I moved to a small town area (maybe 30,000 in the whole valley) and the contractor thing is ridiculously true. Fine they are backed up, but then they tell you a day. (i'll be there on the 15th) AND THEY DON'T FREAKING SHOW UP. no call no nothing.
I"ve fired more contractors in the last year than in the last 20. I pay cash, i wasn't all that demanding on time, but nooooooooooooooooooo. I ended up doing all the trim too because the carpenters (ha, that's insulting to real carpenters) were so slow. Yeah, you're not worth that and you don't know what you are doing. fired. Sure i can do it, it took forever but it looks great and it looks professional. Too many handyman masquerading as trim carpenters. And fired both plumbers and electricians. Now I did find some good ones (thank goodness, cuz that's not something to mess with), but seriously. It's a small town, ti's going to slow down at some point, and everyone is going to remember what a crap job you did.
I see you're still an optimist. 3rd world is already here.
@LGC, call and confirm the day before. If you speak with them, it is pretty hard to tell a on-book customer that you won't meet your obligation. If they aren't coming, ask them when they planned to let you know; don't make it easy for them to flake. If you get their voicemail, tell them you are confirming and want a call back from them confirming by 6pm. If you don't get a call, they aren't coming.
Lastly, if they flake then don't allow them to re-book the work later. This just reinforces poor behavior.
Good for you for letting these contractors go. The real pros will never put us in that position in the first place.
People like rag on boomers. I've been inexperienced, but almost never incompetent.
ReplyDeleteI moved to a small town area (maybe 30,000 in the whole valley) and the contractor thing is ridiculously true. Fine they are backed up, but then they tell you a day. (i'll be there on the 15th) AND THEY DON'T FREAKING SHOW UP. no call no nothing.
ReplyDeleteI"ve fired more contractors in the last year than in the last 20. I pay cash, i wasn't all that demanding on time, but nooooooooooooooooooo. I ended up doing all the trim too because the carpenters (ha, that's insulting to real carpenters) were so slow. Yeah, you're not worth that and you don't know what you are doing. fired. Sure i can do it, it took forever but it looks great and it looks professional. Too many handyman masquerading as trim carpenters. And fired both plumbers and electricians. Now I did find some good ones (thank goodness, cuz that's not something to mess with), but seriously. It's a small town, ti's going to slow down at some point, and everyone is going to remember what a crap job you did.
I see you're still an optimist. 3rd world is already here.
@LGC, call and confirm the day before. If you speak with them, it is pretty hard to tell a on-book customer that you won't meet your obligation. If they aren't coming, ask them when they planned to let you know; don't make it easy for them to flake. If you get their voicemail, tell them you are confirming and want a call back from them confirming by 6pm. If you don't get a call, they aren't coming.
ReplyDeleteLastly, if they flake then don't allow them to re-book the work later. This just reinforces poor behavior.
Good for you for letting these contractors go. The real pros will never put us in that position in the first place.