Hi All
After all the bitch sessions that go on with tradies on this forum .
I thought i might just say that for every ten bad tradies there just might be one great one .
And it's all about finding that great one and not telling anybody so they don't get to busy to come and help you .
That's the real reason we all love to bitch about tradies all the good one's are to busy ..

In the last week i had a plumber that lives in the street that i have used before come and move a tap and fix a leak at the water main (one washer ) and 30min cut weld pipe new tap , when i said how much he said '' buy me a beer some time '' . Now that's a good plumber .

And when i rang a sparky to get a second quote for a job yesterday he said that he was around the corner so would pop by now rather than having to come over later . We discussed what needed to be done ,run wires and conduit for 3 x 240v outdoor light for garden wall and a outdoor gpo on the other side of the house , and that the wires for the lights would run right under where the new path was going to be laid tomorrow .So i would put 90mm pipe under the path so that the conduit could go though it later .But he said that he could move a job and get here at 8 am to put the conduit in as there was no point doing the work twice . (now that service )
With my help we finished digging the two ditches 600mm deep for the conduit ran the new wires for the lights and gpo and then installed the conduit ready to install the light when i get then .This all took 3 1/2 at $70 an hour .

Just thought it was worth giving credit where cedit is due .
And if you want there numbers don't bother PM me as i wont give them to you ,
just kidding

Rob

Well, seems no one else has had good experiences with tradies.

Looks like we might be in luck with getting a sparkie, my son (just about finished his chippie apprenticeship) has a couple of mates who are sparkies, fingers crossed

Had a very good plumber do all new copper pipe in a bathroom reno, new seats in the wall taps for the bath & shower, and new PVC pipe the length of the house, replacing clay (I did the digging), plus some work on the kitchen waste, and new plumbing in the laundry for washing machine taps, and an additional toilet, all for $700 including materials (around 10 years ago - before copper skyrocketed).

He worked quickly when he was working, but stopped quite a lot for a smoke, and took 2 hours for lunch. I was beginning to worry, but he had been recommended.....
I didn't need to worry, as when he billed me, he said "ah, I only really did 4 hours work yesterday, and 2 hours today, so just make it 6 hours for the labour OK?"


Another great tradie was a tree surgeon I used in 2001. He was only young (but with 5 years experience working for someone else) and kicking off his own business. Did a magic job in tight confines - no damage to any fences, clothesline, or the neighbour's pool (tree overhung it). Glad to say he's now got a fleet of vehicles & lots of guys working for him, so good guys do find success.

Sounds pretty much like the plumber I use (except he doesn't smoke, but he does like to chat

The plumber I use is great. He was local to me at the time and I was trying to support the locals. I had an issue with smelly drains and toilets that drained themselves.

Anyway, he spent two hours trying to find a problem, he still couldnt so he felt bad that he couldnt find an issue and only charged me an hour for labour. Needless to say, he now gets any plumbing work that I need done. Always on time and gets the job done.

I guess the worst thing about him is that he takes 3 months to bill, but that can also be a good thing

Like most things in life, there are good and bad in everything you see and hear and do.

My experience has been that the overwelmingly majority of tradies have been good, however they all rate different on the scale of GOODNESS.

Most tradies that I have had the pleasure of dealing with are concerned about doing a good job and delivering value for money...............

The secret to a happy life is to not sweat the small stuff.........in the big picture of life.......................it's all small stuff.................

An old saying comes to mind:

"The bitter taste of poor quality remains long after you've forgotten the sweet smell of a low price."

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Don't be a dag. Stop using toilet paper & reach for the "Bum Gun".

'our' plumber isn't quite that bad, but I have had to chase him to pay the bill

Unfortunately its because usually people only bitch when they get a bad one. People rarely make the effort to pass the number on when they have a good experience.

The issue about quality can also be that everyone wants the cheapest price amongst trades. Now if they have to compete with the alcoholic tradie down the road who doesn't care enough as long as he covers rent and a enough beer then at some point they have to draw a line at making a living. Plumbers are a little bit easier because they charge by the hour.
This scenario goes some of the way why people cant get decent trades.
The other is that a tradie may come out and quote a job, do some calculations spending 4 hours doing a quote for a one day job and wear out the car only to be told they weren't cheap enough. It wears thin after a while.

Best bet is to find trades you know and work out what is fair. I have to be pretty sure I have a chance at getting a one day job or I wont even get out of bed. Its a quick way to go broke quoting small jobs and losing them to the dodgy cheap guy down the road who does a crap job.

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When you wake up, Its a great day to be alive!

c2=a2+b2; http://brickandstoneart.blogspot.com

It can be troublesome finding a good Tradie, but when you do you make sure you look after them.

I use a 'semi -retired' sparky who charges $60.00 per hour and cost only for materials. He turns up ontime, returns my calls and only charges for the time on the job.

Unlike the old adage '$60.00 per hour, $80.00 if you watch and $100.00 if you help', he likes me to help - it makes the job quicker and easier for him, even if some may consider that he is doing himself out of a few bucks for the saved time - I sure appreciate it. I make sure I pay him cash as he is finishing up and he gives me a valid receipt.

The plumber I use works with a 4th year apprentice and only does jobs that will take a full day, for which he charges $600.00 - and again does not mind if I help or do the prep work to hurry things along and only charges for the materials used at cost.

He starts dead on 7am and does not stop until the job is finished, having lunch on the go and the occassional cup of coffee. I had to replace the outside stackwork on our house and relocate and replace with plastic the entire terracotta sewer pipe down the side of the house to to the main line.

I dug out where the new line going the day before - through the middle of a paved pergola - and they did the rest. Again I paid him cash when they finished and even gave them an extra $50.00 for the lunch they did not have, as I reckon if they know you appreciate their work and are not a problem payer you will more likely get priority for later jobs.

If the majority of customers were like you, I'm sure there would be a slightly better attitude from tradies.

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Don't be a dag. Stop using toilet paper & reach for the "Bum Gun".

I've been reading this forum for a while and i think that this is the most fair comment i have heard. So much bad credit is given to those tradies who "don't show up" etc. i think people need to realise that they have good reason for not showing up. I have NEVER had a problem with tradesmen and i put it all down to only calling them when a decent size job needs to be done, and i either accept, or do not accept the price. I have friends that argue with tradies over the phone asking them to justify their prices......the way i see it, i don't have to use them if i am unsatisfied.....so why argue. (i have tried telling those friends the reason tradie never show up for them......it's cos THEY are tight, NOT the tradesmen)

I'm new to posting.....are we allowed to reccomend good tradies' business names?

From me.........Yep....would love to see it.

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Regards,
Noel

Administrator Only when I have to

Can i write them here openly on the thread or only PM you

Like i said.....sorry for being new. I did read the rules but maybe i missed the part where it says you can't post them as it may appear like advertising for them or something. not sure

No need to PM me with them Freddy...........post them yourself here or start a new thread with a title like Tradies Recommended by Frediko, or some such.

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Regards,
Noel

Administrator Only when I have to