Thread: Tradies you gotta love them

dont u know your time is worthless compered to theres.

Yes. And when their is a downturn in the economy, they are the first to squeal.

Then, they will wonder why some are put on a personal ban list, " Never to be called again. "

And then they wonder why so many people are DIY
Wolffie

Originally Posted by Wolffie

And then they wonder why so many people are DIY
Wolffie

I got stuck in Moree where there was no tradies around, and to get a tradie to come around they charged $200 for call out and $120 an hour.

I am so over it, I finished by Carpenters course, then the Cert 4 to get the building licence, now I am doing the welding course at TAFE, next year I will be doing metal fabrication, year after that I will be doing the shortened plumbers course and the year after that I will be doing the shortened electrican's course. All while I am studying Law a university.

How busy am I?

Hi

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I got stuck in Moree where there was no tradies around, and to get a tradie to come around they charged $200 for call out and $120 an hour.

I am so over it, I finished by Carpenters course, then the Cert 4 to get the building licence, now I am doing the welding course at TAFE, next year I will be doing metal fabrication, year after that I will be doing the shortened plumbers course and the year after that I will be doing the shortened electrican's course. All while I am studying Law a university.

How busy am I?

But when you're a lawyer you can afford to pay those tradie's rates and more

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I am so over it, I finished by Carpenters course, then the Cert 4 to get the building licence, now I am doing the welding course at TAFE, next year I will be doing metal fabrication, year after that I will be doing the shortened plumbers course and the year after that I will be doing the shortened electrican's course. All while I am studying Law a university.How busy am I?

I can empathise with that. Just got off the phone spewing about tradies, and went to post on another "Bag the Tradies" thread but Ruffly beat me to it!
Trying here desperately, stupidly, to renovate while being househusband. To the point now I wish we hadn't even started the job.
Had several quotes from electricians to connect this extension removal/house and they vary widely, no worries there. Had 3 plumbers visit and no quotes returned, 3 months later. The two are tied together on this job, as the power board and septic tank are very close together, so intend to share the trench. Electrician keen to go, so a week or so back I rang a trenching contractor to dig the bloody thing, regardless of plumber status. Agree to come this Monday gone; electricians in on Friday, ready to drop the conduit in as soon as the trench was ready. They turned up Monday to continue, upgraded power in, fitted switches, lights, smoke detectors, cleaned up loose wires from removal etc...rang the trencher "Where are ya?", "Oh I'm gonna come Wednesday morning instead" with no courtesy call to warn us. Then he rings back later, change that to lunchtime Wed. I tried desperately to find someone else but no-one available quickly. Electrician goes away saying ring us when its ready to go, then calls today asking if its done, better be quick because his van is in for a service and he's taking the rest of the week off, therefore won't be done till next week!
Now I've got 5 kids at home on holidays (3 of mine & 2 cousins) bored as usual, so at 11 (note to self, lunchtime is 12) I walked them up the back fence, flew a kite for half an hour, before returning to make sandwiches and await the trenching guy. No show, so I ring him...answered with "I've already called in and no one was home"!!! Swear words and great kicking of inanimate objects. He can't make it here for the rest of the day, and booked up for the week.
I'm over it, I tell ya. Just about to the point of digging through 600mm of compacted clay to get the f.n cable in myself! Will continue with the extension lead as we have done since January.

Rant over. SNAFU

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

I'm over it, I tell ya. Just about to the point of digging through 600mm of compacted clay to get the f.n cable in myself!

Hire a dingo with the trencher attachment. From memory it cost me $150 or $200 for the day and I dug almost 100m of trench with it.

Originally Posted by Vernonv

Hire a dingo with the trencher attachment. From memory it cost me $150 or $200 for the day and I dug almost 100m of trench with it.

What wrong with a shovel and a bit of elbow grease?

Originally Posted by dlim2986

What wrong with a shovel and a bit of elbow grease?

From what I can see, Andy is not a Spring Chicken and he WAS talking about compacted clay. That takes a LOT of elbow grease to shift.
Wolffie

Originally Posted by dlim2986

What wrong with a shovel and a bit of elbow grease?

Next time you're up my way, call in - I'd be happy for you to show me how it's done.

If you had ever really dug anything substantial in compacted clay, you wouldn't have even mentioned a shovel - about the only thing that works is a crowbar.

Yeah and when you're finished at Vernon's place, you can come down here. I've got some storm water trenches to dig and our clay sets like rock. If you can dig 600mm deep with a shovel alone, I'll eat what comes out of the hole

Originally Posted by silentC

Yeah and when you're finished at Vernon's place, you can come down here. I've got some storm water trenches to dig and our clay sets like rock. If you can dig 600mm deep with a shovel alone, I'll eat what comes out of the hole

It should take no time with a shove like this

Just remember that once you become the DIY expert (because you could never find a tradie) you'll find that you become the family fix it resource for all those jobs that they can't find a tradie for. You'll never have the time to do your own!

Just for a story from the flip side of the coin. I got a call from a lady a few weeks ago. This was a client who part way through a kitchen install declared she didn't like the design and that it was a poor design. She wanted me to fit some bi-fold doors to the pantry at my expense. I pointed out that she hadn't paid for the design but had approved my quote for the work which was designed to re-use the existing tops and give her the best kitchen for the smallest outlay possible. I could fit bi-folds but it would be an increased cost. After explaining that the contract was a legally binding document which I would enforce via the courts if neccesary she decided that she liked the design after all.

As per the original agreement she was picking and supplying the handles herself and I fitted them. She rang me to complain that they were falling off the doors and needed longer screws. I picked up some screws today and will fit them at no charge, however the screws and handles were supplied by her and it's not really my responsibility. I explained to her that when she bought the handles she was to specify the thickness of the panels (which I gave her in writing) to ensure that the correct screws would be supplied. Clients, you can't live with them, and you can't live without them.

Mick