Plumbers - just WTF is wrong with them?
Discussion
Sat here waiting for the guy who's supposed to have been here at 8 this morning to fit the new shower - even had a reminder text last night. Not answering his phone, not response to texts - just a no show, and just like the last plumber we tried to get to do the job.
Yes, I get that they're all busy but FFS don't take on the work if you've no intention turning up to do it! Or if there's a problem have the decency to let your customer know. No other profession could get away with this. I just look forward to the day when it all blows up in their faces.
Bah!
Yes, I get that they're all busy but FFS don't take on the work if you've no intention turning up to do it! Or if there's a problem have the decency to let your customer know. No other profession could get away with this. I just look forward to the day when it all blows up in their faces.
Bah!
People who don't mind wallowing in other people's' faecal waste will probably have the ther life issues. 
In London it is becoming increasingly difficult to find any tradesmen who will actually do what is asked of them and when or even complete the job before just wandering off. Too much work and too many people happy to over pay has just made them all complacent and lazy. You really do have to hang up if their voice is English. It's the first warning sign that they are going to not turn up when agreed, not carry out the work agreed and not charge what was agreed. It's really rather pitiful.
I've had to learn not to book such work for Saturday mornings as they might be too hungover to turn up, Saturday afternoons as someone might invite them out on the lash. Monday mornings are high risk also. Late morning can be costly as they are just turning up to clock on before going for lunch on your time. Generally, you want them around 2pm so that there is a chance that they do at least an hours work before leaving.
Even the Eastern Europeans are beginin to learn they can take the piss.
I have a work partner who will book two firms for the same time and the one that is late just gets told to go away. It's harsh but frankly I'm t does look like it has become a necessary practice. Especially if you're taking time off work.
In London it is becoming increasingly difficult to find any tradesmen who will actually do what is asked of them and when or even complete the job before just wandering off. Too much work and too many people happy to over pay has just made them all complacent and lazy. You really do have to hang up if their voice is English. It's the first warning sign that they are going to not turn up when agreed, not carry out the work agreed and not charge what was agreed. It's really rather pitiful.
I've had to learn not to book such work for Saturday mornings as they might be too hungover to turn up, Saturday afternoons as someone might invite them out on the lash. Monday mornings are high risk also. Late morning can be costly as they are just turning up to clock on before going for lunch on your time. Generally, you want them around 2pm so that there is a chance that they do at least an hours work before leaving.
Even the Eastern Europeans are beginin to learn they can take the piss.
I have a work partner who will book two firms for the same time and the one that is late just gets told to go away. It's harsh but frankly I'm t does look like it has become a necessary practice. Especially if you're taking time off work.
First question is how did you chose this plumber? We only use people who have been recommended by people who's opinion we value.
Always keep on the good side of the tradesmen we use. By being civil, keeping them in tea/coffee.
Then when things do go wrong, (like when I was in hospital and the missus was woken up by water dripping into the bedroom at half 6 in the morning. She had one of our "tradesmen" round in half an hour) you know you'll get the help. Maybe dropping a planned job for someone they have no relationship with.
Always keep on the good side of the tradesmen we use. By being civil, keeping them in tea/coffee.
Then when things do go wrong, (like when I was in hospital and the missus was woken up by water dripping into the bedroom at half 6 in the morning. She had one of our "tradesmen" round in half an hour) you know you'll get the help. Maybe dropping a planned job for someone they have no relationship with.
Both plumbers were recommended, so that clearly had little bearing on things. We're always polite, friendly and providers of plentiful tea, coffee and food to tradesmen, as either would have discovered if they'd bothered showing up.
In f
king furious about this. The second one who came to quote was told we'd been let down and our house is sold so need the shower fixing asap. There was no misunderstanding that he must turn up and he said he absolutely would. So, both unreliable and someone who won't keep their word.
Just managed to get someone else to come next week to give us a quote. At least with this one I know where he lives...
In f
king furious about this. The second one who came to quote was told we'd been let down and our house is sold so need the shower fixing asap. There was no misunderstanding that he must turn up and he said he absolutely would. So, both unreliable and someone who won't keep their word.Just managed to get someone else to come next week to give us a quote. At least with this one I know where he lives...
bearman68 said:
I'm an auto electrician. I have 2 or 3 customers who are plumbers. I bend over backwards to help when plumbers vans occasionally break down. I don't have a problem getting good plumbers at the drop of a hat.
Funny that.
Our decorator turned up with his team and was watered, fed, paid on time, helped with some tech issues he had, spoken to respectfully and he went above and beyond to get the house done. I can't show a trades person how well I treat them while they are doing the jobs for me if they don't turn up in the first place. Funny that.
I'd love to name and shame this guy, but it's against the rules, so, anyway....
Some years back I was preparing a house for sale, and one job was tightening a bath tap. I took the side off, and considering I had maybe three inches space around the nut I hadn't got the correct tool for the job.
No bother I thought, there was a plumber whose van lived a matter of 50 metres from my house. I got his number, called and explained what was needed. I said no need to call out especially, just one day when he leaves for work or returns, pop in for five minutes, and I'll slip him £20. His response was simply 'my call out charge is £80'. My reply was something along the lines of 'you want £80 for two minutes work when you live a matter of doors away from me?!' He replied 'take it or leave it'
You can imagine my reply. Found another local guy who was happy to pop in when passing, who gladly took £20 off me for two minutes work, scarcely any effort.
Some years back I was preparing a house for sale, and one job was tightening a bath tap. I took the side off, and considering I had maybe three inches space around the nut I hadn't got the correct tool for the job.
No bother I thought, there was a plumber whose van lived a matter of 50 metres from my house. I got his number, called and explained what was needed. I said no need to call out especially, just one day when he leaves for work or returns, pop in for five minutes, and I'll slip him £20. His response was simply 'my call out charge is £80'. My reply was something along the lines of 'you want £80 for two minutes work when you live a matter of doors away from me?!' He replied 'take it or leave it'
You can imagine my reply. Found another local guy who was happy to pop in when passing, who gladly took £20 off me for two minutes work, scarcely any effort.
bearman68 said:
I'm an auto electrician. I have 2 or 3 customers who are plumbers. I bend over backwards to help when plumbers vans occasionally break down. I don't have a problem getting good plumbers at the drop of a hat.
Funny that.
Not sure what point you're trying to make here. If I had any clients who were plumbers I'd have the chance to do the same, but not many need multi-server internet business solutions designing... Funny that.
bearman68 said:
I'm an auto electrician. I have 2 or 3 customers who are plumbers. I bend over backwards to help when plumbers vans occasionally break down. I don't have a problem getting good plumbers at the drop of a hat.
Funny that.
Would you drop a 'that day' customer to squeeze the plumber in?Funny that.
I amm helping my sister refurb her house. The number of tradesman who have failed to turn up after having seen the job and quoted is unreal.
The last chap was working across the road from me.he told me he had installed the windows on my house.that was a bit strange because I had done them.
He arranged to meet me on site at 12:00. I waited 45 minutes and then went home. As I pulled up on the drive, he said are we still OK for one o'clock? Needless to say he did not get the job.
I found somebody on Facebook, of all places.he has plastered the whole house and fitted a kitchen for me. I have some more work for him once I get myself organised.
The last chap was working across the road from me.he told me he had installed the windows on my house.that was a bit strange because I had done them.
He arranged to meet me on site at 12:00. I waited 45 minutes and then went home. As I pulled up on the drive, he said are we still OK for one o'clock? Needless to say he did not get the job.
I found somebody on Facebook, of all places.he has plastered the whole house and fitted a kitchen for me. I have some more work for him once I get myself organised.
I see this all the time, I've been a builder for 10 years and have retrained as an electrician. A lot of people become tradesmen because they lack in certain areas such as organisation and communication skills but excel with practical tasks. It's not often out of badness that they don't turn up, rather a lack of skills or training in running a company. Many tradesmen are excellent at their job but can't cope with essentially running a business as well.
I really think there's room for business training for the trade-oriented as early as the low teens and I wish the people in charge of our education would stop trying to force everyone into university to do non-degrees and ignoring a good portion of the population's needs. Oof, bit of a rant. Anyway, good luck in finding a plumber who's of some use.
I really think there's room for business training for the trade-oriented as early as the low teens and I wish the people in charge of our education would stop trying to force everyone into university to do non-degrees and ignoring a good portion of the population's needs. Oof, bit of a rant. Anyway, good luck in finding a plumber who's of some use.
I have a 27 year old gas combi boiler, it needs replaced and it was spewing out fumes from a flue joint and the whole job is worth a few thousand pounds. Called five different plumbers, only one turned up. He wasn't interested and never got back to me to agree a price.
wkers!
ETA: Had to buy some cementing compound and fix the flue joint myself. Not easy for a disabled person like myself but better than being killed by carbon dioxide poisoning.
w
kers!ETA: Had to buy some cementing compound and fix the flue joint myself. Not easy for a disabled person like myself but better than being killed by carbon dioxide poisoning.
Edited by mp3manager on Saturday 11th February 15:35
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