What Do Plumbers Have In Common With Girls?

You got their number from a web site.

They never answer the phone. But they might answer a text.

If they do answer, they might sound quite enthusiastic about what you have in mind.

You send them over a couple of photographs and your address.

Then....

(crickets)

They never call back.

It feels like stalking if you chase them.

They never say why they don't want to do what they sounded so enthusiastic about back then.

Yep.

Tradesmen.

And you thought I meant girls on dates.

I would rather spend my time on some BS work-related phone call than call a tradesman. I swear the moment they realise I live in a postcode that they know only has small houses, they lose interest. They are all after the three sixes:

Six-bedroom house

Six-day job

Six-grand payment

Gardeners seem okay. They stand to make a decent amount on any garden.

Carpenters, plumbers, handymen, gas fitters, roofers, and electricians are awful. They are always busy. They have families in terrible health that require a last-minute cancellation. I can tell they would rather be working on a nice detached house in Woking than my modest mid-terrace.

Calling tradesmen is an endless stream of rejection. Nothing is ever worth them returning the call with a quote.

I shave. I wash. My house is clean. It has electricity and running water and gas.

Tradesmen these days just don't want ordinary decent customers who want to pay them a fair price for a fair job. Now. They want glamour, big money, fancy postcodes. All so they can take impressive photographs for their social media.

Huh!