Emergency call out

[festive]

Not 2 30 in the morning you wouldn't.


Out of hours I tell them it's to make safe.. then give them a cost to fix in normal hours.

One early 12 midnight call I had to get them drinking water back on as they had one main shared stop cock for 3 houses

Indeed this was 6pm hence me saying at that time id possibly call it cheaper if it was an easy fix or to make safe and as you say return call.

 

[Deleted member 294929]

You raised gate valves. They're irrelevant to an emergency on a leaky rad.

Not if they are on the cold feed from a header tank they ain't.

 

[HERTS P&D]

You raised gate valves. They're irrelevant to an emergency on a leaky rad.
Then you went on about shutting off the supply to the house. Also irrelevant.
You really are sounding like a plumber to avoid.

As already mentioned, Its easier to turn off the mains than going into a loft

Andy

 

[Deleted member 294929]

You raised gate valves. They're irrelevant to an emergency on a leaky rad.
Then you went on about shutting off the supply to the house. Also irrelevant.
You really are sounding like a plumber to avoid.

And your not getting your conversation with Andy confused with me?

 

[Deleted member 294929]

Indeed this was 6pm hence me saying at that time id possibly call it cheaper if it was an easy fix or to make safe and as you say return call.

We can all do that. I tend not to if they live in a gated community with Lamborghini's and Aston Martin's sitting on the drive.

 

[Deleted member 294929]

And you've made that assumption on this post or over a few posts. Or maybe you've been to a few of my jobs.


Tell me what would you do if you found a gate valve on the supply from a heating header tank.???

Justin..... I've got a question for you....

 

[Dork Lard]

Something I've often tried to explain to the tradesmen I've worked with is "a good business is where everybody profits".

A bl**dy good 'net' earnings for a sole trader subbie plumber in my day was around £1000pw, I used to pay £150 per day & I'd want the full 8hrs . . . . The guys that told me to F***off are the very same ones that are happy earning their £1000pw. They are the very same ones that cannot understand how I used to make £10,000 per day & my all time favourite plumber of choice is now a £millionaire who raised 3 sons that are now on the same track.

Is a £150 emergency call out good business? Is it the going rate? Is it another way of saying "I don't want the job"? Or, is it crisis extortion?

 

[Deleted member 294929]

Something I've often tried to explain to the tradesmen I've worked with is "a good business is where everybody profits".

A bl**dy good 'net' earnings for a sole trader subbie plumber in my day was around £1000pw, I used to pay £150 per day & I'd want the full 8hrs . . . . The guys that told me to F***off are the very same ones that are happy earning their £1000pw. They are the very same ones that cannot understand how I used to make £10,000 per day & my all time favourite plumber of choice is now a £millionaire who raised 3 sons that are now on the same track.

Is a £150 emergency call out good business? Is it the going rate? Is it another way of saying "I don't want the job"? Or, is it crisis extortion?

It's a ...... "is this really an emergency? Can it wait until Tuesday and will be half the price" .......
..would you put down your beer and get off your arse to mow someone's lawn for anything less.?

 

[Dork Lard]

It's a ...... "is this really an emergency? Can it wait until Tuesday and will be half the price" .......
..would you put down your beer and get off your arse to mow someone's lawn for anything less.?

Which is a good answer.

I would expect such an emergency can be 'resolved' over the phone, & no one needs to get out of bed & rush to . . . !

That leaves us with your statement that it "will be half the price" on Tuesday. Is your normal working hours call out charge really £75 ?

Are you the plumber that sh1ts on all the other plumbers & gives them a bad name for overcharging?




P.S. The few times I have mown another man's lawn I did it for free. He had always took immense pride in his garden & he was bedridden & dying of cancer. I knew this, but it took seeing someone else tending to his garden to prompt me into action. Right up to the time when the new owners moved in, that garden was probably the best tended in the whole village.

I, & everyone in my village who spared a few hours to keep that garden looking stunning, will take our payment in Karma.

 

[Deleted member 294929]

That leaves us with your statement that it "will be half the price" on Tuesday. Is your normal working hours call out charge really £75 ?

My minimum charge is £60. So if you want to jump to the front of the queue and for me to then change my plans.....

(Tuesday morning 8 am)​

..... then yes it's £75.. or possibly £90 .... why should everyone else wait for me while Mr Urgent gets to jump the queue?

Are you the sort of fella that cuts into the front of waiting traffic while everyone else joins the queue?

 

[Justin Passing]

Justin..... I've got a question for you....

You do what the customer wants you to do. You have no remit to do otherwise.
He called you for an emergency leak. Explain then listen. Then get on with it or get out.
Very simple and f all to do with the op.

 

[Diydavey]

Some relatives of mine came around mid-last week. We were talking about professions, kids going to uni and going for a worthless degree. This family is uni orientated especially the dad who is a professor. One of their children went to uni, got a worthless degree and is still out of work as he does not know what he wants to do but had talked about "hands-on work." The mother stated he liked making things. I asked them if they agreed that most people work to make money and a nice life they agreed. So I said why not talk to him about becomeing a plumber as its easy as he is clever, good with his hands
and does not want to be working in an office. I also told them how much some plumbers charge and that their sone could work two days a week in london and easily make 1k.

Our regular plumber for a good 20 years retired after ill health. Some said he was expensive as the family used him as well. In my judgement, he was not cheap and certainly not expensive. A few weeks ago we wanted 2 horizon rads repositioned to vertical to accommodate new furniture. The prices we got were shocking. Evetually got someone from Heros inc guarantee vat ect paid 135 plus 30 for parts ie no chrome fittings/connectors

From my own personal experience electricians and plumbers make a load of money, in London at least

Many plumbers end up retiring due to ill health it could be something to do with working with contaminated water or problems with knees/back etc.
So when he tells you his price don't cry about it or learn to do it yourself.
I'm not a plumber by the way

 

[Diydavey]

Which is a good answer.

I would expect such an emergency can be 'resolved' over the phone, & no one needs to get out of bed & rush to . . . !

That leaves us with your statement that it "will be half the price" on Tuesday. Is your normal working hours call out charge really £75 ?

Are you the plumber that sh1ts on all the other plumbers & gives them a bad name for overcharging?




P.S. The few times I have mown another man's lawn I did it for free. He had always took immense pride in his garden & he was bedridden & dying of cancer. I knew this, but it took seeing someone else tending to his garden to prompt me into action. Right up to the time when the new owners moved in, that garden was probably the best tended in the whole village.

I, & everyone in my village who spared a few hours to keep that garden looking stunning, will take our payment in Karma.

£75 is not expensive for an emergency plumber . Do you think self employed tradesmen can survive on £10 an hour?

 

[Justin Passing]

As already mentioned, Its easier to turn off the mains than going into a loft

Andy

Turn it off then if you want to - but that may not be the appropriate thing to do. How long you going to spend turning the mains off, before you spend 1 minute getting into the loft, to find the F&E is fed off a raised CWSC, then you sheepishly realise you cocked up.
You're there for an emergency, not to bring the house up to all the latest regulations.

He's going to know how to turn the water to the CH off, he's been fitting a rad. Use some intelligence and ask him. You're inventing problems to try to find something which a plumber knows about but I don't; you should because I'm not one, eventually, but so far it's very simple stuff and you're not doing too well.

Barge in there with your holier than the planet knowledge, drain the system rectifying everything you fancy on the way.
Drain the system like a proper diyer.
Build up that £600 bill.
Do up the nut on the rad valve spindle to actually stop the leak.
Then find he's got a Primatic and you have to restore the bubble. Epic fail Yeee ha!

 

[Deleted member 294929]

Turn it off then if you want to - but that may not be the appropriate thing to do. How long you going to spend turning the mains off, before you spend 1 minute getting into the loft, to find the F&E is fed off a raised CWSC, then you sheepishly realise you cocked up.
You're there for an emergency, not to bring the house up to all the latest regulations.

He's going to know how to turn the water to the CH off, he's been fitting a rad. Use some intelligence and ask him. You're inventing problems to try to find something which a plumber knows about but I don't; you should because I'm not one, eventually, but so far it's very simple stuff and you're not doing too well.

Barge in there with your holier than the planet knowledge, drain the system rectifying everything you fancy on the way.
Drain the system like a proper diyer.
Build up that £600 bill.
Do up the nut on the rad valve spindle to actually stop the leak.
Then find he's got a Primatic and you have to restore the bubble. Epic fail Yeee ha!

Justin
You seem to me to be just one of those people who knows a little about alot.

It's been years since I've seen a primatic cylinder , let alone been caught out by one... but it happens and would imagine in the depths of the big city's they are still catching plumbers & lookalikes out.

You would know as you seem to be the sort of fella who has alot of useless information stored.