Final Year Dissertation Help PLEASE

[morgancopelin]

Hi Guys,
I'm new on this forum but fascinated with restoration and the renovation of buildings. I'm a 3rd year design student at Plymouth University in Devon and am writing my dissertation on "An investigation into what extent the current media attention surrounding restorative design within the property industry is affecting dying skills and crafts." You seem like a knowledgeable bunch and i would love to here your views on this topic and what you believe the media has done to this industry. Thanks guys!!!

 

[wreckedit]

If you don't get many votes it's because you don't have a variation, like.

I don't know.

I don't care.

 

[^woody^]

The media has sensationalised the subject, and only reports on outrageously bad work or bad builders and portrays this as the norm

I have not seen any TV series on cowboy customers or customers that wont pay, or will almost bankrupt a good builder over some minor insignificant issue.

People are happy to pay £200 for a car service and £100 for a family meal at the restaurant, but will haggle over the cost of a skilled builder doing a days work, and the cost of buying and getting materials to site.

Customers will happily employ some unskilled traveller or foreigner or for that matter an unskilled non-travelling national, and will do so purely on price, and then when things go t its up, they will complain that they employed "a builder". Then when they come to their senses and engage a proper builder to correct the work and do the original job, the first thing they say is "Bliimey, how much?"

 

[ajstoneservices]

Good post woody.

 

[noseall]

The media has sensationalised the subject, and only reports on outrageously bad work or bad builders and portrays this as the norm

I have not seen any TV series on cowboy customers or customers that wont pay, or will almost bankrupt a good builder over some minor insignificant issue.

People are happy to pay £200 for a car service and £100 for a family meal at the restaurant, but will haggle over the cost of a skilled builder doing a days work, and the cost of buying and getting materials to site.

Customers will happily employ some unskilled traveller or foreigner or for that matter an unskilled non-travelling national, and will do so purely on price, and then when things go t its up, they will complain that they employed "a builder". Then when they come to their senses and engage a proper builder to correct the work and do the original job, the first thing they say is "Bliimey, how much?"

BRAVO!

 

[Whitespirit66]

Not strictly relevant to your question OP, but as a plumber, I'm very happy with the media's affect on the image of my trade.

Apparently, we now earn in excess of £120K. Just don't tell the Inland Revenue, or 'er indoors!

 

[morgancopelin]

Thanks guys for the reply, I thought it would have been a positive effect, like with programs such as grand designs and the restoration man making an everyday person think of making there own. I had never thought of programs such as cow boy builders. Have any off you had real life experience of having complaints spurred on by these types of programs? Thanks Again.

 

[stuart45]

Have any off you had real life experience of having complaints spurred on by these types of programs? Thanks Again.

Yes, my wife thinks I can build our extension in a weekend like they do on the programs.

 

[cashjob]

Have any off you had real life experience of having complaints spurred on by these types of programs? .

Have wondered how I have managed to keep going over the years without appearing on one of these tv shows. Expecting a knock on the door from Matt Awright or Dominic Littlewood any day now!