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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Unreliable builders

29 replies

thaimoon · 07/03/2022 19:32

Need some work done and it's quite a specialist job so took us a while to find someone who could come and give us a quote.

He agreed on thursday and said he could visit the following day, never turned up and messaged late evening to reschedule.

Also never turned up at rescheduled appointment.

Have messaged to say thank you but we will be looking elsewhere. Now apologising and asking to come another day.

DH says I am unreasonable to not give him another chance as all builders are like this.
I admit I don't have that much experience so ... AIBU to look for someone else?

OP posts:
Nightmanagerfan · 07/03/2022 19:33

Builders are in such demand and have so much work on that this is probably par for the course sadly.

Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 19:47

Really?! So I need to expect this then?
Just seems so unreliable Sad

OP posts:
FourTeaFallOut · 07/03/2022 19:49

All the trades are up to their eyeballs with work at the moment. You could turn him away but you might be cutting your nose off.

CognitiveDissolver · 07/03/2022 19:49

You gave him 2 chances, so don't bother giving him a third. You will end up with a half completed job and then having to deal with all the builders who don't want to complete someone else's work...he doesn't run a well organised business.

ExplodingCarrots · 07/03/2022 19:51

Don't do it . It'll end in tears. He's already proven to be unreliable.

TatianaBis · 07/03/2022 19:54

Nope. I work with builders a lot. They are not all like that at all.

If he can't even turn up on time to secure a job he's not likely to once he's got it.

Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 19:59

@TatianaBis

Nope. I work with builders a lot. They are not all like that at all.

If he can't even turn up on time to secure a job he's not likely to once he's got it.

Yes exactly this is my worry
OP posts:
drpet49 · 07/03/2022 20:01

* Don't do it . It'll end in tears. He's already proven to be unreliable.*

^This. You would be mad to give him a third chance.

TatianaBis · 07/03/2022 20:02

Have you tried checkatrade, mybuilder etc? Or put a shout out for a recommendation on NextDoor?

Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 20:10

@TatianaBis

Have you tried checkatrade, mybuilder etc? Or put a shout out for a recommendation on NextDoor?
I did use one of these believe it not!
OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 07/03/2022 20:51

If you've used one of the sites where you post the job, that's where your problem will lie - IME they're full of people who can get work no other way because nobody will recommend them

Always best to go with personal recommendations, IMO; you may have to wait longer, but better that than a botched job and all the angst which goes with it

Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 20:55

@Puzzledandpissedoff
Thank you, makes total sense

OP posts:
vampirewellness · 07/03/2022 20:55

I've had this experience with every tradesman we've ever used. Plumbers, tilers, fitters, fence put-up-ers.

And same when I told them not to bother after not turning up twice, the tiler who rescheduled twice and both times didn't show up got quite shitty with me.

OnTheBoardwalk · 07/03/2022 21:04

Sorry if he can’t turn up twice to get the contract he's not going to turn up when he's got your deposit and started the work

Agree if people are ready to give you estimates on a website they aren’t getting personal recommendations

I got recommendation for landscaping work. Had to wait 3 months for work to start but done in 6 weeks. Neighbour opposite asked for details but didn’t want to pay the price

They got cheaper landscaper who started the next week then disappeared after 3 weeks of not doing much apart from digging up (badly) their existing garden. 9 months later they’ve not been back. Quotes they are getting now are more expensive to include sorting out the botch job

billy1966 · 07/03/2022 21:08

@CognitiveDissolver

You gave him 2 chances, so don't bother giving him a third. You will end up with a half completed job and then having to deal with all the builders who don't want to complete someone else's work...he doesn't run a well organised business.
This.

I have had builders not stick to a schedule but they called to let me know, which is what a professional does.

Just not turning up? Nope.

billy1966 · 07/03/2022 21:10

@Puzzledandpissedoff

If you've used one of the sites where you post the job, that's where your problem will lie - IME they're full of people who can get work no other way because nobody will recommend them

Always best to go with personal recommendations, IMO; you may have to wait longer, but better that than a botched job and all the angst which goes with it

Agree with this.

I wouldn't have someone change a light bulb in my house that has not been highly recommended.

Just not worth the hassle.

Wilkolampshade · 07/03/2022 21:14

Your instinct is right OP. Go elsewhere.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 07/03/2022 21:17

I have had builders not stick to a schedule but they called to let me know, which is what a professional does

Exactly
We all get delayed/ill/whatever at times, but the key is letting people know, so I'm not sure what the point is in using someone without even the organisation/courtesy to do this

LadyMacduff · 07/03/2022 21:21

Had lots of this when trying to get quotes. If they didn't come when the said they would, i never chased it, and they rarely apologised.

I've been messed about so much it's ridiculous

NumberTheory · 07/03/2022 21:26

I have found over the years that many, many tradespeople are like this but not all. Also, that if they are unreliable before you've even agreed to pay them they will be worse once the job's started. But even the ones that turn up to quote on time aren't necessarily reliable all the way through.

Gamechanger2019 · 07/03/2022 21:28

Sack him off! Trades are awful at the minute. I am 18 weeks into a 8 week build…with no explanation about why it’s delayed or he’s no turning up…don’t do it!!!!

Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 21:29

Thanks all. Can I ask then how you manage to get personal recommendations? I don't really know anyone who's recently had this sort of thing done

OP posts:
Original poster
thaimoon · 07/03/2022 21:29

Thanks all. Can I ask then how you manage to get personal recommendations? I don't really know anyone who's recently had this sort of thing done

OP posts:
silkypillows · 07/03/2022 21:36

Sounds like a cowboy.

We are getting a relatively small extension done at the back of our house. We cannot source legitimate builders for love nor money. Either too busy or very sketchy.

We had met with a company we were going to use and the 'legal contract' basically said the time scales are variable, there may be additional costs and that they're responsible for nothing.

Wish I could just bloody do it myself.

AnotherCancelledLesson · 07/03/2022 22:02

Not a chance I’d be using him. This is him at his best, trying to get new work!