexit never ceases to amaze me. Utterly batshit. Brexit has ZERO to do with someone not being able to get a tradesman. What a ludicrous comment. Maybe it's something to do with Harry and Meghan too?

May as well mention them while we're at it eh? 🙄

@BushyDreamer OP, what I did last time I wanted a couple of little jobs doing was put a post on Facebook on my local village page, as this results in smaller traders/odd job guys contacting you, So they actually wanted the work. I have many similar tales about useless and unreliable tradesmen.

eg; I contacted 5 tradesmen in March about a little job I wanted doing, and one answered and said he'd ring me back. He didn't. One arranged to come at 7pm the next evening. Never turned up. The third one came and said he's get back to me with a price. Never heard from him again. The fourth one came, gave me a price on the spot, and then never contacted me again and didn't return my calls. The fifth one came, gave me a price, fixed a date for the following week, and never came. Also didn't return my calls.

I think some of them CBA with small jobs as it's not worth their time. Just fucking say so though! Don't waste my time - and piss me about!

Anyway, I put a post on Facebook (in April) explaining what I wanted, and got responses from THIRTEEN different tradesmen. Four in my village. About half were local chaps (3-5 miles away,) just wanting bits and bobs to fit in around their regular job. One guy Harry Lane (not real name) contacted me, and 5 others suggested him too. A 30 y.o young father with a wife and 2 toddlers who was looking for little jobs to boost the family income. He lived 10 minutes walk away from me too, so I assumed he'd be more reliable.

Turned up 10 minutes early, gave me a price later that night, and came 5 days later and did the 2 jobs I needed. Around 20% less than the previous quotes I had had too.

We've actually ended up paying the builders who renovated our house an annual flat fee for a maintenance contract to take care of servicing plus any little repairs. They have a stable team, but the owner was telling me the other day that he's struggling for some of the trades, like decorators.

In London in the past, I've use Silver Saints for small jobs, and I suspect there are other handyman services about these days. Yes, you're paying over the odds, but they're reliable and will get it done. I think sometimes you have to decide whether price or just getting it done is the biggest factor. And what about asking friends or at the school gate?

And I agree with the pps who say Brexit.

I’ve got three different people due to come over to quote today. Let’s see how many actually turn up. It looks like the first guy isn’t coming.

Op What may work it to the local builders merchants and ask them who they would recommend or sometimes they have business cards pinned up on a board. Alternatively hang around for 30 mins or so after 8.00am and ask if anyone could do the job for you.

Probably, but that’s the way of the world unfortunately.

If some can earn £400 a day they’re not going to give that up for a £75 job.

£250 is probably their half day rate which is a fair enough price considering they probably won’t be able to take on any other work that day.

If some can earn £400 a day they’re not going to give that up for a £75 job.
I can totally understand that. But it's amazing how much time they spend in coming out to view jobs that they have no intention of doing!

It’s all included in their overall rates though - so while they may turn your job down, they won’t have come to visit you for nothing.

I’ve no doubt he would, I’m sure he’s got a job coming up in South London next month and could probably fit you in around it…

Personally, I'd keep the serving hatch. So on trend.

You could get Perspex made to measure, with smooth slightly curved edges and pre drilled holes to cover on the outside. Always measure twice or thrice for exact measurements and do so in metric.

Task rabbit is good. I've used them a few times.

I actually laughed out loud at this because I'm getting quotes for £250 for a job that will take, at most, an hour.

I never serve anything from the dining room to the living room. I currently have plants on the sill but it's nice to have light coming in.

I don't want perspex, I want toughened glass. If it gets scratched , you're fucked. Glass is tough, and will better insulated the living room from the cold kitchen diner.

I also draw seasonal scenes on our windows and want to do that too!

You can get one but you have to pay - I recently had my ensuite refurbed and the fitters daily labour rate was £400 (he did all incl electrics)!

He was very good though - punctual, trustworthy and tidy so I would use him again it’s worth paying not to have the stress. I think many tradesman’s cannot be bothered with the smaller jobs.

It may take him an hour to get to you and an hour to get back. Plus cost of petrol, tools, incidental materials. Plus time for emailing, quoting and invoicing. And paying his accountant and/or doing his taxes.

This. ^ Plus @beaglescurleduplikebagels my 2 jobs were £550 and £450. Not little teeny jobs. The young man who came to us had £1000 off us that day... (£450 was materials, so he actually earned around £550 - for 6.5 hours work.) £84.50 an hour. If the 'bigger fish' are too important and busy to do the jobs for us, as the jobs are 'too small,' I shall continue to give young starters in my village the trade. Clearly the big fish don't think £84.50 an hour is enough for their precious 'big man' time. 🙄

I have to ask also, what small job would cost £75?!

You wouldn't get much more than a lock change for that where I live!

.

Have you tried taskrabbit?

Ask who?

Ask for recommendations on your local Facebook page. It's the best way to find reputable traders looking for work.

..I literally have a plumber here right now, found on FB!

It's because the good ones have to do zero advertising. They are fully booked for months/over a year.

It's also because governments have made it too expensive/risky to take on a "boy" as tradesmen used to. They now either take on their own son or don't take anyone at all (and reject jobs as they have too much to do) as it's just a minefield. As the good ones retire, there is nobody to hand the client base to. I use an appliance repairer who is about 55. A friend of his who also repairs decided to retire and offered my appliance repairer all his customers. My repairer said no, already got way too much to do. So now loads of the customers have no repairer to call. It's sad really - loads of young people unemployed and a lack of reliable, skilled people. And I blame the governments (all of them over decades) for making it expensive, risky and difficult for a sole trader to take on an employee.

Its because youngsters for the past 20 years or more have been pushed into University and the thought of getting their hands dirty is beyond them

And those that do want to learn a trade find it near on impossible to find an apprenticeship

Im at the moment looking to get my DH interested in applying to the colleges as an assessor , pass his skills on that way

100% hit the nail on the head @suki1964 Not enough blue collar workers these days, as too many young people were pushed into University, (as you say, over the past 15-20 years,) when half of them should have done an apprenticeship or a trade or got a job...

Loads of people who were at University (who I know) definitely should not have gone. Many got in on 'clearing' after poor A-Levels, are now up their eyeballs in (student) debt, and can't get a job that fits their degree, (some can't get a job at all.) A few have got a job in the field that their degree was in, and haven't got a clue what they're doing. Quite simply, they weren't/aren't particularly academic, they were pushed into going into University, and were told it's 'the best thing' for them. Ummmm, no not always........ It's not always the best thing for everyone!

And as you say, many GenZ (and some Milennials) who were in this generation of people, would never dream of manual labour ... Perish the thought!

Right, but if they're working at your house for an hour, they can't take a full day job somewhere else.

So they have to charge to cover all the hours they're "missing" by coming to do a small job for you...