If you’ve got a job that’ll take a week, contractors will basically fight for it - but if it’s just something that takes a few hours, it’s apparently a real struggle to get anyone to show up.
I just installed a new kitchen sink and hooked up the faucet and dishwasher for a client. He said they had called eight plumbing companies, and all of them either refused outright or said they’d get back to it but never did. One company agreed to come install it but wouldn’t do the hole in the countertop for the sink, so they would’ve needed to hire a carpenter separately - and you can imagine how thrilled a carpenter would be about a job that takes less than an hour.
This is an incredibly common story among my customers. I’m a plumber by training, but when I went self-employed, I expanded my services to cover all kinds of handyman work. Clearly, I’m filling a niche, considering the amount of gratitude I’m getting from customers. I literally received a gift basket from one just last week. I should’ve made the jump a decade ago.
Where I live ( the good old balkans ) we barelly ever call anybody for work, just because we are all handyman.
Just last year I painted my gradmas house and assembled a new kitchen for her ( was 20 at the time ).
And just in general all furniture and most work that’s done on the house we do ourself, except work that is only legally able to be done with professional’s or we didn’t have experience with before, but learn how it’s by watching the contractor and call another one for that kind of jobs.
Our average holiday’s and day off’s are just working on our houses because we are too cheap to pay a cont$actor for it.
Same here. It took me a long time to realise that other people just call someone to do things for them, since my dad did all that stuff by himself. I had a new friend group when i was 20 or so, and i was at a friends place where a contractor came over to hang up some guitar hangers. I was blown away, like whaaaat? You can call a guy to drill 6 holes? That’s nuts.
Yeah, I’d imagine it’s pretty much the same here in Finland. People tend to DIY it when ever possible. I even encourage them to give it a shot and will give free tips when ever possible.
Most of my customers are either elderly or busy career people. Plumbing is the only exception where even handy people tend to leave it for a professional.