Tradesmen

[cowpoos]

7 Months.

It has taken 7 months to get a joiner or a builder to turn up to our house to replace the rotting joinery that is our front door.

I've never had a reasonable explanation from probably 20 "businessmen" about why they can't turn up on time, why they cant draw a quote up on anything other than the back of a fag packet/flattened oil filter box, or why they insist on turning up at 9am or 3pm. School age kid guarantees there will be no one there at these times.

They're all either EXTREMELY aggressive, so laid back you have to hit them with a stick to get them to speak, or really engaging and pleasant liars.

Sort your shit out guys. All we wanted was a quote. The job has gone to the first guy who responded with a quote that was written on real paper. 7 months after we started ringing, door knocking, asking at DIY mega stores, getting cards from those community contact bins, etc, etc, etc.

I don't care about excuses. You can either do the job or not. You can either turn up when you say you will, or ring to let us know why you can't, or alternatively, miss out on money.

Dorks.

dozin tui.....and you supply the materials and tools....I would hav done the job....u twit....

[Hitcher]

I refute entirely the myth that a shortage of tradespeople leads to the groaning disinterest demonstrated by the majority of such folk. They behave the same way even when there is an "oversupply" of them. For most, I suspect the dark art of the apprenticeship entails committing to memory the Excuse Book. Printers have elevated this skill to beyond an art-form -- I have been dealing with printers for nearly 30 years and, in that time, have never had the same excuse proffered twice. That is impressive.

Some years ago, whilst in the employ of New Zealand's leading provider of rental housing, I was involved in preparing a maintenance contract that would see urgent maintenance tasks on a tenant's property completed within 24 hours, and not-quite-so-urgent jobs done within 48. Only an 0800 call away. I remember thinking at the time that New Zealand's downtrodden were getting a standard of service that us slightly more fortunate were largely denied. Sigh.

Anyhoo, one night this said 0800 number gets a call from a tenant informing the operator that the tenant's house was ablaze. The operator suggested that calling 111 may be the preferable option under the circumstances, to which the tenant replied "You call 111. It's your fucking house!"

[Winston001]

Thanks for the comprehensive telling off!

We've offered 50% deposit as an incentive to most of these guys but they aren't able to come up with a detailed quote. I don't care about their bad experiences as children. I want my door fixed. I have money and I'll pay for it.

I don't know how you can excuse them for being bald faced liars, or for failing to meet that most basic of contracts, "I'll see you at 10am on Tuesday morning".

My apologies Jim and what you say is entirely fair.

I guess I'm thinking of a builder I know who is honest - tells people it'll be two months - and doesn't get the job. One of his competitors whom I also know, says 3 weeks, gets the job, shows up for a couple of hours on the 4th week, then disappears for the next 2 months. He's doing very very well, far better than the honest guy. Beats me.

Personally I don't ask for quotes these days. I stick to tradesmen who I know do a quality job.

[JimO]

im amazed Winga can paint his roof and do electrical shit but cant turn the caps lock off on his computer.........im a tradesman and have been self employed for over 20 years there are a couple of things that i have noticed about tradesmen (1) if you had a thick son you got him a job with the local plumber/painter/builder, these guys have outlived their old boss and are out doing it for themselves. A lot of tradesmen cant say no to people. but its not all the tradesmans fault nearly every job goes over time because of changes made by owner, extra work, materials etc not on site. I always return calls and turn up to quote at the arrainged time, i never give a "ballpark" figure, always give a written quote, always stick to that quote even if i have missed something out. only charge for larger extra work (dont charge for something i can do while im doing rest of job). One thing that gives me the shits is a slow payer , they only catch me once, and people who dont let you know that the have accepted another quote, its only a quick call or email and lets you know where you stand regarding future work and where your pricing stands with your peers, and the ones that 6 months after getting the quote call on sunday evening and say the job is ready to go and we are shifting in on next tuesday.

[Swoop]

you painted your roof then?

whats the deal with fitting your own powerpoints and insurance? if your're not qualified.
if your house burns down because of electrical fire will you be covered?

always wanted to know this.

The houseowner is permitted to do electrical work on their own house. They cannot connect any cables into the main curcuitboard though, that has to be done by a registered sparky.

[Finn]

The good old kiwi way cost me $100k to fix my leaking house that the council signed off. The repairs were done by a qualified builder with building consent. The house is leaking again.

Island life eh.

[Ixion]

Well, the good old Kiwi way, y'wouldn't have relied on some clerk signing a bit of paper. Y'd have looked yourself, and made sure.

If you want a job done properly, do it y'self. If you want to know it's been done peoperly, check it out yourself. And anyone who relies on somebody signing a bit of paper has only himself to blame, I reckon.

Nothing like eyeballing things to be sure.

[scumdog]

There are no in between bits in my brain. They're all filled up with Speights.

Hardly surprising when you look at post #56!!!

[Finn]

Well, the good old Kiwi way, y'wouldn't have relied on some clerk signing a bit of paper. Y'd have looked yourself, and made sure.

If you want a job done properly, do it y'self. If you want to know it's been done peoperly, check it out yourself. And anyone who relies on somebody signing a bit of paper has only himself to blame, I reckon.

Nothing like eyeballing things to be sure.

Given I know nothing about building, how would that help? When I bought the place I paid a well known engineering company to check it out. it came out tops.

And don't worry, I haven't paid the final bill and am in the process of winding up the builders company. I will bankrupt him if I have to - he has a house.

[Blind spot]

I am a tradesman, do a good job,approachable and friendly.
Don't slag us all off because you had an unfortunate responce.
Sometimes we all get asked to look at shit jobs we don't want to know about, sounds like this is one of them.
We don't need full of shit ravers mouthing of on Biker forums, why not get off your arse and fix the problem yourself instead of whinging.
If we are such dick heads as you make out why not buy some tools and get on with the job it can't be rocket science if thick people can do it.
Then again this dickhead has a nice new motorbike, a newish car, batch at the beach and a beautiful wife.
so who cares rave on all you like.

[Str8 Jacket]

Blind spot - take the Blue pill it'll help you chill. Then when you get around to it (you could make your own) read a dictionary. People can vent, doesnt mean they mean YOU personally. I bet you have a good rant about things that piss you off all the time, does that make you a horrible person?

[The_Dover]

That's the attitude.

"Your job is too shitty and small for my skills"

So who the fuck is gonna do it?

[James Deuce]

I am a tradesman, do a good job,approachable and friendly.
Don't slag us all off because you had an unfortunate responce.
Sometimes we all get asked to look at shit jobs we don't want to know about, sounds like this is one of them.
We don't need full of shit ravers mouthing of on Biker forums, why not get off your arse and fix the problem yourself instead of whinging.
If we are such dick heads as you make out why not buy some tools and get on with the job it can't be rocket science if thick people can do it.
Then again this dickhead has a nice new motorbike, a newish car, batch at the beach and a beautiful wife.
so who cares rave on all you like.

You're Up Norf. If you were down here, I would have rung. I did put an APB out on KB when we started looking for people to do the job. No one responded.

But thanks very much for confirming the attitude that I've come to expect from most tradesmen. Bit rich to ask me to refrain from judging you, when you've already stuck me in the whinging wanker box - without knowing me. I guess you fall into the Aggressive bucket.

I can't do the job myself, so I went to market - isn't that how it's supposed to work?

When am I supposed to do it? I'm on-call 24x7 one week in 3, I have 3 small kids and I work 7am-7pm most days. When I get a weekend off I like to spend it with the family, not fucking my front door up.

[Blind spot]

I take your point .
i will try and find that Biker chicks and trolley dollies thread and take myself in hand.
Like

[Beemer]

I am a tradesman... Sometimes we all get asked to look at shit jobs we don't want to know about, sounds like this is one of them.
We don't need full of shit ravers mouthing of on Biker forums, why not get off your arse and fix the problem yourself instead of whinging.

Some of us have to work at shit jobs to pay the bills, that's life. As for shit jobs in plumbing, building, etc, they are part of the job. It can't all be installing spa pools in model's bathrooms, you have to fix blocked drains too! Or are you one of those celebrity tradesmen who only do the top jobs, leaving your underlings the shitty ones?

Most of us can't do the job ourselves, that's why WE pay people like YOU (ie, we keep money rolling into YOUR business so you can carry on enjoying the standard of life you enjoy). And most of us have fulltime jobs which is another valid reason for hiring a so-called expert to do these kinds of jobs for us. As for buying the tools and doing the job ourselves - most of us would have no idea what tools were required and why would we want to buy something we may only use once? But on the other hand, if it means we don't have to deal with useless pricks like you, I'm all for it!