Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be absolutely fuming with my tiler

65 replies

BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 15:00

He was meant to be here on Sunday. Never turned up, said he would be here at 8am on Monday.

8am, he has childcare problems. Turns up at 2pm and works for 2 hours.

Today, he never turned up and now saying he's coming tonight at 8pm! Again, his wife is out at a birthday and has childcare problems.

Ahhhhhhh... surely this is not my problem. 😣😣😣😣😣

OP posts:
muddyford · 16/11/2021 16:16

He's doing other jobs and you are getting the leftovers of his time.

Original poster
BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 16:21

@HarrisonStickle

My garden fence took from September 2020 to October 2021 to be constructed because the bloke fitted me in between big jobs and also had to do a bit of other work as he went along. I thought it would take him 4 months maximum. In the end I nearly buried him in the garden.

As for my kitchen tiling. It took two years to find someone who actually bothered to turn up. Just let him do it.

It's a massive pain in the arse.

Yeah true, at least he's started 🥴
OP posts:
Original poster
BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 16:22

I had another tiler who said he could start then postponed it week after week.

Why can't they just say no, they're too busy.

The guy is really lovely and I don't mind him in my house in the evening, but I'm just stressing that he keeps not showing up. I'm a control freak at the best of times 😣

OP posts:
Bagamoyo1 · 16/11/2021 16:27

@Wilkolampshade

I should add we realised early on they were running multiple other jobs, too many to handle adequately, but it was the constant lying about it that got us - well, me, down.
I had this with a shower installation. The lies were the worst thing. I felt I was being taken for a fool. I desperately wanted to call bullshit, but knew I’d never get my shower done if I did that!
Franklin12 · 16/11/2021 16:36

I got to know our electrican very well during a recent extension. He is lovely but he said he is often called out by people who are stressing out about something that needs to be done URGENTLY. When he goes out and says a part needs ordering they start shouting at him and telling him to get down to Screwfix NOW.

These people need to be chased and chased for payment so he now only works for people he knows.

I had a friend who had some building work done who ordered the builder not to turn up before 0900 as she wanted a lie in and that weekend working was banned.

You wouldnt get that now and actually when a trade turns up I feel like cheering!

Vapeyvapevape · 16/11/2021 16:41

Can you find another tiler

That’s right up there with finding the meaning of life ! Grin

lunarlandscape · 16/11/2021 16:56

You've just reminded me I need to chase our plasterer again. He was waiting on the electrician finishing. The electrician finished ten days ago and I've not seen him since. he is good though. very good. And nice. So I forgive him.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 16/11/2021 17:03

I’m quite clear when I have work done, I want them here in office hours. Not the crack of dawn (8 am is fine but not before), not dinner time, not Saturday morning. I’ll use someone else if they can’t do this.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 16/11/2021 17:06

I had a friend who had some building work done who ordered the builder not to turn up before 0900 as she wanted a lie in and that weekend working was banned.

^^ sorry why is this wrong of your friend? Ok 9 am is a bit later than I’d expect but not by much and not an exaggerated lie in.

FangsForTheMemory · 16/11/2021 17:09

A view from the other side: I had an urgent repair job come up, the sort of thing that just cannot be left. I phoned five companies, the best offer I got was an independent who said he was busy until Christmas. Someone I know talked to a tradesman he knows who fitted my job in around everything else he's juggling. I'm BEYOND grateful to this guy for sorting out a very stressful situation for me.

SpookyPumpkinPants · 16/11/2021 17:13

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

I had a friend who had some building work done who ordered the builder not to turn up before 0900 as she wanted a lie in and that weekend working was banned.

^^ sorry why is this wrong of your friend? Ok 9 am is a bit later than I’d expect but not by much and not an exaggerated lie in.

Because they're busy & over a week that's a day lost not starting until 9
FangsForTheMemory · 16/11/2021 17:16

Also, @SpookyPumpkinPants, the days are short at the moment so any job that's outside, they can only work from 8 to 4 anyway.

DilemmaDelilah · 16/11/2021 17:39

We are having some tiling done at the moment and I can't tell you enough how ridiculously pleased I am that he turned on the day arranged ( arranged it 2 months ago) and has got here at the time he said and done a really good amount of work each day. I am expecting him here at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning and he will do the grouting, then it is all done! I have had some bad experiences with craftspeople in the past but our tiles has renewed my faith in them.

HarrisonStickle · 16/11/2021 18:13

@Franklin12

How difficult is it for these trades to say sorry. I dont have a slot for xx weeks. Are we trying to persuade them, giving them a sob story etc or is it that they are useless at managing their own time?

In our last house it was exactly like this with stupid excuses. NO ONE BELIEVES YOU!

I would rather they were open and honest. One day it will be the other way round.....

Oh god, the excuses!

I do believe some people are incapable of telling the truth no matter how banal the situation.

Bobsyer · 16/11/2021 18:16

We’ve got a tradesman who reliably tells us he’ll be here ‘first thing’ and he’s here by 1030 Hmm. Due to this be worked Saturday and Sunday which was less than ideal.

However - as irritating as it is, I’d rather he came and got it done than pushing it back time after time.

Original poster
BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 18:16

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

I’m quite clear when I have work done, I want them here in office hours. Not the crack of dawn (8 am is fine but not before), not dinner time, not Saturday morning. I’ll use someone else if they can’t do this.
This doesn't bother me, I just want it done. I hate the excuses and no shows.

He's actually here now... 🙈

OP posts:
Original poster
BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 18:20

Well he's here and I do feel bad because he's such a nice guy

Hopefully he should get most of it done tonight. There's something in relaxing about a tradie in the house tho?! Not sure how I'm going to cook dinner...

OP posts:
Original poster
BridgetGetTheGin · 16/11/2021 18:21

Un-relaxing *

OP posts:
FuckingFabulous · 16/11/2021 19:15

I know how annoying this is!! Currently waiting for the kitchen fitter to get over his numerous problems. Childcare, family issue, car problems, not well, double booked, forgot an appointment, need a Covid test....

Warmduscher · 16/11/2021 19:25

I’m doing a house up and the big jobs (new kitchen, new bathroom, central heating, full rewire, two walls knocked through, plastering and four new windows) had to be done from 200 miles away as we were in the first lockdown and not allowed to travel.

To be honest, most of it went relatively shortl smoothly - the worst job was done by a roofer once we’d moved in. He boosted everything and we had to get it redone when water started coming in our bay window.

Warmduscher · 16/11/2021 19:25

*bodged

bimbimbap · 16/11/2021 19:33

We had this experience too recently (East London) - seems to be VERY common unfortunately!

LakieLady · 16/11/2021 20:12

This thread is making me anxious.

I'm having the bathroom redone, starting on 6 December.

I hope it doesn't go on for months ...

Voord · 16/11/2021 20:15

The worst thing about this kind of situation is the lies. They should just be honest, if they’re too busy or have taken on too much they should just say. The constant uncertainty and bullshit are more irritating than not getting the work done.

Warmduscher · 16/11/2021 21:12

The plumber who took five months to install our new central heating admitted he didn’t answer my messages because he didn’t want to annoy me because he knew he couldn’t finish my job on time.

I did wonder what sort of person he thought I was that I’d prefer to be lied than to be annoyed.

Swipe left for the next trending thread