Cowboys

I have had cause to de-plaster our downstairs cloakroom, and the internal blockwork is inch perfect, the coursing and perps are spot on. The external brickwork by comparison is diabolical, why did the tradesman do the invisible stuff, and the skivvy do the visible, what the heck, will just have to live with it, or render the lot.

Re: Cowboys

That's the trouble when you start a job Spitty, you don't always know what you will unearth. You'll always know it's there now.

Re: Cowboys

Why are dodgy builders called 'cowboys' Spittie

Re: Cowboys

It is accepted as meaning reckless, wild or unreliable Patsy but only outside the United States! stevmk2

Re: Cowboys

Wild - reckless, I get it - thanks

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I have seen an advert in the Birmingham Mail:- Re building work.

You have had the Cowboys in
Now call in the Indians.

Just loved it.

Re: Cowboys

Sorry Mups, you slightly misunderstood, the wall I de-plastered was an internal one, built in lightweight block work, the laying of which is perfect, the brickwork on the outside of the house (the visible stuff) is diabolical, it's like the gaffer "Paddy" did the interior stuff, and the important exterior stuff was left to an apprentice.
The term Paddy was used intentionally, as I found an Irish newspaper from 1964 under the floorboards, Jem would probably know what it was from that vintage.

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I had some Indian Builders in, but they kept going for a leak, to much Teepee.

Re: Cowboys

Quote Spitfire.
"The term Paddy was used intentionally, as I found an Irish newspaper from 1964 under the floorboards, Jem would probably know what it was from that vintage"

Ah 1964, a year before we were married, if that paper was the posh "Irish Times" it was probably announcing our engagement in the social section, followed by a magnificent ball in the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the time.

Re: Cowboys

Unfortunately this isn't an isolated case.

Go to any newbuilds and you can see where the brickies changed during the build. The builders use the best(time served)to set out the foundations nice and true, up to dpc, these brickies then move onto the next plot.

Along come another gang to build up from there, then the foreman realises their not that clever and fires them off site, along come another gang, only slightly better than the previous and so it goes on. This is the downside to using Unknown sub-contractors.

I've been on sites where you can visibly tell there's been two or three different gangs working on the same plot, totally different standards of quality.