To embarrass this Gardner?

[InsanelyPregnantAndSore]

DH and I were desperate to get a time sensitive item done to our garden. We posted on our village Facebook for recommendations and a local company were recommended and sent me a message. Told them our time scales...etc.

Guy came to quote said he’d be in touch but then nothing.
Chased - promised would send that day.
Still nothing, waited ages.
Chased (promised to send)
Nothing
Chased
Reposted on Facebook asking for other recommendations again. Locals ask if he wasn’t available?
Immediately receive a text from him having seen my post and clearly not wanting me to say anything that’ll look bad on him.

Receive the quote and agree it. Ask about timescales and he says he’ll call back tomorrow.
Nothing
Chase till blue in face.
He comes and does a very half hearted job (obviously wonky hedge) tries to claim DH didn’t give him clear instructions despite DH and I both being crystal clear.
Comes again and does job properly.

DH and I now need something else doing in garden. Got in touch with him offering the job (we are rural so not lots of choice and knew he’d see any Facebook posts) but he’s twice now said he’ll send over a quote on a specific day and hasn’t.

I keep being very direct but polite about his crap communication and still getting lots of promises that don’t materialise.

AIBU to re post asking for available Gardner's and sod him if he’s embarrassed that I’m asking for other recommendations locally because he’s flaky and non dependable?

I wouldn't have used him in the first place, but no, ywnbu to go elsewhere

Is there no way at all you could do your own gardening?

@Accentor
I’m 31 weeks pregnant with SPD and DH has a back injury

Why even consider him?! He’s done a shit job and is unreliable. If people question you (bit rude) you can tell them privately it didn’t work out.

I wouldn't give that man any more of your money...I live rurally and there is still loads of gardeners looking for work...

Ugh sorry to hear about your SPD - it's the worst! Hope you're looking after yourself x

Of course you're not unreasonable to find someone else.

But this level of drama over a gardening task is a bit much:

DH and I were desperate to get a time sensitive item done to our garden.

You've given him many chances. It's his own fault if he's embarrassed. I wouldn't publicly complain about him, probably, but there's nothing wrong with asking for other recommendations, and privately, to friends and family, I wouldn't find it necessary to hide the reasons you're seeking someone else.

From you op it sounds like he's already doing a good job of embarrassing himself.

Ask for recommendations again and when people reccomend him say he is unavailable if you want to be kind or say your wanting more than one quote

Also, what was the "time sensitive item"? [nosey]

Hedge cut before nesting season?
Fruit trees pruned at the appropriate time?
Pond dredge?
All time sensitive.

YANBU to refuse his services. You found him irritatingly unreliable.

I'd ask for other recommendations but I wouldn't be shaming him on social media. Do you not have a local magazine with contacts for gardeners and the like? Or Google?

@EarringsandLipstick

Don’t mean to be overly dramatic. These jobs are time sensitive and have needed doing since we moved in a few weeks before the first lockdown. They got massively delayed due to covid, we couldn’t get workmen in for all the tea in China.

We don’t care about the prettinesss of our garden but these things are causing distress to the extremely garden proud OAP’s who live behind us as they’re encroaching on their garden. With a baby on the way, if it doesn’t get done now I’m not sure it will this summer and I think we are taking the p* a bit ruining the garden of the couple behind us.

(We have a fence/shed literally falling apart into their garden)

I'd contact someone else.

I absolutely wouldn’t bad mouth him I just know I’ll get a lot of ‘oh is X not available then?’ And he’ll no doubt comment again offering his services so I’ll have to say something like ‘I can only assume he’s very busy atm as I struggle to get reliable communication despite chasing constantly’

Just call a different one. No big deal.

It's awkward for you that you won't now use him when you rang him for the second job even though he was crap at the first one.

I am currently renovating a house. This sort of behaviour is endemic is some tradespeople. I have so far had a local window company come to quote for over 10k worth of work, they never got back to me. I want a log burner put in, local guy comes to quote and never gets back to me. Plasterer says he will meet me there at 8am, never shows up no phone call nothing. Three different guys to quote for new fencing - nothing back from all 3!

Your mistake is chasing and giving the job to somebody who clearly does not want or need the work. I will only give my jobs to people who seem like they want to work ie come back to me with quotes, good communication etc, otherwise you know you are going to in for a rough ride!

Post a new advert. If pressed just say he was unreliable. Agree that it's endemic.

there must be another way of finding a gardener? put a note in a shop window? local paper?

Happened to me in past. I contacted a large well known company they probably charged me twice as much but in all honesty I’m happy to pay for the lack of stress. I just book online and not once have they cancelled! They are always on time. But as I said they definitely charge more and people have told me I’m getting ripped off. But I rather pay more than wait around for people who don’t show up. So decide if you happy to do this as a one off and then look online just google “gardeners in babe of town”. Choose one that you can book online not call in my opinion. Do not pay before the job is done. Lots of companies will be available even if you have to pay travel costs too. Buts it’s a one off till you find a more reliable local gardener

*name of town not babe of town

@InsanelyPregnantAndSore

I absolutely wouldn’t bad mouth him I just know I’ll get a lot of ‘oh is X not available then?’ And he’ll no doubt comment again offering his services so I’ll have to say something like ‘I can only assume he’s very busy atm as I struggle to get reliable communication despite chasing constantly’

id just find someone else to do the job and if it meant he had to see me reposting i wouldnt be worrying about how hurt he felt about it . sounds useless and lazy to me

Join the facebook page of next nearest village. You don't even need to pose the question, just put gardener into the search term. Does the village you are in have an anti newcomer vibe?

Not sure that gardener would deal with shed/ fence though. Ours wouldn't. Our gardener is more of a plants/ weeds sort of person. Try fencing companies/ landscapers. I presume you definitely own the fence and it isn't shared. The OAPs might have more luck.