Let down & cheesed off

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by TangerineDream, May 22, 2021.

  1. TangerineDream

    TangerineDream Active Member

    You are fantasizing. Nowhere have I said that I phoned up a joiner to quote for trimming a door alone or stated they came to view to quote for the door. Pay attention. What I have repeatedly stated is that I phoned up each joiner with a list of joinery related jobs I asked them to quote for which included trimming a fire door & each joiner came to view the jobs, size up & quote, giving me a date to do them.

    The joiner that did a project for me pre-Corona, is coming this morning to do the smaller jobs & theyll sort my cupboards & shelving at a later date to fit around their other commitments & he's def worth his salt, I know his work & he has built a good rep. How he'll do my shelving & cupboards is entirely up to him
     
  2. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    It's not attitude, it's experience I'm afraid.
    I used to think the same way - and had many bad experiences, lots of botched jobs, paid twice to have things done etc.

    Folk who are smart enough to be able to build beautiful bespoke oak furtniture but not smart enough to realise that their skills are worth much more than £170 per day are like hens teeth, so I would make the most of having access to such a person because it will be hard to find another.
     
  3. TangerineDream

    TangerineDream Active Member

    It depends which areas of the country ppl work in, furious_customer. Day rates in some areas of the UK are much higher due to cost of living, in other areas they are lower. Where i am the avg day rate is between £130 & £170 for a joiner. And costs really arent the issue here, if theyd quoted higher Id have paid it, no prob with that. I never looked up the dday rates for this area until the negative comments on this thread started. When I was quoted day rate of £170 I never questioned it, I accepted it bc thats what they said it would cost. When I did look up rates thats the top end for this area. given how hard they work im shocked ppl are paid less.

    The issue is someone coming to view the jobs & quoting & giving a date only to not bother turning up. Thats the issue. To do that to a client theyve quoted on & set a date for is indefensible.

    The joiner I mentioned earlier who did a project for me has just popped in & done that fire door after having a chat & tea, hes coming back to do the skirtings later this week & other jobs, then will make my cupboards & fit once back from his holiday. We talked about the other work I need doing that includes joist replacement/stairs/laminate floorings & hes happy to do that for me in the near future. I will make sure hes well looked after.
     
  4. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    Yep agreed - that is very annoying!
    In the past I have used sites like mybuilder.com etc because the folk that reply do so because they have time that needs filled and they have already paid a couple of quid to get in touch with the job poster, so they are already invested in doing the job.
     
    TangerineDream likes this.
  5. TangerineDream

    TangerineDream Active Member

    As I was saying in an earlier comment, if I had been a general resident it wouldnt have been an issue for me, but as i have a hotel im legally bound by fire regs. i could easily have been fined for not having that fire door fitted even tho it wasnt my fault as id made every effort to secure a joiner. by letting me down its put lodgers on that floor/above at risk which is why i was so upset in addition to the thousands in business i lost thru having my hotel closed. its disgusting

    the 1st joiner was recommended by the carpet fitter & is his mate. the 2nd & 3rd i got thru checkatrade, furious_customer. i didnt know abt the financial investment of tradesmen on mybuilder.com. cheers for the heads up abt that & appreciate ur replies

    thank god i could get my original joiner back. he was upset to know how id been messed abt. hes worth his weight in gold. at least i can now open to guests finally :D:D:D
     
  6. Th3Punisher

    Th3Punisher New Member

    If a ‘Tradesperson’ can turn up the next day..... I personally wouldn’t want them working for me (apart from the obvious exceptions of course).
     
  7. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Why? What are the exceptions?
     
  8. TangerineDream

    TangerineDream Active Member

    I dont know anyone who, unless they offer an emergency service, is readily available & being a tradesman, Id have to ask myself why.
     
  9. Bazza-spark

    Bazza-spark Screwfix Select

    I am happy when daylight comes and you get back in your box.
     
  10. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    You want someone to trim a fire door, lay laminate flooring, box pipes and the like so you need a handyman carpenter for those jobs, not a guy with a workshop manufactures bespoke furniture and joinery.

    It’s not an attractive package of work to the vast majority of guys and I’m not surprised you are having difficulty finding someone, split the work and you would find it easier to get it done, bearing in mind there’s a skills shortage.
     
  11. AnotherTopJob

    AnotherTopJob Screwfix Select

    It's true that trimming a door on its own isn't exactly a desirable or lucrative job.

    However the original post is more about the lack of tradesmen being reliable and true to their word. If you agree to a job and change your mind then fine, but the customer at least deserves to be informed and not ignored.
     
    Jord86 likes this.
  12. The Happy Builder

    The Happy Builder Screwfix Select

    Maybe the question should be “How should a tradesperson politely decline work or cancel a job if they no longer have time to do it, change their mind about the customer being someone they want to work for or it being a job they can actually cope with?”

    On quite a few occasions I have been to a job where the guy who was actually supposed to be doing the work turned up and sometimes even started the job, then made an excuse to leave such as saying they were going to the builders merchants but never returned.

    Quite often though potential customers don’t listen or don’t take on board what is said to then, saying ”I will try and get to you tomorrow afternoon, but may not be able to” is not a confirmed appointment for tomorrow afternoon.

    But crucial to this discussion is that quite simply a guy who will turn up and trim the door may not want or be capable of making “Bespoke furniture” and won’t come and do the door because they may think they won’t get paid until they have done everything on the customers wish list.

    So simply get a handyman carpenter to come and do the fire door THEN PAY HIM, before trying to move on and organise the less urgent work, it also gives the you as a customer the opportunity to actually see him in action and to get some idea of what his capabilities really are.
     

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