notmyrealnamebutclose
Senior Member
Or do it improperby and mess it up so badly they need a pro to sort it out which has just cost them double :L
What would you have done please?
- Thread starter Kingfisher101
- Start date
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cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Im sick of tradesmen fecking me about tbh , we were given the go ahead by the council to have a downstairs loo and their contractor submitted plans but it was too much for the mean test to get it done so we looked for private folk who would do it .
Couple came around to quote and never got back to us .
Couple came around to quote and never got back to us .
Kingfisher101
Über Member
Jobs not big enough thats why.
Round here all the plumbers etc who are very good are doing full bathrooms all week and you cant get then to do smaller things now. So you get left with rubbish people to do the smaller jobs.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
this was a full install of a downstairs toilet plus sink with necessary routing of pipes including electrics and partition wall
Kingfisher101
Über Member
Yeah, They want 5-10k plus full bathroom renovations.
Probably they didnt want to do it as well because other trades would be involved. Too much faffing about for not enough money. If you wanted a total luxury bathroom renovation for a big bathroom you would have easily got people to quote.
Probably they didnt want to do it as well because other trades would be involved. Too much faffing about for not enough money. If you wanted a total luxury bathroom renovation for a big bathroom you would have easily got people to quote.
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Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
Yes this was our experience also. My partner used to do book-keeping for a plumber, he owed her quite a few favours, even took months to pin him down to deliver on the "promise" he made to do her shower. I don't mind if they simply say "sorry it's too small a job and we've got lots of other large jobs on", that's fair enough.
My biggest gripe is when you do find someone good but they are so laid back and lack even the most basic of customer service skills, you wonder how they even make a living. e.g. had to contact a car locksmith for a new keyfob. He text me saying "your parts arrived". Then nothing. I text him back and said "ok what do I do now? Do I bring the car to you, where's your workshop" etc etc. I had about 5 vague or 1 word answers until a day and time was finally agreed. He then turned up 4 hours late (I was WFH anyway but for all he knew I could have taken time off to be at home). I really think there should be a customer service 101 course that all trades have to complete every 5 years. Some of them haven't a clue
Kingfisher101
Über Member
Fortunately the job is now done, the joiner did a great job. The hardboard had come away from the floorboards and the floorboards were loose and needed fixing back down. The floor is now secure and feels firm underfoot. Also I got him to reboard the kitchen ceiling bay and take a light down and rehang a door which was scraping the floor.
I'm having the flooring down on Friday and a new carpet on Monday in a bedroom.
Its taken around 3 months including xmas to get quotes, find someone suitable and then get the job done.
I'm having the flooring down on Friday and a new carpet on Monday in a bedroom.
Its taken around 3 months including xmas to get quotes, find someone suitable and then get the job done.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
the initial quote was over 7 k
Kingfisher101
Über Member
Why do you think it hasnt been done then?
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
no idea , given up TBH now mrs CK had had her operation we should be ok with just the one fingers crossed
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
I know two very competent tradesmen, this is about bang on. They like big refurbishment, £10 to £20k isn't unusual, anything below £5 k just isn't worth bothering with. We all see things from our perspective but there are people out there spending a LOT of money on this kind of thing, money I couldn't conceive of. A house my wife used to housekeep years ago, really nice oldish house, easily £750k every time it gets a new owner, the builders turn up for weeks on end, skips appear something or the other gets a major refurb or redesign, almost certainly tens of thousands worth.
One of those two guys, I know his books were ramned with work a couple years ago, he picks and chooses which jobs he goes for and its so lucrative, he doesn't mind travelling to do it.
Not enough tradesmen, even though a natural element of them will be somewhat substandard, there's too much work, despite the recession there's people out there with very serious money to spend.
fritz katzenjammer
Der Ubergrosserbudgie
- Location
- Deepest Darkest Canada
I had a house fire. New floors, job done.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Thie is true. My nephew owns his own landscaping/fencing firm. If you have 4 or 5 fence panels blown down he ain't interested. If you want to drop 40 grand on a full makeover then he's your man. He did my composite decking at cost, and that still bent me over for 7 grand which just shows why they aren't interested in the itty bitty stuff.
Too many people working in call centres or warehouses, less and less people wanting to do stuff or make things. It's just the way the world is turning I guess.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I'm guessing you put the fire out first?
fritz katzenjammer
Der Ubergrosserbudgie
- Location
- Deepest Darkest Canada
Naw, I didn’t have too, a fleet of nice big red trucks blocked the street while a bunch of nice people dressed like Darth Vader dealt with the fire.
One kindly opened my roof up with a giant titanium chainsaw while another came strolling out of the house with our very pissed off looking parrot. They were very friendly about it and didn’t even charge for the service.
It was quite an evening.
And then they came back and visited again in the middle of the night as the house tried to do it again.
