Ranting - Contractors

[Queenie]

Aaaargh I am so annoyed!

Me and Scott have recently rearranged our money to give us some cash to do a few bits to the house. Over the last few days we've arranged for a few companies to come out and give us quotes on a couple of things. Two of them never bothered to show up! No phone call, no apology, nothing. We've waited in for them when we wanted to be out doing other things. One was meant to come tonight so we stayed in when I really wanted to go to the shopping centre and pick up my Disney Collector's Club figurine that's just come in. I am furious at the lack of courtesy these days! I just don't understand why they do it!

Sorry, rant over!

 

[Minniespal]

It's so annoying when then happens. Now we tend to use contractors who have come recommended by family/friends.

 

[ely3857]

If your having work done on your house I am sorry to say that this is the first of many disapointments regarding builder/contractor turning up on time or indeed at all.......

Our house renovations before we moved last year were supposed to take 6-8 weeks, they actually took 9 months. Nothing in our plans changed & we didnt make any more demands than we were originaly quoted for so to this day we have no idea what the flipping delay was



Jodie

 

[Cochise]

Unfortunately due to the amount of work out there they hold all the cards and can pick and choose jobs as they please. The most precious thing here is knowing people who have had a good job done, unfortunately if you dont have this you are going to find it hard.

Still waiting for my dad (a plumber) to do my bathroom in our dormer that was being built when we went to Orlando last October, bloody tradesman!

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

I did my O levels; I did my A levels; I went to University (back in the 70's when it was still an achievement to get there) and got my degree. I've worked hard for 27 years working my way up through project manager/ programme manager. I get the stress, the strain, the people issues etc etc. but don't get the pay!! I'm now seriously considering going to night school to train up in plumbing, electricals, "corgi" gas etc. because as Cochise has pointed out, the trades now hold all the cards and can earn far more than I do now, without all the pressures I have to take at the moment.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

The thing that recently annoyed me is we needed a tradesman and were struggling to find one..a couple of leaflets came through the door advertising their services.
Phoned one up on their mobile, and he asked me to phone him back on his home phone and leave a message etc, I did that (twice) but never received a call back.
If they are busy (the good one's usually are) fair enough, but if you ain't gonna call me back don't put leaflets through my door!

 

[Ang1e]

The times my dad has been to quote for a job and had relieved potential customers become customers! He always turns up and picks up jobs others can't even be bothered to quote for.

 

[Deedee]

This happened to me a couple of years ago. We were doing the garden my DF was building the walls and unfortunately he suffered a mild stroke. The walls were half built so i phoned around a few builders to come and finish them for us but like you they couldn't be bothered to turn up so i finished them myself, i now get the satisfaction of looking out my window and saying i did that myself and didn't need any cowboys to help

 

[Laurafoster]

We've been having the same problem with finding a decent electrician. 5 guys didnt turn up, didnt call back etc.

Mind you we have now found one that i would recommend to anyone. We had some issues with the lighing in our garden decking. First time he came out and resealed them all, came back the next day to do some other bits and we said that they had all tripped out after 10 mins last night. He went back out and re wired them - took him about 3 hours! Then put the lights on and sat in the garden watching them for 1 hour to check that they didnt trip out again. Weh i said how much do i owe you for them he said dont worry i'll include it in what you've already paid me!

 

[Queenie]

Wow, wish I lived near you, I'd be asking for his number if I needed an electrician anytime! Someone needs to set up a website where people can log on and write reviews of good and bad contractors they've used so you can go and see who's any good in your area. It'd just be a nightmare to police as you can bet the bad ones would get their mates to post phoney good reviews for them...