Do Professional Tradesmen Exist Anymore ?

[modeller]

For the past three months I have tried to get some building , plumbing and electrical work done on my house and have experienced non stop broken promises, shoddy workmanship, unfinished work, holes in the plaster, toilets that didn't work , non matching taps, bath and sink that wouldn't drain properly , door that wouldn't close. etc.
All this work involved about 14 workman , from contractors and sub contractors. none of whom liaised with each other .
The only people who did do a good job of work were a couple Polish brothers who were sent by Wicks to sort out the mess.
For the past 60 odd years ( I'm now too old ) I have done all my own DIY and repairs so it was a shock to experience Cowboy workmanship that I had only heard about.

[Baldric]

Sounds like this Pair,

https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M6d9239ac6232d60ee8dea05c15355be2o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

A few years back we did some work at a Mates Pub, building A BBQ and some Paving. We put a Bodget and Scarper Sign in the car park with the Pub 'phone number and had quite a few enquiries.

[Retrochic]

Yes they do, but more and more people are unwilling to pay for them and choose cowboys because they are cheaper. I've lost count of the number of contracts we've priced for but lost due to being undercut -only to be asked back later to fix the shoddy workmanship -sometimes having to demolish whats been built to do the job properly. We have also sent so called chippies and electricians off site for spending more time on their mobile phones than actually working. It sticks in the throat to say, but we've found Polish workers are the best workers on any site even when just laboring. If a Tradesman sounds cheap -he is.

[The Builder]

Yep, and I've probably come across even more of them than you have, Modeller. There are the ones with a good attitude, but lacking in the skills...... and the skilled ones with the wrong attitude completely.

Rest assured, there are plenty of good ones out there. A good, sound recommendation is always the best way. Never rely on their price alone. I use subbies who are established tradesmen with a reputation to protect. They are never the cheapest around.

Building work isn't quite the exact science that people assume it to be. We make mistakes. Sometimes, stuff doesn't work the way it should. The definition of a good tradesman is the one who's right in there putting right if there's a problem.

Don't give up.

[Dogsbody2]

There's a trade off between quality, cost and timeliness. Don`t expect to maximise quality while minimizing the other two.
Currently there is a huge shortage of trades in many areas, because homeowners are creating huge demand, and demand exceeds supply.

[Jennykenny]

Which magazine have a list of reliable people in your area. Try the library?

[Old_Geezer]

Difficult without knowing folk with personal experience of someone. You only have price to judge by and who can tell a bargain from a duff tradesman by that ? Duff ones can charge top whack too.

Have you looked on the Trustmark site ?

[modeller]

The trouble is most people haven't a clue about the quality of work or costs , so when an old lady pays someone £40 to change a light bulb she thinks they are marvelous , equally I'm afraid recommendations are of limited value.
What I do find strange is why a DIY company would use contractors of whom I now know there has been numerous complaints. Maybe they have little choice especially as there is no list of qualified tradesmen, anyone can claim to be qualified. Unfortunately that can also be true amongst some 'professionals ' .

[legal girl]

One of my biggest frustrations is getting past the starting post with many of these people - they don't call you back; they agree to come round and quote and then don't turn up, or if they do turn up they then don't provide a quote. I would much prefer it if they were upfront from the start and said "thanks, but no thanks, I don't want to do the job" at least then we'd all know where we stand.

[Retrochic]

legalgirl A good builder will rarely give a 'quote' or even an 'estimate' (yes big difference) verbally until they have done their sums. Any tradesman who give you a price 5 minutes after he's seen the job - I'd say no thanks!
Its very frustrating for decent firms (like we are) when you go do an Estimate knowing damn fine well john wayne up the road will get the job as the client will waft the written estimate in front of him and he will tut and say he can do it for half the price -then they go crying to programmes like 'cowboy builder' with horror stories of walls not being tied in and parting with £25k before even the job has started -incredible.

[Retrochic]

modeller - DIY shops do not employ contractors they are all self employed and guess what? The so called tradesmen who work for these shops can't get work for themselves and know they will get work through the store.

If you want any work done get recommendations -we have not advertised for around 15 years and have work stacked up until next spring - all from recommendations, so good tradespeople do exist but you have to be prepared to pay for them.

[legal girl]

Retrochic; I didn't mean I want a quote there and then. If they turn up, they then say they will be in touch with a quote, and then rarely provide one, or need chasing. That's what I meant. I wouldn't expect a quote on the spot.