Why Can't I Find a Paver/Tradesman (Update)
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Prior to lockdown I had about 6 tradesmen price my garden for paving. Apart from one who quoted a third more than anyone else and wanted more than cost of materials up front, none of them took the job or got back to me.
Finally I found someone but lockdown delayed things and now he too is ignoring all attempts to pin him down. The worst part is I made a start (whilst building fairy garden) in preparing rest of garden ready for him to start and it now looks an absolute mess. Why is it so hard to get decent tradesmen these days?
I am tearing my hair out at the thought of going all through viewing and pricing again!
Lynibis maybe perhaps the tradesman you found and was willing to start has been struck down by COVID or family members have and he is struggling to get back to normal.
Yes, I did fleetingly think of that but hoped maybe someone might have texted my son as he is a friend of the guy and their kids are mates too.
lilyflower he has tried but no reply. We don't know if he just doesn't want the work or family problems/illness. The kids have not been to football since lockdown so cannot see him there. They go different schools.
Hi lilyflower just thought I would bring you up to date on this.
My son finally spoke to the guy who told him he had two phones and he had been ringing/texting the 'wrong one'.
Firstly, why would you give the wrong number and secondly would you not look at your second phone at least once in 3+ months?
Anyway he was still keen, apologised and said he would call the following week with a date. Yes, you guessed, have never heard from him since and that was 4/6 weeks ago.
As you can see below, am now sorted, but it does make me wonder why he couldn't just say he didn't want the work. Probably would have been a disaster if we had used him.
Unfortunately I am not on any type of social media so have to do it the hard way lol.
I don't really use much myself a lot of posts are mind numbingly stupid but maybe that has more to do with people I know 
maybe your son could post for you Lynibis
Strange breed tradesman, they go into business offering a service and then don't want to do the jobs they are offered, always baffled me why it's so difficult to get a tradesman to do a job at a reasonable price. I've been trying for eighteen months to get someone to replace our guttering and down pipes front and back, but either they don't turn up, want silly money or avoid coming back to you with prices at all . If it wasn't for the height and needing ladders or scaffolding I would do it myself.
It is the not getting back to you that bugs me. I get that they are busy as Johnny says but going out to view a job and quote on it I am sure is reflected in their cost. You wait for them to reply and by the time you realise they aren't going to you could have been asking others.
Mango4 thinking of your problem I have always had jobs like that done by companies who have their own staff and have someone come and do a detailed quote and then wait to hear from you rather than the other way round. I had mine done by a local company called Smiths. However, make sure you haggle. My son got the cost of my conservatory down from 17.5k to 8.25k. They must have still made a profit so it just goes to show! That is why we treated the workman so well as in my reply to Johnny.
Lynibis Maybe haven't tried them to be fair, honestly didn't think large national companies like that would have been interested in such a small job,been trying local companies and tradesman but you may have a point, I may give them a call in a few weeks when things get back to some form of normal. Thanks
Mango4 Just a couple I found.
https://www.roofline-design.co.uk
https://www.checkatrade.com/trades/TheGutterandCladdingCompany/
The problem will get worse when the current situation improves. The trades will be able to pick and choose the jobs that most people are desperate for and they will increase their charges. I guess they will make up for the loss of wages incurred if they were self employed and unable to get any support.
You are right angemski, they can pick and choose anyway as there is so much demand so they will always go with the folk who are prepared to pay inflated prices or don't quibble. If they can do 1 job for 3k taking 3 days they will do that rather than 2 x 2k jobs taking 5/6 days.
I think part of the problem is people getting too many quotes. Visiting the site and preparing a quote becomes an expensive waste of time for a tradesman who doesn't get the business. 3 quotes should be ample is you choose your tradesmen carefully to begin with and get recommendations. Getting too many quotes pushes the price up for everyone else! At the end of the day few tradesmen want to, or can afford to, do work at rock bottom prices.
I can see where you are coming from Johnny but I am one of those weird people who will pay a good price for a good job and not necessarily go for the cheapest. I always add a bonus if the job is done on time and they don't leave a mess.
Even the man who did my conservatory (working for a company so on fixed wage) got a tip from my son and wine and tin of biscuits from me. I kept him supplied with coffee, sandwiches and biscuits and when he left said it was the best job he had ever been to.
I think understandably many are not working just as those with office jobs aren't, if it isn't essential/emergency work a lot of work is not happening right now, which is necessary to be safe.
You misunderstand. I don't want him to do it until he feels safe to do it....I just want to know if he still wants the job.
Anyway, now we are allowed to have garden visits he could begin the work if he wanted to earn some money. I have side access to garden, a conservatory with electric supply and I could stay behind the sliding door into house so he would be safe. Also I have had no contact with anyone since 22nd March so my house and I are covid free, I am the one at risk.
Well acting on advice given on this thread I asked a few friends to put a message on Facebook asking for recommendations. I got three replies and phoned them all. Very eager to come round but only 1 actually came and he quoted £1100 more than the highest of the previous lot before lockdown!
Getting really fed up now as my garden is a tip where I had already started prepping ready for the guy who said he would do it. Doesn't add to my sense of well being not being able to enjoy my garden. But hey I don't want to whinge as I fully appreciate I am lucky to have a garden and feel for those who don't.
Finally............I have found someone to do my garden.....yipeeee!
He is professional, very reasonably priced and starts on September 1st, maybe a week before if other jobs finish on time. Such a weight off my mind and money over from what I put aside to buy some nice new garden furniture.
Update: Garden is finally done and looks beautiful. The guys were professional and tidy.
But it seems to me in life that nothing comes without at least one problem and a few days after finishing one of the slabs began to discolour for some strange reason and is such an eyesore. There seems no apparent reason and cannot be damp as it is 2 weeks on and weather has been very hot. Luckily the builder has agreed to sort it if it doesn't improve, but why just one slab? 
Ann1984 with difficulty! I actually typed in the first part word for word in chat search but left off 'tradesman' and nothing whatsoever came up but loads of other totally unrelated topics, some without even one word the same!
In the end I went back a couple of months and just looked at all my topics showing my icon.
I have never found search chat to be any good.
It looks great, glad it is sorted. I've done the front and back garden myself, trying to keep the cost down and it is mostly just tidying and weeding. One of our slabs could do with being replaced, but we would need to get them all done, which is just unnecessary in my opinion.
We ate getting the house painted in preparation for moving. I've had 3 people come out, just waiting for quotes, but I contacted loads of people and I'm still waiting for people to get back to me!
MrsCraig seems to be the way of it with some tradesmen.
In a few years time I would certainly not worry about the slabs looking a bit worn and discoloured, would probably look quite rustic, but being brand new and the whole thing discoloured it stands out like a sore thumb.
I have just laid loads more slate on the borders and stones for the fairy garden. Had to keep going back and forth to car getting a bucketful as I just couldn't lift them.
Must admit starting to feel the strain age wise with house maintenance so looks like more paying for workmen!
Lynibis I was pleased all 3 of them showed up, I would have expected to have the quotes through by now though.
I agree as it is new it shouldn't look like that so soon.
I laid lots of stones this afternoon in the border of our garden and I had to carry them in small amounts as they were too heavy otherwise. I have done a lot if things around our house and garden to keep the costs down but I need to get a professional to paint it as I'm not confident I could do it plus we need some plaster work and small repairs, I'm definitely not capable of doing those!
This is exactly why my husband is looking at starting his own business doing this sort of thing. His job future in the West End Theatres looks bleak and the number of people we know that have been let down by tradesmen has shown the demand for reliable tradesmen!!
I really don’t get it, communication is key to a successful business but seems a lot of people just don’t understand this!
(I am not tarring all tradesmen with the same brush ..... have also come across lots of lovely people too)
My lovely son does a lot of odd jobs for me but he is not a professional so I could really do with a local handyman who will do odd jobs as and when needed. I am sure there must be many single ladies (and men and couples) who would pay for someone to do odd jobs.
I wish your husband well in his new venture.
I am glad you have finally got it sorted but it is frustrating for you about the ‘rogue’ slab! I hope the builder returns and replaces it soon.
Thank you gerrykelly25 he said he will come and sort it next week so, fingers crossed!
Sorry i went to press send on my last chat but got closed as soon i went to send its a shame really how can we open a chat just for normal discussions. I think the topic would have helpped some parents who had kids just starting gcse whice I was trying to say in my reply but was closed.
i Remembered this topic so had to search it sorry
My comment got removed on a chat topic and the chat got closed down because i criticised a 60p saving on a deal 
I am so annoyed by having my thoughts policed by those who have no reason or right to do so, so I am no longer going to comment on chat. I am an intelligent woman and do not want to talk twaddle so this comment is to wish all my chat friends well and say goodbye.x
Getsome If you named the poster then that wouldn't be right but if it was a general comment that's unfair. There is a serial complainer who shared a deal for an item that had two in stock at the time of posting and was quite proud of it. TWO in stock to serve, potentially, 1.4M members......glasshouses?
sunny101 I didn’t mention the person but In someways wish I had then people might see how stupid the deal was and it was on the main page! I’m not normally bothered but recently the crap deals have been increasing
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