****ing tradesmen ...

Following the saga of mushrooms growing on walls and leaky roofs it was obvious I needed professional help.

Unfortunately no one I knew could recommend one *who had done work for them*. The last roofer I used, who seemed good and was recommended by someone he does work for just couldn't seem to be bothered. After 3 phone calls it was clear for whatever reason he wasn't interested.

So it was digging online. I used Ratedpeople, posted the job, and got 3 replies within the day. All the firms had excellent reviews from customers.

3 visits from professionals all identified the same issue (the felt on the storm porch was rotted and letting water blow into the roof cavity where the valley comes down from the "L" of the bungalow. All 3 also pointed out the ridge tiles were coming loose (again !) and suggested a roll-fix solution.

All 3 quotes were close enough to convince me they were fair, so I went with the first firm that replied, who were also the cheapest. They started next day, and stripped off old felt. Reboarded, and torched on new felt.

Of course it's not rained for two weeks. Until today, when the f****ng thing is pissing water now in 3 places. Obviously irate call to firm (gaffer & some lads operation) who are going to find a slot to return between me being in and out next week.

Now SWMBO understands why I loathe and detest trying to arrange building work.

Reply to
Jethro_uk
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This is precisely why many of us here prefer to do such work for ourselves. It's not all about saving money; it's important to know the job's been done right and if you do it yourself, you'll know!

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

1) what I know about roofs could be written on the back of a stamp - and leave room for the address. 2) I have *no* head for heights. I would be a danger to myself, if not others. 3) I don't have access to the torching equipment, or whatever is needed for felting f****ng flat roofs. 4) It wasn't a job you could dip in and out of

so all in all, I was prepared to pay someone.

Anyway, I'll see what happens. But we're not far from a small claims court !

Reply to
Jethro_uk

In article , Jethro_uk writes

What a ridiculous overreaction, you've yet to have the tradesman back for a fault finding visit and you're already looking to sue his ass off. Please do go ahead and you'll be stuffed for costs for failing to take all reasonable steps before court action.

Calm down, have the man back and maybe between you you'll work out why the repair failed or whether the water is coming in a totally different location that neither of you could foresee.

****ing stroppy customers ...
Reply to
fred

Yes, I hate dealing with people like you. Let the man come back and sort it out. Give him a chance.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

For most jobs its quicker to diy than spend time fiding/arranging someone, then dealing with the issues that reuslt. And as said, I get a decent job at a fraction the price - unless of course I dont take them time to, it happens sometimes.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

Hardly the best snippage and attribution, is that payback for the f'ck off I gave you on your political ramble earlier this week :-?

Reply to
fred

No because I'm so forgetful I don't know from one minute to the next who said what. It's just that after a lifetime of dealing with the public I can see the tradesman's point of view. Often things that seem crystal clear to the customer are actually anything but.

"That aerial you sold me last week has stopped working." Turned out the lads from the Chinky four doors away had crept along the flat roofs of the rear extensions and made a connection to the coax.

"That aerial you sold me last week has stopped working." It was a block of flats and it turned out the roofing contractors had been and done some patching and had burnt through the coax.

"That aerial you sold me last week has stopped working." Turned out to be a faulty telly. (This situation x 1,000 I guess)

"That aerial you sold me last week has stopped working." Turned out the rabbit they keep in the living room had chewed the coax.

"That aerial you sold me last week has stopped working." Turned out a 4G transmitter 25 yards away had been switched on.

"That aerial you sold me last year has stopped working." Turned out a large building had been erected between the aerial and the transmitter.

"That aerial you sold me last month has stopped working." Turned out a faulty sodium light in the filling station up the road was radiating RF.

"That satellite dish you sold me last week keeps going off." Turned out the truck depot next door had installed a washer that required the tippers to park with the body upright, and they blocked the signal.

"Ever since you put that new aerial up the DHSS has been spying on me. There's a camera in the 'O' of 'Sony'. It wasn't there before. You'll have to do something about it before I go mad." Turned out it was too late.

Bill

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

You have a dim view of tradesmen. When I see a properly plastered wall or an elegant run of pipework, I normally conclude that the money has been well spent. There are a few areas where I think that, given the time, I can do as good a job, but these tend to be where unskilled labour is the lion's share.

Reply to
stuart noble

It could be that his property is just round the corner from the court house

Reply to
The Other Mike

In article , Brian Gaff scribeth thus

I managed to part re roof a slated roof a few years ago just did the job right and its been fine ever since no leaks anywhere. Its not rocket science the problem is that NO one seems to be training anyone properly anymore as for most small outfits they cannot afford the cost of the "apprentice" anymore...

Let alone finding anyone who wants to get of their arse and work of course;(...

Reply to
tony sayer

Perhaps.

I'd hardly call it being stroppy expecting a total roof replacement to be leak free from the off. Different if just a repair.

If the same people can see what they did wrong originally, why didn't they spot it when doing it?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

So not a total roof replacement. Just the porch roof.

My money's on the water getting in somewhere else and running down to there.

Reply to
Adrian

Which was totally replaced - and identified by all as the source of the problem?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've seen some great jobs done, and met some great craftsmen & problem solvers. But most I've met seem very short on skill and basic care. Then there are the con artists that just waste time. I'd rather do it myself, with a few exceptions.

One of the better tradesmen I know has done a lot of jail time, but I've often been impressed with his work and his approach to things.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

big problem these days

NT

Reply to
meow2222

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