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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:53 am
by meany
I wont work for certain ethnic minority groups,namely of the pakistani,indian origin.
One job i did a while back was replace a section of underground drainage.On completion i said it was £200,the guy put his hand in his wallet and got £100 out then said follow me,i'm thinking wtf,follows him to the cellar,opens door and he said u pick out a couple of pairs of denim jeans !
Suffice to say i refused,a bit off a stand off for a minute or so,the son came in and said whats up.I explained the jeans scenario,he got the remaining £100 out of his pocket.
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:33 pm
by Asbury
That happened to my bro in law when a Pakistan dude said I will give you £?? instead of £??? he would not pay the agreed sum to my bro in law for tiling a bathroom.
So bro in law got his hammer and started to hit the tiles until the pakistan dude shouted ''PLEASE STOP'' 
He paid and then bro in law replaced the ten tiles.
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:33 am
by seanandruby
My wifes son did a job for a pakisani man. When he had completed, the guy said " i am deducting ten pounds because ( fitted an ordinary light fitting ) my mate had simular job done and he only paid ten quid". Supply and fix. as the son was young, the bloke took advantage. Wife would'nt let me go round and sort it, the lad just accepted it. And now the poor kid is waiting to go to afghanistan with the paras'. I think it is just the way they are, they are taught to scrimp and scrap, put there money to good use. They budget everything.
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:14 am
by henpecked
I used to work with a loft conversion bloke. He gave up quoting on bigger jobs. As soon as you gave a bill of quants, hey presto,the same order went in down at Wickes and the guy did it himself, 'Sorry, job cancelled' made you feel like a right mug.
Made it pay when he got a call to fix the sagging roof 
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 11:22 am
by Rich H
There is a cultural difference in approaches to business in the UK and the Indian sub-continent. I make it very clear that the price I give is based on the cost of materials and my time for labour; I have to earn what I have to earn to do a job and it isn't padded to allow for negotiation. It's simply an honest price. Not surprisingly, I don't win many jobs for Indian and Pakistani clients. Like any aspect of business, if you go into it with your eyes open you shouldn't get burned.
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:48 pm
by meany
I think the older generations of Pakistani,Indian origins are the worst.As people have said,in that part of the world,they are used to bartering the price of goods and services down.When the phone goes and it is the "accent" i tend first struggle with what they are saying as im deaf(wear a hearing aid) The other is they tend to live in the Ghetto part of town and i'm not comfortable at all.I'm not generalising asian communties as i also avoid the white ghettos like the plague as well.
Was doing a job in a rough white area,i was in the back of the van rummaging around for some tools.I feel movement on the van not caused by me.There is 2 lads forcing the lock on the passenger side,my reply was what are u doing ? They said wtf does it look like what we are doing.I got the hammer out the back of the van and started waving it about,they backed of for a second then smashed window for the mobile.Im shouting thieving scrotes as they run off,they turned back round lobbing srew drivers and bits n pieces.Im throwing milk crates that was on the side of the pavement.They finally legged it.The worst thing was,i had an audience of neighbours and people in the street.My customer was to frightened to do anything and customer said he didnt see owt for fear of reprisals.I phoned the maintenance company up who i was working for at the time to boycot the area.
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:47 pm
by flowjoe
I find there are as many home grown W%nk!rs as there are imported.
As Rich H says its cultural, most of my Jewish clients ask for a price, then knock me down (whilst asking for extras), we agree on middle ground. Job gets done and then we get paid on completion, But its all done up front !
The asian community (not meant to be a sweeping statement) let you do the job and then barter on payment. But i know this when i walk into a job so hopefully i can assess the situation and allow ££££ for this.
Then again its the English tw%t with the two 4x4s on the drive and a plum in his mouth offering tea & hobnobs that will take you from behind.
I take each customer as they come, if not sure i just walk away
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:09 am
by Rich H
Chocolate Hobnobs, I hope?
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:37 am
by Tommy
We had a Stihl blower nicked off our van once, wasnt chained down (our fault) but gave chase, 3 of us from the company and an independent witness gave a description, (the lad lived opposite) Police did naff all about it.
I've been in the back of a crew cab transit, and had some fecker rummaging in the passenger side. Soon ran off when i threw a strimmer head at him though :laugh:
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:14 am
by Dave_L
Dear oh Dear.......makes I grateful for where I live/work - although not everyone down here is a saint, mind.
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:43 am
by flowjoe
Rich H wrote:Chocolate Hobnobs, I hope?
Staple diet for a drainman :;):
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:03 pm
by rab1
We took on a social housing refurb job once (12 new schools and the builder put this in as part of the package) 1 man stabbed by a junkies needle, 2 men interviewed by the police as part of a drugs raid. police escort to certain houses in the schemes. in the end our guys we escorted to every house by a member of the council housing department.
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:43 pm
by topgrafter2007
worked on a pub job once in manchester where 200sm of cobble carpark vanished over the weekend1! dipshit copper insisted on wanting to no how many cobbles there were!!!!!! same job, was in chippy down road when our 3 ton dumper flew past the window with bout 10 kids in bucket! then a stroppy mixer driver was refusing to wait as he was early and we were just getting ready for him. said he was booked for a spew only. got right arsey and got thumped in the end! then went round other side of the job and spewd 4m on grass at side of pub! council grass tho! lol was glad to come home 
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:11 pm
by flowjoe
lol
We had two guys working off one compressor with jack hammers in Moss Side, all went quiet and they looked around the corner as this guy was doing one down the road with the kit.
One keystone kop style chase later he holds his hands up and says `you cant blame me for having a go` before jumping in his (i assume his) brand new merc.
Nowt like cheek
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:00 pm
by Tommy
One of my mates was working on a domestic project as a labourer in Birkenhead, He's filling the mixer in the front yard, Gets called into the back yard to give the gaffer a lift with a barrow.
Both go back into the front yard moments later, only to find the mixer on the back of a moving van, still mixing.
An old bloke I used to work with used to tell us a story (at least once a week)
He was working for the council on the ground dept. Had a compact tractor and trailer, and went out to do handmowing.
Finishes one site, loads up the mower and moves up the road to the next, realises its Brew time, so out comes the flask and the paper.
Brewtime over, he turns to take the mower off, only to see some lad 600 yards down the road, strolling with the mower.
Somehow, the lad had managed to un-tie and lift the mower off the trailer, without being seen or heard.