Tradesman

[scarrylarry]

SHODDY TRADESMEN Don't know if this thread will go anywhere but but have had several experiences with this.You have a job to do around the house so you read up on it and get as much information as you can but maybe lack the experience to do it yourself so you call in a professional to do the job and after their finished and have your money ,you look at the job they did and say to yourself "Man I could have done that and just as good or better".This is not a bash thread on the Trades just the shoddy jobs you have had done.
Haven't been here for awhile just way too much going on .
scarrylarry

 

[Jack Olsen]

The best way to stop 'lacking the experience' is to start 'doing it yourself.'

 

[Colonial Cobra]

I'll second that one.

 

[5lima30]

Often time the only way to get it done right is to do it yourself...if you have the skills.

 

[brownbagg]

conttractor = con with a tractor

 

[PaulR]

I'm a hack that will try mostly anything, except wiring really.

Most of the time with the bad hack job I've done and the time and blood I've wasted I could have hired someone for the same price to do it right.

Then again I'm too much of a cheap ******* to hire someone in the first place.

 

[Falcon67]

The best way to stop 'lacking the experience' is to start 'doing it yourself.'

Right! You just have to get the right 'tude going - "There is no way I can screw this up so bad I can't pay someone to fix it or buy another." Grab your Vice Grip hammer and flat blade screwdriver chisel and get after it.

 

[MOPARINMYCAR]

I will do most things myself as there are not to many trades people that care about puting a good finish on a job. When taking on these jobs its best to allow yourself plenty of time and with good planing you will get the result your after. And dont forget you allways have the folk here that could help you out with any technical issues you may have.

 

[Chris Adams]

Thought about it awhile, and with the exception of one plumber who wanted to swindle me on a small job (told him thanks, but no thanks, and did it myself) I can't really complain. Some tile work, they cheaped out on the borders, but overall, since I paid very little, again, can't complain.

Really most the work I've had done in the last ten years has been good to great.
Now, I've made some mistakes, like on the tile work, I could have paid more attention, and on some granite counters, well, I wish I had used synthetic rather than the real stuff, but again, that's me.

Had roofing, fencing, a complete shop, wrought iron gates, etc. etc. etc. and I'm satisfied.

Makes me wonder if I used up all my luck...

 

[MrMark]

I've never had a good job done by anyone I paid to do something that I can recall in my entire life. Maybe a few car repairs at the Chevy dealership when I was younger. The caring of an owner makes a big difference. It depends on the aptitude and education and skill, but with the resources available now an intelligent and skilled person who is willing to put in the time to learn will outdo the paid help every time. It is simply that the owner is willing to put in the time to do it right, usually.

The state of workers these days is so poor that you almost can't help but do a better job even if it is your first time. I just undertook a small concrete project that I had absolutely no reservations about doing, even though it was my first real time doing the concrete. Having seen the work done by others in the area (so-called professionals) that was butcher work I said to myself that there is absolutely no way I can do worse than that.

I never undertake a project myself to save money, indeed by the time I am done considering my time and tool purchases it would be cheaper to hire someone, but rather to get a job done correctly. Things I have had done in the past have always ended up getting ripped out or cursed.

 

[blue dog]

In my career i have watched pride in workmanship go out the window as well as customer service. There are good skilled people out there, you just have to pay accordingly. Remember, you can have a porsche or a vw, your choice.

 

[MrMark]

In my career i have watched pride in workmanship go out the window as well as customer service. There are good skilled people out there, you just have to pay accordingly. Remember, you can have a porsche or a vw, your choice.

You are right on Blue dog. I have seen your work and you show your pride of workmanship, so there are still people with pride and caring out there. The problem for us little guys is that we cannot find you, usually.

It's no different from anything else, really. How hard is it to find a decent doctor, lawyer, etc?

 

[COWBOY]

when you pick by price you get what you pay for!

usually the better trades will not be the cheapest. Quality cost, the
better tradesman will save you money if you let them.

 

[Chris Adams]

when you pick by price you get what you pay for!

usually the better trades will not be the cheapest. Quality cost, the
better tradesman will save you money if you let them.

Oddly, I almost never find that to be true.
When I was hiring employees I learned a long time ago that "gold can't always get you good soldiers, but good soldiers can always get you gold"
( a stellar to anyone who knows the source on that quote)

Anyway the guys who charge more around here, just pocket more.
They have the same below minimum wage guy doing the work as the cheaper places.

Lowest bid on my shop was the best contractor with the best people, and I've been told that by everyone who ever worked with them. He makes less profit, but takes care of his people and customers, and does more volume allowing lower prices. Or how it is supposed to be done.


When I employed a lot of people I never found a corollary between how much we paid the individual and how good of a job they did.

I had people starting a not much over minimum who put their heart sole and brain into the job, and others starting at twenty times that who were at best time servers.

Some of the worst workmanship I have ever seen came from high paid union car builders. Guys who made 120k a year back when that was good pay.
Some of the best workmanship I have ever seen came from guys not making half minimum.

 

[kartracer23]

I do that a lot. Look at a job and think 'Man, if I wanted it f'ed up that bad, ida just done it myself.' LOL!

 

[bgoodwin]

I try to do as much as I can on my own. I'd like to say it's for the pride of knowing I did it myself but to tell the truth I too am a cheap *******. My wife used to come along during a project and ask me "how'd you leard to do that", I'd tell her I haven't learned yet but knowbody told me I couldn't.

 

[blue dog]

I try to do as much as I can on my own. I'd like to say it's for the pride of knowing I did it myself but to tell the truth I too am a cheap *******. My wife used to come along during a project and ask me "how'd you leard to do that", I'd tell her I haven't learned yet but knowbody told me I couldn't.

There are still good craftsmen out there, again, they get paid accordingly, when you do find that talented person, treat them well and they will do work for in the future, time and time again.
Here is an example of things we deal with. A $5000 front door hung with pivot hinges and mortised hardware in an existing 60 year old home that has sagged south in the front left corner. When all is said and done, this installation will be $1750, people are appalled. Have someone else do it then. It is a one time shot to get it right, anything screws up and you buy a new door. But the same people will not hesitate to buy a $100,000 car or wear a $5000 suit to work, then go have a dinner that cost $350 for two.
In my experience, the very wealthy people are the biggest pain in the ***, they think they know everything and it's just hanging a front door, what's the big deal.

 

[scarrylarry]

Wow,Good response to this thread and good input as well!
I guess in my original post I should have put at least one example so here's one that bugged the hell out of me.
Had to have a new garage door opener installed,well the electronic sensors were kinda Mickey Moused on to the track,don't know why.Wires from the main unit to the electronic sensor were not that long so he made it work by running a different path and it looked like hell.So I found out that was low voltage wire that it used, went and bought a spool of it and ran the wire close to the main track down the middle of the garage and then to the sensors I put the wire tight to where the wall and ceiling join then out to each sensor. All in place with smaller sized wire stalpes, not those staples you would give an elementary school kid.Looks real good and neat as a pin.
scarrylarry