Where have all the workmen gone?

Near us, you can almost guarantee that “no job too small” means “we won’t do it at all.”

We have found someone who does small jobs.
We found him through my mother-in-law's cleaner.
He is very happy to do all sorts of things.
Quick jobs he pops in to do at about 5pm - after working on bigger jobs. He does like bigger jobs - but doesn't turn little ones down.

He is Polish. Not that it's really relevant- but was SO respectful of my very elderly mother-in-law it was lovely to witness.
Thank you Pavel.

Are you on the site Next Door It’s for your local area where they share info, skills, selling, buying etc etc.
There are several men and women on our site who do these small jobs.

They had to leave after Brexit.

So true Basgetti

Basgetti

They had to leave after Brexit.

Wrong. Nobody had to leave
One reason that polish trades people are leaving is because Poland probably has the healthiest economy in the EU.
This explains what eu nationals could do if they wanted to stay.

righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/eu/

They've all joined construction companies and are all around here digging up the roads, putting up temporary lights and putting cones out.

I had/have 2 big jobs - burglar alarm and kitchen electrical issue. I contacted both tradesmen I’ve used before and not heard a thing from either. I’ve now been in touch with a different electrician, fingers crossed. I bet I hear from the alarm people when my next service is due!
It’s the lack of response that annoys me. Just drop a message - it’s not difficult?

Were single people allowed to bring their families over following Brexit, Petra? Sorry, haven’t time to read through right now.
If not, I would suggest that yes, they were forced to leave. If they could, happy to admit I’m wrong.
That the Polish economy is stronger than the UK’s post Brexit appears telling.

We had a serious problem some months ago…..had to claim on the insurance and loss adjuster was involved. They told us to source the tradesmen………NO ONE wanted the job because it was an insurance job………”Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole Mrs” was one comment!

We had no trouble finding tradesmen after a neighbour accidentally accelerated her car so hard into our brick built garage, much of it had to be completely rebuilt. The noise at the time was like a bomb going off!!
Insurance job of course, but their insurance, not ours.🙂

It was a new Tesla - she evidently hadn’t quite got to grips with it…

We went on MyJobQuote online for someone to come out and replace a leaking tap. I firstly bought the tap from B&Q and a man came a day later and fitted it fir a very reasonable sum. Am not used to doing this because my DH who I now care for did all the DIY jobs around the house so I expected to get scammed or be kept waiting but was very nicely surprised.

They are all so busy. Young people are not training for trades. Probably too much like hard work for some of today’s youngsters. A builder recently said to us look at the workers on building sites. It’s mainly older men.

You ate technically right Petra. Nobody had to leave

But they did have to change their lives if they wanted to stay.
Many enjoyed the opportunity to pop to and fro.

Of course, Brexit made it clear they weren't welcome!

Workmen are bloody murder. We have two fence panels that want replacing. Two guys have let us down, so on hold until the spring. Trouble is we have to start all over again getting someone to give us a quote 🙄

Gone to Poland, every one. After the Brexit disaster.

Grantanow

Gone to Poland, every one. After the Brexit disaster.

When will they ever learn?

What the home owner sees as a small job can be expensive work taking several days.
A leaking gutter is one, especially an old metal gutter, to repair properly the whole length may need replacing involving scaffolding. Roofs are another, a few tiles loose can be a sign of major problems.

Builders are very cautious committing to work they think the householder is underestimating the cost.

Basgetti

They had to leave after Brexit.

Not all.

NotSpaghetti

You ate technically right Petra. Nobody had to leave

But they did have to change their lives if they wanted to stay.
Many enjoyed the opportunity to pop to and fro.

Where do you get this idea?

Our cleaner is Polish, her husband and children are over here working/going to school , and still pop back and forth to Poland several times a year.

Allira

Basgetti

They had to leave after Brexit.

Not all.

I was thinking the same, as there are still lots of Polish workers where I am, so I checked - apparently there are about 700,000 still in UK. They get paid more here, not just the tradesmen, so are sending money back to their families.

Sorry, I meant to add, we don’t have a shortage of tradesmen here either, there are lots of local firms. It’s a route for young people who don’t want to leave the area where they grew up, one of the benefits of the small market town economy.

Grantanow

Gone to Poland, every one. After the Brexit disaster.

Part of our business deals with small builders day in, day out.

I can assure you that there are still many Polish and Eastern European builders here in the England.

We had workmen/builders in our own home for 5 months last year, all were Eastern European.