Why is it so hard to get a tradesman?

[cuttsie 1,090]

18 minutes ago, El Cid said:

Those sorts of people are all around us, its just that the Government, Councils and charities do everything, the Conservative philosophy seems to be to look after number one.

Bang on.

[crookesey 632]

I thought that I was being smart with my band of superb tradesmen, all of a similar age to me. That’s where I made my mistake they’ve done the same as me and retired, their businesses retired with them as they were all ‘one man bands’.

[nightrider 13]

On 08/10/2021 at 10:31, crazyhorse said:

Must be where my plumber has gone today then...he hasn't turned up yet to lay my new water pipe...

Am waiting for the manager to "phone me back".

 

I am happy to not mess anyone around, pay what is quoted and not haggle them down a few quid...but am having loads of issues getting people for the jobs I have lined up.

 

I don't even mind waiting months...just seems like nobody gets back to you, or you accept a quote and then communication goes dead.

 

I would never get away with ignoring a customer like that...

 

 

They can. Good tradesman are in very short supply, so there is no need to get back to you. They already have a long list of good customers who provide regular work and pass on their name to others they know.

[pattricia 575]

30 minutes ago, nightrider said:

They can. Good tradesman are in very short supply, so there is no need to get back to you. They already have a long list of good customers who provide regular work and pass on their name to others they know.

Spot on ! Also remember that the cheapest tradesman isn’t always the best !

[Meltman 311]

32 minutes ago, pattricia said:

Spot on ! Also remember that the cheapest tradesman isn’t always the best !

Exactly right Patricia 

[crazyhorse 37]

5 hours ago, nightrider said:

They can. Good tradesman are in very short supply, so there is no need to get back to you. They already have a long list of good customers who provide regular work and pass on their name to others they know.

I appreciate they may have more work than they can cope with and may need to turn down new work...but isn't it simple courtesy to simply say that to customers who otherwise get silence?

I wouldn't be offended at all if a tradesman said that to me and would appreciate the honesty...and it would enable me to start looking for another, instead of wasting time trying to second guess someone's intentions..

 

If I got no response back, I would not recommend that company (even if they are in fact very good) to others...

I can't imagine it is good practice to get that sort of arrogant reputation...no matter how good they are.

Word does get around...both good and bad.

 

Also don't they want to "grow their companies"?

If the company I work for gets more work in, they attempt to recruit (which I do appreciate is a nightmare at present!).

 

On a personal note, I did get a response back from my tradesmen after a scheduling mixup and they came out later that day and back yesterday and did a very good job for what i thought was a fair price...on a hot day.

They kept me informed all the way through and when I paid my balance today...I asked them to pass on my thanks to the two lads for the great job they did on my tricky water supply pipe.

A good company that seems to be doing well...probably because of their approach to their customers...

[Slinny 278]

Going back a bit in time , in Sheffield they used to be the public works department who did most of the council new homes they closed that down and gave contracts to firms I had never even heard of but not building council houses the pwd used to employ many apprentices for all trades some very good ones all gone .   In sheffield paper the star news paper their was always adverts for building trade workers far and near because they could get good men all gone. What you have now are agencies that are employed to find men who take a cut of mens money  no good.  Just to end council house building as just about finished how can people on bear money buy a house put 25per cent down  I do not know 

[Slinny 278]

Going back a bit in time , in Sheffield they used to be the public works department who did most of the council new homes they closed that down and gave contracts to firms I had never even heard of but not building council houses the pwd used to employ many apprentices for all trades some very good ones all gone .   In sheffield paper the star news paper their was always adverts for building trade workers far and near because they could get good men all gone. What you have now are agencies that are employed to find men who take a cut of mens money  no good.  Just to end council house building as just about finished how can people on bear money buy a house put 25per cent down  I do not know 

[crookesey 632]

I know that it can be a waste of money, but we insure gas and electric major appliances, we’ve had gch problems solved quickly following a phone call, washing machine, dish washer and oven failures have been quickly and efficiently dealt with, if we have say roofing problems it becomes the insurer’s  problem, they appear to be able to get tradesmen on the job with little hassle.

 

Just a suggestion.

[Slinny 278]

Hi only houses I remember getting knocked down that were built in 60s or 70s are vic Hallam type that were not supposed to stop up for a great number of years flats on langsett road and some near to of east bank road  they were built by proper trades men doing proper what they called work and it was. . I was sub contract carrying the hod work on houses all over the place as far as I know none have been pulled down  some say sub contractors did not do job as good as lads on books sorry they were talking rubbish  

[cuttsie 1,090]

40 minutes ago, Slinny said:

Hi only houses I remember getting knocked down that were built in 60s or 70s are vic Hallam type that were not supposed to stop up for a great number of years flats on langsett road and some near to of east bank road  they were built by proper trades men doing proper what they called work and it was. . I was sub contract carrying the hod work on houses all over the place as far as I know none have been pulled down  some say sub contractors did not do job as good as lads on books sorry they were talking rubbish  

When you were Sub contract  if the job  was crap you did not get paid , on the books you had more protection from getting the sack especially if you was a union member .

Hassles Castles got thrown up because the price you got was not good enough so as you could not  take a bit of time , but I live on one of their estates now and the houses  look good , in fact they look better than when they were first built , A tribute to the bricklayers and carriers who worked on them . 

I was a union member for many years and the Union was crap , they brought us out on strike around 1963 ish , and were demanding one and and tanner rise on the basic pay .

I Was working on the Polytechnic with Joe Knight and Derick Brown we were already earning a lot more than what the union wanted but they sent a gang from Liverpool to threaten us so we came out .

When the strike was over (some members got time inc Liverpool mob ) but !!!!!!! guess what Tersons who we were working for stopped our bonus so we were worse of than before .

I came across this a lot of times when the Union made bad calls especially on the PWD  jobs .

[Slinny 278]

I George don’t remember strike in 63 .  remember one in 72 wages around then around 40 pounds we had cut week to 5 days then . Used to ask around but all seemed to be on around that amount of money . I was carrying to Arnold snape  and Harry fox used to be hassles star gang . We were working for northern ideal homes sub contract . We did not strike as many others did not . Also was not in any union . And never have been. But must say our wages went up from 40 to 60 pounds a week on average best time for me first 2wek holiday got colour tv  and only ever new car snapey said we will soon be bringing wages home in barrow and it will be worth nothing but what I hear there is very good wages to be had now .Albert fields junior tells me no where near as much graft .