High labour rates for boilers

[Odds]

I can appreciate that. But I also wonder whether it's partly to do with transparency? What would happen if gas engineers were required to itemise the bill and show the labour charge. Would there be push back from customers.

As sure as eggs is eggs there'd be pushback.
Self-employed tradesman can't afford to itemise customer bills. They'd be out of business pdq.

 

[gas112]

I can appreciate that. But I also wonder whether it's partly to do with transparency? What would happen if gas engineers were required to itemise the bill and show the labour charge. Would there be push back from customers.

yeah cust could also buy all their own stuff and just pay the labour .
Be pretty cost effective and they could keep all those additional screws /plugs /clips / fittings /solder/flux / sealants / cable etc etc etc and pay for the guy to sit about as they nip and buy the bits that they forgot to get or as problems show up .
A half decent customer will also pay for the hire of a van for the week and fill it with diesel and then make a contribution to the yearly registration fees and the 4 figure cost of the exams that need doing . And hire the thousands of quids worth of tools required
Yep in reality it is hard to justify some of the prices but dont kid yourself all that money is profit

 

[JonathanM]

yeah cust could also buy all their own stuff and just pay the labour .
Be pretty cost effective and they could keep all those additional screws /plugs /clips / fittings /solder/flux / sealants / cable etc etc etc and pay for the guy to sit about as they nip and buy the bits that they forgot to get or as problems show up .
A half decent customer will also pay for the hire of a van for the week and fill it with diesel and then make a contribution to the yearly registration fees and the 4 figure cost of the exams that need doing . And hire the thousands of quids worth of tools required
Yep in reality it is hard to justify some of the prices but dont kid yourself all that money is profit

I'm aware of those things and that it's not all profit. But it was particularly the situation with fitting boilers, as against other types of work, which the OP was interested in. With most plumbing jobs, at least you know the call out charge, hourly rate and day rate. I think most people would be happy to pay £500 per day. But if they were told it was £1000+, that's when there might be pushback.

 

[gas112]

One mistake custs make when they look at prices on the internet is they look at boiler prices and forget the basic additionals .
Boiler job this week looks a straight change same place minimal alteration to pipework
3 flue extensions 60 quid each
1 roof terminal 120
2 , 45 degree elbows 80 quid
roof tile 50 quid .
So there is 430 quid that most custs would be oblivious to and think its all part of the profit .

 

[gas112]

Also recently advertised boiler prices were not showing the 150 quid extra that installers were being charged separately on top by the manufacturers

 

[Laurieo]

It is tempting. Do the swap, pay someone £100 to "service" which would include flue gas check and adjustment if necessary, and keep the £1500 in the bank for any repairs.

For a £500 installation it suddenly becomes worth it, not having to take a day of work and getting the warranty.

I don't think a GSR engineer would touch it .
Why risk your lively hood for £100 .
The Benchmark book not being filled in would start the alarm bells straight off.

 

[JonathanM]

I have no problem with tradesmen making a very good living. They do things that I could never do in a million years. It's just that the OP has intrigued me with this query about the difference between fitting boilers and other work. It's something I hadn't really thought about before.

 

[JonathanM]

Also recently advertised boiler prices were not showing the 150 quid extra that installers were being charged separately on top by the manufacturers

Is that the boiler tax?

 

[gas112]

Is that the boiler tax?

yeah which has now been dropped within last few weeks

 

[Mister Banks]

The frustrating thing is that the additional £150 boiler tax will now stay despite the government changing their minds.

 

[gas112]

The frustrating thing is that the additional £150 boiler tax will now stay despite the government changing their minds.

its already in process of being refunded

 

[opps]

Going rate for a PAYE plumber is probably around £7-800 a week with zero overheads. You won't get that driving for a taxi company.

???

I charge more than that as a decorator- albeit with overheads (capital expenditure/etc).

 

[Nige F]

PAYE plumbers have never been exceptionally well paid - Gas Safe/ self employed is the key to £££

 

[kidgreen61]

Intersestlingly enough, one of the most expensive installers is BG.
Most independant installers can do the same job as them for around half the price, presumably because of their massive overheads.
The house in which I now live had a new boiler fitted 15yrs ago by BG, I have all the paperwork for it in a folder.
I could do the same swap now, 15yrs later, for a lot less than they charged the previous owners.
So, in a way, BG are driving prices up.