charges for a job

[old timer]

im sorry to bother you all but im a little worried about a gas engineer i called out the evinings paper. the trouble i got is that the pilot light on my boiler wont light. so i rang up this gentleman and he came round and spent about an hour in the kitchen, he came back and told me it was the thermocouple. i ask him can he fix it today and he told me he would be back tomorrow with the part, he told me that todays call would be 45 pounds, with total cost with today and tomorrow with parts and vat it would be 165 pounds is this you think the right charges

[ollski]

It does depend on the make and model of the boiler, there are thermocouples that cost around the 100 quid mark, but generally a standard tc costs a fiver and an hours labour 40 - 60.

[ChrisR]

What is the boiler? Any mender would carry thermocouples to fit maybe 80% of boilers.

[Slugbabydotcom]

Generally speaking taking an hour to diagnose a faulty thermocouple is excessive.
Get the make model and if possible the GC number of your boiler and get a quote from someone else.
I feel it could pay you to cut your losses with this guy and look elsewhere.
As stated a lot does depend on the make of the boiler and I am picking up a feel from what you have told us.

The most expensive I have seen is this >>>

THERMOCOUPLE + OVERHEAT STAT ASSY
Part No: 33079
Manufacturer: Elm Leblanc
ONLINE PRICE » £66.45
RRP £73.10

Something like that could perceivably justify the price and time taken to diagnose because few are familiar with them

[corgiman]

Slugbabydotcom wrote:

Generally speaking taking an hour to diagnose a faulty thermocouple is excessive. Get the make model and if possible the GC number of your boiler and get a quote from someone else. I feel it could pay you to cut your losses with this guy and look elsewhere. As stated a lot does depend on the make of the boiler and I am picking up a feel from what you have told us. The most expensive I have seen is this >>> THERMOCOUPLE + OVERHEAT STAT ASSY Part No: 33079 Manufacturer: Elm Leblanc ONLINE PRICE » £66.45 RRP £73.10 Something like that could perceivably justify the price and time taken to diagnose because few are familiar with them

if he took the whole hour it would have been

bet he charges per hour or PART of

sounds fair to me

[Moz]

corgiman
your right regarding pricing ,

[corgiman]

Moz wrote:

corgiman your right regarding pricing ,

well thats praise indeed moz my man

[Moz]

corgiman
wether sarcastic or not ?

you cannot expect to do that job for less , FACT !!!

People forget , Gas fitters an plumbers want to switch off get out enjoying themselves after 6 , an get drunk , whatever an sh** loads of women ...OH YES !!

[Softus]

old timer wrote:

...with total cost with today and tomorrow with parts and vat it would be 165 pounds is this you think the right charges

Probably not, depending on the cost of the part in your case. I don't work on gas fittings, so I have a CORGI accomplice who does, and I'd be shocked and embarrassed if he tried to charge one of my customers anything like that for changing a thermocouple.

[corgiman]

errrr

no scarcasm I was agreeing with you

YAY for the drink and the wimmin

where do you go, can I come, there is a distinct lack of wimmin who get off on fat over worked plumbers dawn my way

[corgiman]

Softus wrote:

old timer wrote: ...with total cost with today and tomorrow with parts and vat it would be 165 pounds is this you think the right charges Probably not, depending on the cost of the part in your case. I don't work on gas fittings, so I have a CORGI accomplice who does, and I'd be shocked and embarrassed if he tried to charge one of my customers anything like that for changing a thermocouple.

that mebbe the case soft but i dont think we have enough info from the OP to make a judgement on this one

who knows what the RGI has had to do to get his 165 squids

[Agile]

The OP has not returned to thank us for the advice and tell us what make of boiler he has.

95% of boilers have common thermocouples costing under £10.

We charge £64 plus part in London for a floor mounted boiler IF the fault is described to us in advance and we can guess its the t/c. But that still includes checking everything and resetting the burner pressures etc.

If we are given vague details which could be any fault then we charge our standard fixed price diagnostic fee of £84 but often dont charge extra for the part. It includes checking as above.

I know that others just replace t/cs but most boilers we go to have never been serviced and we feel that basic safety checks are essential.

In any case under the Gas Safety Regulations its often interpreted that we should measure the burner pressure and do a spillage test and check the ventilation. The 10 min repair boys dont bother with that !

Tony

[Softus]

Agile wrote:

The OP has not returned to thank us

Perhaps he couldn't read your invisible advice?

old timer wrote:

with parts and vat it would be 165 pounds is this you think the right charges

Agile wrote:

95% of boilers have common thermocouples costing under £10. We charge £64 plus part in London for a floor mounted boiler IF the fault is described to us in advance and we can guess its the t/c. But that still includes checking everything and resetting the burner pressures etc. If we are given vague details which could be any fault then we charge our standard fixed price diagnostic fee of £84 but often dont charge extra for the part. It includes checking as above. I know that others just replace t/cs but most boilers we go to have never been serviced and we feel that basic safety checks are essential. In any case under the Gas Safety Regulations its often interpreted that we should measure the burner pressure and do a spillage test and check the ventilation. The 10 min repair boys dont bother with that !

So - would that be a "yes" or a "no"?

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You've all been very kind to Bob in his latest disguise.

Mod Rupert

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