The Guild Of Master Craftmen

[Hudson Carpentry]

I got an invitation from them abouut 2 months ago. Probably just standard mail shot to try get new members but it got me thinking. I have never thought about being a member of such things but have been thinking it.

Not yet spoken about what membership levels gets you what but the cheapest is around the £300 mark.

Any one a member? If so is it worth it?

 

[paultnl]

I seem to remember seeing something saying that this was a scam. Probably worth Googleing this some more.

 

[doctor Bob]

Don't waste your time or money on it.
Worthless.

 

[RogerBoyle]

I seem to remember seeing something saying that this was a scam. Probably worth Googleing this some more.

Not a Scam It used to be something to aspire to join

I used to be a member quite a few years ago
Never got a job because i was member of it though

Then I noticed that a lot of travellers vehicles started to display the logo :evil: :evil:

final straw for me was when i got called out to look at a friends house on a Sunday morning
this is part of a list that i picked up

1. Wall plate was 3X2 butt jointed
2. Roof trusses were built on site out of 1 * 4 and screwed together
3. No bracing fitted except two lengths of roofing lath towards the top
4. No truss clips used
5. Ally roofing nails used to fix the joists
6. Started to lay the floor then realised the nails wouldn't support the joists so just stopped
7. didn't use formers for doors and windows brickwork was terrible
8. used wrong insulation in walls
9. No drains put in

Paid £43K to the robbing gits
Long story short it was Reported it to the world and the Guild of Master craftsmen by my friends

Outcome
Extension demolished as none of it had been passed by building control and two many defects to allow it to have retrospective Permission
And the guild excluded the builder but the guy carried on advertising as beng a member

So no I personally don't think its worth a damn
It also doesnt give you any protection from potentialy upset customers ( remember you cant always please the client) and it will not help in chasing any non payment :evil:

Roger

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Not a scam Paul they have been around for sometime and was at some point a prestige honor.

I know it wouldn't help with non payers (only had one and they had already paid half) or protect me (got no end of insurances) but it was to ensure potential customers and help gain new. I'm booked for two months so its not doing me any harm not being a member of course.

If you never got a job because of it, now days with like you say, people claiming to be a member and the public aware of this and potentially seeing the logo as a negative before hand its only going to potentially lose me work.

Think ill pass for now. I may later in life just for a year if I have money to throw away, just to say I once had the honor of being accepted. A lot of these federations mean nothing now days.

Cheers Chaps

 

[Lons]

My experience was about 6 years ago but though the marketing blurb is good, once they have your money they don't seem interested. I never got even an enquiry from it and I was disappointed to say the least when a newcastle company with an atrocious record of complaints had no problem joining. The supposedly stringent "vetting" systen just doesn't seem to exist.

Not worth the outlay is my opinion.

Bob

 

[ProShop]

, just to say I once had the honor of being accepted.

Cheers Chaps

No honour I'm afraid, they will literally take anyone who pays the fees.

 

[Dodge]

I used to be a member several years ago - all I ever got from it was a reduced bank balance.

Complete and utter waste of time and money!

 

[nev]

are there any kind of 'entry' qualifications required? or is the only requirement the ability to pay the annual fee? If any tom **** and harry can just cough up the fee and stick the logo on their business card, then surely it is worthless ?
alternatively, you could join the newly formed 'guild of the bestest craftsmen ever' , only 200 quid a year and you get a stetson with an embroidered logo on it. If interested please send cheques, payable to me .....

 

[Mark Hancock]

+1 for everything said.
I was visited by one of their salemen in the early 90's. He wasn't interested in assessing me in anyway, just wanted my money. I didn't join.
I also had the misfortune to use one of their members for some building work and had a similar experience to Roger's.

It's totally worthless.

 

[bugbear]

As a consumer, I emailed them to find out what their acceptance requirments (and checking thereof), for members was.

I got no reply.

So I view it in the same light as the (many) pay-and-you're-in "quality restaurant" schemes.

BugBear

 

[tomatwark]

I had similar experiences with the Guild of Master Craftsman in the 90's as well.

I am now very suspect of any van that has a logo on the side for any of these trade organisations as all they really are is a form of advertising.

Most of the people I know who have joined these various trade organisations have been in them a couple of years and then realised that the money would be better spent on proper advertising.

I think that there have been so many so called trades people exposed on the TV over the years who were members or just used the logo anyway that the public by and large tend to ignore what is on the side of the van anyway.

Tom

 

[Losos]

I can remember back in the early 1980's (Yes I am that old :roll: ) this subject came up, of course no internet then so it was via the 'letters' page of various magazines and guess what the over riding opinion was much the same as all the posts above, the only difference was the annual membership fee was less, I can't tremember what it was, I considered joining but never did, it seemed then (as now), an organisation with a few genuine members and a lot of dodgy ones :lol:

 

[pip1954]

hi all
i did join back at the end of the seventies i was doing general building working for my self got visit a and signed up they checked three jobs never asked who had done the work, never spoke to customers , i was pleased i got "approved" never had any contact until fees were due never joined again, they do'nt do much even if you join if you want to be insured you had to pay one percent of your turn over, i had a customer thought just because you had logo they were insured if you went bust or could not finish the job.
just a way to make money for them it's a business !!!

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

From what I read (there website and letter) they wanted 5 recent recommendations with contact details and a qualified suitable person would visit me and inspect and question my work. I was expecting to have to do things like dovetails infront of them etc. Guess not.

Cheers all you have saved me the time, hassle and money.