Why is it so hard to find people that know what they are doing
- Thread starter invaderzim
- Start date
I owned a house for 21 years with an older concrete tile roof and spent a lot of time fixing leaks. Most roofers weren't even interested in looking at it and the ones that did had a hard time even finding the leaks. The rest of the neighborhood had the same problems and found a person that specialized in these roofs and even most of his repairs only lasted a year or two. I ended up doing my own repairs on the roof after the first two repairmen and can say sometimes it was a major pain and needed repairing every year or two. Hopefully you get lucky.
Quadman2
Lunatic Member
Apprenticeship... training assistant... "helper", terms now rarely used but were quite common back in the day where any job had a SENIOR person quite proven and skilled, mentoring others in the same occupation/work effort.
This is NOT how things get done today!
A lot of finger pointing with a lot of truths being singled out, with a fair degree of looking at were we really are today in this global community.
The two above quotes also share in the ability factor of people in the different fields of work where there is little in the way of an established system to both train and grade future participants in the work force.
With the different unions/guilds/apprentice boards either weakened, or gone, there's little to gauge the end quality of who gets to be in the work force. Europe held held high standards much above what was experienced in N America, but as evidenced by some posts, that too is changing.
People often want cheap, either out of necessity or just because it's available, but there's always a caveat attached when the shoddy results become apparent. And usually there's no come back.
I've found that there's only two ways to address/prevent poor standards that you may have to deal with. One is to go only on referrals esp from people you know, and to take a long look at the company that you intend to hire. I suppose a third way might be to attain the skills to do the job yourself, but today you have to be aware of any future insurance claims if you do make a serious error. In these DIY projects, some work just needs the expertise of people who do the work. But, here again, an intensive examination has to be done before they do the work, esp in the area of their insurance coverage while working on your project.
Q
Quadman2
Lunatic Member
That seems to be so true for that state.
A maintenance guy ended up coming over to work on my relative's house, and I and I had to guide him along on the job...and I didn't get paid either!They complained as you did...as it wasn't their first experience with this fix it up-type without the necessary skill set.
Q
I want to jump in here and say my personal experience here in mid-coast Maine is the exact opposite of most. I live in a 1904 Victorian which needs annual work and the folks I have found are first rate and “honest as the day is long”.
My house has an original slate roof - and I even found an old time slate guy that comes every year to inspect and repair as needed. Now, when I lived in California my experience was quit different.
My house has an original slate roof - and I even found an old time slate guy that comes every year to inspect and repair as needed. Now, when I lived in California my experience was quit different.
UncleBingo
Super Member
Many people just want it done cheap. Sorry, you aren't getting my expertise for $20 an hour on your $350-450k house. Sounds pissy, I know, but why am I subsidizing your standard of living by working for less than it takes to survive? I left the trades for that very reason. I thought about starting my own biz, but hiring and training qualified people is a full-time job in itself.
bluesky
Addicted Member
That seems to be so true for that state.
It's horrible. It really is.
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
Ok everybody, we're moving to Maine.
bluesky
Addicted Member
Agreed!
I understand the trades and that 'jobs completed' require correct payment. I'm personally fine with that and usually give a 'tip' on Big jobs. All I ask is 'Just DO the job RIGHT'. That seems to be a big problem 80+% of the time down here in S. Fla.
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Ok, this tangent is leading to something I've been saying for a long time.
Lets get the darn *edit to remove something* leveled out, pay people a darn living wage and then, gulp, we consumers PAY THE ACTUAL COST OF SERVICES.
Stop underpaying and causing people who are working a full time job to get gov't assistance.
This, right here, right now is just f'ing nuts. It cannot be sustained.
We are truly playing a game of musical chairs and we know how that ends. Or maybe Monopoly is a more accurate metaphor.
Lets get the darn *edit to remove something* leveled out, pay people a darn living wage and then, gulp, we consumers PAY THE ACTUAL COST OF SERVICES.
Stop underpaying and causing people who are working a full time job to get gov't assistance.
This, right here, right now is just f'ing nuts. It cannot be sustained.
We are truly playing a game of musical chairs and we know how that ends. Or maybe Monopoly is a more accurate metaphor.
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
I just had a conversation about that with someone today. It began with 'how great Amazon is.' Well, I said, they are the new Walmart. 
70's Rockfan
Rough N Ready
Why is it so hard to find people that know what they are doing
toxcrusadr
Omelette au Fromage
I say that all the time, didn't know it was George. 
No No No - stay where you are - it’s just terrible here - all this darn nature, reasonable cost of living and good folks - who needs it?
