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It REALLY gets on my tits that even when you try to be a responsible homeowner and get the right people in, pay them good money, on time without quibbling over every detail, you still get shafted. So much so that now I get hit with a massive wave of anxiety, verging on panic attack levels, when I'm handing over the money.
I feel the same whenever I'm looking for other trades I need to sub work out to. I have a group of people that I know and trust that I use for most things but if they're not available I have to look elsewhere. Recently the decorator that i have used exclusively for the last 10 years retired and I got stung several times trying to find someone decent to replace him, I now have no real choice but to undertake the decorating work myself which stings me in a different way - I'm slower than he was but can't charge extra because of that so I'm losing out on other work as well as paying myself less.
This is how I look at tradespeople that I'm considering working with:
- What is their appearance like? I Don't expect them to be immaculate but if they make an effort to be presentable (and not wear the same clothes for a week without washing them - major bugbear of mine) then they are likely to take pride in their work.
- Will they take time to explain to me how they will do the work? I am deeply suspicious of anyone who will not tell people how they intend to do a job as it makes me worry that they are not able to plan out their work and prefer to "just get it done". By the way the phrase "just get it done" is in my experience the most dangerous thing to say in construction and fills me with a sense of impending doom as it means all thought is abandoned and people start to rush when this happens people get hurt (or worse) or the work produced is dangerous. There are a number of tradespeople on here (as already mentioned @ColinTheBald), @Airhead, @Mr_Sworld and @Nef and I'm sure that there are others I've forgotten and if so I apologise. The guys I've mentioned are happy to give advice to people based on their area(s) of expertise they know that giving advice to people does not affect their chances of winning work (the opposite in my experience) and it shows that they have a good knowledge of their trade.
- How detailed is the quote? (closely related to point 2) If the quote says labour £XXXXX, Materials £XXXXX then they have, more than likely, pulled a figure out of their arse and are likely to come back to you to say they've underquoted and the final bill will be £XXXX more than the estimate. When I quote I take the time to write out a scope of works figure out the exact amount of materials needed to do the job and cost these out.
- What is there communication like? OK so everyone is busy and can't be expected to respond immediately but if you have to chase them for a reply every time then it becomes a problem.
- Are they a limited company? I have no problem working with sole traders, I am however wary of limited companies as it is an easy way for bad actors to lose personal and financial responsibility for there mistakes or poor workmanship. If I'm going to work with a limited company I always check with companies house to see how long they've been trading. If they haven't been trading long I'll look and see if there have been other companies registered at the address given.
- Where are they from? I know how this sounds but it is not brexit related. In general I find working with Kiwi and Aussie tradies to be a joy bcause in both countries you need qualifications to do your trade so they have a good working knowledge with no gaps and will take time to learn about the appropriate regs here too. I would love to see some kind of licensed builder scheme set up here.
I'm sorry you have had such a bad experience.
- What is their appearance like? I Don't expect them to be immaculate but if they make an effort to be presentable (and not wear the same clothes for a week without washing them - major bugbear of mine) then they are likely to take pride in their work.
Bobbo-
Thank you for taking the time to list all this out. Some of it I already employ, but some will definitely prove useful. Unfortunately, some of the bad ones ticked all the "what to look out for" boxes, but still ended up being cunts. To reiterate, I have had nothing but good communication and valuable advice from any of the trades I've met off here.
To your point 4 - the worst of the worst trades I've had in this year, have all been British. Interesting info about the Kiwis and Aussies, I didn't know that. They guys who did our door were Polish, and I love them (https://www.asashrepair.co.uk/). They even had their own wash kit with hand soap and towels, put up proper dust sheets/screens etc. and cleaned up at the end of each day, not just at the end of the job (makes all the difference when we're still living here - I know it takes time, but if you're onsite for 8-10 hours a day, we're still here for the other 14-16, I don't like tramping dust and muck everywhere). The roofers were a shower of shit, all except the Bulgarian dude who could not have been nicer or more considerate. The plasterer/decorators are Jamaican, and I have recommended them to Damo. Although, they recommended the plumber who fitted the unvented cylinder, so it's not all rosey.
stevo_com
Hard for me as a consumer to know that, or at least the finer details. I checked the installer had the appropriate G3 ticket, which they did. I can't possibly know what is and isn't dangerous beyond that. I didn't know for example they were supposed to leave me with a black book with the benchmark readings from the install in order for the warranty to be valid. Guess what they didn't do?
It REALLY gets on my tits that even when you try to be a responsible homeowner and get the right people in, pay them good money, on time without quibbling over every detail, you still get shafted. So much so that now I get hit with a massive wave of anxiety, verging on panic attack levels, when I'm handing over the money. I'm constantly doubting myself now if I've picked the right person (despite being careful about reviews and experience) or if they've fucked something else up that I couldn't possibly know about. And it feels like the only way to not get shafted, is to learn enough about the job you are paying to have done that you may as well get the cert yourself and DIY it.
I swear, this past year has only taught me that 90% of tradies are cunts. The amount of money I've spent having jobs redone or fixed because the previous dickhead fucked it up, I could have spent getting a new bathroom.
Before anyone comes back with #notalltradies, just check yourself. There are enough stories on here saying the same or similar. If you're on here, it is highly likely that that statement is not directed at you personally. And I have a few people I still trust and wish they could do everything. The guys who did my door, they took forever, but said they would take a long time and their work was immaculate. And @ColinTheBald, absolute diamond to deal with. The guys who I've recommended to Damo. Everyone else, I'd prefer if I never saw again. This new plumber, seems good, but I'm still on the fence about until he's done.