Why can't I get a Carpenter - what is their problem?

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witchymand

Registered User
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I have to post this. I have rang four different carpenters over the past three weeks, all I want done is fitted wardrobes to be installed in the bedroom with a set of drawers too.
The weird thing is all the carpenters I have called are very nice on the phone and seem to fully understand what I am looking to be done in the house, and they then suggest a day but don't turn up, and don't even ring.
One guy did turn up took the measurements and said it would be no problem, and then I never heard back from him. I did try ringing him but he said he was busy all the time.
What is the story?
Are all carpenters weird or what?
I work in the Holistic field, and if someone were to ring me and ask me for a treatment, I would either say I am too booked up at the moment or just can't fit them in if I didn't have any interest, why are all these bloody carpenters nice on the phone and then completely let you down?
WEIRDOS.
 
This is a Letting Off Steam rather than a Homes and Gardens issue so has been moved. Only people with 50+ posts and one month+ registration under their belt can contribute.
 
If you are based in Dublin you could try these people, www.robeplan.ie. Firends have used them and are very happy. Mind you they supply their own wardrobes so may not be keen to do a third party's but worth a call.

Now don't get me started on plumbers ...
 
A good mate of mine is a plumber and when I once expressed amazement as to why he did this kind of thing — telling people he'd 'call round on Tuesday' when he/I knew there was no way in Hell, because he was on some other big job... guess what his reply was?
'Ah, if I said I couldn't do it they might not call me back again next time...'
Click to expand...
:eek: :eek: :eek:
 
Yes, sometimes it does seem that many self-employed tradesmen have been encouraged beyond their competence by the relatively easy business climate. There is such a huge demand for building and renovation services that they don't have to work too hard to get business.
 
From what I know, in Germany, a tradesperson wishing to practice as a sole-trader must first become a Meister (Master).

Apart from the trade competency, it also involves business training and customer relations. Personally, I think it's a brilliant idea.

It's obvious that it is a supply and demand issue and all young tradespeople aspire to practice on their own, with little or no experience of customer facing issues.

There is among some a simplistic attitude of pricing jobs they are not very interested in high, so as to get a refusal or at worst good compensation. They love the jobs which use standard materials in bulk and despise the small niggly ones (wardrobe manufacture to fit) which require good QS skills, and because of the lack of QS skills numerous hardware visits and potential losses due to bad pricing and waste material.
 
SineWave said:
From what I know, in Germany, a tradesperson wishing to practice as a sole-trader must first become a Meister (Master).
Click to expand...
How is this different from completing an apprenticeship?
 
The German system doesn't stop anyone from advertising themselves as a trade. It does however stop their work from being recognised by insurance and regulatory bodies.

Bottom line, someone who is practising as a recognised tradesperson is considered to have been trained in among other things, the business end and compliance with such.
Whether or not they turn up on time or not is a different issue, but my personal feeling is that they would be more customer oriented having invested in being a recognised sole trader.
On a free market front here, anyone can claim to be an electrician, but to submit a cert for electrical connection or to be insured they must be a fee paying member of RECI or ECSSA........so that contradicts the free market scenario?

Edit. Their other option is to pay a fee to one of these non regulatory bodies to have their work inspected for the relevant cert.
 
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