One thing grits me about Tradies is they always wear their dirty grubby soiled filled shoes into the house 

Generally tradies do a great job.

The might hate these things but customers deserve to enter into discussion on all.

1. Most of us only delay payment if there is a problem with the job.

2. Of course you should haggle.  The explanation you give Ben is flawed because jobs on quote can vary widely.  This is how tradies make the big bucks when the market is hot and your breakdown does not understand the process.  I have been there done that for many decades and know how it works.

3.  Of course people should check out the work.  I had an instance once where I was building an extension (double brick) and the plumber ran a copper water pipe on the INSIDE of the wall.  Imagine not picking that one up.  When questioned he siad "I always do this like that".  Spare me!

4.  Many owner builders change their mind.  The rule of thumb is if something agreed upon has already been done you pay.  If the change does not affect previous work then no worries.  No tradies I have ever dealt with have objected to this.

5.  Yeah, I have had to tell a few tradies how to do their job.  Embarrassing for them and they do object but if their work is so bad then that is what needs to happen.  Maybe ask a builder if he ever does the same?  Always!

Sorry Ben but you have clearly not ever built anything.  I have.  Some by me doing the job and others letting the so called experts do the work.  It has been a mixed bag and a real eye opener.  The reality is that some tradies are honest and some are crooks.  Some are true tradesmen and others are butchers who should not be in the industry.  That is the reality coming from an owner builder with around 40 years experience and several projects done.  

Tradies have to follow regulations and wear their work boots wherever they are.

We manage to get round that by laying down plastic sheets on the carpeted areas.

Things that customers hate about tradies.

1. They ask for more than 10% up front. This is against the law.

2. They ask for progress payments. This is also unlawful.

3. They use false identities. Again against the law.

4. They dont work to the original specs, you guessed it also against the law.

I know that's only 4 things so I will add .. make sure they have a current and valid registration with the state Building and Construction Commission so you can bring the above to the the attention of the commission.

Things that tradies do that really tick me off:

1. Demand cash only payment because they are avoiding tax and expect me engage in the black economy too.

2. Expect me to stay at home all day waiting for them to deign to turn up or don’t bother turning up at all. 

3. Leave their cigarette butts and rubbish in the garden/drive even though the garbage bin is 2m away

4. Call me love or dear and patronise me because I am a woman.  They happily take money from the ‘old dear’

5. Don’t supervise their inexperienced apprentices and sometimes even leaving  them alone while they go to the next job. Others, abuse and humiliate their apprentices in my hearing. 

6.  Don’t check what the other tradies want - an electrician insisted on putting  the power point for the microwave what,would be behind the microwave cupboard. He ignored me when I said that he was incorrect. This nearly caused a punch up as two businesses argued about whose fault the error it was. 

I designed, contracted for and oversaw about 50,000.00  dollars of renovations this year and the tradies (tilers, carpenters,  painters, plasterers, timber floor installers, kitchen installers, roof plumbers, electricians) were with one exception highly skilled professional people and didn’t do any of the above.   I didn’t select the lowest quote, arranged payment regularly and without quibbling. I often watched what they were doing because I was fascinated and said so!  Nobody called me love! I did change my mind but took that into account when paying and only one smoked!  

I am always amazed at the type of tradies that my real estate gets to fix things in my rental, always seem to never do the job properly or find extra things that 'have to' be fixed to add to their work. One 'handyman' they got couldn't even use the right sealant around the taps and bench tops, they just ended up peeling off, I could do a better job but why should I spend the money.

I also hate hearing how my mum pays so much for such small jobs,particularly plumbers and electricians, and she has learnt not to argue because they say that is the going rate, and also seem to want cash in hand too with no receipts.