02-03-2014, 04:24 PM
1
Dodgy Builders!
An hour ago I decided to look up local builders that could possibly do some work on our house.I've gone on various tradesman sites before and I ended up with a shoddy tradesman when the site clearly indicates that they monitor ALL tradesmen they list so I avoided them but then one site I'd not seen before came up so I had a look.
Sure enough there was the bloke that left us in the lurch once plus another that bodged a plumbing job for our next door neighbour that led to a collapsed ceiling and flooded front room and even the positively dangerous bloke that drives around in a van with BRITISH GAS on the side with "approved" in tiny letters underneath who claims to be Gas-Safe registered who installed a boiler up the road three years ago that blew up and set fire to someone's house!
It seems to me that the public are not being protected by these sites at all as I sent one site my "feedback" over the bloke that left our house exposed to the elements plus two "plumbers" that failed to install a bath properly that we've recently had to have re-installed!
The bloke who cost next door a small fortune in damaged carpets, furniture etcetera is still on Rated Tradesmen too!
We've decided to ask our plumber now because he's done work for us and friends of ours or he's recommended people to do the job properly, as he did with their kitchen 6 months ago! stevmk2
02-03-2014, 04:38 PM
3
Re: Dodgy Builders!
I have been lucky and have not had such bad experiences as the ones you quote. I always go on the website to check a gas fitter is actually registered with Gas safe and has a serial number.I have had a couple of workmen plucked from the local newspaper who didn't turn up, the no job too small merchants!! I use the council approved site now as at least they're willing to mediate in case of problems.......allegedly!!
02-03-2014, 04:54 PM
4
Re: Dodgy Builders!
When we refitted our bathroom we used one of those sites too, we had 4 people come and look at the job and chose the one who could give us recommendations from other customers. Anyone not willing to do that we discounted straight away. Turned out our choice had done work for someone else in the village and she was happy to let us see the work.They are not all honest but it's easier to weed out the bad ones once you have realised that.
02-03-2014, 05:02 PM
5
Re: Dodgy Builders!
Had a lot of work done lately , i thought we were employing a building firm that we knew had been going for 40 years ,what i didn't realise was he passed the work on to sub contractors .He never came down to see how the work was going .And we were left with a gas leak which we only found out when the boiler didn't work and we asked a different plumber to. Come and have a look see why ..it turned out there was a leak next to the gas meter and thats why the boiler wouldn't work .one of the sub contractor / or his own man should have checked the pressure when he disconnected a gas pipe he obviously didnt ..02-03-2014, 05:25 PM
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Re: Dodgy Builders!
You are probably right , we had a gas fire and cooker taken out and they capped the pipes off. But as the new fitted kitchen progressed it was realised a gas pipe was in the way and it was when they took this pipe out that the gas pressure was not taken or the leak would have shown up ..it was a threaded screw connection that had muck in the thread and there for didnt tighten up properly .02-03-2014, 05:37 PM
8
Re: Dodgy Builders!
Far too many Bodge it and Scarper outfits came to prominence during the Eighties when under the Thatcher years apprenticeships dried up in he construction industry. At first they tried a number of initiatives to get round a lack of properly trained craftsmen, then went down the road of importing cheap EU replacements. We have been paying a price for lack of investment in these trades ever since.We need a balance of all things as putting our faith in the financial sector has proved to be a mistake, but until we start appreciating the blue collar members of our society and the real role they make to society's well being i doubt things will change.
02-03-2014, 06:54 PM
10
Re: Dodgy Builders!
Originally Posted by Eliza
->
You are probably right , we had a gas fire and cooker taken out and they capped the pipes off. But as the new fitted kitchen progressed it was realised a gas pipe was in the way and it was when they took this pipe out that the gas pressure was not taken or the leak would have shown up ..it was a threaded screw connection that had muck in the thread and there for didnt tighten up properly .
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