Have you struggled to get a tradesman lately ?

[Dave7]

I never get a tradesman in. I have a man what does. We could never aford any when we first got married so Mr WD learned how to do everything himself even 're wiring an entire house, plumbing etc.

And my son also does everything himself. He has never employed anyone.

It saves a fortune and all I have to do is feed Mr WD tea and cake.

Welshie......I have said before, my nickname is Mr Bean. No way would I attempt this.
BTW.....lovely to hear from you, made my day has that.

 

[gbb]

I know four people that do home improvements, building work, 3 of them to high standard, one is a jobber, conscientious but self taught. From simple decorating to high end kitchen/bathroom installations, they're very busy and always turning down work.
Everywhere is facing labour shortages, everywhere. We see more and more Polish who came in the 90s headed home now to retire, earned their money, built their houses back home or just want to be back with family.
We hear Romanians are headed to Italy, nearer home, many speak Italian and apparently the benefits are better there.
Covid has seen a lot of people go back home, we lost a good few for that reason, Brexit will have had an impact but we didn't see a mass exodus. (bearing in mind we have up to 1000 agency workers here a day, most being E European)
I suspect Brexit spooked some, then Covid was the icing on the cake that made their mind up.

I used to do small jobs for pay years ago, simple DIY, decorating, shed felting etc, you always had people that wanted stuff done and were happy to pay but it spoiled me when I thought...what if something goes wrong, you dont get paid or worse, get sued. I stopped shortly after. Theres a lot of responsibility doing that kind of work.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I just email the housing association i rent off,if repairs are needed. Then wait month for them to turn up!

 

[raleighnut]

Just don't get into a row over the costs

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/builder-destroys-own-work-house-stoneygate-leicestershire-132457899.html

 

[vickster]

I just email the housing association i rent off,if repairs are needed. Then wait month for them to turn up!

Ah yes subsidised by the tax payer (possibly including but not necessarily the tradesmen employed)

 

[Accy cyclist]

Ah yes subsidised by the tax payer (possibly including but not necessarily the tradesmen employed)

Good old taxpayer!!!🍻😁

 

[vickster]

Good old taxpayer!!!🍻😁

Fund your clothing fetishes too?

 

[Kingfisher101]

I know four people that do home improvements, building work, 3 of them to high standard, one is a jobber, conscientious but self taught. From simple decorating to high end kitchen/bathroom installations, they're very busy and always turning down work.
Everywhere is facing labour shortages, everywhere. We see more and more Polish who came in the 90s headed home now to retire, earned their money, built their houses back home or just want to be back with family.
We hear Romanians are headed to Italy, nearer home, many speak Italian and apparently the benefits are better there.
Covid has seen a lot of people go back home, we lost a good few for that reason, Brexit will have had an impact but we didn't see a mass exodus. (bearing in mind we have up to 1000 agency workers here a day, most being E European)
I suspect Brexit spooked some, then Covid was the icing on the cake that made their mind up.

I used to do small jobs for pay years ago, simple DIY, decorating, shed felting etc, you always had people that wanted stuff done and were happy to pay but it spoiled me when I thought...what if something goes wrong, you dont get paid or worse, get sued. I stopped shortly after. Theres a lot of responsibility doing that kind of work.

If you didn't get paid you would have to take them to the small claims court if it was worth it and people who do general handyperson jobs should take out insurance.

 

[raleighnut]

Ah yes subsidised by the tax payer (possibly including but not necessarily the tradesmen employed)

So what should low income people do, live in a tent/paper bag..........cue '3 yorkshiremen sketch'

Local Authorities should have been allowed to build 'Affordable Housing' with the proceeds of selling Council Houses to their Tenants then this shortage would not have occured

 

[gbb]

If you didn't get paid you would have to take them to the small claims court if it was worth it and people who do general handyperson jobs should take out insurance.

Quite right (Insurance) but at the level and infrequency I was doing it, insurance was simply not worth while, a driving factor In me stopping it altogether.

 

[bikingdad90]

It’s not just tradesmen that are an issue, building materials are too. There is a world shortage of concrete supplies for at least the next 6months!

 

[newts]

Lockdowns have seen a large increase in extensions & garden rooms on top of a very buoyant new build sector. Competent trades people have been in short supply for 20+ years.
Education sneers at young people entering the building trades & puts the emphasis on getting university places. We are educating too many people in the wrong sectors of business/industry (top heavy). School leavers who get good trades experience & become fully competent will likely earn more money than many of their higher educated compatriots.
Too many people look down their noses on the humble tradespeople with years of experience who plan & execute jobs with minimum disruption & safety in mind (there is a cost to all of this). There are plenty of chancers in the industry who charge top £, bodge it & scarper, the genuine trades all get tarred with same brush with regards reliability, costs etc. Then you have know it all customers who's sister's brother's uncle did the job for half the cost & f#*+ed it up, then moans when a genuine trade charges double the original estimate to put everything right. Rant over🙄

 

[Salad Dodger]

About 18 months ago, we got a local carpenter/builder to do some work for us.
Now, our daughter has just bought a house locally and she needs a fair bit of work doing to it, so we have lined up the same guy, starting in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, he has put us on to his mate who is a plasterer, and he fortunately had a cancellation, so he is now 2 days into making good some walls and ceilings.
Here on Planet Thanet, it is really hard to get as much as a quote from a builder or associated tradesperson...

 

[Gillstay]

Also its a lack of skills as the Collages that trained people are decimated from the changes started with Tony Blair's push to get them into Uni. I see plenty of people doing short courses to work in the tree surgery trade, but the level of training is very low, no plant knowledge, no science to form a basis to work from. Local painter says he has to train his own guys as there is no courses any where near.

 

[stephec]

Over thirty years ago when I was doing my OND our social studies lecturer said, ' in about ten years time they'll be a serious lack of skills in this country as people aren't being trained properly anymore.' I'd love to know what his lottery numbers are for this weekend.