I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On Sat, 19 May 2012 14:15:10 +0100, Moonraker wrote:

I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.

My experience is 90% of them are indeed usless ****s that I wouldn't trust
to tie their own shoelaces. Always looking to shortcut and cheapskate, no
real pride in their work, in and out as quick as, to hell with the
longterm consequences of their shortcuts.

And that's the beauty of D-I-Y, you can do alot of stuff better yourself,
when armed with the correct knowledge.


--
Using Opera's revolutionary email client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Gardeners seem to be one of the worst. For a start at least around here so
called gardeners seem to be anyone between other jobs. They seldom know much
about plants and can just about wield a lawn mower without cutting their
toes off.
Brian

--
--
From the sofa of Brian Gaff -

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Moonraker" wrote in message
...
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an answer
phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do call back a
percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they go to the
trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need the work? At
the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have called 4 peeps to
date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I am being OT/ Sorry,
but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe they have an
explanation.
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On 19/05/2012 15:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
Gardeners seem to be one of the worst. For a start at least around here so
called gardeners seem to be anyone between other jobs. They seldom know much
about plants and can just about wield a lawn mower without cutting their
toes off.
Brian

I am a keen D-I-Yer and gardener, or was. Sadly age has started making
some jobs difficult to impossible. Ah well much better than the
alternative I guess.:-))

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

Yes, well being blind I'm a bit stuck as well.

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Moonraker" wrote in message
...
On 19/05/2012 15:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
Gardeners seem to be one of the worst. For a start at least around here
so
called gardeners seem to be anyone between other jobs. They seldom know
much
about plants and can just about wield a lawn mower without cutting their
toes off.
Brian

I am a keen D-I-Yer and gardener, or was. Sadly age has started making
some jobs difficult to impossible. Ah well much better than the
alternative I guess.:-))

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

"Moonraker" wrote in message
...
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an answer
phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do call back a
percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they go to the
trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need the work? At
the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have called 4 peeps to
date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I am being OT/ Sorry,
but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe they have an
explanation.
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

I assume that they listen to all the messages when they get home and only
call back the jobs they fancy, the easy money ones. If you're leaving a
message and saying that it's a small 1-2 hour job or it's something
unpleasant, they probably won't bother. I know a few builders and building
maintenance guys and even in the current economic climate they're able to
pick and choose their jobs.

Personally, I keep an ear out with all the people I know, I'll either know
someone who can do the job or get a recommendation for someone reliable who
has done work for a friend. I think the checkatrade website was mentioned
the other day, might be worth taking a look there.

On 19/05/2012 14:15, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.


It amazes me as well TBH. I make a point of calling back even if I
can't do what they want. It's simply polite to do so.

Advertising is my second biggest expense after the van and as you say,
why waste the money?

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however.
Because I know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 19/05/2012 18:12, The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 19/05/2012 14:15, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.


It amazes me as well TBH. I make a point of calling back even if I can't
do what they want. It's simply polite to do so.

Advertising is my second biggest expense after the van and as you say,
why waste the money?

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however. Because
I know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.



They're waiting for the message that sounds like a little old lady with
piles of money

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
On 19/05/2012 14:15, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.


It amazes me as well TBH. I make a point of calling back even if I can't
do what they want. It's simply polite to do so.

Advertising is my second biggest expense after the van and as you say, why
waste the money?

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however. Because I
know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


Years ago I used to get calls asking "How much to fix my fridge"?
When I was on a call the landline was diverted to my mobile and I paid for
the call at mobile rates.
I asked the usual questions and I could tell when they were lying to me;
this as they had spoken to other fridge repair guys and had been ****ed off.

On Sat, 19 May 2012 17:42:17 +0100, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:

"Moonraker" wrote in message
...
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back. If they do
call back a percentage make an appointment they don't keep. why do they
go to the trouble and expense of advertising if they do not want or need
the work? At the moment I am trying to get gardening work done,I have
called 4 peeps to date and only one response! As this is D-I-Y perhaps I
am being OT/ Sorry, but as there plenty of tradesmen posting here maybe
they have an explanation.
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

I assume that they listen to all the messages when they get home and
only call back the jobs they fancy, the easy money ones. If you're
leaving a message and saying that it's a small 1-2 hour job or it's
something unpleasant, they probably won't bother. I know a few builders
and building maintenance guys and even in the current economic climate
they're able to pick and choose their jobs.

Personally, I keep an ear out with all the people I know, I'll either
know someone who can do the job or get a recommendation for someone
reliable who has done work for a friend. I think the checkatrade website
was mentioned the other day, might be worth taking a look there.

That checkatrade jingle is *so* annoying.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

On May 19, 3:11*pm, MarkG wrote:

My experience is 90% of them are indeed usless ****s that I wouldn't trust
to tie their own shoelaces. *Always looking to shortcut and cheapskate, no
real pride in their work, in and out as quick as, to hell with the
longterm consequences of their shortcuts.

Tradesmen obey Sturgeon's Law. Annoying as it is, at least you know
you're better off not dealing with the ones who don't ring back.

Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this
job" estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the
job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.

Half the customers are ******s.

--
Adam

On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.



On that basis, you've got to call 64 people to get *one* half-way decent
one! Can't be *that* bad, surely?
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

"ARWadsworth" wrote in message
...
Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this
job" estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the
job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.

Half the customers are ******s.

--
Adam

Converted to a percentage = 75 %

On Sat, 19 May 2012 21:33:47 +0100, Roger Mills
wrote:

On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this
job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.



On that basis, you've got to call 64 people to get *one* half-way decent
one! Can't be *that* bad, surely?

Oh yes it can

Huge wrote:
Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;
- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this job"
* estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s
Feel free to add more steps.

Half the ones that you re-use because they did a perfect job last time
will be useless ****s this time.

That's bitten me twice.

JGH

On Sat, 19 May 2012 18:12:35 +0100, The Medway Handyman
wrote:

On 19/05/2012 14:15, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

It amazes me as well TBH. I make a point of calling back even if I
can't do what they want. It's simply polite to do so.

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however.
Because I know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.

If I am guessing what you mean many will think it normal to haggle or
try to renegotiate the rate/what was supposed to be included after the
job has started. Because that is the culture of their origins. You
almost need a lawyer to draw up a contract for changing a ball
cock,because if you don't the fact you didn't repaint the wall where
the dripping overflow stained it will be reason to withhold payment,
because by taking on the job of fixing the fault you were expected to
fix all consequences of it.

G.Harman

On Sat, 19 May 2012 21:06:12 +0100, ARWadsworth wrote:

Half the customers are ******s.

Maybe beacuse they are ****ed off with other tradesmen so start to
ask "awkward" questions to try and find the grain of wheat in the
bucket full of chaff.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 20/05/2012 11:27, wrote:
On Sat, 19 May 2012 18:12:35 +0100, The Medway Handyman
wrote:

On 19/05/2012 14:15, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

It amazes me as well TBH. I make a point of calling back even if I
can't do what they want. It's simply polite to do so.

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however.
Because I know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.

If I am guessing what you mean many will think it normal to haggle or
try to renegotiate the rate/what was supposed to be included after the
job has started. Because that is the culture of their origins. You
almost need a lawyer to draw up a contract for changing a ball
cock,because if you don't the fact you didn't repaint the wall where
the dripping overflow stained it will be reason to withhold payment,
because by taking on the job of fixing the fault you were expected to
fix all consequences of it.

G.Harman

Spot on.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call

5% of people don't remember to leave a number. 10% mumble or speak so
quickly you can't decipher it.

- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job

Half the people you give estimates to will go for a cheaper price & so
waste your time.

If someone says "can you give me an estimate, I have 3 other people
coming to price the job" I just turn it down there & then.

It costs me time & money to give estimates. That's what ****es me off
about these TV consumer shows "always get 3 estimates". Maybe for a
loft conversion or extension, but not for a set of shelves.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 20/05/2012 12:49 The Medway Handyman wrote:

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

As someone who has generally done-it-himself, this is a genuine problem.
When should I ring for a quote?

After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before 8am, but
what times are 'acceptable'?

--
F

On Sun, 20 May 2012 12:49:00 +0100, The Medway Handyman
wrote:

On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call

5% of people don't remember to leave a number. 10% mumble or speak so
quickly you can't decipher it.

- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job

Half the people you give estimates to will go for a cheaper price & so
waste your time.

If someone says "can you give me an estimate, I have 3 other people
coming to price the job" I just turn it down there & then.

It costs me time & money to give estimates. That's what ****es me off
about these TV consumer shows "always get 3 estimates". Maybe for a
loft conversion or extension, but not for a set of shelves.

It ****es you off because you are doing maybe dozens of that job every
month and you know what is a fair rate for the job. Joe Public is
planning to call out an unknown tradesman to do a one-off job of
unknown complexity (to him). If Joe knew enough about what was
involved in putting up a set of shelves and had an idea about the
right rate for the job, he probably wouldn't have had to call a
tradesman in anyway and he'd have done it himself. If he hasn't got
that experience then the only way he's going to find out if someone is
taking him for a sucker is to ask a lot of people and hope that they
aren't all taking him for a sucker.

I've got round this by producing a standardised price list for pretty
well everything I do. It works on the swings and roundabouts principle
that if I do the job often enough it will average out at a reasonable
return overall.

Nick

On Sun, 20 May 2012 11:27:13 +0100, wrote:

... by taking on the job of fixing the fault you were expected to fix
all consequences of it.

As an experience tradesman one would surely used wording similar to
"Replace faulty ball cock only" in the quote/estimate(*). Then when
you arrive at the job and spot the staining check with the client if
they want that "made good" as well renegociating the price at that
point before proceeding.

(*) Some estimates/quotes I've had have been so open you could drive
a whole fleet of buses through them. The worst is something like
"works as disccused" apart from being able to say almost anything was
"discussed" it doesn't inspire any confidence that the trader was
paying any attention in the first place and may even have got jobs
mixed up...

--
Cheers
Dave.

F news@nowhere wrote:

On 20/05/2012 12:49 The Medway Handyman wrote:

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

As someone who has generally done-it-himself, this is a genuine problem.
When should I ring for a quote?

After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before 8am, but
what times are 'acceptable'?

Between 8 and 6. Up until 8pm Mon-Thurs. is generaly acceptable, but
working hours are best, as my diary will always be near to me. Sundays
only for emergencies.

Someone ****ed me off so much a few weeks ago, by calling me on a Sunday
afternoon, that I told them I didnt want the job I was meant to be
starting a week later.
That was the last straw from them, I was booked to do 3 days work, and
they were paying a pitiful day rate. I'm busy at the mo, but said I
would do it as they are friends of friends.
We agreed what I was to do, they kept adding bits on, I kept saying i
cannot do it all in 3 days. They wanted some doors. They said Wickes
were out of stock, I said why not try Howdens (I have an account with
them). Then behind my back, they went to Howdens and bought the doors,
on my account. The first thing I knew about it was when the Howdens rep
rang me up to ask if it is alright to give them the doors.

And then, of course, I was going to be fitting the 6 new doors in the 3
days too.

So, they called me on the Sunday afternoon, "B+Q have a 30% off sale,
shall we buy this 10kw shower?"
No, I said, I can get it cheaper., "OK, if you can buy it, you can fit
it when you come next week" I said it wasnt that simple, as they'll need
a new cable, and RCD protection. "OK, do that when you are here"

So my 3 days at £85 / day had turned into 6 days, and there was no way i
could fit in those extra 3 days without annoying other customers I had
booked in.
So they got the boot.




--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

In article , A.Lee
writes
F news@nowhere wrote:

On 20/05/2012 12:49 The Medway Handyman wrote:

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

As someone who has generally done-it-himself, this is a genuine problem.
When should I ring for a quote?

After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before 8am, but
what times are 'acceptable'?

Between 8 and 6. Up until 8pm Mon-Thurs. is generaly acceptable, but
working hours are best, as my diary will always be near to me. Sundays
only for emergencies.

It's a difficult one even for callers trying to be considerate, I've
tried to avoid the working day for small traders as I figured it would
take them away from the job they were being paid for. 6pm is out as they
might be sitting down to their dinner and 7pm is starting to be family
time.

For that reason I've either gone for 5/5:30 to catch the run down at the
end of the day or 6:30 to hopefully miss dinner but not be too late.

That said I'd probably try lunchtime now, poss catch them on a break or
leave a message.

And yes, I do think too much.

rest of good stuff noted and saved, ta
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Sat, 19 May 2012 21:06:12 +0100, ARWadsworth wrote:

Half the customers are ******s.

Maybe beacuse they are ****ed off with other tradesmen so start to
ask "awkward" questions to try and find the grain of wheat in the
bucket full of chaff.


I have talked to two roofers about a retile+insulation.

The first was helpful - but was a bit vague about how to handle a sudden
downpour - and thought some 5mm thick "space foil" funky stuff was as good
as severla inches of celotex. I checked - it wasn't.

The second one said a load of stuff, and when I said some stuff (techincal -
had been researching the area), he said some different stuff that agreed
with me and contradicted the first set of things he's said. The BS meter
went off so that was that.

The only good paid professionals I have ever had were a plasterer who did a
load of skimming - he was helpful, especially about price - told me exactly
how he'd like the first application of PVA done so I wouldn't have to pay
him to do it (effectively wasting a day of his time at my expense doing no
actual plastering).

The other was a floor tiling job where the bloke was delighted to discuss
the finer points of products, appraise my previous wall tiling work and
offer some excellent tips if I wanted to save time on any future floor work
I might do myself - a real craftsman...
--
Tim Watts

Huge wrote:

On 2012-05-19, Roger Mills wrote:
On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this
job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.



On that basis, you've got to call 64 people to get *one* half-way decent
one! Can't be *that* bad, surely?

Not far off. I reckon on 16 to get a decent one. Mind you, I have a
builder, chippy & plumber now, so that's one call.



When the upstairs flat flooded my old flat mid sale (*******!) and I had to
get a new ceiling in the kitchen (5m2) fast, I had to call about 20-25
plasterers just to get one to even come out. And they knew it was an
insurance job (= price scale C, where A is discount, B is normal). This was
South London - a reasonably dense area with a lot of local plasterers.

However, he was efficient and got it pretty nice in short order. And had to
do it again (for extra) because the **** upstairs (who was a steaming ****
artist) flooded a second time. I did extract the insurance excess from the
plonker in cash, eventually...


--
Tim Watts

On Sat, 19 May 2012 18:20:36 +0100, stuart noble
wrote:

There are certain people I don't call beck deliberately however. Because
I know in advance that they will not want to pay my rates.

Other traders will know what I mean.



They're waiting for the message that sounds like a little old lady with
piles of money

I don't think TMA would sound like that. Unless he's Matilda at the
weekends.

On Sun, 20 May 2012 11:27:13 +0100, wrote:


If I am guessing what you mean many will think it normal to haggle or
try to renegotiate the rate/what was supposed to be included after the
job has started. Because that is the culture of their origins. You
almost need a lawyer to draw up a contract for changing a ball
cock,because if you don't the fact you didn't repaint the wall where
the dripping overflow stained it will be reason to withhold payment,
because by taking on the job of fixing the fault you were expected to
fix all consequences of it.

Bingo.
Tight-fisted, fussy arseholes.
For those of uncertainty, I'm not referring to any particular ethnic
group, as tight-fisted, fussy arseholes can be found anywhere. I weed
them out early on, as my radar starts beeping at me. It's been an
expensive learning process.

On 20/05/2012 13:45 A.Lee wrote:

Fnews@nowhere wrote:

On 20/05/2012 12:49 The Medway Handyman wrote:

10% of calls are after 9pm, before 8am or on Sundays.

As someone who has generally done-it-himself, this is a genuine problem.
When should I ring for a quote?

After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before 8am, but
what times are 'acceptable'?

Between 8 and 6. Up until 8pm Mon-Thurs. is generaly acceptable, but
working hours are best, as my diary will always be near to me. Sundays
only for emergencies.

Thanks, that's useful.

--
F

On 20/05/2012 14:32 fred wrote:

It's a difficult one even for callers trying to be considerate, I've
tried to avoid the working day for small traders as I figured it would
take them away from the job they were being paid for. 6pm is out as they
might be sitting down to their dinner and 7pm is starting to be family
time.

That was my thinking, hence the question.

--
F

On 19 May 2012 19:50:12 GMT, Huge wrote:

On 2012-05-19, Moonraker wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want this job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

I'd say it's a lot more than half. I've rarely even got to the
"getting an estimate stage", especially with plumbers. The smaller
the job the worse it is.

I DIY most things but sometimes I lack the skills or tools. And
sometimes the job needs doing in less than a year ;-)
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) If a man stands in a forest and no woman is around
(")_(") is he still wrong?

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call

5% of people don't remember to leave a number. 10% mumble or speak so
quickly you can't decipher it.

Caller ID means it's usually easy to find out who's called. I've had people
ringing back, without me leaving any sort of message.

(But in general, not just tradesmen, if you do manage to speak to someone
and they promise to call back, nineteen times out of twenty, they
won't.)

--
Bartc

F wrote:
After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before
8am, but what times are 'acceptable'?

Nowadays I always email. It allows them to deal with it in their
own time and it doesn't interupt them in the middle of a job or
the middle of Corrie.

Well, I say "them". I'm down to just a plumber now. Lost a
roofer, a plasterer, a builder. I've used the plumber for
more than 15 years, so him & his team I can trust to stay
ok, and they're 'leccies as well so they can take over
when my knees finally give out. But I'm back to square
one looking for a builder again.

What annoys me is that I need tradesmen not because I
don't know what I'm doing, but because I no longer
have the physical strength to do the work. It doubly
annoys me when I come home from earning the money to
pay a tradesman and find they've made a cackhanded
mess of the job.

(eg: written specification: "break up concrete, redo
whole yard in tarmac". Come home. They're about to
tarmac /over/ the knackered concrete.
written specification: "straighted path edging so is
vertical". Come home. Path edging smashed up and
dumped in skip. Replaced with concrete highway kerbs.)

JGH

On 21/05/2012 16:20, jgharston wrote:
F wrote:
After 9pm would seem to be an obvious no-no, as would before
8am, but what times are 'acceptable'?

Nowadays I always email. It allows them to deal with it in their
own time and it doesn't interupt them in the middle of a job or
the middle of Corrie.

Well, I say "them". I'm down to just a plumber now. Lost a
roofer, a plasterer, a builder. I've used the plumber for
more than 15 years, so him& his team I can trust to stay
ok, and they're 'leccies as well so they can take over
when my knees finally give out. But I'm back to square
one looking for a builder again.

What annoys me is that I need tradesmen not because I
don't know what I'm doing, but because I no longer
have the physical strength to do the work. It doubly
annoys me when I come home from earning the money to
pay a tradesman and find they've made a cackhanded
mess of the job.

(eg: written specification: "break up concrete, redo
whole yard in tarmac". Come home. They're about to
tarmac /over/ the knackered concrete.
written specification: "straighted path edging so is
vertical". Come home. Path edging smashed up and
dumped in skip. Replaced with concrete highway kerbs.)

JGH
I also prefer email, however they do not even reply to those! I'm
pleased to say I have now found what I want. A friend used this 2 man
company and found them good. I phoned, they came the next day and gave
me an acceptable price, so I signed them up there and then. I have the
added benefit that they did an excellence job for my friend. It's not
what you know but who you know, how very true.

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On 21/05/2012 16:20 jgharston wrote:

Nowadays I always email. It allows them to deal with it in their
own time and it doesn't interupt them in the middle of a job or
the middle of Corrie.

That would be OK, and a lot easier, if they all used email (or text) but
a lot don't.

I also find email and text 'passive' in that they can 'forget' to
respond or not find the message for a couple of weeks. There's nothing
like live voice contact.

--
F

In message op.wekub8jegtk8fg@hugh-lap, Hugh - Was Invisible
writes
On Sat, 19 May 2012 21:33:47 +0100, Roger Mills
wrote:

On 19/05/2012 20:50, Huge wrote:
On 2012-05-19, wrote:
I am sick and tired of replying to adverts for services, getting an
answer phone, leaving a message, then getting no call back.

Huge's rule of tradesperson halfs;

- Half the people you call won't return the call
- Half the people who return the call won't turn up.
- Half the ones who turn up won't submit an estimate.
- Half the ones who estimate will submit a "we don't really want
this job"
estimate.
- Half the ones who submit a sensible estimate can't actually do the job
- Half the people you commission to do the job will be useless ****s

Feel free to add more steps.



On that basis, you've got to call 64 people to get *one* half-way
decent one! Can't be *that* bad, surely?

Oh yes it can

This is uk.d-i-y

Do you want to take this thread to uk.get-a-man-in


--
geoff