Page 2 | Tradesman coming earlier than expected.

Aquarius1234 · 2025-12-04T09:23:46+00:00

Thoughts? Luckily I was up just. But was expecting 10am onwards. Not 8am.

Friendlygingercat · 04/12/2025 10:47

I dont think tradespeople can ever say exactly when they will arrive. They can go to an apparently small job and it turns into a bigger one which they want to get done before moving onto the next one on the list. Or they reserve a slot for a bigger job but it "needs a part" which they will have to get from the wholesaler. So they try to slot a smaller job in to maximise their time. Its not an exact science. Tradies are in short supply so nab them when you can.

fucit · 04/12/2025 10:52

I had a tradesman in a 7am this morning. Times are relatively fluid with that kind of work.

Andromed1 · 04/12/2025 10:52

Once I have found a good reliable tradesman I don't care what time they turn up so long as they do.

OlivePeer · 04/12/2025 11:31

Thundertoast · 04/12/2025 09:40

This has just reminded me that until I bought a house, I had no idea about the unwritten rules around tradespeople.
Disclaimer: probably autistic and just didnt have a lot of exposure to this stuff growing up!
Second disclaimer: These are not critiques, and are accepted as 'the way it is' in my area.
This might just be for my area but so far the rules I have gathered are:

They will not give you a time, they might give you an AM/PM.
If its AM, thats anytime from 7am until 10am. If you say 'can you give me a rough time' you get 'just in the morning sometime' not something like 'well ive got one job before you, which im hoping will be an hour, then I have to go pick up parts so hoping to be with you by 10'
They will in 2/3 cases never explain why they cant give a time, not even just to say 'I have other jobs on and dont know how long they will take'
If they dont show up, you might get a text telling you they need to come another day (but might not) and they wont always be able to tell you what day so might just show up randomly.
None of this is ever explained, you are just expected to know it.

However, if that tradesperson is under about 45 or female, they will always give you a rough time beforehand or ring you on the day to let you know a rough time and if they are held up on another job.

If you dont know the 'rules' its very confusing!

Totally agree, and I'd pay a premium for an autism-friendly tradesperson... I wonder if there's a business idea in that!

Fifthtimelucky · 04/12/2025 11:49

I agree 8am is standard. We are having our en-suite bathroom done at the moment and have to make sure we are up, dressed, and out of the bedroom before he arrives.

Bambamhoohoo · 04/12/2025 11:53

You have no power here OP 😂 they don’t give a shit. Like a doctor or consultant etc you are reliant on them and just be happy they turned up and did a good job, forget about anything around it.

i always suspect in these “tradesman” posts it’s an underlying snobbery and expectation that the trade should doff their hat and serve the householder. The tradie doesn’t give a shit about you, let alone subservient 😭

OlivePeer · 04/12/2025 12:18

The tradie doesn’t give a shit about you, let alone subservient 😭

Yeah, and that makes it stressful and horrible to deal with tradespeople a lot of the time, and people are allowed not to like it! There's a big gulf between subservience and openly not giving a shit.

Bambamhoohoo · 04/12/2025 12:20

OlivePeer · 04/12/2025 12:18

The tradie doesn’t give a shit about you, let alone subservient 😭

Yeah, and that makes it stressful and horrible to deal with tradespeople a lot of the time, and people are allowed not to like it! There's a big gulf between subservience and openly not giving a shit.

It’s def hard to deal with but it’s infrequent. Imagine being married to one 😂

there is def a vibe that trades are there to work on the house and should know their place. And yes usually from people who are very unfamiliar with that world

marmaladeteal · 04/12/2025 12:21

OP, I suggest you use your energy for more important things.

Onlybeingnosey · 04/12/2025 12:51

Mine has been and gone now- text last night to advise 8.45 - arrived 8.40 .Now if it stops raining I can get to the gym this afternoon

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 04/12/2025 13:53

Fifthtimelucky · 04/12/2025 11:49

I agree 8am is standard. We are having our en-suite bathroom done at the moment and have to make sure we are up, dressed, and out of the bedroom before he arrives.

Interesting. Mine will be bathroom right next to bedroom.
Do you need to put any dust sheets in your bedroom. Or just make sure its clear ?
Mine will need access to bedroom wall. For pipes etc. Chest of drawers is up against wall.

Thats if I get a quote from someone.

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Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 04/12/2025 13:59

Bambamhoohoo · 04/12/2025 11:53

You have no power here OP 😂 they don’t give a shit. Like a doctor or consultant etc you are reliant on them and just be happy they turned up and did a good job, forget about anything around it.

i always suspect in these “tradesman” posts it’s an underlying snobbery and expectation that the trade should doff their hat and serve the householder. The tradie doesn’t give a shit about you, let alone subservient 😭

Haha. Yeah they really don't give a shit about me. 😢

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Fifthtimelucky · 04/12/2025 14:05

The guy has brought dust sheets etc with him. He has also put some harder plastic sheeting on the floors.

He doesn’t need to do anything in our bedroom other than walk through it. But he is using it for storing certain things during the day, so that he has easy access to them (bathroom is rather small). He clears it all up before he leaves at the end of each day.

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 04/12/2025 14:07

Bambamhoohoo · 04/12/2025 12:20

It’s def hard to deal with but it’s infrequent. Imagine being married to one 😂

there is def a vibe that trades are there to work on the house and should know their place. And yes usually from people who are very unfamiliar with that world

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Know their place? Ive never known trade people to be over friendly or open these days.
Just professional or not very good.

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ProfessorDrPrunesqualer · 04/12/2025 14:22

DullAndUnconvincing · 04/12/2025 09:51

Agree with all this - there are some trades who just assume there will always be someone at home. I just don’t get it!

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Agree

We’ve had quite a few occasions where people have turned up not at or even vaguely near the agreed time and just assumed we’d be in
Waiting 🤣🤣
All day !!!
Or even on a completely different day !!
Why?

Afternoon slot 1pm and they arrived at 7:30am. We’re on our way to work and had booked the afternoon off. Not the morning

One plumber arrived the day before an appointment and on ringing me was shocked I wasn’t there ‘ oh I sent you a message’….yes…ten minutes before your arrival on the wrong day !
Do people not realise they aren’t the only ones working
It drives me nuts

Ive leant how to do my own plumbing, plastering and a lot of stuff because I get so fed up with the lack of curtesy
Apologies if there are tradesmen on here, I’m sure you’re all lovely

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 05/12/2025 14:31

How long is normal/ average to wait for a quote for some bathroom work?

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gannett · 05/12/2025 14:43

Aquarius1234 · 04/12/2025 09:28

I was originally told afternoon slot. Then changed to 2nd job of the day with that type of time.

I must have been 1st visit. But I thought maybe id have gotten a heads up day before.

I woke at 8am. Then door knocking 5 mins later. I was out late last night.

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Sorry, still unclear whether he actually explicitly said 10am or you just assumed?

In my experience tradesmen always schedule a specific time and if they're early they'll message me, though more often they're late. Early would be preferable!

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 05/12/2025 15:44

gannett · 05/12/2025 14:43

Sorry, still unclear whether he actually explicitly said 10am or you just assumed?

In my experience tradesmen always schedule a specific time and if they're early they'll message me, though more often they're late. Early would be preferable!

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I was emailed by the admin person that it would be 2nd job at approx 10 am.
I was going to make sure I was prepared for say 9 15/ 30am in case earlier.

Just didnt expect 8 am ish.

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