It's a win win situation for everyone. I get the job completed in minimum time and as cost effective as possible. The builder who is always booked up because of his get up and go attitude gets through more work and makes more money, and his lads who are natural hard workers earn a great wage (sometimes nearly £1k a week) and are happy to work hard for the reward.
Once we were installing at a domestic clients house. We were outside and the customer was cooking her breakfast, smelt lovely. " She shouted out "would you like tea", quick as a flash my brother answered "lovely, just a little tomato sauce on mine".... she took the hint and we got our bacon butties.
The chaps that service and maintain our dairy are absolutely bang on. There's nothing they can't fix and their vans are like workshops on wheels. And they do come out anytime of the day or night, even Christmas Day!
If you want the job "Done", then yeah, ok, that's great. But from my perspective, I'm a carpenter, if you want a 3 day job done in a day and a half something has to suffer, and corners will be cut. If those lads are earning a grand a week each, well brilliant, but I have to say there's more to life than working 16hrs a day, 7 days a week.
theres trademen and theres professionals. Most people need professionals, but want to pay tradesmens rates. Sadly theres too much work, so professionals have long waiting lists. Most people cant wait, so employ tradesmen, for professionals rates, then complain because the finish is more tradesman like, and not professional.
Funny thing is there is a pecking order within the building trade. Tradesman League. Plumbers Electricians Chippies Plasterers Brick layers Groundworkers Scaffolders (lets be honest you have to be a bit special to do this job) As a general rule the lower down the league the more characters start to appear , i don't do a lot of site work but when i do its always a good laugh, bit like a track day in mud.
I have dry liner guys and plasters walk off site as soon as they see an Air Con van..... Not due to us personally of course , just our industry has a reputation for being very destructive and everyone hates seeing their work destroyed. There are also some truisms...
Someone did this one for our industry last summer. AC guys getting upset they are getting to the pub later than usual
Everyone's work ethic and attitude is different. People who are corner cutters are corner cutters by nature whether they work 16 hours a day or 16 hours a week. It's not something that's governed by hours but by attitude and if they choose to work the hours there's no excuse for not giving 100% all of the time. It all depends what you're happy with. Some happily work 40hrs a week take home they're earnings and enjoy thier weekends, holidays, time off etc. Others are happy to work as many hours as they can as they see it as a way of getting ahead in life and becoming financially secure earlier. When I talk to the lads in question they say they are all friends and enjoy working together and respect their boss who is a decent hard working chap himself. He started with nothing and they've seen what he's achieved and it motivates them. Being in their mid to late twenties they are physically capable of working the hours. This won't always be the case as they get older so their plan is to earn it whilst they can. I respect them for that and that's why I employ them and why they are always booked up. That's the attitude I like and we need more of it.
You have to be kind to tradesmen . After all they have two jobs not just one .They also run a kids before and after school creche service . Why else would they get to your job at 9.30 am and be gone by 3pm .
A site builder works very different hours, and I’d imagine different rates, than the people we are talking about here. On site by 0700, finish 1530. Not on site at 0830, off again 0915, back 1100, finish 1500. And at £500 plus per day. Even I’d love rates like that
Kitchen fitter turned up on time at 0800 today. Sucked teeth a bit about the wiring that’s already in the kitchen, and has since just cracked on with it. So far so good....
