Emergency call out

[Deleted member 294929]

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 great for business. If I get a call after 6 then £150 is generally to make safe.

Once all is under control.

I'll have a chat with the customer on what to do next. And give them a price to get order again at a time to suit us both on a far lower hourly rate or a day rate. Even then I have to be careful not to trip myself up as there is often a history of bad plumbing, people who pose as plumbers who really do not know what they are doing

 

[noseall]

You raised gate valves.

Looks like your memory is as bad as your grasp of plumbing...

I always turn off the stop tap and drain down a CWST, never trust a gate valve, they are always removed and a new full bore lever valve is fitted.

Andy

 

[noseall]

I always turn off the stop tap and drain down a CWST, never trust a gate valve, they are always removed and a new full bore lever valve is fitted.

Andy

Some numpty on here thinks it's easier to climb into a customers loft and tie up the ball valve.

 

[Justin Passing]

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.

And you're, what, just one of those people who knows a little about a little, so tries desperately to make out it's special? Not too good with logic and common sense applied to simple plumbing, or general knowledge, like how to spell "cities".

 

[Justin Passing]

"I always turn off the stop tap and drain down a CWST, never trust a gate valve, they are always removed and a new full bore lever valve is fitted.

Some numpty on here thinks it's easier to climb into a customers loft and tie up the ball valve.

It would take what, two minutes? And is certainly easier than going about unnecessarily draining down, and changing irrelevant gate valves.

 

[Deleted member 294929]

Not too good with logic and common sense applied to simple plumbing, or general knowledge, like how to spell "cities".

That'll be my English

 

[Deleted member 294929]

It would take what, two minutes? And is certainly easier than going about unnecessarily draining down, and changing irrelevant gate valves.

I'm insured for 2 million.. sometimes you have do what you think is best at the time... we may be over the top but I can't take chances. I'm not a chancer . Advise and document. Then let the customer decide

 

[ReganAndCarter]

@ReganAndCarter

Just found this and 210k per annum in 2017 - fixing taps leaky toilets etc

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5348557/Plumber-earns-210-000-doesnt-work-weekends.html

.

 

[opps]

You failed to mention that the massive 20% VAT
is excluded from the prices, chum.




.

Quoting the prices for domestic work without the VAT included is surely illegal?

 

[Notch7]

And you're, what, just one of those people who knows a little about a little, so tries desperately to make out it's special? Not too good with logic and common sense applied to simple plumbing, or general knowledge, like how to spell "cities".

Bodd is a plumber, I fully trust whatever he says on plumbing matters.

 

[Justin Passing]

Bodd is a plumber, I fully trust whatever he says on plumbing matters.

Oh dear.

 

[noseall]

Quoting the prices for domestic work without the VAT included is surely illegal?

Even if the tradesman is not registered for VAT?

 

[Mottie]

Quoting the prices for domestic work without the VAT included is surely illegal?

Surely the quote doesn't have to include vat. I'm sure when I had some quotes before, there was a note on the quote saying something like 'all prices are plus vat'.

 

[opps]

Surely the quote doesn't have to include vat. I'm sure when I had some quotes before, there was a note on the quote saying something like 'all prices are plus vat'.

From the ASA

"The CAP Code requires that prices in ads include non-optional taxes, duties, fees and charges that apply to all or most buyers. This applies to all advertising and marketing materials, including websites and social media profiles.

Include the VAT when any prospective buyers will pay VAT
If both consumers and businesses are likely to see the ad, and are both able to buy the product(s), you’ll need to quote VAT-inclusive prices."

If you are only involved in business to business sales (ie trade only), you can show prices ex VAT but many (most?) of Pimlico Plumbers' customers are homeowners.

Ironically, on their pricing page, they claim

"Pimlico is the only London based plumbing and building services company that has a clear and transparent pricing system."

Which is clearly BS. Again, from the ASA

"Include a statement of the amount or rate of VAT payable when quoting VAT-exclusive prices
If you can quote VAT-exclusive prices, these still need to be prominently accompanied by the rate or amount of VAT, for example “ex VAT@20%”."

No where on the Pimlico Plumbers webpage does it mention what the rate of VAT is.

 

[The Samaritan]

Quoting the prices for domestic work without the VAT included is surely illegal?

Not sure about that but as you know I was referring to the cut and paste by a poster that blatantly failed to include if prices included VAT or not. As you would have seen from my posts, the 160 quid callout did not inc VAT

When I ask for a quote and I decide to go ahead, I always make sure that vat/parts etc are included as years ago I was caught out by a clown that said
"I don't get the VAT it goes to the government." I replied, "fair enough as you did not state the vat before I'll send it to the gov as you are clearly not getting it." Then I asked for evidence for its vAT reg to which it replied, "as you are a nice man...leave the vat." What a f ing crook. Since that time, I prepare myself with questions as no one wants to pay money one did not expect to pay and that is a fact.