The secret lives of tradesmen - or where's my quote?

[evrybuddy]

Recently we've been getting lots of tradespeople round to quote for various building projects - anything from conservatory to new windows, driveway, patio, drains work, roof repairs.... the whole bloody lot!!!

We've had all types of firms from large companies to one-man bands.

Mostly, they've been 1-3 skilled trades/owners plus 1 or 2 apprentices/juniors.

What staggers me is how many come to quote for jobs and then despite us getting on well - the quote never arrives! Why?

I've given up making follow-up calls. I think it's just giving them the sense I'm a soft touch and they'll take the piss if I then give them the job.

I take the view now, that if you don't provide a quote you've had your shot, you're not interested.

But it really perplexes me why they don't provide the quotes.
There were two specific instances - for a £300 x 3 hour roofing repair - the job was his, all he had to do was quote. He never bothered.
Another, a £6k driveway. Liked him, job would have been his - quote never came. Won't be his 6 grand now.

But sometimes when I've phoned for these quotes, these blokes wives answer and make the appointment.
Now, they must have some idea of the jobs their husbands are quoting on and the money involved - sometimes the women type up the quotes.
Do they never ask their husbands why that job didn't materialise?
Why aren't we gatting that £6k in the bank?
What the fuck are you doing when you're not at home and you're not doing these jobs you could have had but couldn't be fucking arsed to send a quote to?

If I did that, with my family's financials, my partner would be rightly well and truly fucked off?

So what are these mystery men up to. Shagging random housewives? Having a flutter at the bookies? Living double lives?

Why do they not do what they say they'll do and what are they doing instead?

This is driving me bonkers too.

I totally understand that good trades will be booked up - and when I call I check timescales for work, they come round, quote and then disappear...

All I want is a new bathroom

OP....my DH is a tradesman and to be honest, a £300 job isn't usually worth his while...it's a small, one off job which he might squash in if he has time, which he often doesn't.

The 6k one...who knows? He could be very busy...usually that's what it is. As for their wives wondering "where's that job worth 6k" they won't...if he's already run ragged with other jobs.

You seem to be assuming that they only have your work to consider...they obviously don't.

It's not good business practice obviously but your attitude sounds quite unpleasant...maybe they just thought they wouldn't like to work for you.

I share your frustration!

I had someone round at the beginning of August to look at my bathroom and quote for a refit - he said he could arrange decorating and flooring as well, so not a small job.

Despite several phone calls and emails, he hasn't got back to me, it's so frustrating - and I really wanted him and his team to do the job.

Trouble us, I have found that the tradesmen who quote right away and can start a job quickly do work which isn't really as good as I'd like it to be.

Thehouse, I appreciate tradesmen are busy, especially good ones, but just get back to me and let me know, it's only good manners - and surely that's how a company's reputation is built?
I'm a good customer, I pay on completion of a job and provide lots of tea and biscuits

Noon Yes it's crap but I suspect that a lot of these issues are because their wives and partners are fielding calls for them in an un-professional way...and messages are lost.

Not everyone is good at business....and some of their partners might be busy themselves.

It's universally maddening. Half my family are tradesmen so I was spoiled but when I moved away from home we had to build up a team. We've got really good people now but it takes a while to find them! Ideally you want someone bright, skilled and ambitious but just starting out so they can put you on their 'existing loyal client' list.

Also some tradesmen really hate committing stuff to paper if you want a paper quote. They like a bit of wiggle room, just in case a job gets more expensive that it seemed it would. A simple job might turn out to be a nightmare because of the way existing wiring / pipework is.

As for the 6 grand driveway job - they might have had a 12 grand job on offer up the road.

When our roof needed doing, I couldn't even get anyone to return my calls, let alone come & quote. It was a big job too - around £2k worth of work.

I finally got a quote, and I told him straight away I wanted to go ahead. Four months later the job was done - he did a fantastic job on it though, we just had wait a while. I'm a good customer too, I don't argue, I provide tea, and I pay cash.

I really hate dealing with tradesmen, (nothing personal - just an effect from watching Builders from Hell and the like) I always have an awful paranoia that I'm about to be ripped off. And they always, always say the previous bloke did a bad job! Which makes me even more paranoid.

Actually, I've just realised my roof job was probably small-fry to a roofer.

I feel your pain OP. If it's not worth their while, or if they are too busy (as per TheHouse's explanation up thread) then do not waste my time and yours by coming out to a job and leaving me hanging on. Look at the job, say "I am too busy" or "I'm sorry, but it's not worth my while" - then I'll know where I am, and won't bad mouth you to others who are looking for a tradesman. It's not rocket science - it's basic business, reputation building and customer service.

ok, no job too small is not true. So grow up, say so and stop pissing people about. We'll think more of you for it.

I agree with SirC and special - there's nothing wrong with just being honest.

I had this - worse were the ones who booked an apointment to come and look and never turned up with no explanation or anything.

Or, ones who completely over-quote on something, knowing I won't go for it (e.g. a plastering job that cost 2k eventually was quoted as 6k by one plasterer). If you don't want the job/can't fit the job in - just say so. Tell me you're busy, that's OK!

Oh yes this is a huge bugbear of ours too! I can understand when its a small job that tradespeople can't be bothered if they are busy but when its a hefty job and a couple of grand plus and they don't quote even when they have bothered to come over and have a look. I really wish they would just say its not for me/too busy etc. It is so bloody frustrating! I guess that paperwork just isn't their strength. But yes I don't chase them for a quote.

I agree about being honest! Am currently awaiting a couple of quotes and wish they'd said that my business is too small if that's the case, then I could get on with finding someone else!

@ TheHouseonTheLane - the £300 job took the chap who did it less than 3 hours and virtually no materials so probably a better return than the £6k driveway which will take a week and lots of materials.

Don't be arrogant by dismissing people's jobs as too small.

If you don't want or can't cope with the work - tell me this when I call you.

If you're too busy - tell me this when I first call you.

Bacause I'm too busy to waste my time yacking to you about work you won't quote for.

I lose respect for you and your trade.

I don't care about your home problems or your busness or anything like that in the same way I don't want a sob story from Sainsbury about why there are no choc ices when I want them.

For the same reason you don't care about my sob story or my life story or why I need my roof fixing or a new driveway.

Be professional - if you can't do the job - say so.

Tell me you will only quote if you really want and can do the work.

Stop acting like fecking kids and grow the fuck up.

If you won't get out of bed for £100 an hour - then don't expect me to feel sorry for you because you're the Naomi Campbell of builders - my arse!

Oh dear ! I can see this from both sides as I guess, technically, I'm a tradesperson too ! I try to respond promptly to all enquiries and where info supplied I will quote straight away - but I hold my hand up to not chasing up after that - I hate being chased up by people and so don't do that myself ! The only exception is if I've suggested a start date that then looks like it will be snapped up by someone else ! Even then I feel bad letting people know !
I don't know the answer to your dilemma - but I hope you get everything rectified eventually !

The answer to the dilemma is - don't quote for a job you've no intention of taking on.

Hmm I rarely have a problem with this and I have done up several houses. I don't mean to be rude but perhaps you come across badly? If they aren't even bothering to quote they don't want to do YOUR job it's not that they don't want THE job if they didn't want a job they wouldn't even turn up. Most tradesmen only get 1 in 3 of the jobs they quote for. Time spent working out and doing quotes is time people don't expect to pay for therefore most trades will try to weed out what they perceive as a waste of time before they do the quote.

The OP has already said that they get on really well, and plenty of us on here have reported the same thing - so I can't imagine why you've come to the conclusion that it's because the OP has come across really badly.

Are you in London or the southeast by any chance, OP? We get this a lot. What gets me are the ones who appear really interested in the job then disappear never to heard from again.

OP I agree completely, I always give a good description of the work when i call them in the first place, so they should know the jobs a few hours, or days whatever, so why bother wasting the time to come and quote if theyre not interested. Theres obviously a much fitter, blonder housewife supplying better biscuits!

Here's an example of my experience last week, looking into getting the one remaining single glazed window in our house replaced; I had no recommendations so did research online and found 3 potential glaziers/window companies locally. One I decided to knock off the list after looking at their accounts on Companies House.

I call the first company and explain what I'm after and he says, 'If you measure it, I'll give you an idea of price love'. I took this to mean he wasn't really interested in the job as it wasn't big enough for him to bother taking a look, plus it's in a cellar and potentially there are other considerations than just supplying two sheets of glass sandwiched together in a frame. I have two other related small jobs which also need doing, but I didn't bother mentioning them. Cross off list.

Second company the guy asks when can he come and have a look, measure up, etc to give me a quote? I mention the other two jobs and he says they are certainly things they can do. He arrives on time, measures meticulously and asks what we're looking for and advises on alternatives which he agrees to quote for. He also looks at the other jobs and takes my email address to send us the quote. That was on Saturday. It's only Tuesday so I'd expect to hear from him by the end of this week.

I then remember someone I know's husband has a building firm and that she told me he fitted a window at another acquaintance's house recently. I emailed her, she checked with him the jobs were things he'd do and asked me for the phone number so he could call me over the weekend to arrange to come and have a look. No call as yet.

Now if builder chap does call, there are some other things we need doing which I could add to the list.

Ha ha - Not only are my jobs not BIG enough - I'm also not charming enough!!!

I'll flash my knickers next time - see if that works.

Believe it or not - I actually only call people when I have a real job that really needs doing for which I am prepared to pay in real money.

I want them to be plausible and convincing and trustworthy and I want to give them the job - because I hate having endless rounds of feckin tradespeople that I don't know, round to quote - it's exhausting!!!

So I am nice to the precious little delicate loves - I do listen to their teeth-sucking, I do take their advice seriously and if I will give them the work and the money that goes with it.

BUT they have to progress from coming to see me, measuring up, estimating etc etc etc to putting the quote in writing and emailing or posting (even telephoning)it to me and then they'll get the job.

And they will get the job on odds of 3:1 because at most I will get 3 quotes and one person will get the work.

It's kind of a standard rule many people go by - get 3 quotes - so it shouldn't be news or heartbreaking to anyone - tradesman or wife - to find that you only get 1 in 3 jobs - I would say you're probably doing well on that basis.

I've had them stand in front of me saying 'if I get the job and I can fit you in in 4 weeks'.

'Great', I say - 'I'm keen to get it done as soon as possible'.

'Right' he says 'I'll send you the quote - probably on Sunday'.

And I never hear any more.

More than once...

I am in the south east - which yes, does have its problems in terms of too much work - and so people then can't be buggered to be polite.

I would accept the 'too busy' excuse if they said I'm too busy to quote but no, they come and they waste at least an hour of their own time (and mine) coming to look at a job which I will have described fully over the phone and then I hear nothing, nada.

This isn't people who've said - 'Its going to cost you £3k' only for me to pull a long face and go 'Can't you do it any cheaper?'.

They never bring up the money - which I am happy to pay.

Usually, in fact, they're the ones who insist on coming to see the job.

If they said to me on the phone -

'Listen love I can't be arsed. My bird won't make me sandwiches unless I guarantee to come back with fifties glued to me arse cheeks. I've got 3 little 'uns and a fourth on the way and the missus' Audi needs polishing.'

I'd say 'fair enough you're a busy man, thanks for not wasting my time'

But the arses won't do that - why?

Rated People has always worked for me. Seven weeks ago I got a quote to fix my roof by a roofer who had already done a previous big job (5k) for me. He came round and quoted £700, so I said fair enough when can you do it. Five weeks chasing and no reply. So sent email saying don't bother I'll find someone else on Tuesday.

Got a call on Wednesday to say oh we had you booked in for Saturday but now it'll be November. I called bullshit on them.

Put job on Rated People, got quote that evening, roof repaired next day. Three days of torrential rain later and no leak. And it cost me £350.

Check people's ratings, get the work done. There are lots of tradespeople who just want day jobs, it's easy money for them.

I've also used Handy for minor plumbing and decorating jobs with no problems. Stuff chasing builders, most just are not interested.