Where have all the workmen gone?

We are doing up a house and have had no problem getting tradesmen for large jobs or small.

What we found was we accumulated lots of small jobs we needed doing then it gave the workman a full days work and it more or less guaranteed he’d turn up. But that doesn’t work for everyone.

A lot of workers prefer big jobs and leave the small jobs. My nephew was going to fit a new front door for us in 2018, still waiting! Fortunately a neighbour does thesame and fitted it for us

Something like Hey Alfie (online trades support) maybe?

The no shows probably don't think its worth the bother doing a small job when they can be raking it in on a more involved job. Try the Next Door site for your area, usually has odd job workers, semi retired and those that don't like to travel far kind of workers.

Peaseblossom

You need someone that's recommended, because there are so many stories where people have taken the money and made a mess of it with no remedy, because they disappeared. I see it frequently on Nextdoor.

This happened to me on Nextdoor, though luckily I'd handed over no money. The guy just disappeared after promising to return next day. I now stick to Which? recommended tradespeople whenever possible for my area, but you have to be a member of Which? to search their directory.

You need someone that's recommended, because there are so many stories where people have taken the money and made a mess of it with no remedy, because they disappeared. I see it frequently on Nextdoor.

Seabreeze

I second what Sandy’s says. Advertise for a local handyman. It’s what I do. I usually find someone.

I advised the op to join NextDoor
Out of curiosity I looked at my area.
In less than 20secs I found 8 handy men.

Just had a struggle to find a plumber to fit a new over bath shower, I also found people didn't reply to enquiries. Eventually found 2 lovely young lads, a plumber and an electrician, who did a brilliant job, but it seems established firms pick and choose

Really? not just Brexit! many things have changed... I have a lovely Polish family living next door to me.. they are still here.. working here, and raising a family.

Pandemic?Covid... has certainy contributed... work ethic so we are told has left the UK.. so many factors,, not just one,,

DS54

Most of the tradesmen I know are now more interested in being property developers. They buy houses to do up and rent out. They work for each other, one doing electricals, one bathroom fitting etc. The only time they do outside work is when they see a chance to overorder materials and use the surplus on their own properties.

I really don't think that this is true any longer, nobody around here is buying houses to do up at the moment, nothing is selling at all and there's no point tying up your money in a property you can't sell. Also renting out flats and houses is becoming more and more problematic for landlords as the law changes constantly.

Astitchintime

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!

This is interesting because tradesmen used to like insurance jobs because they could charge over the odds. We've actually had a roofer ask us how much extra we'd like him to add to the quote so that we could make some money out of it.
In our area it's reliable plumbers who are hard to find, they're willing to do the work but unless it's a real emergency you have to go on the bottom of their waiting list.
I can understand tradesmen not wanting to do small jobs, there is so much work around that they can pick and choose.

It wasn't only Brexit. Quite a few people decided that with the Pandemic they wanted to be in their own countries with their wider family. Living in another country is all very well but the pandemic brought into sharp relief of how difficult it was to be able to return home in a crisis. A bit like how people moved out of London to the countryside!

You're not an isolated incident! Yes, there are exceptions, as always, but you've got two branches of potential workers. One, way too many opting for an easy life on the inflated benefits of the state (Thank you, Uniparty). Shortage of workers means those who are willing, can pick and choose and charge whatever they like, starting around £250/6hr day/man, up to 'the sky's the limit' - in my experience, £6,000 for 2 men + small machines, 3days.

I agree with a previous poster - if you have access to the Next Door app try asking if anyone can recommend a roofer/repair man etc. I’ve used it for plumbing and gardening jobs recently with great success.

My DH was self employed. He always said the little jobs were his bread and butter. You never know when those clients may have bigger jobs, so he always fitted in the small jobs even if it meant working later. It paid off too. Sadly people only want 9-5 jobs, or burying their head in the sand and blame the phone signal.or lack of Internet!!!

Brexit kicked them out.

Try local facebook page for recommendations or look into Age Concern, they have a Handyman service, think it is about £50ph and you just need to be over 50, but not every area is covered

Most of the tradesmen I know are now more interested in being property developers. They buy houses to do up and rent out. They work for each other, one doing electricals, one bathroom fitting etc. The only time they do outside work is when they see a chance to overorder materials and use the surplus on their own properties.

We have been waiting to have the hall painted since October. We have had the painter out to assess the job and then heard nothing. We rang him again after Christmas and he said he'd come again to assess the job as he couldn't remember our house. He came again 2 weeks ago and said he'd buy the paint. Again we've heard nothing. Has he bought our paint? No flipping idea.

I second what Sandy’s says. Advertise for a local handyman. It’s what I do. I usually find someone.

Our local facebook page is really good, we also have a monthly free magazine that is linked to the page.

As a PP said, what may be a small job for the householder, might actually be too small for some tradesmen. They need to earn a days rate to pay their own bills- therefore risk being called a 'rip off merchant' for small jobs. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Doodledog

Grantanow

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

When will they ever learn?

Yes! And who could blame them after been made so unwelcome.
Brexit is the cause, on top of Blair's wanted everyone to go to university to study all sort of things plus poor apprenticeships.
Of course, it won't inpact the very well so much.

The East Europeans have all gone home. The British are too lazy to work. You need to learn DIY.

There may be some Polish tradesmen left but there certainly was an exodus after Brexit. Free movement was cancelled and they felt unwelcome amidst the post-Brexit uncertainty. Brexit was an utter disaster for which I blame Farage and Johnson as opportunists and Corbyn for failing to make the case for Remain.