How Many Times Do tradesmen leave you dissatisfied?

[pineapple]

Well it may be that until he's actually seen the job, he can't be sure what he needs

I did say this is when they have already been round. I wouldn't expect them to turn up and just magic stuff out of thin air.
I suppose yes it's a way of costing the time spent in getting the materials. But in my experience customers are more likely to feel cheated when this happens. I think it should be built into the pricing structure.
If someone has already been round to cost the work, measure up etc, I expect them to turn up on the allotted day with the materials and start the job at the time agreed. I've known guys turn up then disappear for a couple of hours or more. One has a sneaky suspicion they are indulging in a breakfast fry up somewhere (or maybe fitting in an extra little job round the corner)

 

[SimonH2]

If someone has already been round to cost the work, measure up etc, I expect them to turn up on the allotted day with the materials

Yes, you'd think that would be possible.

I've known guys turn up then disappear for a couple of hours or more. One has a sneaky suspicion they are indulging in a breakfast fry up somewhere (or maybe fitting in an extra little job round the corner)

Really, you cynic
I can't help thinking that goes on as well. I do recall one job I was on many years ago down in London - I never did fathom out how we came to have them, I think it was a friend of my then business partner. They were having a basement (guess it would once have been the servants domain in a town house) done out as extra office space. The joiner tended to appear for a bit (maybe a day, maybe an hour) and then not be seen for days - and the customer told me that he'd been like that all along.
The explanation given to me was that no-one would do "one job" - they always did several in parallel so that if a customer didn't pay up on time/at all they wouldn't be without any income at all for the week/whatever they'd been on that job.
The customer also added that if the tradesman was good then they could get away with it, as good tradesmen were hard to get hold of and so had the upper hand (as in if you don't like it, they have plenty of other customers queueing up).

 

[pred]

SimonH2 Are you saying £500 just to change the consumer unit, half a days work.

Consumer unit £60 lets say £100 for a top of the range, that leaves £400 labour cost,

approx. £100ph

 

[longdogs]

Although some tradesmmen obviously do nip out for a fry up, I think you'll find that most guys who work on their own don't do this. They might have one before they arrive.

Also, how can you possibly know exactly what materials you need for a job. People seem to think that materials just appear in the back of the van.

When do you buy these materials? The day before perhaps when you are working at someone else's house? 'Sorry just leaving your job to pop out and buy some things for tomorrow's customer'.

As a bathroom fitter, I constantly need plumbing goods,(think of all the different toilet pan connectors available to fit the customer's situation), wood, tiling materials, adhesives, tools,mastics, screws etc etc.

 

[Alarm]

Are you saying £500 just to change the consumer unit, half a days work. Consumer unit £60 lets say £100 for a top of the range, that leaves £400 labour cost, approx. £100ph

Your sadly lacking in knowledge of what is involved and how much things cost.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Are you saying £500 just to change the consumer unit, half a days work. Consumer unit £60 lets say £100 for a top of the range, that leaves £400 labour cost, approx. £100ph

Half a days work to change a consumer unit, I think you are clueless on what actual needs to be done for this process to be carried out correctly.
Such as an EICR prior to removal of old unit, there are nearly always something that is flagged up on the schedules that needs addressing, additional work at the board with tails, cable lengths, sleeving twisted and broken CPCs.
The earthing and bonding conductors normally need updating.
Once the new board is in place, then you can go about systematically doing the dead and live testing on all parts of the installation(continuity, r1+r2, IR, dead polarity, live polarity, Ze, PFC, Zs, RCD, funtional) then the labelling of circuits, displaying appropriate notices and circuit description/diagrams.
This is quite often carried out whilst the property is lived in and normally there is someone in the house who requires the power to be on!
Then the joys of filling in all the documentation.
Half a days work really A reality check is needed or do you come under the banner of the cowboy builder or just ignorant to what needs to be done?

 

[EddieM]

Cost me £125 to have my CU changed,

Before you ask, yes qualified spark, plus all relevant paperwork done. (SE of England 3 years ago)

 

[Alarm]

PJ was it?

 

[EddieM]

PJ was it?

PJ?

 

[snico]

I had a CU replaced back in November. Its a Wylex model and the spark told me it was a really good make and model. He was at my house from 9am ish, until about 2 ish.

I was charged roughly £285 for the work, I even looked online to see how much the CU cost and it was averageing £100-£125 for the unit.

Couldnt argue with that, very pleased with the work and he never stopped when he was at my house, apart from the odd coffee.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Cost me £125 to have my CU changed,

Before you ask, yes qualified spark, plus all relevant paperwork done. (SE of England 3 years ago)

What did the PIR state?

I had a CU replaced back in November. Its a Wylex model and the spark told me it was a really good make and model. He was at my house from 9am ish, until about 2 ish.

I was charged roughly £285 for the work, I even looked online to see how much the CU cost and it was averageing £100-£125 for the unit.

What did the PIR state?

Unfortunately some don't do this, which could result in loss power when new is CU installed or nuisance trips!
Also you may have documents, some don't carry out all the test and make up the results.
Unless the electrician/customer is really luck and there are no faults on the installation, no twisted CPCs, no broken conductors, no messing about with tails, earth conductor and main bonding conductors.
The unit going straight where the other was and all the conductors are long enough without the need to extend them and you only have 4-6 circuits on the board. Still pushing to have it done within the day.
I would be extremely suspicious, if this was done in a matter of a few hours.

 

[snico]

Cost me £125 to have my CU changed,

Before you ask, yes qualified spark, plus all relevant paperwork done. (SE of England 3 years ago)

What did the PIR state?

I had a CU replaced back in November. Its a Wylex model and the spark told me it was a really good make and model. He was at my house from 9am ish, until about 2 ish.

I was charged roughly £285 for the work, I even looked online to see how much the CU cost and it was averageing £100-£125 for the unit.

What did the PIR state?

Unfortunately some don't do this, which could result in loss power when new is CU installed or nuisance trips!
Also you may have documents, some don't carry out all the test and make up the results.
Unless the electrician/customer is really luck and there are no faults on the installation, no twisted CPCs, no broken conductors, no messing about with tails, earth conductor and main bonding conductors.
The unit going straight where the other was and all the conductors are long enough without the need to extend them and you only have 4-6 circuits on the board. Still pushing to have it done within the day.
I would be extremely suspicious, if this was done in a matter of a few hours.

As far as i'm aware the PIR did not show anything untoward. The install was fine and there have been no problems since.

It was a straight swap from a very old unit to a new one, no problems with the previous unit. I only had it replaced because the old one was in a small ceiling cupboard which I was removing. Just wanted a new, smaller modern unit.

It took him 5 hours or so to complete.

 

[Alarm]

PJ was it?

PJ?

PJ = Private job, Stolen materials usually from an employer.
No overheads so the cost is lower.

Scumbag in other words.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As far as i'm aware the PIR did not show anything untoward. The install was fine and there have been no problems since.

So you got one? you must have kept it?

 

[snico]

As far as i'm aware the PIR did not show anything untoward. The install was fine and there have been no problems since.

So you got one? you must have kept it?

I did get one yes.