Calling all carpenters...

Now, I’m sure this time of year a headline like this would make people wonder, am I talking about carpenter ants or carpenters?
Well, I’ll talk about carpenter ants in a future column. This one is about carpenters.
In our current economy, you would think they would be returning calls, showing up for appointments and giving timely estimates.
However, this has not been the case with my prospective project bidders.
I can honestly say for the past 4 months, I have been in the process of looking for someone to hire for several possible spring projects such as new windows, exterior paint, roof repair, new doors, a built-in entertainment center, and bathroom renovations.
I’ve lost track of how many strangers I’ve welcomed into my house, shown the possible work to be done while they took notes and measurements; some even took photographs.
I spent two to three hours each with many of them.
I believed they were reputable. I got some names through referrals and some from the Belmont phone directory. Out of at least ten different contacts, I heard back from 4. Out of these 4, I had to send a few e-mails before getting the final numbers in.
With regard to the other 6, they seem to have dropped off the face of the earth.
I guess they aren’t interested in the potential renovation of two bathrooms ($20,000 plus), or the new windows ($5,000 plus), the built in ($3,000 plus), the exterior paint ($6,000 plus), roof repair ($1,500 plus), etc.
Perhaps they are just too busy, lazy, went out of business, got sick, got a new job, thought the work was too challenging, too easy, forgot about it, or lost my number?
Not to mention, a few of the ones who did get back to me, gave me the most ridiculous, outrageous figures. One well-known window company quoted me $4,200 for one single double hung window. Another one quoted me $8,200 just to install 13 windows at $1,200 each.
I was very pleased with a company I used for a past construction project, so I contacted them before any one else to line up the next job for them. They kept saying they would call me, but they didn’t. I even ran into the owner somewhere and he promised to call me. He never did. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and called him. I’ve called them a total of 4 times. Finally, we made an appointment. Would you believe, they never showed up and didn’t even call?
I do not understand someone could be so busy, after already getting over $25,000 of business from me as well as referrals, they wouldn’t keep an appointment or have the courtesy to call if they couldn’t make it.
I have much better things to do with my time than wait around and waste time with people who apparently do not need my business. They must be busy enough. They must not need the money.
I wonder what they will do when the business slows down. Will they finally get around to calling me back?
I don’t agree with this theory – if a carpenter is in high demand, they are too busy and don’t have time to call you back; you have to keep chasing them.
I believe good customer relations matters and a phone call only takes a few minutes. If you’re so busy, you can afford to hire a secretary and keep potential customers.
If someone doesn’t get back to me, I give them a few more chances; but after one or two unreturned calls or e-mails, I move on.
I’m sure eventually I’ll find someone who cares about the work I have for them.