British Gas engineers.

[Bodd]

Whether you say the valve cost twice as much as it did or you just charge that much extra is the same.

If the valve cost me £100 I'd charge £120. Generally the customer is non of the wiser and I go and fix without a quibble

 

[Bodd]

I have come across 3 or 4 collapsed drains in the past 30 years, so they are quite rare to be completely collapsed. I give the fixed price for clearance, but if it can't be cleared because of a collapsed pipe, I would walk away. Like I say, it doesn't happen often.

Andy

Same same but different as the Thais would say..

 

[Bodd]

It doesn't matter how you do it, does it? The total is the same.

Charge £2,000 (or whatever) labour and tell them the boiler is free.
Charge £2,000 (or whatever) for the boiler and tell them you will fit it for nothing.

OK fair enough I misunderstood you. Its still none of the wiser how I work it out. It's still my price and my price is my price.

 

[noseall]

I have never understood this "mark up" philosophy.

The mark-up is personal to the pricer. It covers him if the materials misbehave. It matters not if an overall price has been given but is relevant (to the customer) if there have been extras to the contract or a day rate + mat's was agreed.

 

[noseall]

Ahh, I obviously misconstrued the following:

You did. There are jobs that require a fascia element to look good and perform well. Trades that produce fascia work and performance work know only too well that they will soon starve if their work is not up to scratch.

On the other hand, there are jobs that require neither but will achieve their aim and satisfy the client, regardless if it took zero skill and looks like a dogs dinner - in ALL trades.

 

[Bodd]

I looked at a poor performing boiler last week. 7 years old,
Badly installed
Not registered
And in need of 3 of 4 new parts.
I gave him a price.

He then gone back to me with how much for a new boiler. I cut and pasted another job and gave home an estimate in a bit of a haste.

Soon realised I underpriced so arranged for another visit this morning. Rather than going through the hassle of charging extra for this and that on things I haven't accounted for I just passed it onto another company who pass me their call outs. I go in eyes wide open and pick a few cherry's while I'm at it.

 

[motorbiking]

Do workers have to actually sign the new contract nowadays?

Never used to have to. If you work there those are the conditions.

variation to terms can be deemed accepted. Pay has to be agreed.

 

[gasbanni]

They are using contractors round here at the mo. Must be killing them financially.

Good one I had a laugh at that, they pay peanuts for the installs and charge the customer top whack, killing Bg financially .....NO !
The customers think they're BG engineers.

 

[gasbanni]

I have never understood this "mark up" philosophy.

It makes your labour rate seem lower - but not really.

As in the thread in Electrics where a poster was quoted the total cost includes £300 for certificates which are mandatory, it makes no difference to the total cost - which is all a customer cares about.

There a retail price and a trade price.
When you buy something from Sainsburys you don't pay the price sainsburys pay.

A part to me is a part I get discount on because I'm a regular customer, the retail price is what the customer would pay if they walked in off the street.

It's amazing how a non trade customer stands out like a sore thumb.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

"If in any doubt about what the fault is then change the PCB " i

This attitude is not a sensible way to fault find, but it is used too often and invariably at significant cost to the customer.

It is an attitude and method which is rife through most trades today, throw parts at a problem until it is fixed - little actual skill needed.

 

[gasbanni]

I've crossed swords with Bg six times so far it's six nil to me.

Latest one ........ not strictly crossing swords but showed then to be incompetent.....

On a job customer been with bg forever, I was there for a gas run in to a new kitchen and altering the heating.

Customer asked me to quote for changing six bedroom en suite basins to mixer taps ( so new basins reqd ) when asked why she said the water is scalding hot and has been like that for fifteen years.

Various bg engineers said nothing could be done about it AND she'd had a new boiler fitted six months previously .........finished my work went to the airing cupboard.........adjusted the blending valve ( by hand ) .......called her ...try that .....' thats perfect !' Wasted money over fifteen years always having to add cold water to basins.

A lot of the current bg engineers don't have much experiance ! The ones that did have retired.

 

[Dangee]

If you don’t give a toss about a client, Harry.
I do, hence having to turn my phone off due to overwhelming work coming in. Look after your customers, ultimately you will never be short of work & very respected.

 

[gasbanni]

Just give the customer a fixed price, job done.

The only problem there is when they ask for a break down, I tell them it is a fixed price of what I'm going to do, weather it takes 2 hours or 2 days.

Andy

It's not possible to give a fixed price for a boiler repair for a one off repair.......if you have a lot of customers on a monthly payment plan then yes it's a actuaries dream !

It is an attitude and method which is rife through most trades today, throw parts at a problem until it is fixed - little actual skill needed.

Well Harry slinging parts at a job is showing a lack of skill. I usually diagnose the fault, quote a price and everybody's happy.

I often get calls do you still fix ....... you called fifteen years ago and fixed my ...... 'whats your address,,? '

 

[Bodd]

Well Harry slinging parts at a job is showing a lack of skill. I usually diagnose the fault, quote a price and everybody's happy.

Do you tell tgd customer your diagnosis?

 

[Dangee]

If in doubt, I’ll tell them percentages.
ie- I think it’s a 90% chance it’s this....... but could be this.....etc.