I did a job a few weeks ago for a customer who was having a bathroom fitted and the fitter would be turning up mid way through my job.
Was chatting to the customer while having a tea break and they mentioned that they were paying £3,500 to have this bathroom fitted by B7Q. Not £3,500 for the suite, flooring, tiles and fitting but £3,500 just to have it fitted! Well I nearly passed out. £3,500!!!
It wasn't even a big bathroom. In fact it was relatively small. About 2.1x 1.9m.
Anyway, fitter turns up. No B&Q van, no B&Q uniform, just a little guy in his own little van. Now I wouldn't expect B&Q to actually employ their own team of fitters but you'd at least expect them to hand out polo shirts and possibly van signage.
Got chatting to him later in the week. He gets paid £1,800 for the fit. Out of that he's gotta supply the adhesive, grout and all fittings etc that are necessary for the fit. He's also obviously working on his own insurance - B&Q don't have their own liability insurance for fitting - it's down the the fitter.
Talking to the customer again at the end of the job and asked why they paid B&Q for the fit. They advised because the work is guaranteed, they don't have to worry about getting plumbers and fitters co-ordinated etc. Basically it was convenient!
Yes the work is guaranteed. BY THE FITER. Any probems with the fit and B&Q aren't goint to come out. They're going to send the fitter back. End of.
So for convenience, B&Q get £1,700 clear profit for doing or supplying absolutely burger all! No wonder they can knock bethroom suites out for pence!
Same goes for their kitchen fitting service.
Like I say, I'd expect them to sub it out but to add such a mark up to the fitting cost is absurd, especially when there isn't really a guarantee provided by B&Q themselves.
regards
Fred
Was chatting to the customer while having a tea break and they mentioned that they were paying £3,500 to have this bathroom fitted by B7Q. Not £3,500 for the suite, flooring, tiles and fitting but £3,500 just to have it fitted! Well I nearly passed out. £3,500!!!
It wasn't even a big bathroom. In fact it was relatively small. About 2.1x 1.9m.
Anyway, fitter turns up. No B&Q van, no B&Q uniform, just a little guy in his own little van. Now I wouldn't expect B&Q to actually employ their own team of fitters but you'd at least expect them to hand out polo shirts and possibly van signage.
Got chatting to him later in the week. He gets paid £1,800 for the fit. Out of that he's gotta supply the adhesive, grout and all fittings etc that are necessary for the fit. He's also obviously working on his own insurance - B&Q don't have their own liability insurance for fitting - it's down the the fitter.
Talking to the customer again at the end of the job and asked why they paid B&Q for the fit. They advised because the work is guaranteed, they don't have to worry about getting plumbers and fitters co-ordinated etc. Basically it was convenient!
Yes the work is guaranteed. BY THE FITER. Any probems with the fit and B&Q aren't goint to come out. They're going to send the fitter back. End of.
So for convenience, B&Q get £1,700 clear profit for doing or supplying absolutely burger all! No wonder they can knock bethroom suites out for pence!
Same goes for their kitchen fitting service.
Like I say, I'd expect them to sub it out but to add such a mark up to the fitting cost is absurd, especially when there isn't really a guarantee provided by B&Q themselves.
regards
Fred
