So is getting ghosted the new norm?

[T2R9]

I am trying to get some work done on my house and gardens and good lord do these people not want new customers willing to spend $$$? I have tried to get estimates and get maybe 1 out of 5 to call me back then when we agree on a time then they are no show... WTF. Seems no can be bothered to take on a new customer.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

Same problem here in North Florida.
None of the major contractors can find anybody that is reliable or even wants to come to work.

 

[QuickBpBp]

I am trying to get some work done on my house and gardens and good lord do these people not want new customers willing to spend $$$? I have tried to get estimates and get maybe 1 out of 5 to call me back then when we agree on a time then they are no show... WTF. Seems no can be bothered to take on a new customer.

The problem is most companies don't have any workers so they are not taking on any new jobs... Restaurants around here have limited hours and seating due to no staff. Welcome to the NEW normal..

 

[Ron H]

I have had the same hassles for building my garage and my daughter as well for some home remodeling. These guys are BUSY, have long waiting lists, and cherry pick work they want to do cuz they can. I waited 4 months for my deck lumber to arrive ordering it early…so I thought, so I could redo the deck before it got too hot. First I got the wrong materials that sat in my front yard for weeks killing the grass and then the materials arrived just in time for me to do it in July/August on my southern exposed deck. Had to keep towels over my tools so they didn’t feel like a hot iron picking them up.
Then – well we have fewer people in the trades as the oldsters are retired or retiring…

 

[Sahara]

Yup, we can’t find good people here, either.
I work for the gov’t, which is a good gig. Union wages, pension, paid holidays etc.
We advertised for a journeyman carpenter. The first time nobody applied. The second time one guy applied but never showed up for the interview.
And good luck finding someone to contract on your house. All of the local electricians and plumbers advertise 24 hour service. Literally none answer the phone or return your calls.
Two years ago I returned from a week on the road to find that one heating pipe had frozen, shutting down heat to one side of the house. When it’s in the minus thirties you can’t go long without heat. Wife calls every heating contractor in town. One returns her call. Two guys show up, one half loaded. They spend an eight hour day dicking with it, and accomplish nothing. At five o’clock they leave to go to their company Christmas party, never to return. There is still no heat. I return from the road to find an angry, frightened wife in a house that half is very cold in. We send for pizza, then work until 02:00AM cutting out the frozen pipes and soldering in new pieces to bypass the damage.
That’s a common sort of experience up here.

 

[Ron H]

The problem is most companies don't have any workers so they are not taking on any new jobs... Restaurants around here have limited hours and seating due to no staff. Welcome to the NEW normal..

Yep, seems to be the new normal. Couple businesses near me have been closed for a couple months now cuz they can’t find people. An advantage is to be able to do things yourself as I have done; but as age keeps creeping along, some things I just prefer not to do anymore…like tearing out and replacing a 10-foot section of drain pipe in the basement cuz plumbers are too busy. Afraid this chit is going to get a lot worse before (I hope) it gets better.

 

[T2R9]

The problem is most companies don't have any workers so they are not taking on any new jobs... Restaurants around here have limited hours and seating due to no staff. Welcome to the NEW normal..

I get this. I can't get good employees either. But when they say they will be over to do an estimate then never show up really pizzes me off. I just wasted an afternoon waiting on someone.

 

[Dave6T4]

Saw a sign recently, " We're hiring...anybody who shows up! ".

 

[R413]

BTO: you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

 

[QuickBpBp]

I get this. I can't get good employees either. But when they say they will be over to do an estimate then never show up really pizzes me off. I just wasted an afternoon waiting on someone.

That's completely wrong but I easily see how it's happening as many have way too much on their plate with being short staffed but don't know how to just say no..

 

[Ron H]

I get this. I can't get good employees either. But when they say they will be over to do an estimate then never show up really pizzes me off. I just wasted an afternoon waiting on someone.

Yep, same deal waiting on guys to show up then have called 15 minutes before they’re supposed to arrive saying they can’t make it…then the friend of a friend’s contractor showing up who likes beer so I gave him one while we chatted about the job. Never texted a quote as said he would…THEN my friend tells me 6 weeks later, as I brought this up, saying he sent one and I didn’t reply!! I looked at my bud who’s thinking I’m the dipshit here…so I said “What…ya think I wouldn’t reply…knowing me for 40+ years, you think I wouldn’t have replied if I got the quote?” Nucking futs.

 

[rumblefish360]

I am trying to get some work done on my house and gardens and good lord do these people not want new customers willing to spend $$$? I have tried to get estimates and get maybe 1 out of 5 to call me back then when we agree on a time then they are no show... WTF. Seems no can be bothered to take on a new customer.

I’ve had this problem myself even after I agree to there price. I also pay cash. We agreed that they would show up on *** day, sign a contract and I would hand them lots-O-cash to get materials and get started. The amount of money to start the project was easily enough for 2 weeks pay for the boss and crew and all the materials.

So what’s the issue! IDK!

 

[69L48Z27]

Same problem here. Nothing new, this has been this way here for years around here anyway.

 

[Darter6]

well we have fewer people in the trades as the oldsters are retired or retiring…

A friend in the body shop business is freekin' because 4 of his guys are retiring and he can't find any COMPETENT workers. Any that are willing to work 8 hour days 5 days a week. With full benefits I may add.
Another in Pa that is building homes has Amish workers that drive from Ohio daily. Not a shortage of workers.A shortage of people that will work.

 

[Dave6T4]

Same problem here. Nothing new, this has been this way here for years around here anyway.

I thought from where you live, you could get Amish to help you. We have some around here, and they are great carpenters, roofers. Don't trust them with electrical, though. LOL.

 

[davek]

yep my friend is trying to build her house and people wont show. Needs lot cleared a trailer moved a road built and a house. CRAZY TIMES lets just give some more money out

 

[Cranky]

I am trying to get some work done on my house and gardens and good lord do these people not want new customers willing to spend $$$? I have tried to get estimates and get maybe 1 out of 5 to call me back then when we agree on a time then they are no show... WTF. Seems no can be bothered to take on a new customer.

Nutin new here!! Have had problems even 20 years ago and can only imagine what it's like now!!

 

[Ron H]

A friend in the body shop business is freekin' because 4 of his guys are retiring and he can't find any COMPETENT workers. Any that are willing to work 8 hour days 5 days a week. With full benefits I may add.
Another in Pa that is building homes has Amish workers that drive from Ohio daily. Not a shortage of workers.A shortage of people that will work.

I posted about my partial resto on my Dakota taking it to a body shop after I did the underside prep and mechanical stuff in my garage. The idea was they would do the necessary body work and paint prep and of course, paint. I know the owners well over the past few years, father & son shop. Well, they’ve been busy as can be for over a year and can’t find people either. After a month of the truck sitting cuz they’re so backed up, I offered to do the paint prep work and they gladly took me up on the offer, lol. Spent a couple days in their shop. Another lol, they said in all humor, I did good work; but a little slow! I said well…ahh first it’s MY veeehickle I’m working on and ya ain’t paying me by the hour. I saved a lot of cash doing this I hadn’t planned on so they could get my truck gone. But, wow, they work their asses off 12 hours a day or more and most Saturdays. The dad is about my age, meaning no spring chicken, and can look exhausted. He’s done well; has 20+ cars several of them having ‘plans’ someday to finish, but no doubt his ability to keep it up is on a shorter string. Yeah – best a luck with what the future holds with tradespeople AND who wanna work..

 

[Cranky]

I posted about my partial resto on my Dakota taking it to a body shop after I did the underside prep and mechanical stuff in my garage. The idea was they would do the necessary body work and paint prep and of course, paint. I know the owners well over the past few years, father & son shop. Well, they’ve been busy as can be for over a year and can’t find people either. After a month of the truck sitting cuz they’re so backed up, I offered to do the paint prep work and they gladly took me up on the offer, lol. Spent a couple days in their shop. Another lol, they said in all humor, I did good work; but a little slow! I said well…ahh first it’s MY veeehickle I’m working on and ya ain’t paying me by the hour. I saved a lot of cash doing this I hadn’t planned on so they could get my truck gone. But, wow, they work their asses off 12 hours a day or more and most Saturdays. The dad is about my age, meaning no spring chicken, and can look exhausted. He’s done well; has 20+ cars several of them having ‘plans’ someday to finish, but no doubt his ability to keep it up is on a shorter string. Yeah – best a luck with what the future holds with tradespeople AND who wanna work..

Oh man, I did 3 hours of lathe work today and I'm beat after getting another rear end ready to weld up!! And I'm only 70 fixin to be 71!

 

[sam dupont]

Ben and Jerry (before they sold) had a company policy that the highest wage paid was 5 times the lowest. They had no trouble hiring at the lowest wage, but some management types wanted more.. and they could get more elsewhere.
When they complained, B&J told them to figure out how to raise the lowest wage and thereby raise their own. Otherwise, good luck with your job search.