is rated people worth going on
- Thread starter anderson400
- Start date
- Status
zolco
Private Member
I think that's everyone's headache when you trying to expand, finding the right geezer to work for you or with you.
But a very hefty annual sign up let's not forget that
Jgreenplastering
Private Member
Jurek
Private Member
the best things in life are free. the love of a good woman. the stars in the sky. i love the smell of pva in the morning. it costs me nothing . you ca get free advice off people as well. i got a free wooden bird table last year from a bloke i was working for in gayton. he was going to skip it.
user_removed
Well-Known Member
Not for me and doubt any of those sites would ever be.
I think investing in a good website and working hard on that is the best way to put yourself out there now, I get about 15 enquiries per week a lot I just flatly refuse because I know they either want quick or cheap, which I don't do.
These carrot dangling sites always give the impression your chasing work, I'm not saying you'll not get some nice jobs off there but I'd imagine you'd get the customers that want cheap, like a Dutch auction.
I now have the mind set of if they want to use me, they contact me, talk to me properly, be prepared to pay what I charge and wait if needs be, if not there's plenty of fuckwits about.
I think investing in a good website and working hard on that is the best way to put yourself out there now, I get about 15 enquiries per week a lot I just flatly refuse because I know they either want quick or cheap, which I don't do.
These carrot dangling sites always give the impression your chasing work, I'm not saying you'll not get some nice jobs off there but I'd imagine you'd get the customers that want cheap, like a Dutch auction.
I now have the mind set of if they want to use me, they contact me, talk to me properly, be prepared to pay what I charge and wait if needs be, if not there's plenty of fuckwits about.
Jgreenplastering
Private Member
It wasn't free, you spent time going to get it! [emoji16][emoji23]
Jurek
Private Member
i'm not an advocate of all of the sites mentioned. i wouldnt pay six hundred a year. i wouldnt pay thirty pounds a lead. but at a couple of quid a lead ill chance my arm. mybuilder provides a lot of leads. most ill ignore because youre usually too busy and they want it doing like yesterday but some are worth a punt. its alright being high and mighty about it all. im a time served tradesmen, ill let them come to me, i dont chase work, i only work for people who appreciate me etc. but unfortunately its the way of the world. you type a plasterer and a local area and these sites will be top of the page. not so much rated people anymore because they are shite but nearly always mybuilder and checkatrade, and the average jo bloggs who knows nothing about plastering except he wants his walls and ceilings to look nice will click on them.
Jurek
Private Member
and mybuilder help you learn things, as well. i got from them earlier, which should come in handy:
Hi Alan,
As temperatures drop, it’s important to protect your property from the risk of condensation—the most common cause of mould.
“Everyone gets condensation confused with damp,” says damp-proofing specialist David Lowndes. “Damp is a serious problem which needs to be addressed by a professional. Interior mould, on the other hand, is often caused by condensation. It is what happens when moist air condenses on cold surfaces, which is why it spikes in the winter.”
To beat condensation, remember this easy acronym: HIVE (heating, insulation, ventilation and extraction). The key is keeping your home warm, even when you aren’t there. You’ll need a reliable boiler, so an annual check from a heating engineer is a good idea.
A surefire way to keep your home toasty without racking up the bills is to insulate your walls, an easy job that involves hiring a plasterer to install new plasterboards over your exterior walls. Once that’s done, consider finding a window fitter to install double-glazing to keep the temperature up in your house.
The little things matter too. Remember to regularly ventilate by opening your windows and use an extractor fan to get rid of steam while you’re cooking or taking a shower. If possible, dry your clothes outside to avoid excess moisture. With help from a tradesperson and good habits, you’ll be on your way to a mould-free winter!
HIVE
Hi Alan,
As temperatures drop, it’s important to protect your property from the risk of condensation—the most common cause of mould.
“Everyone gets condensation confused with damp,” says damp-proofing specialist David Lowndes. “Damp is a serious problem which needs to be addressed by a professional. Interior mould, on the other hand, is often caused by condensation. It is what happens when moist air condenses on cold surfaces, which is why it spikes in the winter.”
To beat condensation, remember this easy acronym: HIVE (heating, insulation, ventilation and extraction). The key is keeping your home warm, even when you aren’t there. You’ll need a reliable boiler, so an annual check from a heating engineer is a good idea.
A surefire way to keep your home toasty without racking up the bills is to insulate your walls, an easy job that involves hiring a plasterer to install new plasterboards over your exterior walls. Once that’s done, consider finding a window fitter to install double-glazing to keep the temperature up in your house.
The little things matter too. Remember to regularly ventilate by opening your windows and use an extractor fan to get rid of steam while you’re cooking or taking a shower. If possible, dry your clothes outside to avoid excess moisture. With help from a tradesperson and good habits, you’ll be on your way to a mould-free winter!
HIVE
jack the lad
Member
Anderson hope you not going to be pinching my jobs off my builder . A run a facebook page get load more work off that... Plus its free
user_removed
Well-Known Member
Mybuilder, my hammer, rated, checkatrade etc etc They all piss in the same pot.
"ill let them come to me, i dont chase work, i only work for people who appreciate me etc. but unfortunately its the way of the world"
Any reputable tradesmen iv met over the years don't bother with these sites, what do you need to get on them..... Money, that's all.
You pay to go on, pay for leads and do good work the third party company wins, you pay to go on, pay for leads and do bad work, the third party company will still make off you, while all the while your being judged and rated by every customer.
f**k that right off, the day I pay for leads is the day I pack up and go down tescos, you already pay in fuel and time to visit jobs and quote.
I don't chase work it drips in steady but I'm certainly not stupid enough to pay for the chase.
"ill let them come to me, i dont chase work, i only work for people who appreciate me etc. but unfortunately its the way of the world"
Any reputable tradesmen iv met over the years don't bother with these sites, what do you need to get on them..... Money, that's all.
You pay to go on, pay for leads and do good work the third party company wins, you pay to go on, pay for leads and do bad work, the third party company will still make off you, while all the while your being judged and rated by every customer.
f**k that right off, the day I pay for leads is the day I pack up and go down tescos, you already pay in fuel and time to visit jobs and quote.
I don't chase work it drips in steady but I'm certainly not stupid enough to pay for the chase.
Jgreenplastering
Private Member
You obviously don't know how some are different from others apart from the paid for part.
As for the reputable tradesmen part you still don't get how they work.
Why would someone who's s**t at there job pay £600 a year to advertise on a review site where people will ring you based on your reviews?
Again why would they pay this knowing anyone who've used them can leave a review?
Yes you can fake reviews but your going on the site to get work so will know people can leave them?
Your obviously entitled to your opinion but I couldn't agree less about the reputable tradesman part.
You'll find some of the better tradesman on there and that's for any trade.
I'm speaking purely for Checkatrade.
I haven't used the others and wouldn't because they are different.
user_removed
Well-Known Member
Iv looked into them all over the years, I know how each work, the principal of the matter is your handing money over for the opportunity to price work.
A good website costs £3-400, 6 months doing some basic SEO, will last years.
Freeindex - free
Facebook - free (I don't use it though)
Twitter - free
Sign writing van £200 approx, should last 7-8 years
Emailing commercial builders asking to tender - free
All the business listing sites on the net which also improve your web listing - free
Loads of free and lower cost ways to get your name out there, good work will bring in repeat custom too, talking to reps and being friendly will also bring you work in.
I'm not knocking anyone who uses them, and checkatrade is probably the best of a bad bunch, but £600 is a lot of money and said site is not that big in the north.
From what little experience I have with these sites, usually it's people looking for a bargain, getting multiple quotes.
I looked on checkatrade yesterday, it just seems to be a list with tradesmen all rated between 9.5 - 10 then a bit of info and a link, similar to other free listings.
I'd rather save the £600, and I don't like the idea of paying for leads from the others, I was jumped on, on here for ringing a customer weeks ago that a K'rend rep had passed me??????
A good website costs £3-400, 6 months doing some basic SEO, will last years.
Freeindex - free
Facebook - free (I don't use it though)
Twitter - free
Sign writing van £200 approx, should last 7-8 years
Emailing commercial builders asking to tender - free
All the business listing sites on the net which also improve your web listing - free
Loads of free and lower cost ways to get your name out there, good work will bring in repeat custom too, talking to reps and being friendly will also bring you work in.
I'm not knocking anyone who uses them, and checkatrade is probably the best of a bad bunch, but £600 is a lot of money and said site is not that big in the north.
From what little experience I have with these sites, usually it's people looking for a bargain, getting multiple quotes.
I looked on checkatrade yesterday, it just seems to be a list with tradesmen all rated between 9.5 - 10 then a bit of info and a link, similar to other free listings.
I'd rather save the £600, and I don't like the idea of paying for leads from the others, I was jumped on, on here for ringing a customer weeks ago that a K'rend rep had passed me??????
Jurek
Private Member
theres no need to be like that
user_removed
Well-Known Member
Sorry, anyway I'm off to work, have a good day gents
Jurek
Private Member
i dont chase work myself. havent advertised for the last few years. something always turns up. couple of decent jobs over the last few days in fact. but if ever does run dry mybuilder is a nice little back up.and as for the feedback, ive no problem with that, as ive no intention of dong a s**t job. most customers who have had no recommendation from friends in regard to a plasterer will use these sites and read the feedback just for that. ive never had anyone trying negotiate price or be spiteful in regard to feedback.
just my viewpoint. all your eggs in one basket etc.
Jurek
Private Member
im just kidding mate. i agree with the general point. i wouldnt pay hundreds for the priveledge. and most of them are shite. but for a couple of quid if one of the leads catches my eye ill have a punt and its usually well worth it.
Its all relative on scehemes like rated people / mybuilder to your area .
For instance where I am theres new plasterers all the time due to a 6 month school who think they know it all then join rated people / my builder and its pointless me competing against or paying for leads when you know there working for cash and next to nothing so id be tipping my money away really unless im prepared to work for 120 a day ... Personally im on a Trading Standards run scheme that has reviews from customers and costs me £150 a year tops ... sceheme like that will always carry more weight than say check a trade imo
For instance where I am theres new plasterers all the time due to a 6 month school who think they know it all then join rated people / my builder and its pointless me competing against or paying for leads when you know there working for cash and next to nothing so id be tipping my money away really unless im prepared to work for 120 a day ... Personally im on a Trading Standards run scheme that has reviews from customers and costs me £150 a year tops ... sceheme like that will always carry more weight than say check a trade imo
- Status