Me,
that's exactly the attitude that so many tradies display that many people are referring to in this thread, and recently in others.
Very disappointing, and just confirms the perception.The preception is that tradies are generally;
Arrogant,
Aggressive,
Have a "fu*k you'" mentality (chip on the shoulder),
Unreliable,
Crooks who will scam you if given half a chance,
Unprofessional; probably a bitter high school drop out with no business skills.Even though you know better, unfortunately, perception is reality.
And, you guys confirm our views, because everytime someone brings up a tradie critisism on this forum, one or more of you guys gets on the front foot an attacks. You can't handle it at all; get all petulent and aggressive.
I never see you guys get on here and say "gee; thanks for that criticism, I'll use that information to go away and improve my professional approach to my career and become a better tradie".
my 2 posts in this forum relate to safety and the reason we are trained to do our job, go back and read my first post. As i said before we earn less than professionals.
remember not every plumber that comes to your door works for themselves, they too have a family to feed.
here are some links to help you ;
http://www.pic.vic.gov.au/www/html/7-home-page.asp
http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/HomePage/HomePage.asp
maybe some of you should have been tradies so you can just relax a little.
Why keep shi**ing on the tradies?
What about all the absolutely shameless leeches involved in the property investing caper?
The buyers advocate, making their commissions for doing sweet FA in some cases.The mortgage industry with the fat ongoing commissions long after the done deal.
The real estate agents, who often sell within hours of listing, still taking their percentage.
The state revenue office for charging stamp duty- money for nothing.
The investor (self included).
Trades charge for their time and effort . Some are good, some not as good.
Sure, you occasionally may think some of their bills may be a bit high, but on what basis do you mak this assumption?
Not every job is cut N dry 5 minutes long.As a regd electrical contractor who sees the trade side in depth as the tradie and ALSO as the investor who uses other trades 4-5 times a month, I gotta say that all trades bills that I pay seem fair and reasonable.
Would you prefer to be charged a % of your property's worth like the listed above do?????
The trouble with school and uni is they both teach every one the same thing for each subject.
There is very little scope for thinking outside the square. This would make it too hard to mark assignments and exams. The most important thing we can teach our children is how to think and asses the information they are presented with. Tradies, Plumbers and electricians are often faced with situations which aren't in the text books and require some ingenuity. Something that is lacking in many professionals. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
At the end of the day, if you think the is somebody that you can not learn something from… You are wrong.Oops – I was going to try and stay out of this argument, me and my big mouth.
I'm going to shut up now.Take your own advice.
marc.L.A. Aussie QUOTED:
And, you guys confirm our views, because everytime someone brings up a tradie critisism on this forum, one or more of you guys gets on the front foot an attacks. You can’t handle it at all; get all petulent and aggressive.
I never see you guys get on here and say “gee; thanks for that criticism, I’ll use that information to go away and improve my professional approach to my career and become a better tradie”.
Hello LA Aussie,
Your form is poor, please stay in L.A.
Consider reading some of the positive posts in this forum topic.
My brother went to Uni with me and I also have a trade and he resents the amount of income I earn. I should send him your posts, you may get along.
I ride in charity events with many different tradies and I also enjoy the company of sussessful property developers with 20 years experience.
The key once again with all work, all money and all success is how you relate to PEOPLE.
If tradies or anyone else coping your abuse is so bad maybe your attitude toward people could do with improvement.
You post is incorrect. To generalise with massive sweeping statements is above and beyond acceptable behaviour and I congratulate you on the decision to cause controvery instead of learning.
Regards,
L.A. Aussie – would you stay on the back foot if you were passionate about your profession?
oneplumber wrote:L.A. Aussie – would you stay on the back foot if you were passionate about your profession?Maybe not, but my profession doesn't have an image or public perception problem, and if/when I was made aware that there are a few areas that needed improvement I would accept that criticism and look to making improvements; not tell everyone "well, take it or leave it – you need us we don't need you". There are different ways to accept criticism.
Being critisized doesn't automatically mean you need to get on the front foot. Take it on the chin and use it for ways to improve.
Here's an idea; put together a customer survey form that you give to every customer. I've never seen one in the trades. There is only word of mouth; the good guys get more work, the bad guys don't. Unfortunately, bad news spreads faster than good.
List on it every aspect of your business, from reliability, to work standard, pricing, customer relations (attitude and behavior – such as dealing with pain-in-the-ar*e clients which everyone has to deal with).
Or don't; it's your job, I don't really care if you are offended or not; are you personally offended, or upset that the industry as a whole is copping a blast?
If you are personally offended because you yourself do a good job while many don't, then find a way to improve your industry so the bad guys don't make you look bad.
I'm just trying to help you all realise there are areas that can be improved.
i am certain your a knob
me wrote:i am certain your a knobOh dear; need I say any more?
me wrote:i am certain your a knobI concur
L.A Aussie wrote:Me,The preception is that tradies are generally;
Arrogant,
Aggressive,
Have a "fu*k you'" mentality (chip on the shoulder),
Unreliable,
Crooks who will scam you if given half a chance,
Unprofessional; probably a bitter high school drop out with no business skills.That's certainly not my perception.
Tools
Was quoted $2800 to replace all guttering on a house (Californian bungalow), went to Bunnings and found the parts to be as cheap as chips ($200 MAX)! So am going to do some of it myself, and patch some holes.
Painter's quote to paint the interior of the house, $3000. I took time off work from my job to do it myself, for better economy… I'm a pharmacist. Cost of equipment and materials, about $500. Now I've got gear for more painting in the future.
Go Andy, let us know how it goes.
Correction: the quote on the guttering was $3800 and the painting quote was $5000. I was being too generous.
For carpeting the house, the quote was $3000. I ripped out the old carpet myself to save some money (2 carpet layers, plus underlay), and found another carpeter and got the price down to $2400.
I hanged some custom blinds today myself, price $580. They look great!
The most recent tenants were feral bogans with 5 pit bull terriers… the house needs some work.
andy28 Quoted – I took time off work from my job to do it myself, for better economy… I'm a pharmacist.
A Pharmacist…… Where you get 10 versions of a medication priced from cheap to blantant theft.
A truly great profession undermined by doctors and drug companies.
You have got more problems then tradies… I have a very successful pharmacist in my family and a school friend.
I congratulate you on choosing to do the work yourself. As a tradesman I think more people should do the work, but they think it is below them or they stuff it up and then ask us for free advice.
When you have a great pharmacist they will grow with your family, the same for a tradesman!
Thanks again!
L.A Aussie wrote:
Me,The preception is that tradies are generally;
Arrogant,
Aggressive,
Have a "fu*k you'" mentality (chip on the shoulder),
Unreliable,
Crooks who will scam you if given half a chance,
Unprofessional; probably a bitter high school drop out with no business skills.Mmmm…. You seem to be the only professional who has been using foul language and forceful generalisations.
Your perception needs work…
William
Lic. Plumber, Dainer Gasfitter
B.Commerce
Cert. Bus Coach
ecL.A Aussie wrote:oneplumber wrote:L.A. Aussie – would you stay on the back foot if you were passionate about your profession?Maybe not, but my profession doesn't have an image or public perception problem, and if/when I was made aware that there are a few areas that needed improvement I would accept that criticism and look to making improvements; not tell everyone "well, take it or leave it – you need us we don't need you". There are different ways to accept criticism.
Being critisized doesn't automatically mean you need to get on the front foot. Take it on the chin and use it for ways to improve.
Here's an idea; put together a customer survey form that you give to every customer. I've never seen one in the trades. There is only word of mouth; the good guys get more work, the bad guys don't. Unfortunately, bad news spreads faster than good.
List on it every aspect of your business, from reliability, to work standard, pricing, customer relations (attitude and behavior – such as dealing with pain-in-the-ar*e clients which everyone has to deal with).
Or don't; it's your job, I don't really care if you are offended or not; are you personally offended, or upset that the industry as a whole is copping a blast?
If you are personally offended because you yourself do a good job while many don't, then find a way to improve your industry so the bad guys don't make you look bad.
I'm just trying to help you all realise there are areas that can be improved.
Thank you LA Aussie
Golf a sport that destroys the environment, gets land for peanuts in 3rd world countries and redevelops it and flogs it off for a motza!
The sport of mind and body and the contradiction of creating the lottery mentality in the dreamers and satisfaction in the worker.
If image is what tradies need, maybe I can learn from golf, soda companies, cigarette companies, retirement village projects, Financial planners, Offshore scammers, drug companies, bla, bla….
You see your comments above are getting closer to an issue.
What do clients want for their money?
I know a carpet franchise owner who owes nothing on his business, so on every sale he only payes the franchisee per metre (very low cost) so everything is cream everyday!
If your arguement is for better client partnerships I am happy to learn, but pricing arguements and degrading comments of how easy it is and so on, is like just about anything on planet earth.
What is your time worth?
If the pharmacist took a day off surely a successful pharmacist would know he would make more money making sales in his business then doing renovations at home.
As a tradesman (with a supportive wife)I can pretty much handle every task for my family, finance, cashflow, love, home projects, investing, children, sport, community activities, business building, charity, on and on I go.
I am not so silly as to try to save some pennies when I understand my time and capacity to earn far outweighs the inconvenience of investing my capital in whatever me and my family needs and wants and thus helping other people with their ability to earn income.
If we need a car service I used to do it, but I learned if I work on my business I will gain a greater return, thus my time is my most valuable asset, although continuing to write this blog is taking its toll.
Off to share home made pancakes with my family on the beach and then going to help local friend with cheap and supportive plumbing work on a Sunday!
Good day!
I come from the UK – where wages and business expenses are typically much higher. I had one property rewired completely (a large 4 bed two story house with double brick walls – hard for a sparky). It cost me 850 pounds or about $2000. I had a house rewired in Tassie (3 bed two story, weatherboard with easy access) – for cash – and it cost me $3300. And that was the best quote. Most wanted over $5000. So, my general thinking is that sparkys are expensive.
The question is why? My thoughts are that it is (a) an undersupply of tradies – blame the school system for pushing everybody into Uni's and (b) the fact that Australia is so regulated. In the UK, anyone is allowed to undertake electrical work. Not many do but if you're competent then small jobs are not too much for the good diyer. And before all you Australian sparkys start shouting and yelling, I don't think that that more people die or have their houses burnt down in the UK than in Oz.
Its the same with plumbers. Why do I need a plumber to put on some roofing on a carport, change a washer, put in a laundry tap, fix a stand pipe?
Andy
chpropdev wrote:I come from the UK – So, my general thinking is that sparkys are expensive.The question is why? I don't think that that more people die or have their houses burnt down in the UK than in Oz.
Its the same with plumbers. Why do I need a plumber to put on some roofing on a carport, change a washer, put in a laundry tap, fix a stand pipe?
Andy
I am not sure about Electrical work, but I think this may be an important reason. In England the voltage is 110 and in Australia it is 240.
110 you can survive, 240 you can die or cook.
If you want to learn more about how to do Plumbing, consider buying the Australian and NZ Plumbing Standards 2003.
Read and they will tell you what you can do.
WIlliam
I'm going to shut up now.
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