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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think tradespeople who advertise for business should not be such rude fuckers?

67 replies

ginghamstarfish · 16/08/2018 12:48

This has pissed me off for years. Have moved around a lot and find it happens everywhere. Need a tradesman, say an electrician/roofer etc. Look up the small ads in local paper etc, call them - and either they ignore messages, say they will come and won't, or worst of all, come round, have a good nosey, say they will give a quote, and then don't, and never respond to any further calls/messages. What is the fucking point of advertising then if you don't want any work?? Anyone else find this, surely it can't be just me?

OP posts:
Saggital · 16/08/2018 12:51

They’re all too busy spending half their working hours on their phones and social websites.

ScrambledMeg · 16/08/2018 12:53

Not just you. I think ultimately demand outstrips supply so they can get away with this behaviour. There's a BIG gap in the market for female tradespeople who simply turn up.

motortroll · 16/08/2018 12:59

It's taken me 10 months to book a firm quote and date with a plasterer. In the end I got an acquaintances husband to commit but even that took 3 months!!

YANBU!!

Mumminmum · 16/08/2018 13:02

There was a hilarious segment on the news in 2013 one evening. The leader of one of the biggest unions in the UK for tradesmen such as plummers, carpenters etc. (can't remember which one) came on telly to complain about the Polish tradesmen coming to Britain. I can't remember his exact words, but they were something like: "They show up on time, do a good job and to the agreed price. That is unfair competition, that." My DH and I were laughing out loud that the idiot didn't realize what it was he was saying about his own members. Grin

mostimproved · 16/08/2018 13:04

And when they do come round for a quote they tend to be rude and grumpy which carries on throughout the work - I have never had a good experience with tradespeople but maybe I'm just unlucky. @ScrambledMeg there's definitely a gap in the market for female tradespeople who are polite, don't treat you like an idiot and turn up when they say they will!

pigsDOfly · 16/08/2018 13:04

It's very annoying and slightly weird sometimes. I had a chap once came round almost immediately after I rang him to have a look, said he could definitely do the work and would get back to me with a quote asap.

I can only assume he was sucked into a black hole somewhere as I never heard from him again.

Why bother with all the silly rigmarole. He knew what was involved before he came to the house as I'd explained on the phone exactly what I wanted doing and it was nothing complicated, just things like putting shelves and mirrors up.

Saggital · 16/08/2018 13:05

Yes, a national chain of women engineers and builders would be bloody marvellous. Things would get done and any gripes would be resolved.

glintandglide · 16/08/2018 13:08

Well... I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses but it’s not that easy and women wouldn’t necessarily be any better at juggling schedules which are really the issue.

I do agree because I experience this a lot on my personal life but I’ve also seen how jobs go over, how hard it is to schedule when you’re needed and how much you get delayed by other people or fellow workers

TheCakeCrusader · 16/08/2018 13:08

Yup, this has happened to us too. Some of it seems to be related to the amount of work/ payment that they might potentially do/ receive ie, is the job big enough for them to take on or are they are so inundated with work that they just don’t have time to ( ever) respond back?

Either way, it would be more helpful I think to just be upfront and tell you this, tactfully rather than just ignoring calls, emails etc.

glintandglide · 16/08/2018 13:08

(And also, skilled tradespeople are not necessarily good business people)

RB68 · 16/08/2018 13:14

At least they are giving you a heads up....

I think there is so much work out there for them at the moment that they can do whatever the fuck they please and get away with it. One of my neighbours just sacked her builder off. Clues included he was available immediately, he did a fixed price quote on a refurb job (just a big no no) and spent all his "breaks" sitting in his van blocking an access road chucking litter and texting

MadisonAvenue · 16/08/2018 13:15

We needed a repair doing to our hot water tank last year, a new valve of some kind. We finally found someone to give us a quote and he said he'd order the part and contact us when he had it to arrange when to fit it. We heard nothing and left messages, tried calling and sent texts and he never replied. After a couple of weeks my husband looked on YouTube for a tutorial, ordered the part from Amazon (it was here the next day) for £50 and fitted it in 25 minutes, saving us £150.

Same with trying to get a window cleaner. There's one in particular who quite regularly posts a professionally printed glossy flyer through the door touting for business but he doesn't reply to any messages sent.

Bumply · 16/08/2018 13:18

I use a service where you put in a request for what you need doing (range of trades) and they assign you a vetted person. Ive always had said person turn up, quote and do the job. I think the one exception was a guy that was in an accident in between initial contact and coming round - broke his collar bone. when I chased up the service they found me someone else who was available.

Babdoc · 16/08/2018 13:21

Its usually best to get personal recommendations for tradespeople. At least then you know they’re reliable, reasonably priced and will do a good job.
Our village FB Page often has people new to the area asking for advice on local tradesmen, and we oldies can advise accordingly.
I think in bigger towns you can check websites with ratings for tradesmen, too.
I know our local guys will usually be honest if they’re already booked up for months too - they won’t keep you dangling for ages hoping they will turn up, which may be the reason for some of the “no shows” PPs complain of.

DPotter · 16/08/2018 13:24

I know just what you mean.

I think a pp was right - good tradespeople aren't necessarily good business people.
However the excuses about jobs over running etc are just that -excuses. It has never been so easy to late people know you're running late. You can even do it by text so you don't get shouted at!

Originalsaltedpeanuts · 16/08/2018 13:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

funinthesun18 · 16/08/2018 13:27

I hate it when you ring them and ask if they can come and give a quote. They make it sound like such an inconvenience and like they need to move heaven and earth for you.

glintandglide · 16/08/2018 13:36

DPotter it’s not necessarily about running late- a quick call to say I’m an hour late is simple enough. It’s about jugglings different jobs, with slipping timelines.

So take an electrician. Most of the time they are waiting around for other trades to finish so they can do their bit. It’s not about being an hour late, it’s about being 3 days late because the chippies at your previous job finished 3 days late. So you started another job in those 3 days but you had to drop
It in the middle to go back to job 1, and now you are juggling that and job 2 along with your third job... multiple that by a lifetime and that’s what they’re struggling with

Givemeallyourcucumber · 16/08/2018 13:36

DH is a builder.
He went to have a look at a job last night at 8pm as that was the only time the woman could do. She kept him there for over an hour chatting about the job and other.life things (THIS IS ALL FOR FREE IN DHS FAMILY TIME) then before he left they discussed prices. The woman then said. "Well the thing is we don't really have any money"

WHAT!
It works both ways
Sometimes customers can be a pain in the arse too!

LeftRightCentre · 16/08/2018 13:37

I hate it when you ring them and ask if they can come and give a quote. They make it sound like such an inconvenience and like they need to move heaven and earth for you.

Then you're supposed to skivvy for them whilst you are paying them to do their job. I've been told to make hot drinks, asked to provide lunch, asked where the biscuits are, etc.

pigsDOfly · 16/08/2018 13:38

I used the same sort of service, which is free to the customer, as Bumply is talking about to get my work done in the end.

The guy responded to my request for a quote. We discussed it, he gave me a quote that I was more than happy with and he came and did the work.

He was polite, pleasant, cleaned up after himself and did it in a bit under the time quoted - he quoted by the hour so I rounded it up, as I was very pleased with the work he'd done.

There are reliable people out there but it can be very hard to find them.

glintandglide · 16/08/2018 13:42

I find the most reliable is to use companies like homserve, British Gas, large building companies rather than sole traders which is not only awful to say, but they are far more expensive. We’ve always had very good experiences though

feellikeanalien · 16/08/2018 13:44

From the other side, my DP has often gone to give a quote to someone and has spent a considerable time looking at the work and advising them on the best way to proceed.

He has then sent them a written, detailed quote but has heard nothing back.

He doesn't expect to get every job he quotes for but a brief text or email to say thanks but no thanks would be polite!

SusanneLinder · 16/08/2018 13:44

Yes,bugs my tits! We need new windows. Went with a recommendation. Guy came round 3 weeks ago, still waiting for quote! Its a several thousand pound job. Never heard from him again.
Phoned someone else, got proper quote emailed. Reasonable price.
Work starting in a few weeks. Couldnt do it right away ( I'd be worried if their order book was empty anyway).
We told previous guy we were serious and needed the job done asap, as cannot stand another winter with draughty windows!

NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 13:48

Yes it is odd.

If I behaved like we've had lots of people behave then I would be sacked!

Not showing when said would show is normal
Showing and saying will send quote and then never doing it
And then if you chase them they say yes I'll do it and then they don't
Quoting £££££££££££ ridiculous amount rather than just saying "not interested"

I would FAR RATHER they said
Sorry can't come and quote too busy now
Sorry have looked at the job and it's too big / too small so not going to quote

Plus the other stuff about so many of them talking down to me / only addressing DH / being mildly intimidating (one man was flat out terrifying, he came to do the plumbing when we had the extension, I kept out of the way, he was a very very angry, aggressive man).

Had female electricians once and they were brilliant! I mean I'm sure women wouldn't always be good but still I'd like the choice? Lots of women esp ones living alone would prefer to deal with a woman I'm sure.