Trades - moan!!
Discussion
It can't just be me that suffers from this. It seems like every builder/plumber/electrician etc that I ever engage with is utterly hopeless!
In the past we've eventually found some core people that we can rely on 'enough'. But having recently moved, I'm starting from square one and I could do with a little bit of building work doing, some plastering and I need some electrics sorting. I've had a few recommendations for all. I must have called 10 different people now. Of the ones I've managed to speak to, I have had the usual, I'll call back with a time. Haven't heard a thing. Have been following up.
2 weeks of this crap. Not one person has got as far as even coming to quote. It's driving me nuts how much effort I'm having to put in just to get someone to take a look and give a price.
My standards are now so low that I would probably give a 5 star google review to anybody who just returns a call!
Rant over. Not asking for any advice. Just frustrated!
In the past we've eventually found some core people that we can rely on 'enough'. But having recently moved, I'm starting from square one and I could do with a little bit of building work doing, some plastering and I need some electrics sorting. I've had a few recommendations for all. I must have called 10 different people now. Of the ones I've managed to speak to, I have had the usual, I'll call back with a time. Haven't heard a thing. Have been following up.
2 weeks of this crap. Not one person has got as far as even coming to quote. It's driving me nuts how much effort I'm having to put in just to get someone to take a look and give a price.
My standards are now so low that I would probably give a 5 star google review to anybody who just returns a call!
Rant over. Not asking for any advice. Just frustrated!
Daggerpie said:
deckster said:
I have found local Facebook groups to be a great way to find trades. I've always had a good result from posting up "looking for somebody to..." requests - you get a good feel for how responsive they are from the ensuing conversation and you tend to only get responses from people who are actually available and willing to work. Definitely work a look, anyway.
I find that on local FB groups the reccomendations are mainly "friends or relations" of the person they are actually reccomending. It also bugs the crap out of me when they just tag someone, you click on that persons profile and there is no business details, just the profile pic of the guy stood there pi$$ed up with his mates in Ibiza. They then don't message you either so WTF are you supposed to do with that?!!Last year, we needed a new boiler. We had a recommended plumber look at it a few times to see if he could identify an obvious fault. Refused to charge us anything but couldn't fix the old one so we asked him to quote for a new one. Weeks went by, we kept pushing for a quote and felt slightly obliged to use him as he was a nice guy and he'd already put in the leg work. Never heard a thing. Had to use another guy who was excellent and luckily he will come to our new place as well as he knows he'll get the work so isn't wasting travel time.
I realise these people probably all have more work than they need so maybe feel like they simply don't have to put the effort in but... It seems like anybody competent at their trade who puts in the tiniest bit of legwork, proper website, proper booking/calendar system, proper quoting system, a bit of effort to get some online reviews in all the right places, well you'd think they'd be able to charge quite a decent premium over all the competition and still have a queue around the block for more work. Total contrast to many small businesses I know who have to work their socks off just to get enquiries and even harder to convert to orders.
paulrockliffe said:
Gad-Westy said:
I must admit that seems to align with my experience of facebook. I'm not actually a member (a rant for another day!) but we've had recommendations to my other half on there and I don't recall any leading to any success.
Last year, we needed a new boiler. We had a recommended plumber look at it a few times to see if he could identify an obvious fault. Refused to charge us anything but couldn't fix the old one so we asked him to quote for a new one. Weeks went by, we kept pushing for a quote and felt slightly obliged to use him as he was a nice guy and he'd already put in the leg work. Never heard a thing. Had to use another guy who was excellent and luckily he will come to our new place as well as he knows he'll get the work so isn't wasting travel time.
I realise these people probably all have more work than they need so maybe feel like they simply don't have to put the effort in but... It seems like anybody competent at their trade who puts in the tiniest bit of legwork, proper website, proper booking/calendar system, proper quoting system, a bit of effort to get some online reviews in all the right places, well you'd think they'd be able to charge quite a decent premium over all the competition and still have a queue around the block for more work. Total contrast to many small businesses I know who have to work their socks off just to get enquiries and even harder to convert to orders.
To be honest mate, you're better off asking on here than Facebook. Facebook will largely find you the people that have organised their family and their mates to recommend them, or people recommending their facebook business page from their personal account. Last year, we needed a new boiler. We had a recommended plumber look at it a few times to see if he could identify an obvious fault. Refused to charge us anything but couldn't fix the old one so we asked him to quote for a new one. Weeks went by, we kept pushing for a quote and felt slightly obliged to use him as he was a nice guy and he'd already put in the leg work. Never heard a thing. Had to use another guy who was excellent and luckily he will come to our new place as well as he knows he'll get the work so isn't wasting travel time.
I realise these people probably all have more work than they need so maybe feel like they simply don't have to put the effort in but... It seems like anybody competent at their trade who puts in the tiniest bit of legwork, proper website, proper booking/calendar system, proper quoting system, a bit of effort to get some online reviews in all the right places, well you'd think they'd be able to charge quite a decent premium over all the competition and still have a queue around the block for more work. Total contrast to many small businesses I know who have to work their socks off just to get enquiries and even harder to convert to orders.
If you ask locally for a cleaner you'll get 90% recommendations for one person, she is terrible - lazy and no attention to detail. We used her briefly, we have friends that used her recently and were also disappointed. When we used her we would get messages from her asking us to recommend her on Facebook within minutes of someone asking the question. Was a total pain in the arse when we wanted our keys back too.
Anyway, I can recommend a heating engineer, a plasterer, an electrician and a roofer if you drop me a message. Plastering needs booking in early though, I had to wait three months and do all the plasterboard myself.
M22s said:
A great thread on exactly your point OP. I imagine CIMAguy is still recovering
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I need to get some tips from CIMAguy. He did actually get someone to turn up!!https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
bristolracer said:
Gosh has it been a week since the last slag off a tradesmen thread?
Next new thread due should be about elderly drivers followed by some snowflake vs boomer handbag duel.
Apologies. I don't frequent this section often enough to know it's a regular topic. Had a very frustrating week with this. Next new thread due should be about elderly drivers followed by some snowflake vs boomer handbag duel.
Thanks for all inputs folks. Got a few things to follow up.
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