To wonder why workmen just dont bother turning up...

[vix1980]

a month ago we called plasterer for a quote, he came next day gave a good price we arranged to have him come back week after to do the room, next week came and went he didnt turn up, got in touch and he was busy for next 2 weeks, (only reason we waited for him is hes done work before really cheap but really quality work) we said wed wait, still no sign and now he doesnt return calls so we've given up on him.

fast forward to last week we need the chimney stack rebuilding, spent nearly half a day ringing round 9 different companies asking people to come out and quote us, since then 1 has actually turned up and he needed on wasted his petrol for what he was asking.... where are all these people who want to work, i've sat in all day waiting for them to turn up so am fuming now at the time wasted!

We've also had the same problem. I thought in this economy tradesmen would be fighting for the work, but apparently not. It's very off-putting when they don't turn up at the arranged time to give a quote - do they really think they'll get the job?

Potentially got longer term, higher paid work?

They don't need the money, obviously. Too much work to go around :) I've had similar experiences more than once and that's the conclusion I've come to. I'm in a part of Hertfordshire where every fifth house has got a skip parked outside and builders doing something radical to it. Any tradesmen struggling to find work elsewhere in the country, put a few ads in the local papers and get yourself down here!!!

Really glad its not just me then, if it was 1 or 2 id just think yep they've got bigger things to do, but its so frustrating i just want someone to turn up and do the work to my house.

it's happened loads to me too!! total waste of time and effort, wouldn't mind so much but both me and the hubby are completely useless and most DIY jobs! even if these people have bigger and better projects to be getting on wiv, a simple phone call wud save u waiting in for them - it's just plain rude!! think these people need to remember that the odd jobs will keep the work going when the big jobs dry up.

exactly julie I have had this numerous times and whilst a no-show and having to re-arrange someone else would be annoying, its the lack of communication that drives you crazy. Its just damn damn rude and unprofessional. Would have been even in pre-mobile days but now there is NO excuse. Plumbers the other day gave a four hour window but said they'd ring 1/2 hr before. I emphasised how important this was as I would have to pick up DS from school but they assure me they would. They rang and said they were 10 mins away so i said they'd have to wait. they weren't happy but all they have to do is what they SAY they will. GrRRRRR

It is simply that they've got, or are waiting for bigger fish to fry. But it's crap customer service and I wonder at it.

When you find a reliable, communicative tradesperson, hang on to them ....

I am very surprised at that. DH is a plasterer and is desperate for work as is everyone he knows. He always turns up when he says he will.

Oh really the jonses - where abouts are you if your near liverpool send him over this way, im sick of ringing plasterers to be honest, need a tiler and a roofer i guess, out of 3 professions only 1 roofer turned up.

I dont get it at all,if you want the money then turn up to quote me!

Well, at least I'm not alone.

We found a Corgi registered man in our Recommended Local Tradesmen booklet and had a new gas boiler installed in November 2009 (ish). I rang up 2 months ago to ask him to come to carry out a service. He took my number and said he'd call back. He didn't. His wife took my number the next day and, again, I was going to be rung back. Here we are and I'm still waiting.

it's happened to us - we want our small garden redone and are willing to pay up to 2k for it but we can't get a gardener to turn up to even quote/look at it and the 2 different ones who did never turned up when we booked them. Sigh.

My dad's an electrician and if he doesn't think a jobs worth his while he wont do it. He usually quotes something ridiculous just so he doesn't get asked. Then he's moaning he's got no work. He doesn't seem to realise sometimes small jobs turn into big jobs, or good word of mouth. All his mates are the same.

My husband is a tradesman. From the other side... worst thing is that when he has gone to look at a job, spent considerable time preparing an estimate (including me typing it all up) and gets no feedback whatsoever, not even as much as an email or text to say thanks but no thanks! He always follows up with a call just so that he can draw a line under jobs that he has priced, no answer and no response to voicemail. Fortunately this doesn't happen too often as he gets most of the work that he prices but it is so annoying!

Haha, ive found the secret trick to get them here now, after yesterdays wasted efforts i have now asked some others round to give me a quote for a whole new roof, when they get here i then say actually its only the chimney stack that needs rebuilding, ive decided to leave the roof for now so at least it gets them here and they think ill be using them in the future for the whole roof.

called 5 this morning, 2 have already been, 1 coming later and the rest tomorrow! why dont these people want to do little jobs, i can only think its cos of greed!

Vix I have PM'ed you.

My DH is also a painter/decorator (in the Essex area if anyone needs anything done) and he too is always reliable, turns up when he says he will and puts in his quotes quickly.

I dont get why people do this, just gives all the building trade a bad name....agree some jobs are just not worth taking on but still, manners should prevail especially in the current climate!

I've asked 2 plumbers to come round and fix my underfloor heating. Both have been here before. Both said they were busy but would be here next week. That was over 2 months ago - still waiting, still no answer to phone calls.

If either would bother to turn up, they would also find I have enough work for a day for them, so it is worth their while. And I need quotes for additional work, one of which is definately going to be in the thousands.

There are good tradesmen out their. A friend of grandfathers is basically an odd jobber, we rang him Monday to ask him to chop down a tree, he arrived today, tree chopped down. He is also going to lay PiL's patio. and build me a larder, so it was worth him turning up to just chop down the tree.