When will I accept (and stop getting upset by the bad) that a good contractor is hard to find!
Do I have worst luck in employing contractors and do I have 30 more years ahead of me, of disappointment and frustration with simple tasks being made difficult by tradesmen who do not know their trade.
Turned up on site today to check the work of a new painting contractor who was putting the finishing touches on a basement I have just re finished.
This is a guy who claims to have 52 years in the trade, worked in Buckingham Palace and taught painting and decorating for a period at the local collage, he’s 67 years old and after what I witnessed today I think he picked up the brush for the first time last week.
I can accept that at that age his eyes and speed may not be what they once were (the tasks were simple and i gave him 8 days, where as if my 36 year old painter had done the job I would have expected it done in 5), but that does not make painting on drywall mud that has not been sanded acceptable, especially when that mud has been spilt on wooden trim and then painted over!
He also over filled holes in trim and failed to sand back as well as under filling other section of trim.
His cutting in of a yellow wall to a white ceiling was so wavy that had the wall been blue I would of felt seasick!
In general there is very little of what he has done that does require further work for it to be finished to a acceptable standard.
I have been working on my own for 11 years now (since I was 25), never had to advertise for work, always have a full order book and get all my work through recommendation, because I always hand over a perfect or as close as possible finished job.
After 11 years I now realize that for every 1 acceptable contractor I will employ 10-15 incompetent contractors and for every 1 true tradesman I will have to through 50+ contractors.
In 11 years I can count on 1 hand the number of reliable, trustworthy and skilled contractors I would wish to employ again.
By the way in case my name did not give it away I am a carpenter / general contractor working in London England and I never fail to be impressed with level of professionalism I have witnessed in the US, I know that you like any where have your share of rouges, but to be honest I think over all, you guys have a lot to be proud of in US building industry.
Thanks for reading my rant, today is one of those days when i wonder why i employ any one.
Even if nobody reads this, if feels great to vent my anger.
Replies
It must not be much fun to look for/try out/ find............
new subs.
There are many opportunities for me to tell any who listen how proud I am of the workmanship of the subs I use. I don't shop for price anymore-rather think of the value of my evenings and sanity.
Better luck.
new subs
The most upsetting thing I find is that i pay top rates, but it is the lack of skills that is the problem, money cant motivate some one with a bad work ethos and who is poorly trained, I just wish contractors in the Uk had more pride in themselves and their work.
Money is highly overrated as a motivator (honestly). Being appreciated is one of the best motivators, and having work you enjoy, a pleasant work environment, good bennies, etc. Businessmen are often strongly motivated by money, but for most other people it will only motivate short-term.
(I find it discouraging how few people understand this and look upon "merit pay" and the like as a panacea.)
I do not want you to think I am being critical of you- it's just that your rant made me think a little about things, in general.
There's another thread here about painting kitchen cabinets. In that thread, the customer has placed enough restrictions on the painter to guarantee a poor result. How often do we see this happen?
OK, we're in the business of overcoming challenges ... but, really, how many of them are necessary? I address this comment in particular to 'general contractors (both real and the DIY type) who find excuses to not provide a toilet, a place for trash, easy access from your truck to the site, to not close the site in from the weather, or to not heat it in winter. Start adding up thise little 'grains of sand,' and the whole job starts running down. Mix in poor scheduling, poor plans, and poor communication, and it's a miracle anything ever gets built.
It's amazing just how hard the customer will search for a 'good price,' then do everything to guarantee a poor result. You're not going to get 'the best' if you're cheap, arrogant, or disorganized.
Nor will there be much incentive for a one-off job. The real incentive comes from there being a steady supply of promptly paid, clearly described work.
When will you accept this?
Only you can answer that. If it is any consolation, this is a constant throughout all professions, everywhere. It is nothing new and it will never end.
Does that mean any of us should ever accept substandard work? No. But the reality of running a business or working within someone elses business is that compromises are required. Choose you "battles" wisely.
Paying well may not be enough to ensure good work. Not paying until unacceptable work is remedied is sometimes an option. When you find good ones, treat them well and do you best to keep them.