Big Brother, The Builders and JTH

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GingerBiatch

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by tomorrow:
“Noooooooooo

As much as I like and respect Jenni - going on CBB would be a kiss of death

.. unless of course BB decides to give you preferential treatment

.. it does work the other way around too ...

Nope ... I'd personally, prefer Jenni to stay on the forum and be our insider when she visits Dermott ....

”

and I want to be Jenny's PA, to carry her laptop when she visits Dermot

Pleeeeease Jenny, if you're watching, make a heppy woman feel very old

rugbynut

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“5 TIPS TO DEALING WITH THE BUILDERS :

(this is an abbreviated version)

1. Make a firm decision regarding what you want to have done. Be sure that what you want to have done correlates with what you have to spend. If anyone else is involved in the decision-making process be sure you're in agreement before you start talking to builders. If they spot a less-than-united front some will take advantage.
2. Do your research. Get magazine clippings of what you want. Go to shops and check out prices. Go to your local DIY shop and ask questions about materials and what your work might involve. Most of the people who work in these shops are actually retirees from the building trade. Write down what they tell you so you know the lingo when the builder starts talking to you.
3. Keep a file. Keep every piece of paper, every receipt, every magazine clipping. Also keep a notebook in the file and scribble a few lines after every conversation with the date and what was said. If heaven forbid anything goes wrong you will need all that to back up your claim.
4. Ask for credentials and references. Check them both thoroughly. Do NOT accept - 'it's in the van', 'I forgot it but let's go ahead anyway'. If you haven't checked their credentials and something goes wrong there is a good chance that your insurance company will tell you take a hike.
5. Always remember that an educated consumer is a confident consumer and the more confident you are - the less likely it is that you will be taken advantage of.

Good Luck Froglet.”

FOR BUILDERS 5 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS.

1: Agree on the work needed to be done and when the customer changes there mind for the 3rd time explain to them that these changes will cost more money as you are not a charitable trust. if you have recieved a price for plane white fittings you wont get chrome ones for the same price.

2:when the customer tells you that they have checked out the prices for the plaster board and timber that you have charged £155 and the price they got was £99 explian slowly to them that that is the price if you want to buy it and leave it in the shop. however for it to get from the shop and onto the walls it requires handling and transportation which again are not charitable additions.

3: keep a file and a notebook to assure that the customers requsts are dealt with and you have a reference ensure any changes to the agreed plans are signed and clearly understood buy the customer.

4: ask for references dont accept the "the cheques in the post, oh I will have to go to the bank, I can pay you at the end of the month"

5: always remember all customers will choose the lowest price and then wonder why they have had a crappy job done. if they recieve 3 quotes 1@ £20,000 1@ £19,000 and 1@ £9,000 they will accept the £9,000 one and wonder why there building has fallen down!!!

babycakes

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“I think it is really important for people to explain themselves and set the record straight. There are some people who I have finally decided, or believe, have some sort of agenda and so I leave them to it. But to other people who are asking a genuine question as to the why of something, I think you should answer if you can.
”

Well I always enjoy your input on DS and when I see you on the gogglebox - I don't always arrive at the same conclusion or hold the same opinions but have a great respect for your down to earth approach and common sense.

I speak as someone who has been involved in too many careers to mention; but the the experience gained, the passing of the years and the walking of the walk combine to give us the right to hold an opinion, professional or not, about builders, BB contestants or just about anything else for that matter.

At my ripe old age I really couldn't give two hoots for the petty agendas so obviously held by some forum members if they decided to shake their spiky sticks in my direction. I just hope that they don't drive you away - I know who I would rather share my DS discourse with Jenni

Tissy

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“that he had said it frequently (in a non-big headed way). He said there had been many a conversation in the house about it - he had discussed it everywhere and not once was it ever shown...........

Personally I found that verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting. I know you can't show everything that a person says but I think it odd to leave out something that critical to the public's perception of a major character.”

Science also said he, Roberto and Derek had some really interesting topics of conversations which were never shown.

I remember when Saskia was on BBLB, Dermot asked her who she would most like to go out the dinner with <barring Maxwell> she said Science because he was a really interesting character and he had a vast knowledge of Egyptology etc.

Dermot looked at her as though she was crazy

BB preferred to concentrate on his negative points rather than show us his kind, considerate and intelligent side.

Originally Posted by tomorrow:
“This is one of the reasons I personally don't line Endemol's pockets any more ... this type of thing has been going on (or started) imo, in BB3

BB is your friend if your face fits what they want ... Science's image (according to BB) did not fit the 'good guy' image.”

Exactly right

JenniTH

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by rugbynut:
“FOR BUILDERS 5 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS.

1: Agree on the work needed to be done and when the customer changes there mind for the 3rd time explain to them that these changes will cost more money as you are not a charitable trust. if you have recieved a price for plane white fittings you wont get chrome ones for the same price.

2:when the customer tells you that they have checked out the prices for the plaster board and timber that you have charged £155 and the price they got was £99 explian slowly to them that that is the price if you want to buy it and leave it in the shop. however for it to get from the shop and onto the walls it requires handling and transportation which again are not charitable additions.

3: keep a file and a notebook to assure that the customers requsts are dealt with and you have a reference ensure any changes to the agreed plans are signed and clearly understood buy the customer.

4: ask for references dont accept the "the cheques in the post, oh I will have to go to the bank, I can pay you at the end of the month"

5: always remember all customers will choose the lowest price and then wonder why they have had a crappy job done. if they recieve 3 quotes 1@ £20,000 1@ £19,000 and 1@ £9,000 they will accept the £9,000 one and wonder why there building has fallen down!!!”

Proof positive that there's always two sides to every story

Kayess

31-01-2006

Jenni
I haven't read the thread you mention nor did I see you on the shows about builders or DIY (I'm particularly disappointed to have missed the latter!). I haven't even read past your initial post on this thread.

I just wanted to say you don't have to explain yourself on here. I for one am grateful you choose to post here and have only ever been impressed whenever I've read or seen or heard you speak about human behaviour in general or Big Brother in particular.

I know you know you don't need to explain yourself but you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“Please everyone don't feel the need to comment on this thread it's just that I just came on and saw that a three page thread had been started on this topic yesterday and as I have to run out the door now I can't answer the posts individually and I thought some good points were made. And as yet again some of it is trying to pick apart my professional life I thought I'd clear the air and explain why I am a commentator on Big Brother and why I was on the news commenting on builders.

I am a behavioural observationist or sometimes called a life strategist. What that means is that I watch how people deal with certain situations in life and come up with ways in which they could approach them differently thereby making their lives better - THAT is what I do for a living. So people will call me up and say they want to change careers how should they go about it. BBLB will call me up and ask what do I think of the HM's and why are they doing what they do. TrustMark (or a company representing them) will call me up and say 'we have done a survey finding out that people are more distressed by builders than anything else in the world what can we do to make that easier'. I then sit down and come up with (in this particular instance it was 5) basic things that people could do to make the experience of dealing with builders easier.

I do NOT know about everything and never said I did. However I do know an enormous amount (because I've been studying, researching and writing about it for 30, yes 3-0 years). Yes sometimes it might look as if I'm talking about anything and everything but it isn't. I'm not talking about builders, I'm talking about how people react to builders and how they could change their reactions to make the experience easier.

As an aside. My father owned a building a company and many years ago I did a series for the BBC called Cheggers challenge where we went around the country re-doing, amongst other things, people's houses - this was before Changing Rooms. I was the person in the green overalls who did all the DIY projects - worst job I've ever had but that's another story.

I am not a rent-a-gob, as it is called in the industry. When you first start out you sometimes do a lot of work for free to establish - not your credentials - your capability of doing media work. Also when you see me on the news talking about builders I have also before that spent weeks working on the research that they put forth. In fact I am now on my way to a meeting to write research questions for an upcoming job which I will spend the next month working on before you see or hear me talking about it.

I am sorry to take up so much time but I suspect you will only have read this if you were asking the question in the first place. I wish I got to know more about the lives of some of you. ”

kania

31-01-2006

I only been posting on this forum this CBB even though I've viewed it before and been watching BB since it started. I've always enjoyed Jenni's input on BBLB so was taken aback when I realised it was Jenni posting on this forum. It seemed a little unbelievable and it did take me a little while before I knew it was true. I'm fascinated with her view as to what's going on, and it's obvious with her level of input and privileged postion she has on the show, that she knows her stuff and that she's not just been dragged off the street to act as a rent-a-gob to fill a space.

I found some of the criticism disrespectful and non-constructive on the said thread and one other I checked out. All I can hope is she puts that aside so I might have the opportunity to read her thoughts on the next BB, and the odd time give my own input (plus everyone else of course

).

Hope I don't sound like I am creeping lol, but she really makes me think about what is actually going on in that house, rather than what I thought as just a part-time viewer. She's the expert after all.

rugbynut

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“Proof positive that there's always two sides to every story
”

very much so. it is not an exact science the building trade. I recently fitted a new bathroom in a customers house the house was entirly plumbed with a non standard size plastic pipe that turned out to be underfloor heating pipe. Now no one knew this until we removed all the origanal fittings. it took us a week to find the company that made the fittings to enable us to refit the bathroom correctly. it cost us a weeks wages as we waited for the parts and it cost the customer no more than the fittings to convert the system which were about £10 each and they were unhappy to pay that even though they had a new bathroom they were "over the moon with" and it actully cost us over £1000!! we might as well have knocked on there door given them £1000 and walked away.

its never in a builders interest to make a job last longer. we just want to be treated with the same civility that other occupations are and more and more programmes about "rouge traders" should just say 1 thing "get 4 quotes for all work and never go for one that sounds to good to be true" then you will never have to be on a programme showing your shoddy tileing your crap driveway or your shockingly bad extension.

JenniTH

31-01-2006

All of us (well most of us) contribute something valuable and none more valuable than the other - well once we get past the 'cor e's fit' and 'I'd sure like to give her one' brigade. I'm just a fan like everybody else and there are posters on here who put me to shame. It's like how Miss World isn't really they prettiest girl in the world, she's just the one with the banner that says so

whiteribbon

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“ I wish I got to know more about the lives of some of you. ”

Jenni you can research me and my life any time i'd love to hear your view on me and my life..........good and bad

scorp

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“All of us (well most of us) contribute something valuable and none more valuable than the other - well once we get past the 'cor e's fit' and 'I'd sure like to give her one' brigade. I'm just a fan like everybody else and there are posters on here who put me to shame. It's like how Miss World isn't really they prettiest girl in the world, she's just the one with the banner that says so ”

Absolutely, Jenni! I probably spent more time in here, with my live streaming, than I did actually watching channel 4's CBB... it interests me how people behave, and, dare I say, as an 'older' person, it's great to 'hear' (read)younger people's opinions and observations of behaviour...and I have to confess to having to email an american friend 'cos I'd never heard of Dennis or Traci...or Preston or Maggot for that matter....my favourite threads are the analytical ones, and I have to sit on my hands at times to stop replying to everything that I want too...

keep on keeping on Jenni...and don't let blinkered people push you to explain things you don't want too...

kania

31-01-2006

Originally Posted by JenniTH:
“All of us (well most of us) contribute something valuable and none more valuable than the other - well once we get past the 'cor e's fit' and 'I'd sure like to give her one' brigade. I'm just a fan like everybody else and there are posters on here who put me to shame. It's like how Miss World isn't really they prettiest girl in the world, she's just the one with the banner that says so ”

I'll have to watch when I act a prat then

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