robby

I've been trying to get a pair of wooden driveway gates supplied and fitted for the past 2 weeks, i've emailed 6 companies, phoned 3 and been in to see 1 in person.

None of the emails have been replied to, of the 3 calls 1 was supposed to come and measure up on sunday morning - they never turned up, 1 didn't get back to me with a price as promised and the other i'm still waiting for.
The 1 i called in to see said she'd speak to her boss and get him to call, he still hasn't

I thought companies were wanting work as i keep hearing people moan about no-one spending - how can we when they don't want the buisiness

Anyone know and polish workers who can supply and fit gates as it seems the brits don't want/ need the work

RANT OVER

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

I was just saying the very same to a colleague this morning. You keep hearing these companies on the news saying how hard it is etc. and yet when you actually want something done no one wants to be bothered.

Still it's easier fot them to moan about the state of the country and immigrants taking our jobs and the likes than to actually get off their **** and do some hard work isn't it?

My absolute pet hate is contact forms on websites.... does anyone EVER read the submissions???

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Where are you?

robby

it annoys me when they can't even reply to an email which costs nothing, a phone call costs pence and takes no time to make - even if they replied to say they were too busy i'd understand

robby

Huddersfield

hodgy0_2

I will be in the exact same position in a few weeks

what types of gates are you looking at out of interest?

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Ah that explains it, they are all out rabbiting with their ferrits

robby

I'm wanting a pair of wooden T+G gates with proper mortice joints, the drive is 9ft accross and posts ar 4.5ft high
i've seen gates on ebay for £230 - £300 so i'll probably end up buying them and fitting them myself?

robby

and feeding the pidgeons in t back yard before walking t whippets

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Typical trades, not interested unless its six months work or ripping off grannies, we had the same issue with Garage Doors, one let us down three times and then dropped a note through the night before in scrawl saying he couldnt do it, basically its too much like hard work, requires skill that a lot don't actually have.

Real shortage of skilled people to do work like that, its out there.

hodgy0_2

it is a race to the bottom

we are building a low wage low skill economy

PaulC72

This country is going from being a world leader in most things to a 3rd world country which is the reverse of all the other world countries, whats going on.

Iain250

iTrader: (1)

im in the trade lads - this time of year boys are picking and choosing jobs - put it of till november and you will get it a lot cheaper
iain.

fatscoobfella1

iTrader: (1)

I have asked 4 different builders to rebuild our chimney stack..

I have the replacement chimney in stone instead of brick and apparently its 3-4 days work..

All but one never made it too the house,the last one did and said he would be back with a price.. Never seen him again

Builders have to be the worst people to get them to do anything!!!

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Having a similar issue. Asked two firms to quote for metal gates at the end of last year and neithe rone bothered so time of year didn't seem to matter.

5t.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

It's often too much like hard work for too little reward, it's not as though the men with the skills arn't out there, the problem is if a guy quotes you the true price for a real quality job then you would probably think he was having a laugh.

It would take a couple of hours out of his evening and most people would possibly say no thanks.
This sort of thing used to happen to a mate of mine all the time when he first started out, so now he will only go out to jobs that are worth his while and also picks and chooses who he works for, you learn to spot who the pains in the a$s are going to be as did i when i was self employed, and i can tell you sometimes it's better to be sat at home than out working if your not making the right money or working for some pita who may or may not pay at the end.

StickyMicky

Had the same with a fence at the old car wash, had one company put it up to the cost of £450, 2 years later the storms made it a bit wonky and i wanted some new stabilising posts put in to support it.

Original bloke came out, gave me a quote, never turned up 3 times, second bloke never turned up, third time i just did it my f*cking self.

Leslie

I think I would write to the boss of each firm personally telling them how disappointed you are with the bad manners which has been displayed.

Les

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Usually one man bands most of the time, despite the downturn there still seems to be plenty to do out there, cant say I have ever met a tradesman that isnt like a kid with ADHD when it comes to customer service and time management, a lot dont really want the work, but dont want to say no either. They seem to to work on desperation, i.e. they go in and quote, then double it and whoever will pay over the odds gets the work done, hence why I end up doing most stuff myself as I find none of it is rocket science.

Look onWatchdog every week, thats the kind of work they like to do, fleece someone for the maxumum cash for the minimum of simple work, dont seem to be that interested when its ok money for something involved, obviously they arent all like that but they manage to find one every week who is relying on people being clueless, gullible or easility intimidated.

robby

What a lot don't seem to realise is by doing a small job they can get a lot more future work by recommendation, i'd prefer to have details passed on by a happy customer rather than googling strangers on the net not knowing what their work is going to be like

robby

Well phoned another local firm up friday who said they'll come out today (sunday) and measure up, said they'd ring if they couldn't make it - and - not bloody turned up either, not even phoned!!!!!!!!!

another full sunday wasted

that's it - i'm getting the gates on ebay and fitting them myself - if firms don't want the work then sod em

zip106

It works both ways though J4CKO.
I have potential customers phone me to go and quote and when I tell them I'm booked up for the next 3 months or so, they intimate that they want it doing much sooner than that (i.e next week).

The thing is, they still want me to quote so they're getting the 3 quotes that they want to choose from - I'm sorry, but I'm not wasting my precious evenings travelling to a quote, spend a few hours working it out, typing it up, posting it back etc, just to be one of those 3 that I know they're not going to use 'cos I can't do it yesterday.

robby

well just had a phone call 10mins ago from the guy - "er sorry buy i'm running late so i can't come today - i'll come on thursday night instead" - WTF
make me stay in all day then phones at almost 8pm ??????