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Tradesmen : Do you trust them?

  • 12-09-2013 10:14AM
    #1
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    I find it hard dealing with most Irish tradesmen when you want a job done to a standard.

    When pricing up jobs I find they often offer a "patch things up" fix rather than actually get to the root of the problem. Probably a lot of people happy with that approach but I guess I'm more anal about such things. I want to know what's being done and it should make sense, but unfortunately lots of the time what they're saying doesn't or it conflicts with other stuff you've been told.

    This can go for many professions in my experience. Plumbers, roofers, mechanics, even the likes of people that work in IT.

    Anybody else find dealing with them very frustrating?


«1345

Comments

  • #2
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,808 ✭✭✭✭smash


    I trust no one!!!!


  • #3
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Everyone when dealing with tries to get one that can do 3 things.

    Done well
    Done Fast
    Done Cheap

    Fact is they can only get 2/3 of them and thats something that baffles a lot of customers. You see it in most industries but Tradesmen have it the worst because theyre dealing with normal people 90% of the time. And People are stupid.


  • #4
    lkionm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,407 ✭✭✭lkionm


    smash wrote: »
    I trust no one!!!!

    I trust you.


  • #5
    Primus Pilus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 ✭Primus Pilus


    Tradesman are like like any profession, you have lazy individuals and some who do a bang up job. The thing about tradesman is they set their own prices, if you're cheap and hire a someone cheap, you'll probably get a cheaply done job. No different than any service or product really.


  • #6
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    pablohoney87 wrote: »
    Everyone when dealing with tries to get one that can do 3 things.

    Done well
    Done Fast
    Done Cheap

    Fact is they can only get 2/3 of them and thats something that baffles a lot of customers. You see it in most industries but Tradesmen have it the worst because theyre dealing with normal people 90% of the time. And People are stupid.

    The problem I find is that while they may well do good work, how they talk about it and detail it seems a bit blasé.

    "Sure I'll have a look an that and fix it"
    "What you could do there is...."

    They might offer the cheapest, quickest, and usually worst solution to a problem initially but only after being pressed will they offer a proper fix.


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  • #7
    Lando Griffin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,952 ✭✭✭Lando Griffin


    Part of our house A conversion was cold so called out someone who does the cavity fill.
    He went to the ESB box and opened it stuck his biro into a hole and explained that there was no insulation the job would be nearly Euro2000 including insulating the attic.
    Got a second opinion person came with a camera scope and explained there was insulation in the cavity and only the attic needed to be done at a cost of Eur 600.
    Got a third guy who said there was insulation in the wall, and to insulate the attic and see if that improved things, he suggested that I could do it myself which I agreed, total cost for whole house around Eur 360.
    So I spent an Saturday in the attic rolling it out listening to football.
    The house is now lovely and warm and heat on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, in the winter.


  • #8
    danniemcq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,163 ✭✭✭✭danniemcq


    I usually work off other peoples recomendations,

    If i need a plumber I ask mates, same with most things like that where i wouldn't have the skills to do myself.

    I never picked someone out of a book or from an ad.


  • #9
    Frank Obnoxious Vessel
    Posts: 81,308 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Frank Obnoxious Vessel


    "You're renting aren't you? So the landlord will cover it? In that case it'll cost about 5k and my brother can supply a few parts too"
    Eh no thanks, bye now


  • #10
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    Lando Griffin wrote: »
    Part of our house A conversion was cold so called out someone who does the cavity fill.
    He went to the ESB box and opened it stuck his biro into a hole and explained that there was no insulation the job would be nearly Euro2000 including insulating the attic.
    Got a second opinion person came with a camera scope and explained there was insulation in the cavity and only the attic needed to be done at a cost of Eur 600.
    Got a third guy who said there was insulation in the wall, and to insulate the attic and see if that improved things, he suggested that I could do it myself which I agreed, total cost for whole house around Eur 360.
    So I spent an Saturday in the attic rolling it out listening to football.
    The house is now lovely and warm and heat on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, in the winter.

    That's exactly what I'm talking about.
    One issue and you basically got three different solutions.


  • #11
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Ush1 wrote: »
    The problem I find is that while they may well do good work, how they talk about it and detail it seems a bit blasé.

    "Sure I'll have a look an that and fix it"
    "What you could do there is...."

    They might offer the cheapest, quickest, and usually worst solution to a problem initially but only after being pressed will they offer a proper fix.

    They're tradesmen, hardly walking around with Masters in English Degrees. That's in no way a dig at them but the ability to describe what they are doing in Lay terms is a skill in itself. A skill most people, let alone tradesmen, have never learned.

    You could bring an engineer in to describe to you what the guy is doing if you like


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  • #12
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    Too many no show tradesmen out there

    Every one of them has a mobile so why they can't be call?

    I booked a half day annual leave, my tradesman for 2pm was a no show and when I finally got him on the phone at 7pm he turned it around as if I was being unreasonable and awkward :/

    I hear them crying on Joe Duffy show about no work but many it seems can't be arsed unless you are a big job


  • #13
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    Ush1 wrote: »
    The problem I find is that while they may well do good work, how they talk about it and detail it seems a bit blasé.

    "Sure I'll have a look an that and fix it"
    "What you could do there is...."

    They might offer the cheapest, quickest, and usually worst solution to a problem initially but only after being pressed will they offer a proper fix.

    Sounds like you may come across a bit cheap.So they feel you're always after the cheapest option, so that's what they offer you.


  • #14
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    pablohoney87 wrote: »
    They're tradesmen, hardly walking around with Masters in English Degrees. That's in no way a dig at them but the ability to describe what they are doing in Lay terms is a skill in itself. A skill most people, let alone tradesmen, have never learned.

    You could bring an engineer in to describe to you what the guy is doing if you like

    I don't think it's a skill in itself to be honest. They've been doing this kind of work for years and normally dealing with the public years. They're selling a service so piece of mind comes into it. I don't even mean extraneous detail, just concise of what the problem is, what they're doing to fix it, price of labour and materials.

    An engineer might not know what someone is doing though?


  • #15
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    strobe wrote: »
    Sounds like you may come across a bit cheap.So they feel you're always after the cheapest option, so that's what they offer you.

    How would you come across as cheap? Do you think I live in Mogadishu with rags instead of clothes?


  • #16
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Ush1 wrote: »
    I don't think it's a skill in itself to be honest.

    Well you're wrong










    to be honest


  • #17
    Sunglasses Ron
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,180 ✭✭✭Sunglasses Ron


    Tradesmen do it on your doorstep. Particularly pavers.


  • #18
    stefan idiot jones
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,518 ✭✭✭stefan idiot jones


    I'm a tradesman of twenty six years of experience, and you can trust me to....

















    Put your wifes knickers over my head the moment you have left the house.


  • #19
    Maximus Alexander
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    Ush1 wrote: »
    more anal

    Ah here, keep that filth out of AH. Do we not have a forum for this?


  • #20
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    pablohoney87 wrote: »
    Well you're wrong










    to be honest

    Tell me the problems then. People who usually struggle to articulate themselves, don't have a clue really what they're talking about. In my work I deal with tradesmen and most competent ones would have no trouble explaining what they do to a layperson.

    Most people probably aren't that interested, but someone asking a question clearly has some interest and wants to understand.


  • #21
    TheDoc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,140 ✭✭✭✭TheDoc


    There is a website that is rock solid where you can post up the job you want done and a few details, and you'll get contacted by a number of tradesmen registered to the site who will give you a quote etc. etc. and it seems like its a really good idea.

    Fella was telling me how he got a leaky roof fixed and a wall re-plastered for a fraction of what he thought it would be, and it was an excellent job. **** forget the site name now :D


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  • #22
    Agricola
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,547 ✭✭✭Agricola


    You have to get recommendations really. I got a plumber recommended to me from a friend who got the guy to do a huge overhaul in his Kitchen. Said the standard was high. And it was.

    Once or twice I have got tradesmen from an ad. I either got shoddy work which needed attention to finish it, or in one memorable case got a massive bill for work that wasnt even done. After a long dispute, I ended up paying the appropriate price.


  • #23
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    Ush1 wrote: »
    How would you come across as cheap? Do you justk I live in Mogadishu with rags instead of clothes?

    :D not quite. But some people in their language and general manner just come across as cheapskates. It's a character quality of sorts I suppose. Others I guess are so paranoid about gangster cowboy tradesmen roaming the country looking for victims to rip off that they can't help but sound cheap.

    Just a possibility .


  • #24
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    strobe wrote: »
    :D not quite. But some people in their language and general manner just come across as cheapskates. It's a character quality of sorts I suppose. Others I guess are so paranoid about gangster cowboy tradesmen roaming the country looking for victims to rip off that they can't help but sound cheap.

    Just a possibility .

    I'm honestly not that bothered about the price, more confidence in the person doing the work. Only way to have that confidence is to ask questions.

    If a tradesman thinks that's looking for the cheapest, half-baked option he's a bad businessman, simple as.


  • #25
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Ush1 wrote: »
    Tell me the problems then. People who usually struggle to articulate themselves, don't have a clue really what they're talking about. In my work I deal with tradesmen and most competent ones would have no trouble explaining what they do to a layperson.
    Problems? Its called communication and its a skill whether you think it or not.

    People genuinely have trouble communicating. And that has nothing to do with the quality of work they provide.


  • #26
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    pablohoney87 wrote: »
    Problems? Its called communication and its a skill whether you think it or not.

    People genuinely have trouble communicating. And that has nothing to do with the quality of work they provide.

    Great, well I'm saying part of their job is communicating whether you think it or not.


  • #27
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Ush1 wrote: »
    Great, well I'm saying part of their job is communicating whether you think it or not.

    Maybe from a sales point of view. Its not a skill they are taught from the beginning. But whether they can explain the problem to you or not it has no impact on the work they've done


  • #28
    Tony EH
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,967 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    Ush1 wrote: »
    Tradesmen : Do you trust them?

    No.

    We had extensive work done to our home after a serious flood and already the "work" is starting to deteriorate. This, after having to get them to redo a lot of the work when they were in the house originally!

    The toilet is leaking, the seal around the bath is coming away. The taps aren't working correctly. There's mold growing on the MDF that was used on some items.

    Irish builders are a bloody joke, with all the expense placed on the punter.

    Come back Polish builders...all is forgiven!!!


  • #29
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    pablohoney87 wrote: »
    Maybe from a sales point of view. Its not a skill they are taught from the beginning. But whether they can explain the problem to you or not it has no impact on the work they've done

    I've already said they may well do good work but you are selling a service at the end of the day. Guy could be the best plumber in the world but people might not know it if he can't answer a couple of questions about what he's actually going to do.

    I'm not looking for long drawn out conversations, as I said, this is the problem and this is the correct, long term fix. Perfect.


  • #30
    chippy81
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 39 ✭chippy81


    Ush1 wrote: »
    I'm honestly not that bothered about the price, more confidence in the person doing the work. Only way to have that confidence is to ask questions.

    If a tradesman thinks that's looking for the cheapest, half-baked option he's a bad businessman, simple as.

    Your in a minority then as I've found that most people worry about price as nuclear anything. I've also found that if you tell someone that a repair will cost say 200 but fix it properly or replacement will cost 2000 they go for cheaper option

    Some customers make you feel like your trying to rip them off if you say it costs 2000 to do it right


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  • #31
    pablohoney87
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Ush1 wrote: »
    I've already said they may well do good work but you are selling a service at the end of the day. Guy could be the best plumber in the world but people might not know it if he can't answer a couple of questions about what he's actually going to do.

    I'm not looking for long drawn out conversations, as I said, this is the problem and this is the correct, long term fix. Perfect.

    Ahem
    Ush1 wrote: »
    People who usually struggle to articulate themselves, don't have a clue really what they're talking about. In my work I deal with tradesmen and most competent ones would have no trouble explaining what they do to a layperson.


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