Tradesman no show - why us?!

[LeBonBon]

Some family members have recently used a painter/decorator to do various jobs (two different households). Had no issues, great work, reasonable price and on time. Amazing we thought, we'll book him in.

He came on time for a quote, booked us in for the following week (yesterday & today). We've cleared the rooms, bought the paint, all ready. Whilst juggling a toddler and baby.

He messaged Friday evening to confirm 9am arrival and all was good.

Yesterday, nothing - no text, no phone calls, no show. We tried calling, left vms, WhatsApp. Finally answered to apologise at 4pm that he had a family thing but would be here tomorrow (today, Sunday) as planned. I responded that we would see him then.

No show again!!! And no communication whatsoever.

Why do they do this? Was is something we did?

It would turn you grey relying on tradesmen.

This sort of rudeness really winds me up. Don’t use him. It’s totally unprofessional and disrespectful to customers to not turn up without any courtesy of letting them know - and he’s done it twice.

No, it's not you. It's him.

In my experience, 'family thing' is complete bollocks. It means they're over-committed and cant/won't do your job.

Crack on looking for someone else. If he turns up in the meantime, you can ask if he will be able to complete the job.

He's either had a better offer or he had no intention of doing it the first place. I had an electrician like this. I have no idea why he couldn't just say no, I can't do the job. Just a time waster!

I would text and tell him you will find someone else to do the job as hes messed you around two days in a row, and leave him a bad review. Unprofessionalz

It's unlikely anything you said or did. He said he had a family issue to attend to that subsequently mucked his schedule up. Communication also suffers when something big or unexpected happens as his attention will be fully diverted, especially if it involves family. Even if he is bluffing, I'd still give him the benefit of the doubt in case he's actually being honest. That's how I'd handle it.

That sounds really annoying. Did your family members also book him in for the weekend though? I am surprised at him doing jobs then. Also I am always somewhat suspicious if someone has a lot of availability that there is a reason for that (not sure how long ago he did the work for your family members but you did say recently).

Unfortunately this is all too familiar. I used to flip houses so have worked with many tradespeople and the amount of times they’ve not shown up when expected. One pair of builders came out to look at a house I was considering buying at auction. I had worked with them before. They came out and gave their opinion, I bought the house. They came out again to give a proper quote. Fine. They came out a third time a few days before work was due to start to firm up plans and agree on order of works. Then I never saw or heard from them again! It wrecked my schedule as I had other trades booked in to follow. What happened? Did they break a leg? Get a bigger job? What? I tried calling, my other trades who knew them tried calling… nothing.
More recently I hired, though a moving company, two men and a van for a small job. They did it and one of them said if I had any more work to contact him direct for better rate. I did have a small job so called him. Agreed time. No show. Called him he apologised says he got tied up but we agreed another date. I said to text on the way so I could move my car last minute to give him space, he replied ‘will do’ and on the day texted he was ‘on his way’. He never arrived! I texted him twice if he was still coming to please let me know. Nothing.
It’s not you. It’s that they seem completely incapable of turning down jobs so their schedule gets muddled and/or never ever communicate why they will not be coming. So much animosity could be avoided if they just called and explained.

Because they are seemingly unable to answer a phone or reply to a text. I can't wait for them to be outcompeted by functional humans when AI takes the job of everyone else.

It's the fact that he's been reliable for others that's thrown me off - including my own mum! Came highly recommended...

As far as I know, he was on time and definitely did hers on a weekend as I popped in when he was there.

I get that ours was probably a lower paid, lower priority job - but just say that!! And as for messaging to say sorry and you'll be there the next day, only to repeat the no show. Unbelievable!!!

Honestly tradespeople seem to have a ridiculous amount of 'family issues'. SO many times I've had people not turn up due to children in hospital. Obviously you cannot accuse them of lying and on occasion some of it might be true but the sheer number of hospital emergencies ive had used as a 'reason' they didnt turn up is wild.

‘Family issue’. Yeah right, that old chestnut.
I HATE trades, drive me crazy - usually men - why do they lie?

Yep - I was wanting a garage roof replaced. Said guy he would come around on a Saturday to look at it. Job was going to be around 3K. Two hours before hand - sent a text saying couldn't come around as had family issue. Never did hear from him again!

It's not just you. We have endless trouble. We both work in jobs outside the home so arranging for tradespeople to come round requires taking a day off work. It's endlessly infuriating when they don't show up, whether it's to give a quote or do the work. My parents have the same problem and they live in a different area. We have ended up not getting necessary work done on our house because it impossible to find someone reliable to do it.

You are better off hiring a local handyman, start him with a small job, gauge if he is messy.
Once you build a relationship, you're on their list.
I can paint the inside of a house. I do my own, most handy people would manage it.

They want to keep the option of doing your job open, but will take something better if it shows up. It’s the most annoying thing in the world, but it’s nothing you have personally done. One day, yours will be the best paying available work and he’ll show up.
If you haven’t paid him anything and all the materials are owned by you and in your house, look for someone else (but be prepared for them to be equally rubbish).

I think they're probably hungover. Nothing to do with family.

Yes, I had this. A family member used a tradesman for a lot of work and he was great… for her.

When I arranged a job with him (day and time confirmed), he didn’t turn up.

Rang me about six weeks later to say he was free to do the job that he was six weeks late for.

Beyond infuriating.