No time to do a proper job anymore

I’m just writing this to get other sparks opinions. I’ve always been on the books. And I consider myself to be more of a quality than quantity worker. My background is commercial and Industrial. I really do believe that you can have quality, speed or cheap. You can’t have all three. I’m not slow, but there are faster out there. But very rarely will anyone go back to one of my jobs. I really do feel that just lately the industry is going down the pan. There is no time on jobs to do things properly. And as a result, the ones who want to do it properly get moaned at for taking too long. I have high standards of work and when I look at what some of the other lads are doing it makes me feel sick. It seems that the ones who throw it in and get jobs done early are favoured by the bosses. And the bosses are not looking for a brilliant install, just one that produces a profit. Also I think that some sparks cut corners because they don’t want that awkward conversation with the boss about needing longer to finish the job. And also they may appear to be slow. Anyway it will be interesting to see what others think. 

really do believe that you can have quality, speed or cheap. You can’t have all three

...see my signature!

i has been said on here many times before, the trade is on a rapid race to the bottom where price is the only factor

kerching said:

i has been said on here many times before, the trade is on a rapid race to the bottom where price is the only factor

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Theres definitely a case for that .

May have been late '60s  early '70s  ... many of us apprentice intake had come onto the tools ,  big firm but now has too many sparks so it was time to move on .

Met up with one of the guys who'd gone to a large ,local, house bashing & high rise merchants .    

Its a huge, new build ,   overspill  housing project   , their regular sparks were  working piece rate , 1st fix  / 2nd fix .  Earning a fortune compared to the average sparks JIB wage ...all driving brand new motors .etc. 

He was on day rate  doing remedial works ,   every house had faults like 2 ways not working ,  section missing from rings , doorbells not working , loose connections , not wired , neutrals missing  , KO boxes loose,   polarity wrong , cables nailed , cut , missing , melted by gas guns  ,  boiler controls not correct , not working  etc etc .  

Those guys were paid top money to nail in the first fix so other trades could sweep through without delay . 

Few customers want to pay proper rates for a job well done, so I am increasingly seeing average work, and 'that'll do'  and rough work, and being pushed that way myself, which is not what I like. Having said that as self employed, I tned to be good at sussing customers wants and budgets and cutting cormers in stuff you can't see on trivial time consuming stuff like spacing cables clips. Neat and tidy where on show, adequate in a loft sort of thing.