To say tradesman are a bit useless?

[onesign]

Ok, that’s probably harsh but AIBU?

I’ve recently had an extractor fan fitted, and it seems to be doing its job well, so no complaints there. But this is the first time it’s been windy since the fan went in, and all I’ve heard this morning is constant banging. I thought there might be a bird or something stuck in the loft, but when I checked outside, I realised it’s the vent cover flapping in the wind! It’s so bloody annoying!! It’s not even that windy here, so I can only imagine how loud it’ll get when we have some really bad weather.

I’ll talk to the electrician and see if it can be replaced, probably at my own expense (which is frustrating having to pay for something twice). AIBU to be annoyed that he didn’t mention this? He installs these all the time, so he must know they can be a bit flimsy. I’d be surprised if none of his other customers mentioned it. I would have happily paid for a sturdier one. First world problem I know, but it really bugs me having to get things done / pay twice!

Childish response. People pay a significant amount of money for tradespeople, and justifiably so (before anyone criticises me), because they have the necessary qualifications and knowledge. However, when a substantial amount is paid, it is only natural to expect that the work is completed correctly and to a good standard. Surely, this is a reasonable expectation?

A very quick Google suggests Screwfix alone sells over 80 types of bathroom fan, starting at £19.99 all the way upto £150+, with the best will in the world, not many trades are going to have an in-depth knowledge of all fans, never mind what or how they may be affected by a random wind.

I think this specific example is a bit of an odd one to complain about but I agree with the general principle of 'I don't know what I don't know and I need you to advise me'. I find some tradesmen seem to want me to know exactly what I need/want them to do. I know very little about most aspects of house maintenance, sometimes even just working out which trade I need is not at all obvious to me! So yes I would definitely want some options from eg 'cheapest but x y and z downsides' to 'mid range' to 'premium with advantages x y and z' and then I can make an informed choice.
We are lucky to have had some great people but have also had some really dodgy ones and hard to tell the difference sometimes.
I think I would probably feel less nervous about it all if I knew exactly what needed doing and just didn't have the time/strength/tools to do it myself. I'm a bit more in that situation with gardening so feel less out of my depth there (although also it's harder for someone to cause me extra problems by doing work in the garden so the stakes seem a bit lower...)

Oh I would prefer to do it myself, and have done so on many occasions in the past! However I'm now in my mid 70s and unable to.

And yes, I'm somewhat an expert - because it's my home, I've looked after it for many years and I don't want it messed up by some 25 year old who thinks he knows it all and can rip off an elderly woman on her own.

Why on earth are you challenging what I posted? Wait until it happens to you - or are you one of the many rogue workmen?

My dads a builder, can do almost all trades. He is of the old school, be won't overcharge and is obsessed with the detail.
He says he doesnt know what's wrong with these young tradies (who he hires a lot). He says they are lazy, cut corners and always trying to finish early and knock off at 2 or 3.
Look for an old school tradie or one who is trying to build his own company and has their head screwed on.

I agree with your dad, and he sounds great. Trades like him are sadly very hard to find, in my area at least.

I 100% agree with this,the work being completed to a good standard, but as far as I can tell from your messages, the work has been completed, and there are no issues with his workmanship, just the product is a bit whistly in the wind.

This may well be his go-to fan, and he's fitted hundreds of them without an issue.

I live in a fairly rural area so I appreciate this might not work as well in a city, but all the tradies round here subcontract for the same local contractors and that means they all know each other and have worked together a lot. So if I get a good tradesman that I get on well with, I get preemptive recommendations for other trades in case I need them.

I have many sweeping generalisations about how I swear tradesmen operate on a completely different understanding of time and communication to the general population...

... But purely in relation to your extractor fan issue honest to God go to Screwfix and they'll sell you a different external hood. We had a new extractor fan fitted a month ago (first time we've ever had an external one) and the banging in the wind drove me mad. Husband went and grabbed a new hood for about £30. (You can even get ones that are advertised as being for costal properties where there's high wind). Took DH under 30 mins to change it over and literally no sounds at all now. Will be so much cheaper than getting another tradesperson in.

Could a cowl be fitted over the existing flapping grill. Something like these. There are different sizes.
www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=extractor+fan+cowl&crid=32Y32O1OFYUGQ&sprefix=extractor+fan+cowl%2Caps%2C118&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Thank you, I think you get my point. I know it might seem like a small thing, but I live in a bungalow and work from home, so I cant escape the noise. It's been banging all morning. I agree, it's not the electrician's fault that the fan is rubbish. After doing a quick Google search, it seems the fan only cost £4, so I’m not surprised it’s such terrible quality. But he's been in the trade for nearly 30 years, so I'd be surprised if this issue hasn't come up before. That's why I'm a bit frustrated that he didn't check with me first, as I would have happily paid more for a better one, given the option. Like you, I don't know much about house repairs, which is why I need to pay someone to do the work. Imo, you’re not just paying for the work, but also for their knowledge and advice too.

No more childish than someone who complains because someone has done precisely what they were paid to do. When the wind changes it won’t do it

I have to admit, you must have remarkable tolerance if you can ignore (or even sleep through) constant banging day and night without it bothering you. I wish I could tune it out.

Out of interest, how much was your extractor fan and fitting? I need a new one (obviously not with the same issue as yours 🤣)

The flap needs to be light enough to, y'know, actually let air out of the house. If you have it so heavy that the wind never rattles it, then it's not actually going to open when you are running the extractor fan, is it.

Some things will make a bit of noise. That's not the fault of the tradesman. If you were that bothered you should have asked what, exactly, he was going to fit before he did it.

Bring back the Polish tradesmen😓

Harder workers and fairer prices.

Maybe it's a 50/50 issue then if neither of you had the conversation with each other? I always ask for options so that I can determine what might be the best one for me and then ask questions - not just pricing, but practicalities. They are the expert of course, but they are not the expert on what would work for your situation if you see what I mean?

I didn’t know the vent would be noisy, except when it’s running, obviously, which is why I didn’t ask him about it. I’m not a professional. I’ve never owned or installed a fan before. That’s what I hired him for. It’s a bit silly to say the electrician couldn’t have known it would be noisy, but somehow I was expected to?

Apparently, there are covers available that stay put in the wind, so it is indeed possible to have one that doesn’t make any noise.

All that needs changing is the outside grille/flap. Just get a different one without the loose flaps and undo 4 screws to change it. If your very lucky he will come back and do it. The whole thing doesn't need changing.

Well to be honest it's exactly the same design that most extractors have in my experience. On an average day the flaps don't bang around but in severe weather they might or if your house happens to be situated in a very particular spot where the wind just happens to hit a certain way. We had the same type in our old house and it used to bang fairly regularly. We also have one in our current house and I've never heard it bang, ever. It's quite unusual to have never had an extractor fan so I don't think you can blame the trademan for 1. not knowing the exact weather pattern around your particular house or 2. for your inexperience, although I take the point about how 'you don't know what you don't know'. No-one is really at fault here, it's just one of those things and is easily fixed. Given that this seems to be a particular problem at your house you clearly need a fixed vent rather than the type with moveable flaps. It's not difficult to do but there's no reason your tradesman would have known in advance that it would be necessary. He will have fitted many of the same vents without a problem.

Given the title of the thread and being married to a tradesman myself, I often feel obliged to point out to people that while there are, yes, a lot of cowboy trademen there are also a lot of cowboy customers! Those with whom you have to have every single conversation in writing as they keep suggesting 'oh I thought that was included in the price' when they ask you to do a load of extra work, for example. Of course they always know it wasn't, they're just trying to get something for nothing. My husband got to his job yesterday and it wasn't ready for him (happens ALL THE TIME) but the client threw up his hands and started screeching that he can't be expected to do that prep work at 76 years old - that's fine but why didn't you say so when we came to survey and told you what needed doing and you promised that you'd have it all ready to go? Then we could have organised the time and materials to do it for you but not when that's not what was agreed and expected. My husband will now be at that job an extra day (for which the client doesn't expect to pay), which will mean he'll start the next job a day late and that next client will judge him as unreliable for not being there on time. This is why tradies become just as suspicious of customers as the other way round.

I paid £2,000 for a gutter last week. The gutter did not hold back rain and has caused damage to next door's property. I did get them back but was told more lies and made to feel like I was imagining it. Upsetting my neighbour has left me unable to sleep. I've written the money off and cut contact with them for the sake of my mental health.

I'm elderly, single, mouse like and female and am no stranger to being ripped off. I know I'm a twat but will lick my wounds and then start looking for a roofer again next week.

To be fair it has been a severe weather event for wind over the last day or so.

Yabu He's an electrician not a fan salesman. I'd expect a noise in the wind tbh.

I’m lucky all the tradesmen I know/ have employed have been excellent.
We had an excellent meticulous plumber a few weeks ago who did amazing tidy work!

Extractor fan flaps need to be light, and yes when the wind blows in certain directions will make noise AND sometimes drip rainwater if windy and rainy.
This isn’t a trade installation issue.

And random stranger you rang from the yellow pages knew that you wanted this because ……?