1966 Austin Cooper S

1965 Triumph TR4A

1965 Triumph Spitfire

aka:  [FS] Big_Joe!

I am sure it is similar elsewhere in that there are plenty of cowboys who, if they get offered more profitable work, take it and leave you in the lurch. I know that in Florida, when houses were going up in value every week, it was impossible to get a person to do any repair work on your house, they were all doing new builds. My brother had nightmare scenarios with guys starting a remodel job and then going off to do other jobs. never showing up and him finding out they had 10 or 12 jobs on the go. i'd rather someone said they were too busy than take the job on and not start.

My Carpenter, 140 quid cash a day, I would leave him too it, We would talk in the morning and I would pay him when I got home from work or leave the cash, he just stopped coming around! I god another guy in, cash as well, every job he did I had to redo, completely useless and a liar, I ended up finishing the work myself. I could go on but you know the story.

peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

I would agree with that observation except the difficulty begins with getting someone out to even quote the job in the first place... other than the fact I'm an individual homeowner and not a company, there isn't much else to characterize me by...

I have a small construction project going on and I'm having to deal with it remotely. So how did I do it? The code inspector who granted me the permit gave me an estimate and I hired "his son" as the contractor. I expect I'm paying about a 10-15% premium, but the work is getting done quickly and I'm guranteed to meet code... ;-)

Bill

Looking at it from the other side, there are some customers around that contractors just don't want to work for.
When I ran a service department for a national comany, we had a few that we knew we could only send an installation team or engineer out to once...
Whether it was interfering with the workmen, never ever being satisfied with a finished job, changing spec halfway despite a written and signed contract being in place, unreasonable demands, or just talking too much, some customers are not worth dealing with.

Some of the tales I could tell would make you hair curl.

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

the good thing is that I have learned quite a few trades on my own while waiting for someone to come do some work. I can lay some mean tile. I built (even though I knew woodworking) a nice fireplace mantle as well. I am going to try some roofing as I can't pay someone to do it.

Peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

Wow, Pete you need to move to Canada.

In the last six months I have had all new flooring (laminate, carpet & lino ), a new Heat Pump/AC unit, furnace, two hot water tanks, one bathroom remodeled including tile surround, bathtub, vanity, sinks & toilets, 200 amp power drop upgrade which required a new panel & a City crew to come and turn the power off & back on, and a new roof (which was stripped and replaced in three days). All of this was done on time and on budget.

Next projects include all new roof guttering, double garage floor slab to be formed, poured and finished. Closing in the double garage and installing two more over head doors. I already have firm dates and contractors to do the work.

I have been truly blessed with the great people that I have contracted ............ they have made all of the renos stress free.

Terry 

If you're not on the edge............ you're taking up to much space.

Nearly 4 months ago, my neighbor contracted a company to redo the kitchen. After what seemed like a thousand phone calls, trips to the stores to make the corrections (after they brought the wrong cabinet doors),calls to the owner of the contracting company to find out if anyone would ever come to do the work, the crew arrived!

7am till 6pm, job complete. Yes, that's right, one day, all done.

I have often wondered how long these guys sit outside the 7-11 eating breakfast and sucking down coffee.

Now I know. How do they pay there bills?

The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long After The Sweetness of Low Price Is Forgotten !           

EVIL PREVAILS WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING.

BTW, 2 guys had wads of pound notes 2 inches thick after unloaded full white vans of copper.

peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

Hi Pete - hey they can be bribed up to a certain degree, but they're not STUPIC!

So many dodgey cowboy builders feature on spy camera programmes nowadays, you'd have thought their estimates would include a TV appearance fee.

Clubman & 1275GT - its hip to be square!

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

We're having new drainage and block paved driveway currently being constructed, and I'm pleased to say that our contractors are really super. Polite, conscientious and keep working all day long.
Its easy - keep a steady flow of tea and coffee coming, and they're happy!
The lads'll do anything for a bacon butty...

Clubman & 1275GT - its hip to be square!

People are like slinkeys; they dont really serve a purpose but you cant help laughing when one falls down the stairs.

I've noticed the same thing with contractors... it either means there is more work than contractors (meaning there is an unfulfilled need out there) or... well it can really only mean that... that there is more work than available contractors. Otherwise they'd be scrambling for every potential job.

 Bill

Nobody wants to work, they just want the money..

Last year I decided to have a new swimming pool built.  I did my research and came up with a design that I liked.  Then I sat sown and drew up all of the necessary plans, including cross sectional views and plot plans before calling on about seven different swimming pool contractors for bids.  Of the seven that I originally contacted, five actually took the time to meet with me, two of them declined on the spot, and the other three never even called back.  Go figure.

It might have been because I knew "too much."  At work I get to work with contractors a lot, sometimes too much.

Michael Abeita
mikea@audioexpressusa.com
 

I could never live in Italy, the driving was just too insane. Lovely place and great food but the killer instinct was way to strong.

cheers. peter

No more cars left, Westpaminis is now just a memory, Good luck to all those hard working dealers left out there, We can tell you its not easy. We have fully enjoyed meeting all the fine folks we have in the business.

Make it idiot proof, and someone will make a better idiot....

Peter, Peter, Peter, you should have stayed in Italy. Nothing is open right now. The whole country is gone, to where, I do not know, but it is beautiful driving on the highway.

They are not picking up the trash, either (there is a shock). Just burn it in the streets. I think it is a NATO plot to have the winds contaminate the Rusky troops in Georgia. Wait, they have been doing it for years, that cannot be it......