All Topics / General Property / How to find a reliable tradie

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  • Profile photo of L.A AussieL.A Aussie
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    mathewc73 wrote:
    Marc,
    I did not write that. My userid is mathewc73. That was not posted by me.

    Regards,

    Sorry Matt,
    on reading back I saw that it was just another comment by crashy.

    Profile photo of r1trackdayr1trackday
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    Working on a job today for a guy who took out a 3 mil loan to fund/buy the two blocks, which are next to each other and to build the two massive houses. 

    He's helping us on the tools and we could not be happier.  We are on an hourly rate rate with him which he is happy with.

    He says that he likes to help out because he needs a qualified worker, which he isn't, to build his houses and by helping us, we can get a job done to met his satisfaction. A WIN WIN OUTCOME.
     
    He maybe doing this to keep an eye on us? i don't know, but who cares.  He's a great laugh and bought us beers this arvo. We will be putting in extra effort tomorrow because he is a genuine nice bloke. He's going to make a fortune out of it and we are happy with what we are getting.

    Question:  If the tradies are in such a great position of power with screwing customers and getting away with murder whilst making loads and loads of money, Why aren't you trying to becoming a tradie then and using this niche market to capitalise on? 

    Most people in this day and age don't like getting there hands dirty anymore.
      

    Profile photo of L.A AussieL.A Aussie
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    Good question r;

    it seems that many tradies are having trouble getting apprentices these days. I don't know the reason for that; maybe this generation of young guys have different ideas about what to do out of school? Maybe the wages aren't good enough, or, as you say; they don't want to get dirty. Maybe the tradies aren't making enough to pay helpers, or don't have the time or inclination to help and train them?

    I can tell you that my plumber brother-in-law went through about 20 bosses to date because of being stiffed by them, and he is very moralistic and a perfectionist, and quit many jobs after seeing what shonky practices his bosses were getting up to. To his credit, he has stuck it out and now enjoys a nice lifestyle and a good job.

    Maybe many apprentices start with good intentions and become dis-illusioned?

    My two brothers-in-law are pulling around $100k per year each, so I don't think the lack of income is the problem.

    I see a lot of younger people around now that can't use a screwdriver, don't want to know how and would rather pay someone else to do it.

    Myself; I love renoes and fixing things.

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    The reason I don't take on an apprentice is because they already know it all, so there is nothing I could teach them.

    Tools

    Profile photo of L.A AussieL.A Aussie
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    Don't you hate that?

    Profile photo of blogsblogs
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    The reason why there is no apprentices is because the dumb arse government put such an emphasis on going to uni a few years ago (about 12 yearss) that there became a stigma attached to apprenticeships, and if you wernt at uni it was becasue you were a 'looser'-it was funny, parents didnt seem to care what useless half arsed good for nothing 'degree' little Jonnie or Sally were studying, as long as they could brag to their friends their kids were at uni. The kids were also happy becuase it meant another 3-6 years extra that they wouldnt have to work and could sit around all day doing sweet FA, bludging, drinking smoking drugs and remaining 'kids' rater than actually have to roll up their sleeves and get to work-which is what getting a apprenticeship would have entailed. So is it any wonder there is a lack of supply?? sheeesh people its not rocket science!!!!!!!

    My Dad at the time could see what was happening a mile off and tried to get me to do a trade-I was very tempted but had already set my sights on a different path, kinda wish I had become a sparky or plumber now :( Would be nice to only work five days a week, get RDO's, claim $$$$$ tax and earn over $100k a year……and be allowed to crack the shits when Im not brought a drink or spokent o nicely and justify a sub standard job due to the person who was paying my wage lol

    Profile photo of L.A AussieL.A Aussie
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    Good one Blogs!
    I thought I was the only bitter and twisted one in here.
    Just out of interest' what did you become?

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    L.A Aussie wrote:
    Good one Blogs!
    I thought I was the only bitter and twisted one in here.
    Just out of interest' what did you become?

    Well for a number of years I was a impoter/exporter of large metal tubing (a pilot) and then became bored, frustrated and disillusioned with the industry and became an accountant which I am currently finishing off my studies for now… Seems like all Ive done is studied and worked my arse off ever since I left high school-if I had just become a tradie it would have been 3 years of PAID 'study' and then onwards and upwards form there, so no I dont look down my nose at tradies and recomend to anyone who listens that they would be great careers, it just their attitude that sh!ts me :)

    Profile photo of wriggleswriggles
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    Nice ending blogs….

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    Crashy,  you sicken me

    If we need a job done, we don't need you. There are plenty of tradies out there who can do the job. What sort of disillusioned world are you living in when the customer pays you their hard earned dollars and then has to treat you like a king? You're obviously someone whose mother spoiled them too much. GET REAL!

    Profile photo of crashycrashy
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    lol

    its like the blind leading the blank round here

    as I said, I am no longer a tradesmen. So its quite funny that some of you responded with that pent up hatred of tradies youve been bottling for years but never had the guts to say, except from behind the safety of your anonymous keyboard.

    It also amuses me that you think tradies are the ONLY business morally obliged to charge a rate below what the market will bear. Every other business on earth charges as much as they can, yet tradies are “ripoff merchants”.

    Furthermore, when you EMPLOY a tradie, he should be treated as well as any other employee. Some of you sound like you run sweat shops. The most successful businesses on earth treat their employees like the asset they are. They get the best of everything…..

    Its the middle of summer and Im crawling around in your ceiling sweating my rings off, if you have a cold drink in your hand and dont think to offer me one………?

    then again, we are on a website full of money obcessed pricks who dont give 2 poops about anything except how much happiness they think they can buy with their next $$

    bite me

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    crashy wrote:
    lol its like the blind leading the blank round here as I said, I am no longer a tradesmen. So its quite funny that some of you responded with that pent up hatred of tradies youve been bottling for years but never had the guts to say, except from behind the safety of your anonymous keyboard.

    Whos hiding behind the P.C? I would gladly say what I say on the net to someones face, and have openly told tradies exactly what I think of them.

    crashy wrote:
    It also amuses me that you think tradies are the ONLY business morally obliged to charge a rate below what the market will bear. Every other business on earth charges as much as they can, yet tradies are "ripoff merchants". Furthermore, when you EMPLOY a tradie, he should be treated as well as any other employee.

    No thats not the problem at all-I like most people would glady pay PROFESSIONAL RATES for PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. Its when we are held over a barrel and recieve sub standard work because you had your knickers in a not that its a problem. It is a 'rip off' because we are paying professional rates to start with, we then apparently have to bow to your every whim just to get you to do the job we are paying you to do??

    crashy wrote:

    Some of you sound like you run sweat shops. T

      Love to see a sweat shop that pays its employees upwards of $75 an hour buddy!!! You really think when Im already paying you $400 a day that I should get you a drink and make you lunch as well??? Get back to reality princess……would you like your sandwhiches cut into triangles???

    crashy wrote:
    he most successful businesses on earth treat their employees like the asset they are. They get the best of everything….. Its the middle of summer and Im crawling around in your ceiling sweating my rings off, if you have a cold drink in your hand and dont think to offer me one………? then again, we are on a website full of money obcessed pricks who dont give 2 poops about anything except how much happiness they think they can buy with their next $$ bite me

    You like most tradies are so far removed from reality its not funny. Let me enlighten you-the majority of people work for a lot less an hour than the average tradie and guess what…NO they dont get showered with the 'best of everything' like you think in your jealouse dream land, hell most people are lucky to get a 'free' catered christmas party at the end of the year.

    If its the middle of the summer and you are crawling around in my ceiling why dont you use $2 of that $500 I paid you for yesterdays labour and go buy yourself a water bottle? Hell I'd like to hear from ANYONE who works white collar who has EVER had their boss offer them a drink on a warm day lol, what a joke!!! I could just imagine the response from the boss who is paying his employee $20 an hour when the employee does a substandard job… Boss: "Jeff you did a terrible job on that report, whats the go??"  Jeff: " Well it was a hot day and I saw you with a can of coke and you didnt offer me one so I thought screw you and did a lousy job o.k, oh and bythe way because you were rude to me yesterday when I turned up late for work Im going to demand you pay me an extra $200" bwhahahhahahahahah

    Profile photo of r1trackdayr1trackday
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    I hate to say it but i'm still with ya crashy and your views.

    Every business is out to charge maxmum dollars and as much as they can…  not just tradies.

    Maybe, it cpould be because there are bigger dollars in a deal and it's more emotional being your house, that it hits home emotionally and becomes an issue?

    There are good and bad people in every business being it, sales, construction, advice e.t.c   (i think phone companys are cu%ts)! sorry…….

    Anyway, to finish off,
    Maybe it's just the tradies that can "MEASURE UP" the money making deals better than others!      excuse the pun! 

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    r1trackday wrote:
    I hate to say it but i'm still with ya crashy and your views.

    Every business is out to charge maxmum dollars and as much as they can…  not just tradies.

    No doubt, but it is mainly tradies who try to hold you to ransom, or do a sh!thouse job if they dont like you. Im an accountant-do you think I could possibly get away with charging a client more becasue they were rude or arrogant? God I get them every single day-I just smile and get on with the job becasue thats what you do, they are THE CUSTOMER, plus do you think you would be happy if I charged you more because during our consultation (that Im charging you $60 an hour for) you dont offer me a drink?? What a joke-how is it/should it be any different for a tradie?

    r1trackday wrote:
    Maybe, it cpould be because there are bigger dollars in a deal and it's more emotional being your house, that it hits home emotionally and becomes an issue?

    No I dont think so, its just that people dont like feeling like they are being ripped off no matter what its for. When you are paying someone $50-$75 an hour for something you expect it to run smoothly and to a high standard, something which is very often not the case…

    r1trackday wrote:
    There are good and bad people in every business being it, sales, construction, advice e.t.c   (i think phone companys are cu%ts)! sorry…….

    Anyway, to finish off,
    Maybe it's just the tradies that can "MEASURE UP" the money making deals better than others!      excuse the pun! 

    And i agree there are good and bad people in everybusiness, the difference tradies are charging sooooo much these days that its out of kilter. BTW what year is your bike? I had an 02 but she has gone to a better place, to many loons on the road so now I stick to the dirt :)

    Profile photo of wriggleswriggles
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    Just because we dont do a dergree, does that mean we have to earn less than say, accountants, etc?

    To me some people cant fathom that a 'dirty old tradie' can be on a high income, maybe even higher than theirs?

    Sounds to me blogs that you might have to shop around next time before you hire a tradie.  Seems that every tradie you have hired is a worthless scumbag.  Surely after all your dealings with these horrible people that you might have found atleast 1 decent guy?

    Your either one unlucky guy or a shit judge of character.  '

    Profile photo of crashycrashy
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    these are the facts of the case and they are undisputed:

    1. there is a shortage of tradesmen
    2. the customer is in control of who they hire and its their responsibility to accept the rates before work starts
    3. a happy worker is a more productive and reliable worker
    4. pay peanuts, get monkeys
    5. a little courtesy goes a long way
    6. treating people like crap wont earn their respect
    7. having money does not earn you respect
    8. who wants to deal with pricks on a regular basis? if a checkout chick was rude would you avoid her next time?
    9. nobody said they would do a bad job if the customer was a prick or didnt get us a drink. we just said we wouldnt go back next time.
    10. some in this thread tried to help and have copped nothing but abuse for doing so. thats gratitude……..

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    wriggles wrote:

    Just because we dont do a dergree, does that mean we have to earn less than say, accountants, etc?

    To me some people cant fathom that a 'dirty old tradie' can be on a high income, maybe even higher than theirs?

    Sounds to me blogs that you might have to shop around next time before you hire a tradie.  Seems that every tradie you have hired is a worthless scumbag.  Surely after all your dealings with these horrible people that you might have found atleast 1 decent guy?

    Your either one unlucky guy or a shit judge of character.  '

    Re read my posts Wriggles-Ive never said tradies should earn less than someone with a degree-for what its worth I personally think most degrees arnt worth the paper they are written on. I also appreciate what a tough and back breaking job being a tradie can be. What I do take exception to though is if I am going to be paying 'professional' rates (and in my opinion anything over $40 an hour labour is definately professional rates) then I dam well expect to recieve professional service!!! And this is something even al the tradies on here have admitted is dependent on how the tradie feels. Well I'll let you in on a secret-being a 'professional' is delivering the same level of expert service regardless of the situation, I shouldnt have to feel like I have to be 'nice' (which I am anyway..) or worry about serving drinks just in order to recieve the level of service that I am PAYING FOR in the first place.

    I suppose my biggets gripe is being taken advantage of and held ransome -but like I have also said I have fixed that problem now by only paying upon completion of a satisfactory job-Im happy and they are happy. And just FYI I just finished getting a property painted-the guy did a great job and as a result as well as paying him in cash  I gave him a slab of crownies. But isnt it funny how we have been brainwashed into thinking we should be excited when we get a job done without incident and feel the need to reward them with 'gifts' when a job being performed without incident and to a high standard should be the norm-it is what we are paying for, not something you are sooo excited about when it finally does happen?

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    crashy wrote:
    these are the facts of the case and they are undisputed:

    1. there is a shortage of tradesmen

      Agree

    crashy wrote:
    2. the customer is in control of who they hire and its their responsibility to accept the rates before work starts

     Agree, so what should you do when a guy like what happened to me half way through the job tries to sting you another $300 and threatens to walk off the job knowing you will have buckleys of getting a replacement and also knowing because its your shower you need it done and cant wait another week for completion??That is my friend extortion!!!

    crashy wrote:
    3. a happy worker is a more productive and reliable worker

    Agree

    crashy wrote:
    4. pay peanuts, get monkeys

    Agree

    crashy wrote:
    5. a little courtesy goes a long way

    Agree-but this goes both-ways, would you say turning up 2 hours late to a job, leaving a mess everywhere, not taking boots of when walking inside etc 'courtesy'?
     

    crashy wrote:
    6. treating people like crap wont earn their respect

    Agree-but Im not paying you to earn your respect, Im paying you to do a job
     

    crashy wrote:

    7. having money does not earn you respect 

    Agree
     

    crashy wrote:

    8. who wants to deal with pricks on a regular basis? if a checkout chick was rude would you avoid her next time? 

    Agree, but unlike tradies, every single other job has to deal with the exact same pricks but they have to do so with a smile, you think you are the only poor little darlings who have to deal with problem, irate and rude customers? lol why do you all feel so badly done by?

     

    crashy wrote:
    9. nobody said they would do a bad job if the customer was a prick or didnt get us a drink. we just said we wouldnt go back next time.

    10. some in this thread tried to help and have copped nothing but abuse for doing so. thats gratitude…….. [/quote] Who has copped abuse? No one has attacked you or anyone else, all Ive talked about are tradies at large and my opinion based on personal experience. Wriggles seems to be the type of tradie I would want and expect when Im forking out top dollar-he seems to take pride in his work and wants to perform to a high standard, and thats all people want when forking out top dollar.

    Profile photo of wriggleswriggles
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    Agree with u blogs…like i said not all tradies are like what you have had.  You must just have bad luck my friend.  When you need a dirty old plumber next time…..shoot me an email (& 1 of those free slabs of crownies). 

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    wriggles wrote:
    Agree with u blogs…like i said not all tradies are like what you have had.  You must just have bad luck my friend.  When you need a dirty old plumber next time…..shoot me an email (& 1 of those free slabs of crownies). 

    As Well as a Registered Builder if ya need one!!!!

    Cheers

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