[AlaninCarlisle]

Having been in business most of my life, I have to shake my head in disbelief at some local tradesmen.

How on earth do some of them stay in business? Their customer care habits are abysmal.
Example: Last weekend I needed a plumber so I phoned the guy who'd done good work for me in the past. No answer so I assumed he was away for the weekend and left a message and phoned him again on Monday and left a message. Again no answer so called him again on Wednesday and again left a message. No answer as of today so I engaged another plumber who is coming to see me this weekend. Half an hour ago, the original plumber called and unbelievedly was upset when I told him I'd found someone else.

Is it like this where you live?

[Lardman]

Worse. If at all possible I avoid them, since everything started to be regulated and your forced to use a <cough> tradesperson service levels have gone right down. I don't want to burst your bubble but I'd hold off praising the new plumber until he's at least turned up.

In years gone by I had collected a number of useful contacts where work was done on a quid pro quo basis where you expect a degree of "I'll fit you in-ness" but it's really not acceptable as a paying customer.

[GraciesGran]

Unfortunately yes.  Left a message for a highly recommended electrician, no reply after a fortnight. A chance remark in the changing room at the swimming pool got me the number of an electrician who must be about 250.  He fitted us in, replaced our electric shower, tidied up,made a fuss of the dog and after 3 weeks of nagging I got an invoice.

He's since been back and done a couple of other jobs.  The plumber he recommended, won't see 60 again, is a delight even if he sings ABBA songs out of tune all day. 

[mrs bouquet]

They are all the same down here as well.   Thought I would get a person to clean the patio.   He rocked up about 45 mins later, along with wife and baby asleep in nice shiny new car.    He was good looking with his slicked back hair and his whitened teeth.
Came down and had a look, £550.  I nearly fell over, and said I cannot afford that.  He asked me what I wanted to pay!!.   On the back foot, I said £400.   Ok, he said thats fine.  Yes I'll do it for that, if you recommend me !
It will take less than a day.   My water and leccy.     No way.

[Lardman]

Thought I would get a person to clean the patio. ... Came down and had a look, £550. 

How much  You can buy a very nice pressure washer or lots of wet and forget for that amount.

[Growster...]

Unfortunately yes.  Left a message for a highly recommended electrician, no reply after a fortnight. A chance remark in the changing room at the swimming pool got me the number of an electrician who must be about 250.  He fitted us in, replaced our electric shower, tidied up,made a fuss of the dog and after 3 weeks of nagging I got an invoice.

He's since been back and done a couple of other jobs.  The plumber he recommended, won't see 60 again, is a delight even if he sings ABBA songs out of tune all day.

GGran, I don't know how far you are from Lewes, but Orange Badge have been fantastic for showers etc!

If you want more, by all means PM me, and I'll give you more info!

[GraciesGran]

Growster, thank you.

[jezza]

Hello I've recently had an elderly lady ask me to give her a price to trim the edges of her lawn  20feet × 10feet the man who cuts it leaves a 3 inch wide strip round the top of the lawn and doesnt edge it ,I said £30 mow and edge she asked if that was just the edging I said no the mower would do the top as I mowed the lawn ,I'd cut the edges before I mowed ,other guy charged £200  just for mowing as he uses a honda mower,i dont think I'm charging enough     jezza

[AlaninCarlisle]

£200 just for mowing a lawn? My front lawn is 30 metres by 25 metres and it takes me 40 minutes with my Honda mower, and I'm 80 next month!

[Growster...]

£200 just for mowing a lawn? My front lawn is 30 metres by 25 metres and it takes me 40 minutes with my Honda mower, and I'm 80 next month!

A dear friend locally payed £60.00 for his lawn, and now he's said 's*d' it, and bought a decent self-propelled mower (battery), and it'll pay for itself in a few weeks!

He's 85...

[Subversive_plot]

I count myself as fortunate.

I can do some electrical, plumbing, and carpentry work myself. For larger jobs, I have three plumbers, a painter, a couple carpenters, and an electrician that do good work, and don't rob me. Ditto a good mechanic, though I do oil changes myself.

For appliances, we have Mr. King; we call him our appliance "faith healer".  He is very good at diagnosing problems and fixing them, but on several occasions, appliances he has come to look at spontaneously start working! He charges a basic (fair) service call fee for such faith healing visits   . Other neighbors have similar experiences with him.

[Subversive_plot]

£200 just for mowing a lawn? My front lawn is 30 metres by 25 metres and it takes me 40 minutes with my Honda mower, and I'm 80 next month!

A dear friend locally payed £60.00 for his lawn, and now he's said 's*d' it, and bought a decent self-propelled mower (battery), and it'll pay for itself in a few weeks!

He's 85...

Mr. G, I also do the lawn work. I have a gasoline-powered Cub-Cadet mower, it is self-propelled, meaning that I propel it myself  .

I'm hoping it continues to run as well as it has so far, and lasts my lifetime. If I ever have to replace it though, it will likely be with an electric.

[jezza]

Hello heres another rip off a local "landscaper"got a call from a customer asking for a hedge to be cut  £450 before we leave the house he said plus £20 hour  plus petrol and tipping charges the hedge is 10 yards long  he was told where to go by the customer,its booked in with me  for end of August at £1,50 a running yard and all the clippings shredded   jezza

[Subversive_plot]

Yes, we have some rip-off "landscapers" here as well. Several years ago, my in-laws were taken advantage of. They were charged $700 to plant pansies. The company did nothing more than rip open a few bags of potting soil, dump them on top of the ground, and stick pansies in the soil. No bed preparation, nothing. The plants all died about the same time that the check cleared.

If my in-laws had asked me, I would have done the labor for free!

[jaydig]

It seems that these days good, reliable and reasonable tradespeople are like hen's teeth.  We have been very lucky lately with the people who have done work for us, but it's always a worry when you have to get someone in to do a job that, years ago, we would have done ourselves, but now it's beyond us.