Thread: Filter and Pipework contractor needed

What you describe is basically standard practice in most trades.

I (and many friends and family) have had exactly the same experience with so many different trades it's unbelievable e.g. builders, plumbers, tilers, carpenters, surveyors etc... Even good ones sourced through the likes of check a trade are similar.

Having repeatedly experienced something similar on various jobs, I've come to the conclusion it's because most are self employed, rather than working for a large company. So they don't have anyone to have a go at them if they ignore emails, disappear for days or weeks half way through a job, bodge things up and disappear, mislead the client on what's included in a quote etc...

So what you'd expect in most other industries I.e. basic customer service, or even just honesty (if a job is too small or they just can't fit you in) tends to go out the window.

Mind you, when you do eventually find a decent tradesman, you want to hang on to their contact details.

Hopefully you'll find someone soon though.

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Originally Posted by Twhitenosugar

What you describe is basically standard practice in most trades.

I (and many friends and family) have had exactly the same experience with so many different trades it's unbelievable e.g. builders, plumbers, tilers, carpenters, surveyors etc... Even good ones sourced through the likes of check a trade are similar.

Having repeatedly experienced something similar on various jobs, I've come to the conclusion it's because most are self employed, rather than working for a large company. So they don't have anyone to have a go at them if they ignore emails, disappear for days or weeks half way through a job, bodge things up and disappear, mislead the client on what's included in a quote etc...

So what you'd expect in most other industries I.e. basic customer service, or even just honesty (if a job is too small or they just can't fit you in) tends to go out the window.

Mind you, when you do eventually find a decent tradesman, you want to hang on to their contact details.

Hopefully you'll find someone soon though.

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lol having previously been a self employed pipefitter for most of my life that made me smile...

I thought there might be a few reactions from tradesmen.





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Originally Posted by Twhitenosugar

I thought there might be a few reactions from tradesmen.

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i can count on one hand the times i've not turned up for a job in my life...
you pays your money, and you takes your choice... peanuts = monkeys

what your looking for is Unicorns...
highly qualified, dilligent, hard working people, who do top class work for peanuts.

Originally Posted by davethefish1

i can count on one hand the times i've not turned up for a job in my life...
you pays your money, and you takes your choice... peanuts = monkeys

what your looking for is Unicorns...
highly qualified, dilligent, hard working people, who do top class work for peanuts.

I can also count on one hand the same thing but being a freak of nature and the result of a medical experiment that went wrong I have over 100 fingers on one hand but only 4 fingers and a thumb on the other. Brings a whole new meaning to changing hands at 99

Haha as a landscaper/tree surgeon gotta say the amount of Jobs I've had to finish and completely restarts for all of twns points is unreal . . Really ain't good for the small honest 1 man bands out there
Luckily I only take on small jobs to work around my family but have a few other companies that we swop work about with . If its 2 small for them they pass my number on ect but its a massive shame there isn't more small companies willing to work together to make their lives and the more importantly the customers lives happier and easier and more straight forward

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Re Dave's post... I've had issues before money is even mentioned!

For example I had two draftsmen/architects (not sure on exact title) come to my house to do some drawings for a loft conversion. I gave both a summary of the job before hand to manage expectations, so they knew it's not a grand designs job.

They both still turn up, both chat for two hours +, make all the right noises, say they'll contact me with a quote and then I hear nothing, despite chasing.

If the job was too small (and they already knew roughly what was involved) why bother turn up? Just reply and say sorry we're too busy at the moment to deal with the enquiry?

And I've learnt that going for the cheapest quote can often backfire on you. So tend to go for middle price, well reviewed people. But even that still doesn't dodge poor practice or customer service.

For example I got 3 quotes to tile a bathroom. One was £400, one was £700 and the other £1600.

How one quote can be quadruple another I don't know. Anyway, I go for the middle one, to avoid getting peanuts. He turns up 4 days in a row. In that time he laid 4 tiles and drew some pencil marks on the wall. After that I told him to not bother returning.

Turns out he was leaving about 10minutes after I left the house for work.

Another time I got another bathroom tiled and asked for a kitchen tile to be replaced to be included in the quote. Again I shop around, don't hear anything back from 90% of the people I contact, eventually get a few quotes, go for a reasonable price, not cheapest. The guy was really nice did a good job on the bathroom but as expected, f@#ks off without replacing the kitchen tile.

Another example. I got the garden redone. Decided halfway through that I wanted edging blocks. I asked how much, if it's not to late to add them. I was told no problem, it'll be £500 extra. I said that was fine, go ahead. When the bill came it had increased to £1000. When I challenged him he said that £500 would not even cover their costs - but that was the price I was told? Why say £500 if that's not the price? And they were a really decent company, not the cheapest, good reviews and, that aside, I was happy with.

I can go on with more tails and tribulations but you've probably glazed over by now lol.

From my experience, id say most of the time it's either poor communication or a desire to smash out a job as quickly as possible and move on to the next one that is the root of most problems.

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As the old saying goes, it can take a long time to build up a good reputation but it can take seconds to wipe it out!

I have pmd you

Originally Posted by Andy1671

I have pmd you

Who me?

If so I've not got it yet

Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper

Who me?

If so I've not got it yet

Why would any one wanna pm you lol

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Originally Posted by Ajm

Why would any one wanna pm you lol

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****ed if I know! Although you keep PMing me lol

Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper

****ed if I know! Although you keep PMing me lol

Wrong person like a bum dial mate lol haha

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Originally Posted by Ajm

Wrong person like a bum dial mate lol haha

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That explains the naked photos of yourself then

Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper

That explains the naked photos of yourself then

No they were ment for your eyes only lol

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Originally Posted by Ajm

No they were ment for your eyes only lol

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I wish I could unsee those photos

Originally Posted by forever

Its tough, again i had four people quote and this is just to finish off, the pond is basically done as you can see from the picture of the fiberglassing on my other thread top job done by @kenalexander , this is the final part i have all the bits maybe need a few rubber boots, all the folks came out had a nice chat agreed the price, then either they dont turn up, or the one who was due to come yesterday, turned up said actually cannot do this and then left!!

Is it just the pipe work you need finishing or is it more to do with the construction being finished?

Is Oxted the place in Surrey just inside the M25 off the A3?