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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:
NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 13:49

Bumply what service is that?

Yogagirl123 · 16/08/2018 13:52

Yes totally maddening, when you need to get a job done, I have had problems with this in the past I have found gardeners shortly followed by plumbers being the worst for reliability.

funinthesun18 · 16/08/2018 13:53

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.

They’re so cheeky the ones that do this. They’re getting paid to do their job by the people who have hired them, so they should have a bit of respect when they’re in that person’s home. Not come in making demands.

I especially wouldn’t be handing out a menu for their lunch! Confused

AlbertaSimmons · 16/08/2018 13:54

Same here. We've been trying to get someone to come and give us quotes for two new bathrooms and new central heating system for more than a year. Most don't bother to respond. Others phone back, have a conversation and then say they aren't interested. Some come, look around and then disappear off the face of the earth. Demand far outstrips supply so they can pick and choose I guess, which is fair enough, but as the OP says, why on earth go to the bother and expense of advertising if you're not going to react when people respond to it?

We did manage to get a local joiner and he said that now that we are on his books as it were, we would be able to get him again in future, especially as we paid him by bank transfer on the day the job was completed. He said he very rarely takes on a new customer as he has all the work he needs from his existing roster. Who knew that people have joiners on a regular basis?

possumgoddess · 16/08/2018 13:57

I have had mixed experiences myself. We found a really good electrician who gave us a good quote, came when he said he would come and did an excellent job, we also had a really good window fitter who did the same. We found a window cleaner by actually seeing him do somebody's windows and asking him to do ours. However we had somebody in to do the garden and he didn't come on the day arranged, and didn't let us know until the morning he was meant to be there. I had taken the day off which isn't easy. He did come about a week later, when I couldn't get the day off. We arranged for him to come on a monthly basis and he gives us a day and then doesn't turn up, basically he comes when he feels like it I think! It does make it difficult to plan. We tried for months to find somebody to do some fencing, did get it done in the end. At the moment we are in the process of getting quotes for some building work, we have had 2 people round so far, on time (more or less) and promises quotes by email. I am hoping I get the quotes as promised! I still have to find somebody else to quote.

WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 16/08/2018 13:58

We've just found someone reliable after numerous twats have done just what you describe. He's busily doing builder type stuff in the house at the moment. So keep looking, they do exist.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 13:59

We are looking for a gardener and there are loads actively advertising but when you call them they are obviosuly not interested, before you've even told them what the job is.

Agree that why advertise then is a good question. This is stuff through the door / up in shops etc

kirinm · 16/08/2018 14:03

DP is an electrician although tends to work for one company rather than lots of private jobs. He's in the process of developing the private work side of things and he is a member of various websites where people can ask for a quote from a number of tradesman. Only found out yesterday that he has to pay to quote! The amount of information provided by one person was so minimal he decided the work probably wasn't worth incurring the cost of quoting.

But I 100% get the annoyance from people just ignoring emails etc. Had the same issue when trying to find a builder. DP ended up calling in help from lots of people he knew and taking 3 weeks off work to do it himself.

Aeroflotgirl · 16/08/2018 14:12

I had a plumber like this, dreadful, kept me waiting 3 times, with different excuses.

HelenaDove · 16/08/2018 14:42

Liberty Gas have form for not turning up but then they send texts saying they came but couldnt get access. So they lie and gaslight

This is when they do the gas safety checks for housing associations.

Telling lies that a tenant didnt allow them access could get the tenant evicted. But they dont care They do it safe in the knowledge that the tenant will never get believed so they can get away with it.

DopeyDazy · 16/08/2018 15:13

the tradesman is also getting you as well as the job and if he doesn't like the sound of you or the job he's not going to say that out. My DH was self employed for years and the only advantage of working for yourself is not having to do stuff you don't want to as long as you've got enough other jobs to pay the bills

DopeyDazy · 16/08/2018 15:15

vetting not getting why can't you edit posts within a few minutes like other sites

user1457017537 · 16/08/2018 15:20

I can hand on heart say I have never had a problem! I do however supply teas, coffees, soft drinks, rolls and bacon sandwiches lol.
No one will ever work for my neighbour who hovers over builders and sacks them half way through. There are also people who like to chip the money that is due.

PretendLife · 16/08/2018 15:25

Oh please don't anyone say, 'use personal recommendations from people you know' - everyone I know has the same fecking problems with tradesmen as I do!

I've got so much stuff needs doing in my house but just can't face trying to get it done anymore. Not returning calls, not turning up, turning up and not sending quotes...so many times now.

The only decent handyman type guy I got hold off once had his wife doing his admin. She was brilliant, emailed questions to find out exactly what needed doing, sent links to examples of materials, booked the time in etc. All he needed to do was turn up and do the work, which he did because his wife did all his thinking for him!

lovelovelovepancakes · 16/08/2018 15:44

We have a lovely female plumber. Always available, polite, punctual & can't be beaten on price. She's really good at her job and is in fact better than anyone else we've had. She is always incredibly happy and sings whilst she works with the voice of an angel. Don't bother asking who she is and what area we live in because I'm not sharing 😋

Bestseller · 16/08/2018 15:49

On the whole (warning - sweeping generalisation) people who are directed towards trades when they leave school will be those who didn't do so well academically. I think most tradesmen, whilst good at the practical side of their job find the admin and customer service side of things very challenging. Also, there seems to be so much work about for them that they don't need to be that good to keep busy.

kaytee87 · 16/08/2018 15:57

Yanbu. I was recently trying to get 4 quotes for a 40k renovation to our house. Only ended up being able to get 2 quotes.
Same when we wanted our driveway done (8k) we had to go with the one person, out of 6 that I'd phoned, that turned up.
These aren't small jobs so I don't understand it at all.

spiderplantsgalore · 16/08/2018 16:15

I can hand on heart say I have never had a problem! I do however supply teas, coffees, soft drinks, rolls and bacon sandwiches lol

That's not much help if they aren't even turning up in the first place.

I now have reliable tradespeople but of course they're very busy and I often have to wait Once they know that you're decent and that you pay promptly they're happy to come back. It took a while to get to this stage though.

I've never offered any of them bacon rolls! Totally unnecessary.

WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 16/08/2018 16:29

spider I paid the last invoice I was sent within 10 minutes online. And the much bigger job we're currently having done was half up front, again paid immediately. I don't want people thinking I'm flaky because this contractor was telling me horror stories of chasing people for payment 6 months after the work was done!

Original poster
ginghamstarfish · 16/08/2018 16:47

Glad (well, sorry really) to see it's not just me! What's the point of advertising if you have so much work you can pick and choose? Also if you're not interested/it's too difficult/ etc then just SAY SO. Rather that than wait and wait for a quote which never comes. Just tried another one today, local painter and decorator, page on Facebook with videos of them working etc, lots of advertising locally - rang their number (only mobile numbers) and it is immediately cuts off - as if the guy looks, doesn't recognise the number and swipes it off. No facility to leave a message. Every single time. So feck off with your facebook page and your ads!

OP posts:
Janni01 · 16/08/2018 16:50

You've got to remember giving quotes out costs them money as it's time they could be working.

Yes they could respond etc to requests to quotes, but if they're busy they're going to prioritise doing jobs for money then travelling and spending time with people who may not give them the job.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 16:51

"Oh please don't anyone say, 'use personal recommendations from people you know' - everyone I know has the same fecking problems with tradesmen as I do!"

Same here!

kirinm · 16/08/2018 16:52

@Bestseller that's a huge sweeping unfair generalisation. The reality is, decent tradesman are busy and can afford to turn down work. Some can be rude about it but they don't need your work and can afford to be rude. It's fucking annoying for sure but don't assume people are stupid just because they're rude.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 16:54

Janni then they shouldn't come and have a look and say they'll quote!

I think when they have a lot on they like to look at the jobs and probably pick the ones which are more straightforward - easy access to the wherever, with plumbing that it's accessible and not ancient pipes hiddden away etc.

But then like to keep you "hanging on" in case any of the other jobs fall through.

Dunno. Certainly we have had some great people - the women elecricians I got in were fab, and also the man who oversaw our big extension. It's just so hit and miss.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 16/08/2018 16:55

I did have a great plumber but then he charged me more than £100 for changing a washer so I won't be using him again...