Trying to get a quote for house renos

[bunny0410]

and the lady on the phone asks if I'm married?

Then proceeds too ask when my OH is home so the consultant can come and give a quote?

How rude!

Apparently I am not capable of standing and watching some dude measure my guttering!

[grandmoon]

I would have asked her if she didn't trust the male she would be sending out to be alone with a female.

[ashjoma]

Be VERY careful with this 'up to date' company.

When I lived in Sydney, we had them do our guttering - the guttering was delivered and sat in the back yard for 6 months  (this was at the time of the massive storm where there were lots of damaged roofs)

so when we were asked could  we wait alittle while ( a few weeks), we said yes because there were people more needy.

BUT, we were then forgotten about and 6 months later after repeated phone calls and then requests for them to remove the guttering so we could get someone else, which they refused to do. 

When the date was eventually set and I had taken the days off work, no-one showed up - and this happened 3  or 4 times.

Written complaints to the manager followed.

The work was eventually done and all was done well enough, but the grief and hassle was endless.

The worse past was after it was all done, the ENDLESS phonecalls for more work eg windows.

Requests for these calls to stop were ignored and every few weeks we would get another high pressure call.

DO NOT give them your home number unless you want endless pestering phone calls.

If you go ahead, be careful and be firm with them.

I also told a work colleague the same when he was getting guttering quotes and he told the company he was no longer interested due to this, and the manager became angry and demanded to know who had told him this (he refused to say of course)

I have just had a roof replaced on my father's house and guttering and downpipes as well, and if you are in Sydney I can give you the company as they were fantastic and I am very happy with the result.

.

[jean2579]

I think that you may find that the reason is that if there are 2 or more owners each has to sign the work contract. The is a high chance of the sales person walking away with a signed contract if both agree at the same time. 

BTW always go to your Fair Trading website first and check to see if there are any complaints registered.

[vampire-teddy]

easy i put my female OH on the phone and what reaction that gets.

the only males in my house are the cat and dog, what am i to do?:^O

[ashjoma]

I bet the person on the other end of the phone will be so embarrassed.  I hope they apologise

[bunny0410]

Ashjoma, can you please forward details of company you recommend.

Have just found a site about compaints, and the M company had the most!

Hopefully they wont call back as I had told them OH was not available. From what Ive just read, they more than likely wont pester me. Looks like they eliminate you as a potential customer if you dont have two people to sign up to their dodgey deals 🙂

[bunny0410]

note to me - must spell check when typing in the dark!

[ashjoma]

bunny - uhm

[twinkles**stars]

tradies expect to waste time or money giving out free quotes for guttering, they mightnt get the job. & i fail to see the difference if the owner waiting at home is a male or female. They would simply ask the owner what colour colorbond you want from their color chart.. if they havent got the colour you want to suit the color of your roof or whatever. they might suggest uncoated metal to paint yourself, which might work out cheaper. (measure up the metres give a quote) Wouldnt most women handle those simple decisions? Its only guttering.

No, tradies do not expect to waste time and money. Why would they? Some now charge for a quote with an offer of the cost taken from the quote upon acceptance....we didn't, and at times I would take a call from an outraged OH not wanting such work done. We had a plumbing business....including full bathroom renovations. Can take a day or more to quote on  a full house, which includes a measure, pricing and availability of fittings etc......lost earnings never recouped. No one can afford that.

[i-need-a-martini]

I think having both partners there for a joint property is not unreasonable.

As a designer, I will usually make my appointments when a husband is home simply because 9 times out of 10, a woman will say "I'll discuss it all with my husband and get back to you.".

Invariably, husband has no idea what wife is trying to explain so I have to go out AGAIN to explain it to him.

It's a waste of my time. 

Yes of course most women are capable of making decisions but in my experience when it comes to work around the house men are way more decisive.