Wol

It's a very long time since I had anything to do with English tradesmen and it may be the same in the UK now - but just how much actual *work* gets done on Australian building sites?

I've never known such a proportion of the "work"day being spent chatting on the mobiles!

One guy ( a tiler) spent at least a couple of hours every day standing on the ridge yelling at his ex-wife: interesting but a bit non-productive.

One lad who was supposed to be installing windows quite literally spend zero time one day doing anything but chat on his mobile: he stood on the patio spending hours on each call - and at 1pm had the gall to find me and ask which electrical sockets were live, because his battery had run out and he wanted to recharge!

Even the ones who actually worked took and made calls all the time.

Correct me if I'm wrong - but when Australians complain about the long hours they have to work, which hours are they referring to? <g>

BadgeIsBack

I was going to say:

"I don't know, what is it with Australian tradesmen and their mobile phones?"

steve`o

the same on british building sites mate
on the last site i worked on aug 2006 the joiners were constantly showing extremly dodgy videos
i`m buggerd if i know how the job got finished

BadgeIsBack

Like you, I had a few dealings with UK tradesmen in the 6 months I was actually living in a home I owned, and I recall a fair amount of mobile phone use subject matter limited to work that day - infact tradesman seemed to use them to explain their delay as they spent most of their time trying to squeeze their jobs for the day into the right order convenient for them - if not for you, and around material buying.

I believe a tradesman anywhere is entitled to use a bit of his time to organise past, current and new business. Why should he have to work at night? And people would probably prefer to ring and ask for business during the day when they find time in *their* work to do it.

If we all keep our leisure time then we will all be happier. I actually ensure the tradie is kept happy with drinks etc - a happy well fed, and watered bloke is going to do a better job than a flogged one and often I like to learn a bit from them too as they go along so *I* interrupt them! I find most tradies are fairly honest with their timesheets too.

Wol

There are obviously some calls to be made relating to their work - but I'm talking about looooooooong personal calls here.

PaddyHaHa

My OH is working on a hosptial site in the UK (as a plumber) and it's the health and safety regs that are killing them. Someone got in trouble for not doing a risk assesment for their sneeze!!!!

Mrs PHH

FluffyTheCampfireSlayer

I think someone may be pulling your leg there!

LoneRanger

I am still in the UK and its amazing how many clients think they can call you particularly in the evening and at weekends to discuss their job that you are doing for them and expect you to answer and get quite stroppy when you haven't!

The same folk go to their work during the day and never call you in normal working hours but expect you to be at their beck and call when they get back home!

The point about us tradesmen and our mobiles is that we need to organise materials, deliveries, other trades, chase up quotes, payments etc and we all tend to do it during normal working / office hours unlike most of our clients who sometimes think that because they have given us a contract they then OWN us!

Ginger3710

And that's why you NEVER pay a tradesman by the hour. My brother moved from Adelaide to London years ago and while there he got tradesmen to renovate his home in Adelaide, paid them by the hour. After a few weeks when he realised the work wasn't up to date, he got his FIL to go check on them, he found the guys were going out and doing their personal jobs, long lunches, some of them were picking up their kids from school and returning. He went through a fortune. Always get a fixed quote for tradespeople.

Kooky.

If they were in my employ I would have a polite but firm word with them.

Mobile phones are great but they can also be a PITA.

(cue old lady rant)

People seem to think they're so important a call won't wait. My personal trainer at the gym has answered his phone during our sessions - when I'm paying him $50 an hour for his undivided attention. I've seen gym members answer theirs on the treadmill, etc., and even in the whirpool, where, excuse me, I'm trying to relax. My phone goes off as soon as I enter the gym and stays in my locker; I welcome the break. I've asked the management to have a word but they daren't.

My previous hairstylist downed his scissors to answer his phone. Shop assistants are constantly texting (when they're not picking their noses or checking their reflections).

I've just had a course of acupuncture at a Chinese Medicine Clinic. It's a small, one room place and I lie behind a curtain whilst the Doc sees other patients. I've heard 3 now answer their phones mid-consultation! One spoke for ages and the Doc just sat there like a pillock because it's not the done thing here to "confront" folk.

People think you are accessible 24/7. I've had people say, "I called you at 9am on Sunday and you didn't answer". And? I've even been known to go out without my phone, which people simply don't believe.

And the thing that really pisses me off: People flake on appointments. In days of old you would make arrangements and stick to them. Now people think they can get away with a last-minute sms (so they don't actually have to talk to you) when they get a better offer, can't be arsed, there's something good on the telly, etc., etc. You're already on your way to the venue but they can get hold of you, so they don't care. I've learned not to even make arrangements with some people.

It's all about manners, really, isn't it?

(Sorry, rant over. Thank you for the opportunity. )

Pollyana

We had a guy round this week sent by the agent to allegedly fix some electrical stuff. I'm so glad I wasn't the one paying him. He spent 5 hours here, 2 hours of which were spent working, and 2 of which were spent fixing the stuff-ups he made where he put the wrong wires together so that when you turned the switch on all the fuses in the house blew. A further hour (the one in the middle)was spent standing in the garden holding long discussions with his mates on the mobile. Then he had the cheek to ask where he could find a free power point so that he could recharge his mobile phone

thehoweys

I am a british tradesman working in Perth WA - We supply and fit Bamboo laminate and timber flooring. We pride ourselves on being punctual and hard working - not always the way over here. So if you need such work done please contact me and save yourselves a lengthy wait.

Pollyana

Variation on a theme this evening, tradies and their children! The landlord sent this guy round to do a quote for a couple of little bits of plastering/painting. I insisted he came after I got home from work, so didn't moan when he had his boy with him, a kid of about 8. The guy was here for 15 minutes, in that time the kid had managed to crash my laptop, turn on every light in the house, pull a remote control apart, and had generally wandered around picking things up and dropping them on the floor. Every time I said "eerrrrrr...." the guy would turn round and say "put it down mate" in a sort of "sorry, but she doesn't like it" tone of voice.
Then he had the cheek to say that I didn't have to be here while he does the work as he's quite trustworthy. The little monster had just sidled over behind him and hit the Off button on the laptop at that point, but Mr Tradie still looked surprised when I said I preferred to be here so that I know what is going on in the house.

I have since emailed the agent to say that if she is ending that particular guy to do the work, I will not be responsible for my actions if he brings his child with him.

Kooky.

Variation on that theme - a couple of years ago I employed a new cleaner through an agency.

Madam Lim arrived for her second session with her young son in tow, must have been 9-10 at most. It was only her 3rd session - or should I say 2nd as she'd called sick after one day - but I thought, well maybe school is off, let her off this time. I was just wondering how to explain to her that I didn't want this to become a habit (especially since I gave her keys as I'm often out) since she hardly spoke any English despite me stipulating this to the agent, when I found him standing on my windowsill, cleaning the windows for her.

Lest the neighbours report me for slave labour, or I end up with a child in hospital, I decided then that it really wasn't going to work out.

Wol

That's what's called "laid back", Polly