Polish tradesmen - is it a myth?

[ginsberg 10]

I'm looking for the mythical Polish builder - does such a thing exist in Sheffield?

[foxy027 10]

Theres got to be at least one in Sheffield....get one imported if not!!

[Zaytsev 10]

More of a South East phenomena, especially London.

The new Heathrow Terminal has seen a big influx of migrant construction workers.

Now we have the 2012 Olympics we will also see the same happening.

 

Curious why are you looking for one?

[ginsberg 10]

I want to renovate my house - I have various jobs from building, hanging doors to decorating and I'm finding local tradesman lack...ummm, what can I say - enthusiasm? They don't return phonecalls or follow up visits with actual quotes. I'm not looking for work done on the cheap (though I do have a strict budget), I just want someone who WANTS the work and doesn't act like they're doing me a massive favour - I swear, the next joiner who looks at my house and sucks air through his front teeth then tuts is being shown the door! I'm beginning to think tradesman these days are like Kate Moss - they won't get out of bed for less than 10 grand. I'm know I'm being unfair to a lot of great craftsmen - perhaps I've just had bad luck....I'm fairly new to the city so I can't work on recommendations.

Perhaps what I need rather than a Polish tradesman is assertiveness training!

[cgksheff 44]

Yes. There definitely is one! I have met one who was doing an extension for a friend.

I don't think that he would be available for more work though.

[Zaytsev 10]

I want to renovate my house - I have various jobs from building, hanging doors to decorating and I'm finding local tradesman lack...ummm, what can I say - enthusiasm? They don't return phonecalls or follow up visits with actual quotes. I'm not looking for work done on the cheap (though I do have a strict budget), I just want someone who WANTS the work and doesn't act like they're doing me a massive favour - I swear, the next joiner who looks at my house and sucks air through his front teeth then tuts is being shown the door! I'm beginning to think tradesman these days are like Kate Moss - they won't get out of bed for less than 10 grand. I'm know I'm being unfair to a lot of great craftsmen - perhaps I've just had bad luck....I'm fairly new to the city so I can't work on recommendations.

Perhaps what I need rather than a Polish tradesman is assertiveness training!

 

You could try this link:

 

http://www.findabuilder.co.uk/

 

They are all members of the Federation of Master Builders and have had to pass a level of competence to become members.

 

You also state that you have a budget, if you have given the budget to the tradesmen who have visited and they have not replied then maybe your budget is unrealistic and they will not expend more time and money on following up with a quote that is outside your 'budget'. If this is the case they should have told you this in any event but it may be the reason for no replies.

 

With all the press given to the 'Polish' workers of late and the rates they charge my feeling is you are solely concerned with costs. If that is the case then fine but as the old saying goes 'you pay peanuts.......................................'

 

As for recommendations there are numerous posts from Forum members who have had work done and recommend tradesmen.

 

Good luck with your search.

[flyer 10]

The bad workmanship of the British builder is world renown, but they are not alone,in Canada a T.V series "Homes on Homes" is based on Mike Homes fixing other so called builders garbage,but people need to abide by hard and fast rules #1 no cash untill job is finished and get everything in writing if a renovator starts quibling hes not for you, walk away.

[royjames 10]

My mate shemek is polish and in the building trade,PM me if you want his details.

Hes very good at what he does and of course being polish he wont cost the earth.

[Tony 10]

You'll tend to find immigrant builders clustered around the sea and air ports. Most Poles seem to come in for a bit, get some cash together then buzz off back to where they came from.

 

I'm not sure that Poles are much cop from what I've seen as they tend not to be up to speed with UK building techniques so other than labouring and block laying they struggle to meet UK Reg's. That's not to say that they can't receive training to get them up to muster, but surely we should be doing that with our own apprentices.

 

If you can find them then they should be ok for a bit of cheap labour.

[ginsberg 10]

To be frank, I don't care if he's polish, swedish, english or welsh. All I want is a builder who's happy to be working. If I wanted someone who huffs and puffs and frowns and sighs at the task ahead, I'd get my hubbie to do it...

[Tyranna 10]

Sorry to restart this thread after a long dormancy, but wasn't it the Polish builders on Terminal 5 in Heathrow who were building partitioned off 'private bedrooms' out of stolen/offcut materials and plastic sheeting on the upper level of the Terminal, and sleeping off most of their 'working hours'? LMAO at the sheer laziness of many of these E. European builders!!! And I'm from a German-Jewish background myself, so I know there are SOME places in Europe where you WILL find dedicated, reliable, AND efficient work-ethics!

[TESTPASS 10]

Sounds to me that what is realy required here is someone that will work for sod all and not have been required to do the hours training and health and saftey that our native builder would have had to do.

 

with all the courses and regs that our builder have to do and abide by for them to make the job safe and save the thousand in compensation that you would be paying out if anything was to go wrong then its no wonder they are huffing and puffing. you need a certificate to push a wheel barrow these days.

 

but if you can get it done on the cheap and maybe your insurance covers you to take the risk then what the hell, go for it.