Why are tradesmen so crap at communication?

CimCardashian · 2021-06-21T17:28:16+00:00

We need a carpenter to do some jobs for us. First problem is getting hold of them,and if they come over they don’t get back to me/give a quote and then I don’t hear from them again etc etc. Even checkatrade ones So annoying! If anyone knows a carpenter in SE London let me know 😩

burritofan · 21/06/2021 18:30

Following in desperation and solidarity. Saw-lidarity.

Hawkins001 · 21/06/2021 18:39

It's like they get the badge of check a trade, but then that's it

PairOfPears · 21/06/2021 18:52

OMG they’re the worst. How hard is it to send a text saying you’re not coming or you don’t want the job? I’m at my wits end!

TooTiredToBeCreative · 21/06/2021 18:56

In my experience it’s because they do a physically demanding job all day, often stopping on the way home to look at jobs to quote and have all good intentions of doing the paperwork when they get home but ending up falling asleep straight after dinner. Then it all mounts up so they end up forgetting!

prettyvisitor · 21/06/2021 19:12

God knows...I had no less than 6 make the effort to come to my house and look at the work, after responding to an ad I put on the next door app (so they offered to quote, it wasn't me asking them) and not a single one got back to me with a quote. Knobheads.

se22mother · 21/06/2021 19:14

Also looking for a carpenter in SE London

Badbadbunny · 21/06/2021 19:16

Because there's a shortage of tradesmen so they can afford to treat customers/potential customers like crap, safe in the knowledge that there'll be loads of others coming along if they lose work.

Meredusoleil · 21/06/2021 19:17

OMG! So glad to hear I'm not the only one. I've been looking for a tradesman since February I tell you. Had at least half a dozen to come over and have a look. How many of them actually sent me a quote though? None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Totally unbelievable imho. I keep hearing they are all so busy and in demand atm, but that doesn't excuse the rudeness imho. Like you say OP, even if they don't want the job, just bloody well let me know so I can find somebody else ffs!

BlusteryLake · 21/06/2021 19:23

Someone on another thread put this really well recently. She pointed out that most tradesmen are tradesmen because they like practical work, and organisation/communication is a totally different skillset. It pays to follow up with them rather than waiting for them to get back to you.

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 21/06/2021 19:27

I am just coming to the end of a house renovation (THANK GOD). The house is 40 miles away and so I knew nobody, had to rely on google. Dear god I have had the good the bad and the very very ugly...mainly very ugly. I find it staggering that soooooo many tradesmen (yes all men) give dire service. Let me tell you my experience -

First fix electrics had to be ripped out as the first electrician was dodgy.

12 sash windows and a set of french doors (took 4 months to arrive) now 7 windows have to be replaced as they got the wrong glass and the french doors are so badly damaged they need to be replaced too. Measured the kitchen window incorrectly so it was too large.

Quote for log burner - bloke came to quote never heard from again.

Plasterer did a fab job of the house but I had to leave the kitchen until recently due to the doors. Got him back to quote kitchen said he would meet me there at 8am - first time he "forgot" second time he never came back to me with a quote. This is a 90 mile round trip to meet him. I said if he was too busy let me know so I can go elsewhere. Twat.

Builders were a nightmare leaving brick work rough, damaging new neighbours property, took my cash for bricking up two extra holes and did not brick them up.

I have absolutely hated the process because of these trademen - they have made it so much more stressful than it needed to be. Because the house is empty they think they can take the piss and do a bit here and there. NEVER EVER AGAIN!!!

Meredusoleil · 21/06/2021 19:33

@BlusteryLake

Someone on another thread put this really well recently. She pointed out that most tradesmen are tradesmen because they like practical work, and organisation/communication is a totally different skillset. It pays to follow up with them rather than waiting for them to get back to you.

This is exactly what my dh said. But I HAVE followed u with nearly of them at least once, sometimes several times. It's just fighting a losing battle as they have no intention of quoting as for whatever reason, (I don't know what) they don't want to take on the job 😬

GreenBiro · 21/06/2021 19:41

Wife of tradesman here:

His is practical, not into admin

He has 22 jobs at various stages lined up between now and the middle of September - that's a LOT of admin

It's more admin than you think - make a time to see the job, cost it all out, decide whether you want to do it, make sure you have the right details for the client, write all of that up and send it, receive the go-ahead, find a date, check date is still OK, but materials, do the work, check customer OK with it, prepare and send the invoice, check you've been paid

Most don't actually like letting people down. They'd rather just let is slide than tell you the job isn't for them. They haven't been trained in diplomatic written communication

Some are shit and rude. It's hard to tell.

It's HARD work keeping on top of all of that.

CoolKitkat · 21/06/2021 19:44

You are not alone. Its frustrating beyond belief. I can't help but take it personally sometimes. I would much rather them tell me that they haven't got time to provide a quote, instead of coming round and feigning interest in a job, never to be heard of again. May be I smell

burritofan · 21/06/2021 19:53

Yes! Ironically my favourite tradesmen are the ones who say “I can’t, I’m too busy” or “I wouldn’t be able to do it til January” or “it’s too small a job but could be done piecemeal but it’ll be left messy in between” or whatever. I always think: you! I want you to do the job because you answer your phone/texts/emails! Hallelujah!

Livelovebehappy · 21/06/2021 20:06

A nightmare! My DH is a self employed decorator, but started late in life, and he did office work before that in customer services, so he has a kind of mind set which means he always goes back to customers, and tells them upfront if he can’t fit them in for a while or is too busy. But we’re trying to get someone to put a fence up. Not a small job as the garden is large, but we’ve had four people come, who appear to be friendly and interested, but then don’t come back with a quote. I’m taking it personally and thinking maybe they don’t like us, and think we’d be awful customers . I’m thinking am I too friendly/not friendly enough/don’t live in the right area. It’s awful.

LizzieSiddal · 21/06/2021 20:14

You have to be patient. They’re mostly working all day then doing admin in the evenings, and because of Covid, everyone is spending money in their homes rather than going on holiday.

I say this as someone who’s been doing a lot of work on our cottage. I thought it would take a few months. It will have taken a year, that’s a new shower room, sandblasting of beams, new rads, some new light fittings, decorating half the house and new wooden double glazing. Every stage has taken twice as long as it should but I’ve just accepted that and it makes me feel a lot better about it.

Comefromaway · 21/06/2021 20:19

My dad almost from the start had a part time then full time admin/accounts etc person to help him with all that.

But domestic customers tend not to want to pay the extra hourly rate that covers the wage of this person so he moved into commercial work.

tvdinners43 · 21/06/2021 20:31

I see it from both sides. DH is a tradesman and tends to stick to commercial work as it's more straightforward but when he does the odd domestic job he will go out and quote and then find people try and barter him down (usually under the premise of "oh I found a guy on Facebook who said he could put electrics in my garden for £100 less than that". Which is annoying because you pay for what you get with a lot of trades.

BUT that said.

We are currently renovating a house and we have been flabbergasted by how many people we have had come out to quote and then never come back to us... or who just simply stop responding. It's completely frustrating as each job holds up the next job and you feel like you're constantly chasing your tail.

drpet49 · 21/06/2021 20:34

* OMG they’re the worst. How hard is it to send a text saying you’re not coming or you don’t want the job?*

^This. It isn’t rocket science. It is downright rude.

TheLette · 21/06/2021 22:06

I don't know if tradesmen actually appreciate this but when I needed building works I wrote a detailed spec out for them in a document. Included everything I wanted in some detail. Then they just had to slap a price on it, no writing up for them or needing to remember what I had asked for / back and forth. Easier for me as then I just had to compare price and not specs.

Also meant everything was super clear e.g. requirement to remove rubbish / waste etc.

gurglebelly · 21/06/2021 22:09

*Most don't actually like letting people down. They'd rather just let is slide than tell you the job isn't for them. They haven't been trained in diplomatic written communication

Some are shit and rude. It's hard to tell.*

Sorry, but frankly anyone that just 'lets it slide rather than telling you the job isn't for them' comes under the banner of 'shit and rude'.

How hard is a 'thanks for inviting me to quote but I'm afraid I can't do the job/the job is too small/I'm too busy to take it on' text? It takes two seconds

Original poster

CimCardashian · 21/06/2021 22:35

I agree with many things raised,they’re busy people and in demand etc.

It is extremely frustrating and I’m glad I’m not alone!

I had an amazing bloke come and put up a fence recently. Turned up on a Sunday (his quote day) when he said he would. Gave me the quote there and then and then I booked him and he turned up when he said he would. If only they were all like that.

Glad to know I’m not alone 🤣

OP posts:

Hannahcolobus · 22/06/2021 08:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

pussycatlickinglollyices · 22/06/2021 13:49

Hannah You're not in/near Cheshire by any chance? My plumber seems to have vanished after not fixing one shower and breaking disabling the other...
I may have to resort to washing my hair outside with the hose pipe soon.

Badbadbunny · 22/06/2021 14:02

@Comefromaway

My dad almost from the start had a part time then full time admin/accounts etc person to help him with all that.

But domestic customers tend not to want to pay the extra hourly rate that covers the wage of this person so he moved into commercial work.

I think it's more that the lone tradesmen like to charge full whack (i.e. similar rates to those who do have an administrator/office support) and just keep the extra profits for themselves. I've certainly not seen "one man bands" charging less than small firms!