Rant - British Workmen | Swinging Heaven

1 May 2004

:x :x
Full blown rant mode:
What the f*cks up with British workmen, don't they want to work?
I am still waiting for the effing builder to turn up 6 weeks after he promised and being put off with vague excuses. Would get another one but they are all "busy". Believe that and you'll believe anything. It's only a half day job that's needed if that.
I've also asked the carpet cleaner ten days ago to come in and "do the lounge carpet". Has he turned up. Has he f*ck!! The worst bit is he's a friend and I know that he spent 2 days last week just playing Command & Conqueur on his computer.
:x :x :x

1 May 2004

Quote by JQL

:x :x
Full blown rant mode:
What the f*cks up with British workmen, don't they want to work?
I am still waiting for the effing builder to turn up 6 weeks after he promised and being put off with vague excuses. Would get another one but they are all "busy". Believe that and you'll believe anything. It's only a half day job that's needed if that.
I've also asked the carpet cleaner ten days ago to come in and "do the lounge carpet". Has he turned up. Has he f*ck!! The worst bit is he's a friend and I know that he spent 2 days last week just playing Command & Conqueur on his computer. :x :x :x

Looks like you will have to face the facts, The British Builder is generally as waste of time. Hence the boom in DIY shops. Near me a builder started work on two new houses last autumn, as soon as the bad weather came along work stopped and no-one appeared for four months. When we got a sunny day recently, two of his men had a walk around the site, did nothing and went off. Seeing as how these houses are being advertised at Â£275,000 you would think he would at least have some incentive to get the job done. No chance.
I think your best bet would be to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in, if you can.
Best of luck.
Harry0

1 May 2004

You'd best not watch "Builders from Hell", or you might end up glad that they haven't turned up :shock: wink

1 May 2004

Find Builders that are recognised by the FMB (Federation of Master Builders) and if they are not doing what they say they will then you can report them....
I'm such a bitch sometimes!! :twisted:

1 May 2004

We have almost given up hope with our builder. He's also a friend though which does make it very difficult.
Almost five months ago we asked him to get us some internal doors. We needed to replace nine doors in total and he was to get them for us at trade prices. The retail price for each door was around each and he told us he could get them for us at a cost of Â£14 per door so quite a substantial saving.
He said due to his work load he couldn't fit them for us but we are happy to do that ourself. It's just a simple case of paying for the doors and collecting them.
We are still waiting for the doors and despite repeated phone calls etc he still has not got them yet rolleyes

As with most British builders, he is always "snowed under with work", mobile phone turned off etc, and yet he is often at home during the day watching tv . . . .
I think generally speaking builders are a law unto themselves confused

1 May 2004

If you weren't so far away, JQL, I'd come and sort you out myself... I've got a City and Guilds in Carpentry. wink

Hxx

1 May 2004

Quote by harry0
Seeing as how these houses are being advertised at Â£275,000 you would think he would at least have some incentive to get the job done.

Chances are that they are making more money each day by not completing the houses with the way prices are going. What's the betting they are waiting for the market to reach tolerance of Â£275k or that the prices will go up later. Something to do with shafting the public, I think :!:

1 May 2004

Well i have had loads of bad experiences with trade folk (of the diy sort),but recently i converted my heating and had a plumber in. He was a dream to have in the house,always punctual,receipts for everything so i could see a breakdown of costs,cleaned up after himself and the job was done to a very high i'd just like to say thanks colin the plumber! x

1 May 2004

Quote by JQL

:x :x
Full blown rant mode:
What the f*cks up with British workmen, don't they want to work?
I am still waiting for the effing builder to turn up 6 weeks after he promised and being put off with vague excuses. Would get another one but they are all "busy". Believe that and you'll believe anything. It's only a half day job that's needed if that.
I've also asked the carpet cleaner ten days ago to come in and "do the lounge carpet". Has he turned up. Has he f*ck!! The worst bit is he's a friend and I know that he spent 2 days last week just playing Command & Conqueur on his computer.
:x :x :x

Show Off, we can't even get a promise for someone to come and do the work! sad

1 May 2004

:therethere: JQL. Come and rest your head on my bosom. Now, isn't that better? Close your eyes and those nasty workmen will go away. (oops sorry, that's exactly what you don't want)
Love and hugs and big girlie kisses on your bum!!!
Wilma
x x x x

1 May 2004

Many thanks to everyone for the kind comments and replies.
I think I'm just going to have to go on a builder hunt...

1 May 2004

Quote by JQL
Many thanks to everyone for the kind comments and replies.
I think I'm just going to have to go on a builder hunt...

What a good idea, are you following the hounds to catch him, or do you have beaters driving him towards your gun.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao:
Harry0

1 May 2004

Beaters... Never been very good on a horse.

1 May 2004

Quote by harry0
What a good idea, are you following the hounds to catch him, or do you have beaters driving him towards your gun.
:rotflmao: :rotflmao:
Harry0

Just a tip JQL if you are gonna hunt builders as HarryO suggests you might like to consider the following that might help you.
Hounds may be of no use as the scent of a true builder is dependant on the number of kebabs and pints he consumes.
whilst you may have trouble finding one once contact has been established, the hounds should be able to run him down quickly, builders are not fleet of foot.
some will try the hare's trick of lying in deep cover until the last minute, be patiant keep the hounds steady and wait...the builder will be unable to remain quite for long and is easily recognised by his call....the nokia tune.
The natural nesting place for the builder is a shed, sometimes called a hut, they rest up around midday, although it can be difficult to flush them out once they are settled. They are very territorial and fight at their fiercest once cornered in their hut.
You might have luck useing a decoy, with builders and there are two that have been used in the past with some effect, either use a large breasted girl to walk in the area where you suspect a builder to be, or fry some bacon. The younger builders will be more easily trapped in this way.
Traps can also be set and are best baited with power tools etc. An old post office van serves as a very good trap and should be baited with power tools and the back door left slightly ajar.
One other trapping method that has worked for other builder trappers, is to set up a steaming pot of tea on some old bricks. The builder is drawn to the pot like bees to honey they simply cannot resist it. Once the pot is empty, they will want to mark their territory in the traditional way by pissing up against the nearest tree, its a this point that you may with care be able to net your builder.
I hope that I have been odf some assistance.

1 May 2004

Dave - you're a nutter!!
That was great rotflmao

1 May 2004

Don't mention Builders to Mrs mirth...
13 weeks in and we have still not finished... I marvel at her patience.... wish she was as tolerant we matters horny...
Many a GRRRR most days... it aint my fault
Regards
mirth

2 May 2004

Hi I am a site manager for a construction company and we have great dificulty finding good builders, but they are out there. the good ones are geting as rare as rocking horse shit, keep trying

2 May 2004

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
Dave, that is sooooooooo funny, lol, classic lol

2 May 2004

im thinking the site could be to blame, if any builders arnt out working they are probally addicted to this site rather than the building site.
i personally havent had a problem , i get the decoraters in every month without fail lol
oh thats a whole new thread in itself " the terminology used for bodily functions lol)

2 May 2004

Quote by fem_4_taboo
im thinking the site could be to blame, if any builders arnt out working they are probally addicted to this site rather than the building site.
i personally havent had a problem , i get the decoraters in every month without fail lol
oh thats a whole new thread in itself " the terminology used for bodily functions lol)

fem... If Mrs M had the same attitude as you... long may it continue then I am sure that are building work would have finished long ago.... but then again me thinks they mey have stretched it out... Mrs M smiles benevolently!!!!knowingly...
Mirth

4 May 2004

Hi,
I'm a builder in Newcastle & i can tell you that the problems are not just one way. I have to suffer people changing their minds half way through, or cancelling at the last minute & of course the most annoying not paying on time or at all. One of the biggest problems people bring on themselves is unrealistic time scale, on tv they do it all in half an hour but in the real world things take a little longer. Everyone always want's the best job for the lowest price, which doesn't usually coincide with the reality of the job (they all seem to want a rolls royce for the price of a mini). Biggest tip I can give you is go for someone recommended by friend, relative or neighbour with work you can see. All my work comes this way & my customers & I nearly always have a good relationship, I get follow on work & many recommendations that way & we're all happy.