Why are so many tradesmen absolute s***

[faelavie]

It really boils my p*ss.

My house needs new fascias and soffits and a roof tile replaced as we're getting a lot of damp and now a leak in the bedroom. Posted an ad online, a roofer offered to come and provide a quote which he did. Organised a date to do the work. Paid a deposit.
On the day, the roofer cancelled as he said his apprentice let him down and he can't do the work alone. He said he'd contact us to rearrange.
Fair enough, these things happen.
A week later, no contact, no replies to texts or calls.

This isn't the first time I've had this kind of thing with tradesmen, and I'm just wondering why this business is full of such practices??

And yes I know there are good tradesmen out there - and that you have to hold onto them like gold dust.
And yes I know that there are some horrible clients out there too. I work with the general public and I know how rubbish that can be.

But how difficult is it to just get back to people or just send a quick text to update them on what's going on? Instead of constant radio silence.

If you don't want to do the work, if you're too busy, etc etc - just f'ing tell me and return my deposit so I can find someone else!

Jesus tittyf*ing Christ

...and b r e a t h e !

Completely agree though - why the fuck they can't just say they're too busy or changed mind etc is beyond me.

You have my sympathies, it's so frustrating. I think that's why word-of-mouth recommendations are so important.

Many years ago, my plumber was recommended to me by a friend. He came and fixed my decrepit old boiler on a Sunday afternoon and wouldn't take any money.

Turns out he's a talented handyman and did loads of jobs for me and my elderly mum. He knew my situation (just ended my marriage due to domestic violence) and he didn't charge me a penny. I 'paid' in tea, coffee and homemade cake. I promised him that when I got the money together to renovate my house, he'd have first refusal on the work.

He put a fantastic crew together and they did an amazing job, even if I do say so myself. I was very wary of having men in my home, but all the tradesmen were very respecful.

It's a long story, but I just wanted to reassure you that there are some great tradesmen out there. None of the guys who worked on my house need to advertise, all their work comes from recommendations.

I'm not on Facebook, but I do have an app called Next Door. It's a place to share local news or recommendations - I'd suggest using something like that.

I hope you get your roof sorted soon. If you live in Essex, I can recommend someone!

it's so annoying isn't it? My husband is a tradesman. Gets straight back to clients, books them in, turns up early as arranged, and if he can't make it texts them straight away to let them know and re arrange an alternative time. IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO BE RELIABLE!!! He has never EVER randomly not turned up then not answered the phone then changed the quote and then done a shit job anyway. As has happened to us so many times.

Last bloke I had to install some windows:
-didn't turn up on arranged date,
-didn't answer phone all day when I rang to see where he was,
turned up 3 days later,
-did half arsed the job leaving us with bare brick and wires everywhere (great for toddlers, thanks for that)
-then took another SIX WEEKS to come back and finish, then didn't turn up on arranged day, radio silence, turned up a few days later, didn't finish AGAIN then tried to charge us £200 more than quoted.

So my husband text him, said we'd pay £100 less than quoted and he'd finish it off himself. He has not replied to this either. We sent him the money though and this was 3 months ago so I ASSUME he is okay with this?

Why do some tradesmen treat their customers with such contempt?

I am also self employed (private tutor) and I can't image not answering the phone to clients or worse, not turning up to lessons as arranged. It isn't hard to simply communicate.

I am so glad that you brought this up Op
I booked an electrician to do some work for me. We had a nice chat and he agreed to start in three weeks. He didn’t turn up and hasn’t answered my text messages.
I asked him to text me if he was no longer interested in doing the job or wasn’t able to do it. He has not replied.
Could a tradesmen please tell me why people do this.?
If they aren’t able to do the job why don’t they let people know so that clients can get someone else to do the job.?

Not sure. But it’s a constant problem with them turning up late, not showing up at all, doing half a job, dumping half a bag of cement on my neighbours drive (only last week!) etc etc. I don’t conduct myself like this at work, not sure why they can and do!

Dunno. In the end, we asked 6 plumbers to quote to replace our oil boiler, and water cylinder. Not a small job.
One never replied,(a Which trusted trader) one quoted, one firm didn't think that they could do the job (fine they did suggest someone who might do it) , and 3 came to look at the job and didn't quote.
We ended up with an Air Source Heat Pump from a brilliant firm.
I have other stuff that needs doing and I'm dreading organising it.

warning - post contains generalisations

This is actually easily explained by observing the education policy of the UK over the last 20 years. Pretty much no child who had any diligence, talent, conscientiousness or ability was actually encouraged to follow a skilled trade they were interested in over further academic study.

You can guess what the result was.

Contrast this with other European countries & you find it's completely different.

@FurierTransform harsh but probably fair

@FurierTransform- Probably true

Oh and I forgot to add! The window guy dumped loads of rubbish eg sellotape, packaging, crisp packets, polystyrene etc in one of our flower beds! Whhyyyy?? Just ask for a bin bag?

Unfortunately, "trades" aren't highly regarded by parents nor the education system, so there's a shortage of "decent" people going into the trades. (Yes I know plenty of decent/educated people DO go into the trades, but not enough). That leaves a vacuum which is too often filled by rogues and people incapable of holding down a job who turn to manual work instead on a self employed basis, which means that things like accuracy, efficiency, honesty, etc are lacking. The real answer is to hype up the "trades" in schools as a viable career, but sadly, the moment a pupil shows any signs of being responsible/clever, they're almost forced down the A Level/Uni route often ending up with a mediocre degree and a mediocre job earning less than they'd earn as a qualified plumber/electrician etc.

We had a carpet fitter here for 2 days over the summer. He was late, he had half hourly cigarette breaks, he dramk a lot of tea, he moaned about our turn stairs, was late completing because he went to his girlfriends' for a 2 hour lunch, he pooped in my en suite. I made the family bathroom his and told him so due to covid, he made the most horrific mess I've ever seen with bits of carpet and vinyl everywhere.

Oh and I had agreed to pay the shop via card. I don't like to give cash. Since he finished 5pm the shop wasn't open. He more or less bullied us to go to the cash point when I told him I could bacs him in seconds. Didn't have his card apparently. Cash point wouldn't give the full amount so DH called to tell me to tell him if he went home and called us with his bank details we could transfer. He said could I go with my card to another cashpoint. I said no so he demanded all the cash we could get and a xfer. I was tempted to tell him no after that and he'd have to wait until I went to the shop but we were so angry we just wanted him out. Ugh.

That feels better.

Trades are good professions to be in, pretty well paid and always work around but for SOME reason like pp said, schoolkids aren't encouraged into them, and are seen as a fallback for kids who can't get good grades. So unfortunately the trades are full of a certain type

I agree, seems be uneducated men getting into these jobs. No other reason for the lack of professionalism.

Oh! And! Window man did a massive poo every day he was here and left it in the toilet.
And he broke my jewelry box in the process of moving some bedroom furniture.

We have just had an extention and it has been a nightmare getting anyone to come and do anything. Exceptions were the kitchen fitters and the tiler who were reliable, hardworking, honest and generally lovely. Plumbers, electricians and builders however, like hearding cats!

@ukgift2016

I agree, seems be uneducated men getting into these jobs. No other reason for the lack of professionalism.

Really????!! 😂😱 I hope you’re being sarcastic

If you genuinely think this, then I’m not surprised you get crap service.

I value every single person that does work for us, because I know I can’t do it myself. Trades require more training than a lot of so called professional occupations. Part of the reason that they have the banter is because they have to put up with condescending customers, so they need a good sense of humour. 😅

I could have written this thread word for word! The only thing I've learned is to get word of mouth recommendations. But I completely hear you.

This is actually easily explained by observing the education policy of the UK over the last 20 years. Pretty much no child who had any diligence, talent, conscientiousness or ability was actually encouraged to follow a skilled trade they were interested in over further academic study.

Cannot agree more.
In my experience most tradesmen has such an irritating laissaez- faire attitude that nothing is finished correctly. It’s always “that’ll do!” when they can be bothered to finish the job.
Indefinite amount of coffee and tea washed down with huge amount of sugar. Constant need for praises or incessant chatting about politics.
No thank you. I don’t care who will become the next president, please just finish the slabs on time.

It’s much easier dealing with a larger construction company as their builders are on payroll and are all whipped into shape so to speak, disciplined and diligent. Complaints department to handle issues. Lightening speed to finish jobs. But cost and arm and leg each and every time.

Our house needs a massive cosmetic overhaul and I’m dreading even thinking about starting to get anyone in for this reason! 😫

You can’t always rely on recommendations in my experience either. I had someone recommended to me to redo a bathroom. He was a nightmare to pin down and it took months to get him to agree to a date. To be fair, he made a good job of all the tiling (and there was lots of it) but he completely cocked up the shower drainage and now everytime I shower I have to mop the floor as it floods out of the area (wet room). And this is after he came back to rectify it! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Oh god I'm so glad that it's not just me who's experienced this, I was beginning to think I'd just had bad luck or made bad decisions in hiring people! (may be true too)....

Hadn't actually considered the education system being a factor, interesting.

Sorry to hear of the troubles many of you have had.
The thing is, when we moved here we didn't know anyone so no word of mouth recommendations to go on.
For the record I do have a very good plumber. However I find that if you find a good tradesman/woman, their waiting list may be long because they actually work!

@goldierocks I am indeed in Essex! However I can't book anyone else until I get my deposit back

Another story. When we first moved into our house, we hired someone off MyBuilder to do the flooring for our kitchen diner. He no showed 5 times, I had to constantly chase him, he came up with various colourful excuses why he didn't turn up. Eventually he did arrive and laid the flooring (vinyl). Some months later I noticed that there were a few small bumps on the flooring and then holes started appearing - he'd left nails under the flooring and they were starting to push through!
He disappeared off MyBuilder and changed all contact details, can find no sign of him anywhere. We've done some spot repairs but eventually we'll need the whole lot replaced.

If you in Essex..try heasmans for roof...lots of excellent reviews from neighbours etc...I have the lovely Peter from Warsaw redoing my bathroom...total perfectionist...he is doing extra bits for free that I don't think need doing..he can be moody at times but I tolerate him...he comes over and stays with us and if can't pay any money towards bills then he works on the house....

Book them through my builder.com then you can wound them with a poor review. I've only had one crap workman since I started using that site.

Why did you pay a deposit OP

I'm in Australia and it seems it's because some tradesmen are arrogant and think they're gods because there's a shortage of them & plenty of work. If you get good ones they're amazing, like the ones that said they couldn't install ceiling fans before Christmas (very hot time of year) then came out on Christmas Eve because they had two hours spare & we had 5 electricians in the house! They did it because they knew we had a baby & wanted him to be looked after. Awesome.

Now... However.... I'm trying to put security screens on and have been chasing the quote for two weeks. It keeps getting promised 'today' but never arrives. Discovered friend coincidentally using same company for new windows & accepted quote two months ago but they never showed up. How do they stay in business?? I give up.