Mark up on parts
- Thread starter nobby
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I really enjoyed reading those differing views.....!
But dude, when you start talking of the prices of work that you involve yourself in 'Your BIGGING yourself up'
£100k and........................
I tell you what I dont half make the best Steak & Kidney Pie in the UK....
But dude, when you start talking of the prices of work that you involve yourself in 'Your BIGGING yourself up'
£100k and........................
I tell you what I dont half make the best Steak & Kidney Pie in the UK....
S
Soggy_weetabix
Customers seem to find find gas engineers and plumbers pure rip off merchants due to the media assult on rogues.
Most nights I get calls from aggrieved husbands because they think...
1 Once Ive done the job they could have done it themselves, and Ive ripped their wife off.
2 Will then ask for more work to be done only to moan about the price.
Example.....full drain down to replace all wheelhead vlvs on system to TRV's (Drayton because thats what I use), Install system bypass, and chrome tower rail. (11 rads in house).
Refill with inhibitor, and £450 is twice what they would expect.
Would appreciate comments if thats expensive.
Dave
Most nights I get calls from aggrieved husbands because they think...
1 Once Ive done the job they could have done it themselves, and Ive ripped their wife off.
2 Will then ask for more work to be done only to moan about the price.
Example.....full drain down to replace all wheelhead vlvs on system to TRV's (Drayton because thats what I use), Install system bypass, and chrome tower rail. (11 rads in house).
Refill with inhibitor, and £450 is twice what they would expect.
Would appreciate comments if thats expensive.
Dave
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We charge £30 inc for fitting a reasonable number of TRV4s.
If there are less than five then we charge an extra £60 for draining and refilling.
That includes adding X100.
The TRV4 is the only TRV we would normally use.
We leave the cheap ones for the DIYers and the plumbing newbies. We only do quality work.
Tony
If there are less than five then we charge an extra £60 for draining and refilling.
That includes adding X100.
The TRV4 is the only TRV we would normally use.
We leave the cheap ones for the DIYers and the plumbing newbies. We only do quality work.
Tony
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So that's - what - 150-200 quid for parts, plus 250-300 for labour ? How long does it take you ?
There's more to pricing than quoting just some hourly rate which makes people think you are taking the ****. i.e. I might think 40 quid an hour is expensive but it would take me at least 2x as long and take all my weekend - how would I feel about 15-20 quid an hour ? Not so bad perhaps...
Then there's the overall 'value' of it to me - I might be prepared to pay you more if its winter and there's a baby in the freezing cold house.
Do the professionals on here normally provide written quotes or estimates for the work ? Surely that's a good starting point. I don't doubt there are loads of terrible customers, who try it on left right and centre - and if you've charged what was agreed or indicated there's less room for argument. It should take the stress out of the situation for both sides.
BTW - the 'you will pay what I ask' comment earlier in the thread made me choke with laughter.
There's more to pricing than quoting just some hourly rate which makes people think you are taking the ****. i.e. I might think 40 quid an hour is expensive but it would take me at least 2x as long and take all my weekend - how would I feel about 15-20 quid an hour ? Not so bad perhaps...
Then there's the overall 'value' of it to me - I might be prepared to pay you more if its winter and there's a baby in the freezing cold house.
Do the professionals on here normally provide written quotes or estimates for the work ? Surely that's a good starting point. I don't doubt there are loads of terrible customers, who try it on left right and centre - and if you've charged what was agreed or indicated there's less room for argument. It should take the stress out of the situation for both sides.
BTW - the 'you will pay what I ask' comment earlier in the thread made me choke with laughter.
J
just-thinking
oilman sorry to hear about your bank charges,but you and anyone else can challange their bank and get money back.
visit www.penaltycharges.co.uk
free site.
find instructions on top search bar,read it.
use sample letter.
use statement request.
use court form if necessary.
many of my friends have used sample letters from here all have recieved money back,usually approx 65% of original claim.
good luck.
visit www.penaltycharges.co.uk
free site.
find instructions on top search bar,read it.
use sample letter.
use statement request.
use court form if necessary.
many of my friends have used sample letters from here all have recieved money back,usually approx 65% of original claim.
good luck.
S
Soggy_weetabix
Tony, you are vague about your prices.
£30 for a number of TRV's? Fitting 2 drayton TRV's covers materials alone. (Unless you are sourcing (sic) drayton TRV's exceptionally cheap)
I estimate drain down job's as if a job takes less time than expexted, then the price is lowered.
If the job takes longer, then my estimate will generally allow of up to 1 hours extra labour.
More than that, then as an midly (sic) experienced plumber I have a good reason to up the price. Only happened once to me, and that was because customer asked if if I could replace his gaskets on his netaheat once system was drained.
David
£30 for a number of TRV's? Fitting 2 drayton TRV's covers materials alone. (Unless you are sourcing (sic) drayton TRV's exceptionally cheap)
I estimate drain down job's as if a job takes less time than expexted, then the price is lowered.
If the job takes longer, then my estimate will generally allow of up to 1 hours extra labour.
More than that, then as an midly (sic) experienced plumber I have a good reason to up the price. Only happened once to me, and that was because customer asked if if I could replace his gaskets on his netaheat once system was drained.
David
Whats vague about our pricing?
Its totally exact, quoted at the beginning and fixed if anything should go wrong so the client does not pay extra.
Surely no one thought we would fit 10 TRVs for £30 ? Its £300 !
If its only one then thats £90, two £120, eight £240 and ten £300.
Draining down one hour, refilling one hour. Fitting each one about 15-20 minutes if nothing gos wrong.
Tony
Its totally exact, quoted at the beginning and fixed if anything should go wrong so the client does not pay extra.
Surely no one thought we would fit 10 TRVs for £30 ? Its £300 !
If its only one then thats £90, two £120, eight £240 and ten £300.
Draining down one hour, refilling one hour. Fitting each one about 15-20 minutes if nothing gos wrong.
Tony
There is a very simple way of avoiding high charges, penalties etc from a bank. Stick to the agreement you made when you opened the account, signed up for the services. Pay on time, don't exceed limits, don't make withdrawals when there is no money and you won't get charged!
Happy days!
Happy days!
You seem like a reasonable person bb, and I think your feelings accurately represent those of all reasonable customers, but I don't know why you find the comment funny. Personally, and I'm not speaking for anyone else on the forum of course, I don't quote. This is because I don't have the time to spend on being accurate enough to mitigate the risk of getting the price wrong.boilerbeasty said:
This is no problem for me - because I don't advertise I get very few rogue customers. I suspect those who have a constant stream of new customers who've not been recommended to them find that they have to quote some of the time of they wouldn't get the work.
Well, that's thinking is a bit blinkered, because circumstances can change for genuine reasons. For example, I've twice been made redundant, over the years, and on one of these occasions my employer ceased trading owing me a lot of money. The bank's attitude was reasonable, because, I suspect, I appeared to be a good bet in the long term. However, if they insisted on charging in complete accordance with the terms of the agreement then I would have sacked them as soon as things became rosier.arni said:
Moreover, banks reserve the contractual right to revise their charges, and the revision is not always index-linked
wink.
I'm not coming down on either side of this argument, but i think comparing the garage scenario, with the plumbing scenario is probably the closest you are going to get, the loaf of bread idea is just ridiculous.
Admittedly garage's do massively overcharge on items like oil and coolant (£115 to change at a bmw dealer if anyone is interested) but on your bill it is broken down into labour time, parts costs and usually the dreaded sundries.
I recently bought a trevi boost shower unit, i had already been to grahams, and a few local suppliers and the best price i got, excluding the rail and head was £230 inc vat, although prices varied from that to £270, i found one on the net at £204 including rail and head so went for that.
I was fitting the thing myself, cos im a bit brave like that, so labour wasn't an issue, however my point is that had i got a plumber in and his quote had said:
Valve, rail and head £250
Fittings and pipework £40
Labour hrs @ £40 per
then i would have known there and instantly that the guy was upfront with his pricing, i have no problem at all paying higher labour costs for a better tradesman as im sure alot of people don't, the tranparency of the billing increases trust and confidence in the tradesman, and already puts him on a better footing than a tradesman who will quote an all in price without breaking it down, i instantly think what is being hidden.
I do appreciate that plumbers need to make a crust, as everyone does, and on the occasions i have needed them (Boiler service etc etc) i have gone through personal recommendation, or the chap that has quoted using the method above, and have yet (touch wood) had any problems with any work which has been undertaken.
So i guess i have come down on one side in actual fact, the more transparent your quoting system, then the more confidence you instill in the customer, you may not need the work as plumbers are in huge demand, but in the service sector, you aren't purely judged on your trade ability, but also your customer service. I will always attempt to re employ tradesmen who have offered me good service as well as a good job, they usually seem to be the ones who are exceptionally busy if you have something routine to do, but will come out immediately should you happen to cut through a gas pipe.
Admittedly garage's do massively overcharge on items like oil and coolant (£115 to change at a bmw dealer if anyone is interested) but on your bill it is broken down into labour time, parts costs and usually the dreaded sundries.
I recently bought a trevi boost shower unit, i had already been to grahams, and a few local suppliers and the best price i got, excluding the rail and head was £230 inc vat, although prices varied from that to £270, i found one on the net at £204 including rail and head so went for that.
I was fitting the thing myself, cos im a bit brave like that, so labour wasn't an issue, however my point is that had i got a plumber in and his quote had said:
Valve, rail and head £250
Fittings and pipework £40
Labour hrs @ £40 per
then i would have known there and instantly that the guy was upfront with his pricing, i have no problem at all paying higher labour costs for a better tradesman as im sure alot of people don't, the tranparency of the billing increases trust and confidence in the tradesman, and already puts him on a better footing than a tradesman who will quote an all in price without breaking it down, i instantly think what is being hidden.
I do appreciate that plumbers need to make a crust, as everyone does, and on the occasions i have needed them (Boiler service etc etc) i have gone through personal recommendation, or the chap that has quoted using the method above, and have yet (touch wood) had any problems with any work which has been undertaken.
So i guess i have come down on one side in actual fact, the more transparent your quoting system, then the more confidence you instill in the customer, you may not need the work as plumbers are in huge demand, but in the service sector, you aren't purely judged on your trade ability, but also your customer service. I will always attempt to re employ tradesmen who have offered me good service as well as a good job, they usually seem to be the ones who are exceptionally busy if you have something routine to do, but will come out immediately should you happen to cut through a gas pipe.
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