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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder how anyone manages to get quotes?!

56 replies

VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 18:47

I've got a list of jobs that need doing at home. I don't have the time, inclination or ability for much of it, so I need to pay someone. No issue with that. But getting anyone out to give me a price seems impossible...I've this week contacted 12 people, no response from most of them, and the rest...

'can I come now and take a look'
(half 3 on a Weds)
I explain sorry, I'm at work but if I make a special effort I'll be home by 6pm.

That's too late, can I let them know when I'll be home before 4.
(I work til 5, so short of taking a day off, can't be home at 4!)

Other responses have been similar, asking to come in the middle of the day, or at 9am - when I said I'm at work from 9 one guy said he'd come at 8.30 - not much help as I leave at 7.45 and I don't really want anyone here at 7.30.

Is it me? I appreciate that one of the jobs is outside, so might be easier in daylight, but it's still lightish here at 6.

Honestly, I give up! I just want to pay someone to do some work. The worst bit is, from experience I know I'll only get a quote from half the ones who turn up, but getting anyone to come out at 6 or weekends seems impossible.

I do appreciate people have lives etc but I also have to go to work - am I really going to have to take a day off to do this, assuming of course they can even turn up on that day!

How do other people manage?

OP posts:
Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 20:34

Also if I do take a day off, what's the chances I'll be able to get everyone (all those who have responded that is) out on the same day? Then I end up having another day off...then more time when they come to do the work.

It's really frustrating; I'm just not able to do this work myself but paying someone to do it seems to be difficult if not impossible.

OP posts:
londonrach · 20/10/2016 20:37

Yanbu. It took me from feb to aug to get a plumber to give us a quote for a new boiler. I have several no shows, two guys who came, looked and said sorry to busy to do it. When i manged to get one guy to quote i got another the next time. Like buses, however you get the same op.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 20:38

I don't haggle, and I've only ever asked for a quote. I know enough about the trades to know this will be a ball park/ approximate figure and I don't expect it to be exact.

OP posts:
PandasRock · 20/10/2016 20:39

I feel your pain.

We're mid-extension build, and trying to get quotes for carpets. It's a big house, and a lot of carpet (unfortunately!) - 5 bedrooms, big hallway, two flights of stairs.

And we can't get a carpet company to quote Hmm And I'm home every day, builders are here too, so can come anytime to measure up/quote etc. But it seems it's just too much trouble...

I might just get be up and buy lots of rugs Grin

DrWhy · 20/10/2016 20:39

I'm home on maternity leave, I can deal with someone coming to quote and to do the work any time - it has still taken months to get someone to come and cut a hedge! Contacted at least 6 people, got 2 estimates - one of those promised a formal quote but after 4 weeks, 2 e-mails and several texts and calls I realised it would never arrive. Finally the person who agreed the other estimate actually set a day for the work, 2 days before he changed the day but he did then actually show up and do the work. It's a huge hedge and a significant sum of money, it amazes me that 4 of the companies I contacted didn't even get back to me.
We now need some exterior wood sanding and treating, I asked a decorator I have used before DM for a quote, he said he'd pop round that week, that was in August! I can't face going through the whole circus again but the work needs doing before the weather gets worse.

PandasRock · 20/10/2016 20:44

Oh, and I'm still waiting to hear back from 2 other companies wrt quoting for kitchen/bathrooms - full kitchen, and 3 bathrooms. I approached them in March! And followed up at the end of April (when trying to finalise quotes), and tried once more in May. Each time I was promised a full quote - I'm not sure that all these companies are so rushed off their feet with customers clamouring for new kitchens that they can't even find the time to quote for one...

But I've heard not a squeak from either of them despite repeated assurances to the contrary.

(Obviously I did actually go with another company who bothered to quote, and am not still waiting for a kitchen!)

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 20/10/2016 20:51

I have always come home during a lunch hour or arranged for people to come over during annual leave. This is what you have to do (or it is with every place I have tried). The only way really around it (that I have found) is to go for 1 person, accept the quote and then just use them multiple times for when I need other stuff doing.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 20:52

It is the same with bigger jobs too, I agree!

I previously had a bathroom fitted last year and couldn't get anyone to quote for that. Except one guy who wanted £3.5k (this was labour only...) In the end I ended up using someone who was recommended via fb and was cheap but couldn't do some bits of the job (couldn't work out how to fit a sink, one job that still needs doing) and messed up installing the shower tray which can't be used as it leaks (another job).

OP posts:
Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 20:55

It takes me an hour to get to work (45 mins on a good day) so coming home in my lunchbreak (not that I really get one, but that's another thread) is impossible.

OP posts:
madcapcat · 20/10/2016 21:15

I usually bribe a relative (student niece comes in handy) or arrange to work from home for part of the day. Is that possible?

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 22:04

Working from home is difficult because I have at least 1 meeting most days and need to be in the office for those. Plus generally wfh is meant to be only for essential/ medical reasons...so not really possible.

I don't have any family other than my DC...I could ask my eldest to be here, bit from experience the workmen that come out will want infinite amounts of detail which DS won't know, or ask questions can't answer. He said he wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, so I'd rather not force him tbh. It's not like waiting in for a delivery, he'd have to give quite a detailed explanation.

OP posts:
sirfredfredgeorge · 20/10/2016 22:42

500 quid is not "a lot" for a day and half of a skilled person and their equipment, (day job, and the half day lost quoting for it) as a whole job, remember that also has to cover the insurance, the risk of you not paying, the cost of the cash flow for the materials, oh actually I see it was inc materials, so they're paying for the materials too. And of course support them through all the 1/2 day quoting "jobs" which don't lead anywhere.

As you say, you have to work, quoting for a job is only worth it if you need the job, and the risk of spending half a day quoting for a small job is just not worth it - that's why you're going to have to meet them somewhere in the middle.

You can't take half a day off of your regular job to meet them, why do think it should be easy for them?

Yes small jobs are problem, there is a big efficiency problem in joining the workers to the people who have the jobs. It's an area that's very ripe for disruption as it costs so much to join those two people up, a Dragon's Den pitch of "an Uber for odd-job men" may well get funded...

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 20/10/2016 23:09

No one had to take a half day doing quotes though. The guy who quoted my roof came on his way back from work, as he was passing. He was here 10 mins, and emailed me the price once he'd got home 15 mins later...

Yes I could take a half day. But there's no guarantee everyone would be able to come before midday. I'd get people saying 12.30, or 2, or whatever. So then I'd end up taking another day, or a half.

It would be better if they just asked for specifics of what needed doing, and photos, and gave a rough price (because that's all you ever get anyway) based on that info. No need to waste time coming here first - but sadly no one seems to want to work that way.

OP posts:
LadyPenelope68 · 21/10/2016 06:39

There is absolutely a need to see the job before quoting the price. The number of times my DH has had customers ringing and saying "it's only a small job, it won't take long" and then when he goes, it turns out to be a massive job because pipes need moving, or part of a door frame is rotten etc, etc. Something that only a person in that trade would know needs doing.

As for a roofer costing that much for a day and a half - that's cheap. Factor in their skilled time, materials, possibly scaffolding depending on the work, their insurance etc.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 21/10/2016 07:33

It's not a day and a half, it's a day (at most, according to the guy). No suggestion of scaffolding. I know how much PL insurance costs, and it's not very much. He's also only replacing 6/7 tiles on a ridge.

Unfortunately I'm in the outskirts of London and everyone assumes people are made of money - I have friends on other parts of the UK who pay far less for trades.

OP posts:
Leopard12 · 21/10/2016 07:44

I have a patio door which has dropped and now has at least a 1cm of open gap at the top and I've had to remove the top lock to get it closed, I'm rented but my estate agents get the trades person to contact me to arrange a time, the plumber was great 'yeah I'm free from 6pm onwards today or anytime tomorrow' (a Saturday! And it wasn't an emergency, did wonder if estate agents would pay him more for unsociable hours!) patio doors have not been great took ages for them to get anyone and they want two quotes, first was fine, second rang Wednesday morning and said can you do Thursday between 12.30 and 15.30 luckily I work shift and was but bit specific no asking when I was free, then made sure I was up and dressed and stayed in even though I needed something from the shops and no one turned up, rang the number 3x, first two times it was busy third time no answer and no reply yet to my voice message, pretty sure it was a receptionist that rang me and it's a home/business number not mobile. OH is a teacher and I've no idea what we would do if we both were as you can't take time off, anything that needed fixing would have to wait till half term!

HaPPy8 · 21/10/2016 07:45

Maybe you could rearrange your work meetings for the evening or weekend?

Wink
MaynJune · 21/10/2016 08:01

I sympathise with your general point, but as far as the roof is concerned, you're wanting more than a few tiles replaced. Roofers are expensive and the firm I use charge quite a lot, and we're very far from the south-east. There are cheaper around, but this firm is popular and busy because they are reliable.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 21/10/2016 08:01

If I set my own hours, then I would. However i dont have that luxury. That's the benefit of running your own business - if you do need to do something in an eve or weekend, you can adjust the remainder of your week. I often have to travel or work until 8pm; I'm still expected in the office at 9 or my name goes in the late book whereas if i was self employed I'd start the day later - the two really aren't in any way comparable!

OP posts:
LadyPenelope68 · 21/10/2016 08:13

It's nothing to do with being outside London, £500 is the same sort of price my DH would charge for that sort of work.

sirfredfredgeorge · 21/10/2016 08:28

No it's not a half day, if it's done at the trades convenience - so when they're popping past, it's a quick look. But of course, you're not making it convenient for anyone, so either they're going to have to hang around, or move other jobs etc. etc. That's why they are telling you when it's convenient for them!

GoodGirlGoneWrong · 21/10/2016 08:34

Sorry I think yabu! If you want the work done your going to have to take leave to get quotes, you can't expect people to arrive after 6pm as just like you they have done a full day as well, frustrating I know and I do kind of sympathise but that's the way things work. And £500 for a roofing job seems reasonable to me.

I do understand the frustration I am still awaiting a Electrican to change my bedroom light, it's been 9 weeks and counting...

Petronius16 · 21/10/2016 08:35

£500 a day for roofing is not a lot - scaffolding etc.

£300 a day would not be unusual for a small jobbing builder for his time - materials extra.

Professional trades are in demand - hence the price.

Original poster
VelvetSpoon · 21/10/2016 08:40

I don't think suggesting 6pm is making it inconvenient. It's only convenient for them to do the middle of the day if they're not working, if they are at work then they'll be in the same position as me...

Logically though, given the missing tiles are at the front of the house and visible from the street as is the guttering, they don't even need me there, they can see what needs doing from the street!

Interestingly I got a msg this morning about one of the internal jobs asking if i could send some details and photos, and he'll give a rough guide price/ timescale. Maybe he's a MNer?!

OP posts:
Dontneedausername · 21/10/2016 08:41

Can't you just tell your work you'll be an hour late and work through your lunch? Or make up the time another day? Arrange for someone to come first thing (or last thing) and come home early?