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Twice in the last few months I have contacted different window cleaners and asked them to come and give me an estimate for cleaning our windows and high level gutters on a regular basis. Both have said "Yes, we'll call round at(such and such a time)
Neither have turned up or contacted us to apologise or offer an explanation. Anyone else had this problem with any tradesmen? I feel like phoning and boll@cking them but it's not really the answer. Do they really not need the work?
Neither have turned up or contacted us to apologise or offer an explanation. Anyone else had this problem with any tradesmen? I feel like phoning and boll@cking them but it's not really the answer. Do they really not need the work?
In reply to mypyrex:
Never knew that window cleaners cleared gutters as well,I suspect they are only interested in cleaning windows.
Most tradesmen would not classify window cleaners as such.
Never knew that window cleaners cleared gutters as well,I suspect they are only interested in cleaning windows.
Most tradesmen would not classify window cleaners as such.
In reply to mypyrex:
Ask your neighbours or acost a window cleaner you see working in your area will be your best bet, but yes, I've seen this a before, and window cleaners seem to be the worst!
Ask your neighbours or acost a window cleaner you see working in your area will be your best bet, but yes, I've seen this a before, and window cleaners seem to be the worst!
Post edited at 11:05
In reply to balmybaldwin:
We've got a guy who comes round but only when it suits him and he doesn't do gutters and he doesn't do the windows properly either
We've got a guy who comes round but only when it suits him and he doesn't do gutters and he doesn't do the windows properly either
In reply to mypyrex:
London seems to be unreliable tradesmen central. There must be enough work to go round that not turning up (and losing a customer forever) doesn't bother them, because they'll always be able to do something else.
When we find someone genuinely good, we hang onto them like gold!
London seems to be unreliable tradesmen central. There must be enough work to go round that not turning up (and losing a customer forever) doesn't bother them, because they'll always be able to do something else.
When we find someone genuinely good, we hang onto them like gold!
In reply to climbwhenready:
Yes, we found a plumber like that. Brilliant chap. Reliable, punctual and not expensive.
> When we find someone genuinely good, we hang onto them like gold!
Yes, we found a plumber like that. Brilliant chap. Reliable, punctual and not expensive.
In reply to mypyrex:
Plasterers are my current favourite. I really struggle to find one that will turn up when they say for either getting a quote or doing the job and the last lot I got took much longer than they said because one of them buggered off to a different job after the first day and didn't do a good job of the prep in places so that the plaster is now cracking along the join of 2 boards.
Electricians and plumbers are also hard to find but I think I've found good people for these trades now.
Plasterers are my current favourite. I really struggle to find one that will turn up when they say for either getting a quote or doing the job and the last lot I got took much longer than they said because one of them buggered off to a different job after the first day and didn't do a good job of the prep in places so that the plaster is now cracking along the join of 2 boards.
Electricians and plumbers are also hard to find but I think I've found good people for these trades now.
In reply to mypyrex:
Try checkatrade for your area. As a very busy plumbing company we often receive more enquiries than we can meet. most tradesmen find it difficult to turning work away. This of course leads to trades men trying to fit in more work than they can cope with hence broken promises.
Try checkatrade for your area. As a very busy plumbing company we often receive more enquiries than we can meet. most tradesmen find it difficult to turning work away. This of course leads to trades men trying to fit in more work than they can cope with hence broken promises.
In reply to mypyrex:
Plumbers can be a bit of a pain in my experience. I have a mate who's a joiner and he says the same. He does a lot of kitchen fitting and gives a couple of plumbers lots of work. Yet they're still unreliable apparently.
We have good builders, but they can also be sloooooow to respond.
I think for some of them they just get busy and forget. It's not on purpose or anything.
Plumbers can be a bit of a pain in my experience. I have a mate who's a joiner and he says the same. He does a lot of kitchen fitting and gives a couple of plumbers lots of work. Yet they're still unreliable apparently.
We have good builders, but they can also be sloooooow to respond.
I think for some of them they just get busy and forget. It's not on purpose or anything.
In reply to mattrm:
It's more often than not that they are promising too many different people they can fit in a job ,when in reality ,they can't.
I am guilty of this.
Andy .(joiner)
Time for a cuppa ,
> Plumbers can be a bit of a pain in my experience. I have a mate who's a joiner and he says the same. He does a lot of kitchen fitting and gives a couple of plumbers lots of work. Yet they're still unreliable apparently.
> We have good builders, but they can also be sloooooow to respond.
> I think for some of them they just get busy and forget. It's not on purpose or anything.
It's more often than not that they are promising too many different people they can fit in a job ,when in reality ,they can't.
I am guilty of this.
Andy .(joiner)
Time for a cuppa ,
In reply to mattrm:
It's hard though. Tradesmen like plumbers, electricians and builders don't know what they're going to encounter. They can usually fix whatever is thrown at them - that's why they're tradesmen - but they must frequently encounter jobs that should take 10 minutes but actually take several hours. It won't help that their customers change their minds, tell fibs and/or have unreliable memories as well. And if they're working on a job, their current customer won't be very chuffed if they keep breaking off every 10 minutes to give a progress update to their next.
The builder we use most is brilliant, because once he starts a job he keeps going until he finishes, but the corollary is that we have to understand he is the same with his other customers. So he can sometimes be a b*gger to get a quote from.
It's hard though. Tradesmen like plumbers, electricians and builders don't know what they're going to encounter. They can usually fix whatever is thrown at them - that's why they're tradesmen - but they must frequently encounter jobs that should take 10 minutes but actually take several hours. It won't help that their customers change their minds, tell fibs and/or have unreliable memories as well. And if they're working on a job, their current customer won't be very chuffed if they keep breaking off every 10 minutes to give a progress update to their next.
The builder we use most is brilliant, because once he starts a job he keeps going until he finishes, but the corollary is that we have to understand he is the same with his other customers. So he can sometimes be a b*gger to get a quote from.
In reply to andymac:
Yeah, that's basically what I said. Like I said, I do find it amusing that my mate who's a joiner also has exactly the same problem, when he's trying to give plumbers work.
> It's more often than not that they are promising too many different people they can fit in a job ,when in reality ,they can't.
Yeah, that's basically what I said. Like I said, I do find it amusing that my mate who's a joiner also has exactly the same problem, when he's trying to give plumbers work.
Post edited at 22:32
In reply to mattrm:
It spirals so easily as well. Mr Marsbar is over running on his current job because the plasterer didn't show up when he should. So this has a knock on effect on his next job. Meanwhile the tiler also had to work different hours than planned....
It spirals so easily as well. Mr Marsbar is over running on his current job because the plasterer didn't show up when he should. So this has a knock on effect on his next job. Meanwhile the tiler also had to work different hours than planned....
In reply to mypyrex:
Maybe try Trust A Trader, Trusted Traders or Which Trader ? There are other such sites and their work gets frequently reviewed. I go this route every time and have had really good service.
Good luck !
Maybe try Trust A Trader, Trusted Traders or Which Trader ? There are other such sites and their work gets frequently reviewed. I go this route every time and have had really good service.
Good luck !
In reply to I like climbing:
Just bear in mind that tradesmen have to pay to be included on some of those.
Our local council and age concern have a list that you can't pay to be on and you have to be checked and references followed up.
Just bear in mind that tradesmen have to pay to be included on some of those.
Our local council and age concern have a list that you can't pay to be on and you have to be checked and references followed up.
In reply to mattrm:
Otherwise described as "they are incompetent".
It's not hard. Keep a diary, keep a "to do" list and keep people informed if you are delayed.
> I think for some of them they just get busy and forget. It's not on purpose or anything.
Otherwise described as "they are incompetent".
It's not hard. Keep a diary, keep a "to do" list and keep people informed if you are delayed.
In reply to Postmanpat:
> Keep a diary, keep a "to do" list and keep people informed if you are delayed.
SimpleIn reply to mypyrex:
I don't think you grasp how difficult it can be for the self employed to juggle everything. Its always easy in theory for those who have the luxury of time on their hands. Busy overworked people sometimes make mistakes or forget to write something down. You can't always use a diary when your hands are full and you take a phone call.
I don't think you grasp how difficult it can be for the self employed to juggle everything. Its always easy in theory for those who have the luxury of time on their hands. Busy overworked people sometimes make mistakes or forget to write something down. You can't always use a diary when your hands are full and you take a phone call.
In reply to mypyrex:
I believe there are a fair few Polish and Romanian workers about. Perhaps there are worth considering.
I believe there are a fair few Polish and Romanian workers about. Perhaps there are worth considering.
In reply to marsbar:
Well it's simple really; if they can't manage their business then they shouldn't be trading and I certainly don't go along with not being able to keep a diary. As I mentioned earlier I have a VERY reliable plumber. If he can do it... and yes, he gets plenty of work because he IS reliable.
(Yes, I have been self employed)
> I don't think you grasp how difficult it can be for the self employed to juggle everything. Its always easy in theory for those who have the luxury of time on their hands. Busy overworked people sometimes make mistakes or forget to write something down. You can't always use a diary when your hands are full and you take a phone call.
Well it's simple really; if they can't manage their business then they shouldn't be trading and I certainly don't go along with not being able to keep a diary. As I mentioned earlier I have a VERY reliable plumber. If he can do it... and yes, he gets plenty of work because he IS reliable.
(Yes, I have been self employed)
Post edited at 14:58
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:
There a number of possibilities:
1) they are stupid
2) they have so much business it doesn't matter if they piss people off
3) they don't recognise that "sales" by which I mean keeping customers informed, is part of the job
4) it really is impossible to tap a message to yourself on your phone or keep a pencil behind your ear and a scrap of paper in your pocket.
It genuinely mystifies me but since some people seem to able to do it I find it hard to believe its impossible.
> Yes they must all be stupid.
There a number of possibilities:
1) they are stupid
2) they have so much business it doesn't matter if they piss people off
3) they don't recognise that "sales" by which I mean keeping customers informed, is part of the job
4) it really is impossible to tap a message to yourself on your phone or keep a pencil behind your ear and a scrap of paper in your pocket.
It genuinely mystifies me but since some people seem to able to do it I find it hard to believe its impossible.
In reply to gethin_allen:
I don't believe that plasterers actually exist. I've never had one turn up.
I don't believe that plasterers actually exist. I've never had one turn up.
In reply to mypyrex:
Oh please, share with us: what was the nature of your self employment?
I've been a self employed lecturer and software developer, the lecturing was easy to schedule, the programming/development less so. You can't drop a job in mid flow when it's gone pear shaped for reasons outside your control, just because your next client is waiting. Yes I did make an effort to inform, but it wasn't always received particularly well.
Oh please, share with us: what was the nature of your self employment?
I've been a self employed lecturer and software developer, the lecturing was easy to schedule, the programming/development less so. You can't drop a job in mid flow when it's gone pear shaped for reasons outside your control, just because your next client is waiting. Yes I did make an effort to inform, but it wasn't always received particularly well.
In reply to mypyrex:
The building I am foolish enough to live in is plagued by the visits of idiots masquerading as skilled tradesmen. I am still picking up the thousands of nails left around the property by the guys who did the guttering and facias about 5 years ago. If I had realised how many there were at the start then I would have collected them all and sold them on ebay.
The ceilings came in after the people upstairs had a plumber (?) upgrade their bathroom. That then prompted an asbestos alert so I had to suffer two weegies with the brains of molluscs being sent along by the insurance company to make an even bigger mess. The tw4t who reinstalled the bath didn't make the supports strong enough and it's all sagging. All the reinstalled water supplies were done with flexies most of which were so twisted that most of the taps and the toilet didn't work. Then the joiner decided he was a decorator as well. Huh? He was given his marching orders half way through that disaster.
My prize for the thickest couple of idiots on the planet goes to the two Irishmen who said they'd give me a quote for cutting my grass. Big deal I'm thinking. Then they have to go away and do this amazing calculation (it's just a couple of ordinary wee lawn areas). They then come back with a figure of £223. Decimal point in the wrong place perhaps? Laughed my socks off.
No wonder the economy is in a state.
The building I am foolish enough to live in is plagued by the visits of idiots masquerading as skilled tradesmen. I am still picking up the thousands of nails left around the property by the guys who did the guttering and facias about 5 years ago. If I had realised how many there were at the start then I would have collected them all and sold them on ebay.
The ceilings came in after the people upstairs had a plumber (?) upgrade their bathroom. That then prompted an asbestos alert so I had to suffer two weegies with the brains of molluscs being sent along by the insurance company to make an even bigger mess. The tw4t who reinstalled the bath didn't make the supports strong enough and it's all sagging. All the reinstalled water supplies were done with flexies most of which were so twisted that most of the taps and the toilet didn't work. Then the joiner decided he was a decorator as well. Huh? He was given his marching orders half way through that disaster.
My prize for the thickest couple of idiots on the planet goes to the two Irishmen who said they'd give me a quote for cutting my grass. Big deal I'm thinking. Then they have to go away and do this amazing calculation (it's just a couple of ordinary wee lawn areas). They then come back with a figure of £223. Decimal point in the wrong place perhaps? Laughed my socks off.
No wonder the economy is in a state.
Post edited at 15:51
In reply to Postmanpat:
It is possible to answer the phone with hands free when driving. Less possible to write things down. Similarly I have sometimes answered his phone whilst he is working and had people refuse to believe that he is unable to talk to them immediately whilst he is under a cupboard with pipes in his hand.
Some customers want him at their beck and call for every little thing, but have no concept that this requires another customer to be flexible. When it comes to them being flexible then they won't.
There is enough work for those who are good at what they do to avoid working for difficult high maintainance customers.
It is possible to answer the phone with hands free when driving. Less possible to write things down. Similarly I have sometimes answered his phone whilst he is working and had people refuse to believe that he is unable to talk to them immediately whilst he is under a cupboard with pipes in his hand.
Some customers want him at their beck and call for every little thing, but have no concept that this requires another customer to be flexible. When it comes to them being flexible then they won't.
There is enough work for those who are good at what they do to avoid working for difficult high maintainance customers.
In reply to mypyrex:
It pisses me off when they can't even give a quote. They say it will be with me in a week and yet I'd say 50% of the time they never materialise. If they don't want the work just say so. It is no surprise that tradesman from E. Europe find plenty of work..... they just need to be moderately well organised!
It pisses me off when they can't even give a quote. They say it will be with me in a week and yet I'd say 50% of the time they never materialise. If they don't want the work just say so. It is no surprise that tradesman from E. Europe find plenty of work..... they just need to be moderately well organised!
In reply to marsbar:
"My" electrician says "sorry mate, I'm driving. Can you send me a text or call around x pm and I'll let you know". Seems sensible to me.
So politely explain the situation and move on. It works the other way in that if the tradesman sees you as flexible they start taking the piss when rationally they should favour the flexible customer.
It's the failure to communicate which is most frustrating and I don't understand it. If the tradesman says "I hope to make it Tuesday but this job may overrun so can't promise , and then calls me to postpone" is that, over time, going to lose him business compared to saying "I'll be there on Tuesday" and then mysteriously not appearing?
> It is possible to answer the phone with hands free when driving. Less possible to write things down.
"My" electrician says "sorry mate, I'm driving. Can you send me a text or call around x pm and I'll let you know". Seems sensible to me.
> There is enough work for those who are good at what they do to avoid working for difficult high maintainance customers.
So politely explain the situation and move on. It works the other way in that if the tradesman sees you as flexible they start taking the piss when rationally they should favour the flexible customer.
It's the failure to communicate which is most frustrating and I don't understand it. If the tradesman says "I hope to make it Tuesday but this job may overrun so can't promise , and then calls me to postpone" is that, over time, going to lose him business compared to saying "I'll be there on Tuesday" and then mysteriously not appearing?
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