Why do British workmen always approach a job by highlighting a problem

[Libertybear80]

It annoys me. It's like saying 'I'm about to do a shit job but it won't be my fault'! Bring back the European workmen that just get on with it!

Yep ‘oh no no no, who put this in…’ followed an hour later by, ‘I’ve got to pop out to buy a part/special drill bit/paint brush etc’ and returning two hours later

I think there's just so much work these days and so few tradesmen to do it, they can really make plenty of money whilst also totally ignoring or failing to turn up to the majority of jobs they are offered. Most of the trades I know and have dealt with including sparks, plumbers, chippys, tilers, plasterers and general labourers get the majority of their work as sub-contractors to bigger builders or larger projects and make a very nice steady income from this without needing to take 'general public' work which from their point of view is much more trouble, dealing with us ill-informed, complaining, demanding harridans , having to issue their own quotes and invoices and sort out materials and negotiate terms then chase up payment etc., whereas with the sub work it all gets sorted for them and often paid cash in hand, plus then if they do a good job they know they'll get repeat business, whereas even if they are amazing I tend to need a tiler or a plasterer once every 5 years or so max really - all in all it doesn't leave a whole heap of room for the 1-3 day 'small' jobs the likes of you and I have available (I put small in commas because to me it often it is a very big, important and expensive thing!). Why advertise on trust a trader or agree to come and quote for small jobs then you may well ask, I think largely it's because while the sub contracting is nice income, it can fluctuate a bit and they can find themselves suddenly at a loose end for a few days a week and they probably can then fit the odd small thing in around the bigger jobs, if and only if it all falls absolutely right in terms of timing and availability of materials and so on - so they agree to quote but that day something else comes up or they know they're not going to be available for another 3 weeks and think you'll find someone else in that time and so don't bother and so it goes on. I do wish they'd just text (if too cowardly to call) and at least have the courtesy to pretend they've been in a multi-car pile up or all their grandmothers have died at once or something so they aren't going to make it to me, so I don't hang around all day waiting for them, but hey ho, if the custom is to behave this way there's little incentive for anyone to change (I type from my living room awaiting the arrival tiler who was definitely, 100% coming Monday morning at 8am, radio silence from him since )

I wouldn't mind, but they all said 'NO JOB TOO SMALL' !!! Is a ceiling and walls too small? Oh, and I have to wait till September for a tiler. ( If I'm lucky)

Racist.

We had a big job done last year and when it was finished I said to the lead contractor that not one of the trades had done this and how much of a difference it made. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and replied that I was paying him to deal with that shit 😂

I always assumed they point anything out that may be a problem because then if it takes them longer or costs more than first anticipated it isn't such a shock to the person hiring and paying them.

I like it best when there’s the unsubtle implication that all this crap house and its crap, illegal fittings are my fault. Even though the house was built in 1890 and I do not, to my knowledge, look old enough to have supervised all the work since then. “Why did you let them do it like this?” Because I wasn’t alive then and it was probably standard in 1952?

Oh thank god it's not just me that lives in hopeless hovel of a house. 😂

Its the sharp intake of breath, followed by reasons why its going to take hours/werks/months/cost £££££££/impossible/life-threatening etc etc

They all think they are true craftsmen and normally do a shit job and charge you double!

My dentist has started doing this as well. Look at these fillings, why would anyone do that, etc. I asked him why he was behaving like a plumber.

"Which cowboy installed this?!"

The opening line of every tradesperson ever. Always accompanied by sucking of teeth, tutting, whistling etc.

I had British and Eastern European tradesmen and builders and they all did this.

I remember a few years ago I had constant trouble with the boiler so the HA (who I rent from), decided to put a new one in. Cue the plumber coming and saying "no wonder it needs replacing, who was the cowboy that repaired it last time?" The look on his face when I showed him the paperwork from the previous repair and, there on the bottom, was his signature, was a sight to behold.

It's a man thing. I recently had a woman plumber come to check why the pressure in my shower was so low. She checked, removed a filter and the issue was solved. She proceeded to say "I don't want payment for that. It was too easy". 🙂. I was shocked

This is why I hate having work done because going through that ritual is just so tedious.

That is so funny 😆

I’ve had similar experiences - including what cowboy did xxxxxx? Answer you did it xx years ago!
others have passed favourable comments eg well that’s been well maintained (ancient boiler)
I used to hate mot and car repairs until I found a local garage owned by a female who employs her brother and sons

Tradespeople in lreland are the exact same. Always complaining about the work done before them. Think it's to build themselves up or maybe just a nasty habit they have got into. Never heard one admire another guys workmanship. It just gets to be funny after a while as you know what the first words out of their mouth will be.

Just to let you all know, I am waiting for the plumber now!!!!

This thread contains, from the start, Racism and Sexism that wouldn't be tolerated if it was being levelled at other groups.