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My point exactly, do your homework, when using these guys. You only have yourself to blame if you pay no than you need to and the tradie has the extra money in his pocket instead of you because you didn't scrutinise him poperly.
You're not obligued to use any one tradie, or any other business or profession for that matter. There is still a lot of choice of tradies so don't feel pressured into grabbing the first one you come across.
Market forces will decide what price is charged, when atradie's wiork dries up because he's always trying to overcharge or too expensive then he'll either drop his price or go out of business.
Be my guest and pay your tradies what ever you want, even if they overcharge.
By saying that tradies don't overcharge, and anyone else for that matter, you're making two incorrect assumption here;
1. all tradies are honest and will only charge a fair and reasonable price
2. tradies are somehow different from the general population and will never be oportunistic when it comes to pricingthe truth is that;
1. tradies are part of the general population, believe it or not, and like some sections of the general populationn, some tradies are dishonest and/or will overcharge if they can get away with it
2.some tradies, again like some sections of the general population, are opportunitic when it comes to pricingThese these traits don't only apply to tradies – its human nature
I can't understand why some people on this thread get so defensive when these facts are put in front of them, and insist that all tradies are honest and a distinct breed from the general population.
Similar threads on the same subject could be on real estate agents, lawyers, engineers, politicians, used car salesmen, police etc – the same principles apply.
Some tradies DO charge too much, hoping that their potenial client will either be in a hurry to get the job done or not have done his homework and obtained other quotes – just read my post on 2 Nov and you'll see what I mean.
Also, as many others on this thread have said, its not only the price – if you do your research you will get a competitive price – its the quality of workmanship, or lack of it, out there. Again it pays to do your homework and get references, go and have look and some of the tradies previous jobs, or get a good recommendation., or all of the above. This way you will generally weed out the so-called tradies who just won't do a proper job, take short cuts etc.
Sometimes, unfortunately, you only find out the hard way, but sure as hell you won't be using or recommending that particular tradies ever again.
To Tysonboss and others like you;
Don't worry, you can keep your apparent 'liitle' secret about positive gearing properties. I'm sure if it was making you so wealthy you wouldn't bother being on this forum big noting yourself. Its a sure bet that this is how you are in real life – just like one of those desperate people we come across now and then looking for a quick buck and falsely thinking they've found it, the type of person we steer away from.
I had a tiler turn up once. He had one look at the job and said it was too hard and complicated for him and he didn't want the hassle. This is after I described it to him in detail over the phone and gave him ample opportunity to not quote at all. Surely he would have had some idea if he could do the job then. I told him thanks for waisting my time, and he had the gall to say that I had waisted his time. I proceeded to kick him out of my home ASAP and wrote his name on my black list 'never to be used again'.
The next tiler turned up and said 'not a poblem' and even did the job that very same day – a damn good job too, and he charged extactly the same and the previous idiot. I wrote his name on my 'use again' list. This tiler was a mature gentleman, whereas the other idiot was a young upstart, looking for easy jobs to stuff up. Glad it wasn't mine.
i think a bit of both.
Also, i think he wanted to do as little a possible and get paid as much a possible, another bogan trait.
I never mentioned anything about a bogan being lower class or only being a labourer – you did diclem. You see, there are a lot of bogans with 9-5 jobs as well, and there are a lot of 'refined' tradies, for lack of a better word.
In my book, a bogan is a person who doesn't give a crap about most things, including trying to rip off people and provding a sub-standard service. This is how they live their lives also, some get cashed up with their rip off money, hence CUB's.
The guy who charged me $850 was a decent person, certainly not a bogan. The other bogan tried to grossly overcharge me in the hope that I would be a naive enough idiot to accept.
m.pulley wrote:jfiori,
How many major renovations have yuo done?I seriously hope it's more than the one you are claiming before saying you are qualified to make such bold assertions.
No I am not a tradie, but I do know quite a number of excellent tradies.
One of them doesn't even bother to quote if when he is played off against other tradesmen.
Just remember 1 hour of one tradesman's work could be four hours of another's.
Word of mouth is the most reliable form of advertising.
But if you have a beef with your tradie? Try to take it up with them peaceably first!
You'll be surprised at how people are willing to listen when you speak respectfully.
Ths is my sixth reno, so does that meet with your royal approval?
Do you think I'd stupid enough to actaully tell them that I'm trialling them? The trials are for my benefit – not theirs.
And thanks for stating the frigging obvious, of course any sane person would first try and resolve a dispute peacefully.
I also did say that I have a list of reliable tradies that I use exclusively all the time.
Remember, beware of the C.U.B.'s (Cashed Up Bogans).
Also remember, CUB's can only rip you off if you're stupid or naive enough to pay them, so the onus is on you to do your homework and weed out the CUB's.
A case in point, I just had my old driveway removed. One guy quoted me $3,500. But after some legwork, I eventually got it done for $850. I rest my case.
Poor Javro, he's a real "battler" isn't he, my heart bleeds. i've come across his type before – they're called C.U.B.'s (Cashed Up Bogans) trying to pass themselves off as battlers being hard done by but in actual fact ripping off everyone in sight. Beware of the C.U.B.'s.
I'm sorry that Javro is the one who lowers the reputation of all decent tradies out there. What with his lack of reading and comprehension skills on this thread who can blame him.
And did I say hero, on reflection a more apt word for Javro would be ZERO.
My method has worked out just fine and and I WILL stick to it thanks.
You'll get a taste of your own medicine Javro when you need to hire someone who's skills you don't possess.
You obviously haven't properly read (or understood) my previous post Jayro. So just for your benefit, I will explain it to you again like a two year old. The only real problems I had were with the plumbers. Most were very arrogant, pricey and rude. I initally trialled a few of them and managed to get hold a very good one, and stuck with him.
When a plumber (or anyone else for that matter) charges up to three times as much as others, then I'd say that's pretty much a rip off , wouldn't you? Or do you just naively pay that because you think he must be very good if he charges that much. Believe it or not, there are some very good and honest tradies who don't over-charge, its just a matter of looking for them and being patient.
I'm glad you know so many good tradies Jayro, your my hero. You shouldn't have any problems then should you.
I only use qualified and licenced tradies, be they builders, plumbers etc. I check that they are registered with the QLD BSA, which requires them to be fully qualified and registered. The QBSA website also has a register revealing any previous or current diputes or rulings against them. All domestic building work or renovations done by these registered tradies comes with a 61/2 year warrantee and is fully backed up by the commercial and consumer tribunal if the tradie defaults in any way.
The builder I used was registered with the QBSA, so I could and did easily check him out. His contract did include electrics and plastering as this work is best done at the same time as the building works itself. But the plumbing, as I said before, was totally separate and in a different location and was best done at a later date.
The problem with some tradies is that they think all comsumers are niave idiots and don't know a hammer from a bar of soap and treat the comsumer as such, thinking they can put one over them. In many cases they get away with this behaviour. That is not the case with me as I work in the construction industry and deal with tradies all the time at a commercial level. We use exactly the same due diligence when selecting a tradie at that level.
The plumbers I used were all registered with the QBSA and I checked them out as well. Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof and you sometimes only learn through trial and error. My backup method was to trial the plumbers on small minor works, until I found one i could rely on.
Diclem
The reno was sufficiently separated that the building work was carried out prior to and in a totally separate location from the plumbing. The previous plumbers I used were before I started on the reno and it gave me an opportunity to see what was out there, thank god I did that! The cowboys out there was scarey.
I prefer to trial some tradies on maintenance work prior to giving them the nod. Also, unless your swiming in money, one way to meet a budget (have you heard of one) is not to give the whole job to one person so that he just marks up the other tradies working under him.
Diclem, it sounds as though your'e willing to take anything that comes your way, or are you a plumber in cognito, speaking up in their defence?
I've just finished a major renovation, so I think I have pretty good first hand knowledge in dealing with tradies.
My general experience is that plumbers are generally the worst culprits when it comes to reliability, price and workmanship. I used about five plumbers in my reno and only one had any idea of customer service and charging a reasonable price. All the rest where basically out to rip me off and do as little as possible, basically to get away with as much as possible. I ended up in court with one of them, the case will be heard next month.
As for the rest of the tradies, the builder I used was slow, but very good. The sparkie was extremely good, cheap and reliable. I also used door and window repairers, tilers, concretors, roof and gutter repairers, tree loppers, landscapers, termite treaters, etc. All in all they were very good, charged a reasonable price and had come form of cutomer service skills.
Don't get me wrong, I had to do a lot of research and phone calls and went through a lot of crappy tradies, but it was worth it. Once I found a good, reliable tradie, I struck with them for good.
The backyard tradies out there who rip off inexperienced people and do a shoddy job, and there are a lot of them, will continue to get work simply due to the demand. But let me tell you, what comes around goes around and when the economy goes off the boil, and it eventually will, these backyarders will be on the dole queue. People like me will remember them, and will not use them ever again.
So whatch you crappy tradies, your days are numbered
