seraphim Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Bit of a moan (my first!) here. Are we being unrealistic in expecting tradespeople to: 1, turn up when they say they will 2, Quote us for the work 3, DO the work they quote for, and not change the job halfway to what they feel like doing? 4, do the work properly 5, get paid and go away, returning only if there is an issue with a warranty? is this unrealistic? So far we've had out: Tree surgeon Locksmith Painter Roofer Air Conditioning Electrician Solar Installer TV Antenna repair man (don't even go there, suffice to say a complete rip-off merchant!) None have just done what they quoted OR turned up when they said (are 3 hour lunches and leaving your apprentice on the job normal, then expecting to earn $70 plus per hour (or $170 per hour in the case of the aerial repair guy!)? Is it better to look for a UK tradie? are they generally better? I had to explain v=i/r to our solar installer so that doesn't bode well! We've got a couple of big renovation projects coming up so don't want these hassles then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echidna66 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Australian "tradies" are a total rip off..They have had it far to good for to long...I do everything myself now or I bring my relative over from the Philippines to do any work that needs doing..He does a good job, works hard,doesnt whinge and whine and I pay him a fraction of what the rip off "tradies" charge.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echidna66 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I would say the "tradesmen" in the UK are 100 times better and not such a blatant rip off as the Aussie "tradies"..stupid name.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Maybe you have just been unlucky, VERY unlucky judging by your list of woes! I remember seeing a doco in the UK once about the experiences of two householders who had used British and Polish builders, and both were unhappy with the results. One said "I will NEVER use a Polish builder again' and the other said 'I will NEVER use a British builder again.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingbacksoon Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I agree with Seraphim and Echidna - I watch shows like "The Block" and "House Rules" and have a good old chuckle to myself as I sit here waiting (yet again!) for the electrician / builder / plumber to turn up when they are supposed to. Renovating my home has been a very, very frustrating (and expensive) business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I've never had a particular problem with tradesman here and I've done a fair bit of work on my house and investment properties over the years. I've no idea where they come from, though. I don't make a decision on who to call based on their place of origin. Never noticed that one nationality over another is any better or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I had to explain v=i/r to our solar installer so that doesn't bode well! Especially when V = I x R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seraphim Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 Especially when V = I x R. LOL, I know! keyboard typo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Like choosing a good butcher or green grocer, You go by word of mouth, check other work they have done. If they won't give examples of other work, don't use them. Ask people in the street who they have used. Once you find one you like, continue to use them. It then becomes a mutually positive relationship. You have a tradie you can trust and they know they will have more work in the future. Also, if you know a good sparkie they can generally recommend a plumber, roofer, brickie, chippy they know and trust themselves. And vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 You have a tradie you can trust and they know they will have more work in the future. . There's the catch 22. Because they've got their regular customers, they don't need to advertise. So the ones who advertise, don't have regular customers. I often think it's more difficult to find a good auto garage than a good doctor, and probably more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Why the ohms law test....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 In a place like Sydney, the tradie could be from anywhere in the world. The NRMA bloke who came to change my battery was from Lebanon. The sparky I saw in the garage was a Pommie. The sparky who came to my friend's house last year was Italian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 We had pretty good experiences with Geelong tradies when we had our bathroom renovated - but that was probably because my wife works in house building and we only used ones employed by her employer so they couldn't really stuff us around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 A tradies the same animal whether he's English or Aussie. In the UK we used to either do stuff ourselves or if we had to use a plumber sparkie etc. it was someone we knew who we would pay cash to. No different here. My sons a sparkie and his apprenticeship and training were pretty good. He's a good worker and works hard. He's on a FIFO job now and earns very good money for what he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Why the ohms law test....? To test for a minimum level of competence? I know that you don't really need to know it to fit panels to the roof. And most installers realise that there's a maximum allowed cable length from panel to inverter, and size of cable etc. But is it too much for them to know _why_ these technical details are important? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 To test for a minimum level of competence? I know that you don't really need to know it to fit panels to the roof. And most installers realise that there's a maximum allowed cable length from panel to inverter, and size of cable etc. But is it too much for them to know _why_ these technical details are important? I would have thought you would be more interested in their mechanical skills and whether they could screw a bolt the right way. They were only installers and may not have even been sparkies. I doubt whether an apprentice trained sparkie would be doing solar panel installs, the money wouldn't be good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I would have thought you would be more interested in their mechanical skills and whether they could screw a bolt the right way. Well, that leads me to another point, especially having just read your other post about "the kids of today" vs "our generation". I spent about 10 mins showing my son and his pal how to use a ratchet spanner. Maybe it's because we all have digital watches, but the direction of clockwise and anti-clockwise wasn't always well understood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Well, that leads me to another point, especially having just read your other post about "the kids of today" vs "our generation". I spent about 10 mins showing my son and his pal how to use a ratchet spanner. Maybe it's because we all have digital watches, but the direction of clockwise and anti-clockwise wasn't always well understood. Know what you mean mate. I grew up taking my push bike to pieces just to see how things worked and using mechano as a kid. I though all boys knew how to use tools and a spanner. Wasn't till I started doing a bit of work on the cars with the son that I realised his mechanical skills needed a bit of work. We've done quite a few jobs now though that have saved him a lot of money and he's got a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flybyknight Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 We the aussie population are what's wrong with Aussie tradies. I see whole estates of crap houses, thrown up not to code and what happens? people pay anyway, top dollar too! If you were a tradie and could sell shite for the price of gold, you'd have to admit it'd be pretty tempting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 A couple of years ago,we decided to contact some painters and decorators.We needed a specialised job in the loungeroom.We rang 3 different people for quotes,and spoke to our neighbour across the road who is a p&d.None of the 3 people turned up to give up a quote!!!!!And we're supposed to be in a recession?? The guy across the road did quote us,we agreed to give him the job,then he made upteen excuses for 6 mths why he could'nt do the job.We ended up You Tubing how to do the specialised job for the loungeroom and ended up doing it ourselves!Did a good job too and saved a small packet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srg73 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 From what I see and my experience thus far, complacency is the biggest problem. If the market will pay a plasterer more than a project manager on site then you know the balance is out. The trades seem to think they can't be done without and yes they will cut corners, negotiate on price and provide a 2nd rate service all the time they believe they can get away with it. Simple rule, never pay the buggers in full until you are happy with the end result, you are employing them and if they have done a fair job pay up. If they are not prepared to play by these rules then move onto the next. Prices here are stupid and trades need to be knocked down a few pegs especially when you consider labourers are on circa $70 a day.....why should a trade go for $4-500 a day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearlythere1 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 We had our whole house renovated in the UK. got to be said, they were all local, found through friends, and they were all crap. Nothing was ever done on time, the plumber forgot to fit two radiators, including the pipes!! I'm no plumber, but I know when a room needs a radiator, especially when you removed one from there earlier.. The electrician still hasn't finished, gave up on him about a year ago.. :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisbane Bri Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Australian tradesmen turn up when they like even though they have given you a time. I have a rental house that my daughter used to live in. Told guy giving me a quote to do some gardening to phone me 5 minutes before they got there so I could meet them round there. They turned up 2 hours before the time they said, didn't phone me. My daughter rang me and said two guys had turned up to look at the garden. I rushed round there to meet them. My daughter said she offered them a drink while they waited and one said a beer would be nice. Hence I didn't use their services. Same with the guy fitting security screen. told him I would meet him there at 9am so he could fit them. I went to the rental house at 8.55am and he had just finished fitting them. Guy giving me a quote for a repair on the roof at my house. I will be in Monday after 1pm so you can come any time after then. Monday morning out driving to my first job at 8.30am. Phone call from roofing guy "hi, I'm on my way should be at your house at 9am". Me in reply "I told you after 1pm and I want to be there because I have dogs". Roofer "be alright mate won't disturb the dogs". Australian tradesmen, you generally need them from time to time so you just have to put up with their attitudes and if you find a good one you're lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.