On 21 Oct 2008 at 1:14pm Arthur Broomhead wrote:
I have a small kitchen that needs the sink replacing and the worktop / draining board / cupboard below it changed. I can source all the bits - what I can't source is someone to do the job. I've had two people who have seen the job, said they'll do it and who have then disappeared without even sending the quote they promised. Can anyone help? Thanks if you can.
On 21 Oct 2008 at 2:47pm lord landport wrote:
try
PG KITCHENS
Diplocks Yard
Bishops La, Ringmer, Lewes, BN8 5LD
01273 813433
they are very good
they may not want to install someone elses bits most plumbers etc like to charge you a heafty mark up on bits
you could also try PTS on malling ind estate they have plumbers buying bits all day long they may know a good local man.
On 21 Oct 2008 at 7:22pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
If you've already had a couple of blokes look at the job, then run for the hills never to be seen again then you can surmise any (or all) of the following:
The job is a complete nightmare.
Your place is a filthy, smelly hovel.
You don't (or give the impression that you don't) have any money.
You want to supply materials thus cut the profit to be made.
Or, it may just be that you come across as being a complete pain in the aRse, but as I've not met you I couldn't comment on that one.
On 21 Oct 2008 at 9:00pm walter wrote:
I'll have to remember not to use a reliable plumber again!
On 21 Oct 2008 at 10:08pm Arthur Broomhead wrote:
"Reliable Plumber" - you're the aRse for replying with such a worthless, insulting answer. If you really are a plumber you should retire - you obviously don't want to help anyone.
I have the money. my home is clean - thank you. if the job is a "complete nightmare" an honest plumber would say so - not lie - and give me a quote!!
If a reliable and honest plumber/carpenter wants to do a good job and earn a decent amount of money for doing so, please let me have your details. Thank you.
On 21 Oct 2008 at 10:39pm Lysdexic wrote:
Give Lewes DC a ring - they keep a list of decent/reliable tradesmen.
On 21 Oct 2008 at 10:53pm Chav wrote:
Hey reliable plumbob. Have you been round my gaff? Do I know you?
On 21 Oct 2008 at 11:06pm Ex-Plumber wrote:
As an ex-plumber myself I'd have to say that Reliable Plumbers reply was spot on.
Especially the mad customer bit.
Oh, you didn't say that.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 3:45am walter wrote:
I'd have to agree with Arthur, I wouldn't employ a plumber with your attitude. No wonder this country is so bloody wet. Surely a decent person, not just decent tradesman would be up front and say he doesn't want to touch the job if it is too hard for him, or even too dirty. What happened to don't judge a book by it's cover? How can you judge whether someone has money or not? You probably shouldn't have been a plumber if you find jobs too dirty and can't deal with people properly no matter how mad they may be! Ex Plumber..maybe we don't have to ask why you are an ex!!
On 22 Oct 2008 at 9:29am Reliable Plumber wrote:
Arthur,
I gave you an honest answer, the fact that you didn't like it is your problem. Been doing this for nearly 30 years so I know when to walk away. Two plumbers came to look, both refused. Draw your own conclusions.
Walter,
I won't bother with most of the rubbish you've written, however 'How can you judge whether someone has money or not?' is pretty easy. I went to view a job in the summer for a women who wanted about 2k worth of work. Stuck to her fridge with a magnet were half a dozen red letter final demands. Oddly enough that was one I didn't follow up.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 10:34am Smiler wrote:
I recently had to get quotes for a fairly large job and some of the builders after saying they would do a price just didn't ever get back to me.
I found a fantastic builder (not the cheapest but the most professional) and the jobs been done perfectly.
I will now advise anyone against even asking those people who didn't respond to quote for them.
How can that be good for their business?
It's simple, if you don't want the job be brave enough to be honest and let the potential customer know.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 11:46am Arthur Broomhead wrote:
Thanks everyone - apart from "Reliable and Ex-Plumber" - it's the fact that they said they would quote for the job and then didn't that annoys me.
Honesty is all I'm looking for. It seems very lacking in certain quarters - as we can see from Reliable and Ex-Plumbers stupid comments. Smiler - who was your builder? Cheers.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 7:24pm MC wrote:
Ha ha... Smilers builder is very reliable, very sound and oh.... very expensive!
As an ex-plumber (who gave up the trade in 1988 due to house price crash and inability to make sufficient money form trade) I was very much in demand. After a while every tradesman will have met the client from hell.... the neurotic, flighty, keeps changing her/his mind type... or the job that is almost impossible to do (it looks like a little thing but you know it'll be problematic and unpredictable.... and therefore need to price accordingly... understanding that the client would never accept the appropriate price and justifying it would be a waste of breath).
Once you have been invited round to quote... you cannot say to the client "you're mad, I'm not going to work for you".... and instead reduce the time for the quote to a minimum and head off.... to get on with your far too busy life.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 8:50pm Spinster Of This Parish wrote:
No wonder plumbers have such a poor reputation
On 22 Oct 2008 at 11:07pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
From who Spinster? Someone who wants a top notch job done yesterday for as little money as possible then takes nine weeks (and three written reminders later) to settle the bill. You've had three people from the trade in broad agreement on here yet you hold the tabloid view. You try it dear, see how you get on.
On 22 Oct 2008 at 11:14pm MC (Ex-Plumber) wrote:
> You've had three people from the trade
errr... two actually. Sorry.
On 23 Oct 2008 at 12:44pm oldcynic wrote:
Try Weir Water plumbers, lovely people, hard working, good value, non-judgemental and quick.
As for reliable and ex-plumber - get over yourselves!
On 23 Oct 2008 at 2:09pm Arthur Broomhead wrote:
Thanks again everyone. The recommendations were much appreciated. Thanks to for "MC" and "Reliable Plumber", who haven't said anything to improve their (ex)professions' reputation and just made themselves laughing stocks.
On 23 Oct 2008 at 11:00pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
Weir water? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
On 24 Oct 2008 at 2:27am toffeeapple wrote:
I have to say I think the 'plumbers' points are valid, after all we are all familiar with the difficulties faced in our own work environments & can spot potential problem people & jobs from the onset. People should realise that good tradesmen spend years building up reliability & goodwill amongst there suppliers, this is a two way thing & leads to getting good materials delivered reliably at a good discount which helps the tradesman keep his labour charges competitive & there is nothing wrong with that. Obviously if you provide your own materials he will have to charge more for his labour to make it worth his while doing your job above any others but then he gets labeled expensive. Maybe the plumbers who came to you realised you would never accept their quotes & why would anyone want to take on a job where they will lose money? Maybe your house wasnt dirty & the job wasnt beyond them, maybe it's just that your idea of the cost was unrealistic. I do think they should have told you but I doubt they have lost any goodwill at all as if they had taken the trouble to type up a quote you would have told everyone not to use them if you regarded them as too expensive - they probably couldnt win really!
On 24 Oct 2008 at 8:42am Smiler wrote:
They could just say 'Sorry I can't do your job at the moment'
How hard is that?
On 24 Oct 2008 at 10:30am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Replacing the sink in the small kitchen of my last house was a job so awkward that it needed to be done by keyhole surgery. I didn't know whether to call a plumber or a gynaecologist. Some jobs are just nightmares.
I still think it would be nice of them to say it's a nightmare job and they don't want to know though.
On 27 Oct 2008 at 5:34am MFC wrote:
I work in the trade. I wholey understand the costing of works
Please. With the best will in the world> us guys spent a long time learning!
The "DIY" industrie advertises many ways of reducing your final bill.
Are you awair of the local waterboard buylaws?
Are you sure that pipe is the correct one to cut into?
Should I be (up until a few weeks ago) a bank manager I would suggest yoiu woul have listened to me.
There are some of us good guys out there!!
How much does it cost to run a family?
The day of the£100,000 Per plumbers are over!!!!!
We all need £200k now! (only jesting). Ask about you will find out.
On 27 Oct 2008 at 10:23am Ex-Scouser wrote:
Just read this thread with a lot of interest. As someone who has worked in the construction trade for 28 years, the biggest problem to the trade is not unreliable trades-people but unreliable CLIENTS. The sort who want a job doing but are only willing to pay buttons; those who don't really know what they want doing then change their minds halfway thru' - yet expect the tradesman to waive any charge for standing around waiting for the client to make their mind up; and the worst sort of all - those that don't pay and have no intention of paying. Please, don't respond to this by saying "take non-payers to court" - the cost of chasing a £5000 unpaid bill can be as much as 5000 if you act as an LIP, use a solicitor and the costs can quadruple - and it can take 18 months to get a court order in your favour. This all has to be taken into consideration by trades-people who do work for private clients. I would like to see a rogues gallery of non-paying debtors with names and addresses posted in from of Lewes courthouse. We are on the verge of a catastrophic recession and the return of the baseball bat and cosh as methods of debt collection will soon be upon us.
On 27 Oct 2008 at 5:39pm Arthur Broomhead wrote:
OMG! Calm Down, Calm Down. A A A A A! You would have thought even an ex-scouser, in a recession, would want any job.
On 29 Oct 2008 at 11:37am Handy, man wrote:
Truth is that there are several handymen/women around who leave no footprints on your carpets and no fag butts in the loo, give straight answers about wether they want the job and an honest quote, phone if they'll be 10 minutes late.
BUT - these are worth their weight in gold, so keep them for life, and all their friends grab hold, and they don't need to advertise.
On 29 Oct 2008 at 11:43am Local wrote:
Handy.man - I agree. We have a great bloke who's done a lot of excellent work for us and has become a good mate. I won't embarrass him by giving his name - and, as you say, he doesn't need to advertise because word of mouth is enough.
On 30 Oct 2008 at 11:46am Jennifer wrote:
We use an absolutley fab chap who recognised the artist when hanging our art on the walls (having installed our lovely bathroom and lots else). I agree about the phoning bit. If someone turns up late and has not phoned, or says they will send you a quote and does not, then that's just rude. I mean you wouldn't do that to a friend would you, so why tollerate it? I wonder if the good clients and "weight in gold" handymen find each other, leaving bad clients bad contractors (and sadly good clients who have not yet broken into the loop) to fight it out. You could try Get Things Fixed (info@getthingsfixed.com).
On 2 Nov 2008 at 4:49pm Gary wrote:
Arthur,
Have you managed to find someone yet?
I may be able to help you, if you have not.
I am a Carpenter who has fitted countless kitchens over the last 25 years, including re routing any related plumbing.
I am currently working direct for a construction company but have weekends free when I undertake private work, which also means i dont have company overheads to incorporate into quotes.
looking at the other posts here it does'nt suprise me thats the plumbers have not come back, as most wont touch any work that is not plumbing.
It could be that your plumbers might not have been able to get a carpenter to come along and sort out the carpentry side of your job. anyway, if you are still stuck let me know.
On 4 Nov 2008 at 8:32am Arthur Broomhead wrote:
Hi Gary
How can I contact you?
On 4 Nov 2008 at 6:32pm Gary wrote:
Arthur,
you can email me at gmw65@hotmail.co.uk, or call me on 07947 655540.
If you would like me to undertake the job, i can reassure you with company and private customer refs if need be.
On 4 Nov 2008 at 7:31pm Arthur Broomhead wrote:
Thanks Gary. I'll be in touch post bonfire. Cheers.
On 18 Dec 2008 at 9:54pm Gary wrote:
JOB DONE! a little more awkward than some jobs, but it's the challenges that keep you on your toes. Just to reassure the plumbers out there, there were no nightmares, just very nice people with a very nice house, and very nice coffee. The job was mainly carpentry based and the plumbers who called round should have been more professional and suggested a kitchen fitter, instead of leaving people waiting. I have to thank Google for this job, I was surfing for a new carpentry job due to company redundancies looming, and this thread popped up. The web moves in mysterious ways.
Thank you for the work Arthur, and I will call you when I have carved a new bill for the duck, work that one out folks!
Gary