Patches

[ladylola]

I've left the mainstream building industry via a couple of redundancies and now do building and garden maintainence, local handyman type of thing. I've always been on the frugal side ( as a duck's arse some say) and have never liked to throw things away and consequently most of my working clothes are patched, two pairs of jeans with no knees becomes one pair of jeans with knees and that sort of thing.
Now I've no problem with this and nobody I've worked for has said anything either but I've had a couple of comments from friends who have said that patched jeans give off the wrong impression and I should do something about my "image".
I'm not convinced it makes a bit of difference but though I'd ask on here to see what people think. Would patched clothes actually stop you employing somebody?
Just to be clear the clothes are clean and I don't go tramping into people's houses in dirty clothes and muddy boots.

 

[chapeau]

I guess you could turn up for the initial visit in a dapper made to measure italian three piece suit then when you get the job put your builders clobber on.

 

[joinerjohn]

A cheap pair from Asda's £6 . If they last 3 or 4 months, just replace them with another pair.
Alternatively, buy a pair of these.
http://www.foulfashion.co.uk/foul-fashion-trousers/


PS I'd love a foul fashion shirt, but not sure the missus would be seen in public with me ever again,,,,,,, there again,,,, ach I'll order one.

 

[pred]

You are no lady then lola Eureka!! the penny just dropped

http://youtu.be/nVXmMMSo47s

Hey each to their own..

But back to the topic, you sound similar to me, if i put on clean jeans and a smart shirt, within seconds i'll be under the bonnet of a car up to my elbows in grease and oil or wet muddy dogs jumping all over me.

However people do look at your dress code, i have lost work because of this in the past, if you were to turn up dressed in a 3 piece you could fleece them and do a runner, its what the punter expects, but when you turn up in your work gear they turn their nose up and cant see an honest workman trying to make an honest living, its that first impression thing, it should never have been invented..

 

[ladylola]

A cheap pair from Asda's £6 . If they last 3 or 4 months, just replace them with another pair.

3 or 4 MONTHS have you got barbed wire chairs in your part of the world?? , some of my jeans have lasted 3 or 4 years. John I've looked at the link and to be honest I've actually got some hose (trousers) that I use for re-enactment that are made completely out out 2" square patches so not a million miles away.
Pred , I understand what you are saying and I can't help but think how dim people are to be taken in by someones flashy clothes and swanky drug dealers BMW.

 

[cajar]

If they don't wear out after 4 months then you arent workign hard enough. And If £6 per four months is too high a cost then as above.

I wear work clothes all day but I dress smart and keep myself as clean and tidy as possible. Why would you want to dress like a pike and then be surprised to lose work.

 

[Whitespirit66]

I guess you could turn up for the initial visit in a dapper made to measure italian three piece suit

Then maybe they think you're charging too much. It's a difficult balance.

If you're going to quote for a big job, perhaps best to pull on a reasonable pair of trousers. On the whole though, I wouldn't be too worried if someone turned up in neatly patched jeans. I'm not known for chucking my brass around either, so can relate to a bit of 'carefulness'.

They should be reasonably clean though. 'Er indoors regualrly washes my work trousers. Boss White stains down the front are not a good look.

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

You sould look clean and tidy,like your work

 

[joinerjohn]

Who would you choose to rewire your house?

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• joinerjohn
• 10 Feb 2013
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• joinerjohn
• 10 Feb 2013
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[ladylola]

Difficult choice I can't see their trousers

 

[ladylola]

I guess you could turn up for the initial visit in a dapper made to measure italian three piece suit

Then maybe they think you're charging too much. It's a difficult balance.

That's always at the back of my mind too

If you're going to quote for a big job, perhaps best to pull on a reasonable pair of trousers. On the whole though, I wouldn't be too worried if someone turned up in neatly patched jeans. I'm not known for chucking my brass around either, so can relate to a bit of 'carefulness'.

They should be reasonably clean though. 'Er indoors regualrly washes my work trousers. Boss White stains down the front are not a good look.

I do keep a pair or two of disposable overalls and some overshoes in the van and often some clean trainers too, the patches in question are neatly done in the same fabric and changed weekly or earlier if I 'm doing a really dirty job.
I used to work with a plumber who was really good at leadwork, you couldn't fault his work but his overalls would stand up on their own. Mind he was unmarried.
Oddly enough a painter friend told me about the time he had some brand spanking new overalls, the white ones that decorators wear. Even though he was one of the best decorators I've known he said that turning up without a single paint mark got several comments about him not being a "proper painter"
All about balance I suppose.

 

[ladylola]

If they don't wear out after 4 months then you arent workign hard enough. And If £6 per four months is too high a cost then as above.

I wear work clothes all day but I dress smart and keep myself as clean and tidy as possible. Why would you want to dress like a pike and then be surprised to lose work.

Thanks for the reply,
To be fair £6 for three years sounds so much better than £72. After all I maintain and look after my van so why not my workwear or do you neglect your vehical and buy another when it starts to get a bit grubby? I suppose I tend to detest this throwaway society we have with all its incumbrant problems. Maybe I could always play on the green side of it, i.e. repairing rather than shipping another pair from half way around the world . Plus most of my customers are from that generation who actually understand what "mend and make do " means.
As I said it's not a question of cleanliness and I haven't been turned down work simply because of the patches. I suppose another angle would be "who would you employ, someone in neatly patched clean jeans or someone in new but dirty jeans?"

 

[chapeau]

Well when somebody comes round to our gaff to quote all I care about is they take their boots off before they come in or else the mrs will have me guts for garters.

If they get the job it's up to them what they wear, they are self employed and as long as the finished job is up to scratch, on time, on budget they can wear pink frilly knickers and tutus.

Though to be honest I know them before they quote so again doesn't matter what they wear as long as they don't mess the place up or the mrs would have me guts for garters again.

Our painter/decorator (who funnily enough is a qualified joiner so he does all that stuff too for a painter/decorator rate) is a weird one. He looks like a cross between somebody from an alabama trailer park and somebody in San Quentin jail, you'd cross the street if he was walking towards you. But he wears lovely cashmere scarfs to work, must cost him a day's pay to buy the thing, quite bizarre.

 

[gregers]

Well when somebody comes round to our gaff to quote all I care about is they take their boots off before they come in or else the mrs will have me guts for garters.

If they get the job it's up to them what they wear, they are self employed and as long as the finished job is up to scratch, on time, on budget they can wear pink frilly knickers and tutus.

Though to be honest I know them before they quote so again doesn't matter what they wear as long as they don't mess the place up or the mrs would have me guts for garters again.

Our painter/decorator (who funnily enough is a qualified joiner so he does all that stuff too for a painter/decorator rate) is a weird one. He looks like a cross between somebody from an alabama trailer park and somebody in San Quentin jail, you'd cross the street if he was walking towards you. But he wears lovely cashmere scarfs to work, must cost him a day's pay to buy the thing, quite bizarre.

WHAT NO CRAVAT????
wot a bum,

 

[cajar]

If they don't wear out after 4 months then you arent workign hard enough. And If £6 per four months is too high a cost then as above.

I wear work clothes all day but I dress smart and keep myself as clean and tidy as possible. Why would you want to dress like a pike and then be surprised to lose work.

Thanks for the reply,
To be fair £6 for three years sounds so much better than £72. After all I maintain and look after my van so why not my workwear or do you neglect your vehical and buy another when it starts to get a bit grubby? I suppose I tend to detest this throwaway society we have with all its incumbrant problems. Maybe I could always play on the green side of it, i.e. repairing rather than shipping another pair from half way around the world . Plus most of my customers are from that generation who actually understand what "mend and make do " means.
As I said it's not a question of cleanliness and I haven't been turned down work simply because of the patches. I suppose another angle would be "who would you employ, someone in neatly patched clean jeans or someone in new but dirty jeans?"

I'm not a 'throwaway' type of guy, i like to clean and maintain my stuff, but wearing clothes till your arse is hanging out them is not being frugal its letting yourself down. Maintaining your workwear means replacing your trousers when they get holes in them, not sewing patches on. It's not mid wwII with ration books, you can buy stuff cheaply and easily these days. If your not taking a pride in your appearance then people will think you dont take pride in your work either.