Tradesmen who don't want work

LeeUK

LeeUK

LeeUK

Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2008
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6,350
Location
Deep North
Contacted two tradesmen the other week for quotes for a new double gate..

First one said he would come that evening to measure up but never arrived. Then he contacted me on Facebook a few days later asking if I still wanted a quote, I gave him benefit of doubt and said yes. He said he would come later that day but again, never turned up. Not heard from him since.

Second tradesman came and measured up. He said he would email the quote that night once he had worked it out. No email arrived. Called him up next day and he apoligised and said he would email it that night. Again, no email arrived. Not heard from him since.

Why do these tradesmen constantly advertise for work when all they do is waste time and mess you about? If they don't want the job why don't they just say so.

/rant
 
Think I previously posted a thread about this. I've had the same from plumbers, landscape gardeners, carpenters etc.

The plumbers have been the worst. I have asked for a quote for a new boiler from 5 separate plumbers, the only one that got back to me was unprofessional as he turned up late, was swearing and ****ging off other plumbers. They waste my time on each and every occasion.
 
Everyone is busy and only taking on lucrative work not one off small jobs. I sympathise as you'll end up either paying a small fortune or employing a numpty
 
Recently called a handyman to put up some shelves and box in the boiler. Did not call back.

Recently called a heating engineer to service the boiler (which he himself has always serviced and also fitted). Did not call back.

Recently called a gutter cleaning guy, who put a leaflet through my door. Did not call back.
 
maccapacca said:
Everyone is busy and only taking on lucrative work not one off small jobs. I sympathise as you'll end up either paying a small fortune or employing a numpty
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The guy that was meant to email the quote actually said he would be able to start work more or less straight away and have it done before christmas. Sounded like he didn't have a lot of work booked.

PapaLazaru said:
Recently called a handyman to put up some shelves and box in the boiler. Did not call back.
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Even the local odd job handymen in my area that advertise no job too small only want big jobs where you would normally employ a professional.
 
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Or go North to Newcastle and become a children's hairdresser, because the one i try and book my daughter into never answers the bloody phone to take an appointment, drives me mad. I want to give someone money and they do their level best to make it impossible to do so.
 
We've been looking for a decorator (strip, paper and paint H/S/L) and joiner (new doors throughout) recently.

One joiner came out to measure up and said let him know once we'd picked our doors. Rang him twice leaving VMs saying we wanted to proceed. Never heard back from him. I arranged with another one to come out to quote. He never turned up and we've not heard from him since. I know he is about as I drive past his house going home from work.

My misses was finding the decorator, I think she tried 10 which resulted in only 3 quotes.

If they don't want the work, just tell us up front. Don't muck us around waiting in or playing phone-tag.
 
Its common Im afraid. I was a sparky when I was younger (Had a bike accident and had to give it up).

I would often go to peoples houses and say "Hi Sheldon the Electrician", and often greeted with "Wow you turned up", to which I would always play stupid with "We did say Wednesday at 9am?" and normal reply was "Well yes but so many don't turn up"

Depends on the individual, however shuffling jobs with pushy customers can be a nightmare, they dont appreciate you cant give a time for a job for stuff you cant see or know what it will entail. Just nature of the work.
 
To be honest good tradesmen are often booked up weeks and weeks, sometimes months in advance.

I should imagine it's a case of being too busy as opposed to not wanting to work.
 
I arranged for 3 builders to come up over to quote for an extension, about 3 weeks ahead. One never turned up, never called, nothing. I emailed him after and he claimed he lost his iPhone. And another I haven't received a quote from yet despite him promising me one Friday before last (which would have been 2 weeks after his visit).

I don't think they realise it's reflective of their work/general attitude.

The one quote I've had is £15k so again not a small job.
 
Russinating said:
I don't think they realise it's reflective of their work/general attitude.
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I totally agree and can honestly say I don't believe I never just didn't turn up, but often had to ring and change appointments and work 16 hours a day 7 days a week (Yes I was young) and only did it for about 5 years but the money I was earning once qualified was amazing for a 20 year old!

I was trying to build up a good reputation for myself, so I was never the quickest, but I was proud of the work I did and my customer skills (something I appreciate 95% of tradesmen don't have). It was my customer skills and general upbringing that made me very popular with people (Thanks Mum)
 
I think part of it comes down to the fact these are tradesmen and most have no interest in doing the admin stuff that comes with running your own business.

Most tradesmen I know want to just turn up and do whatever trade they do, they hate coming out and having to quote, type up emails quoting for work, work our profit margins, juggle work loads, deal with customer service issues etc....

They want someone to say go here at 7am and build wall, then at 1pm go here and dig hole, 4pm plaster this wall, 6pm go home and relax.
 
I don't see how you can work for yourself and not quote for jobs in the future. If you work for a company you are paid a salary and told to go to place x, y or z at a specific time and do the work. Surely this pipeline of quoting and lining jobs up in the future is an integral part of their profession?

Here's a question: I find a lot of my tradesmen on trustatrader where there is a feedback system. Would it be fair to leave negative feedback if they didn't turn up to quote?
 
I've had the same problem with plumbers. I went through three of them before I found a friend of a friend to do the job.
 
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