How much would you pay?

[gorepairs]

We all have problems with our heating or plumbing from time to time and sometimes it can be costly to fix. While I agree these free forums are great you are not guaranteed the response you want in the time you need it. If someone could hold your hand (so to speak) through the repair process how much would you pay? Bearing in mind that the information may help you repair the problem yourself saving on premium phone calls or paying for a trades person. - Go-Repairs

 

[nitro23456]

Nothing, all information required is available online/in books and if you are not capable of following this info and info in posts on forums such as this, you should probably be paying someone for the job in its entirety.

 

[gorepairs]

Thanks for your reply, not all information is available online. Usually only general information, anything slightly different can take forever sludging through the web only to find no results. And as for books these can sometimes be costly and not contain all the info you need - resulting in you having to buy more than one.

Whilst in free forums ( i too like the price) you have to wait sometimes awhile for a reply. This is only usually an act of kindness or a trades person who is looking to promote there service.

Homes and indeed systems are laid out differently and contain a great range of different makes and models. So I was wondering if someone could give you there help tailored to your needs how much someone pay?

I also realise that some people are too incompetent to help and you would have to vet these people.

 

[nitro23456]

just my opinion mate, doesnt make it right (necessarily).

 

[Agile]

I think that some of you are missing the point of all his postings!

He has created a web site and is promoting it through this and probably other web forums.

There are a few things this could be and you would need to give more info. It could be that the boiler is over heating due to many things or that your p.c.b is on its way out. - Go-Repairs

It seems that he is thinking of yet another paid telephone help for DIYers with fixing boilers.

 

[gas4you]

If he is after free advertising Tony, why promote his web site even more

 

[gorepairs]

I am genuinely sorry you all seem to have taken this the wrong way. I was just fielding a question in a popular related forum.

It isn't to setup "yet another paid phone line" rather a system of where forum members like yourselves could earn for answering peoples questions. They get a quicker, more tailored answer and you answering get something for your time.

It certainly wasn't my intention to pull traffic by putting - Go-Repairs at the end of my sentences. Its just the name i'm using, so as if someone named Dave ended his sentence with - Dave. But I do see how this could be misconstrued.

In retrospect maybe I could have gone about this another way, sorry for any ruffled feathers - consider my wrists slapped.

 

[Agile]

It isn't to setup "yet another paid phone line" rather a system of where forum members like yourselves could earn for answering peoples questions. They get a quicker, more tailored answer and you answering get something for your time.

Well, if its not a paid premium rate telephone line then exactly how could "we" earn from answering calls?

I have no problem with anyone overtly explaining what their business is, how they operate, what their charges are and showing their contact details.

There are some other DIY forums that let members give their business names and telephone numbers after their names.

This site is very strictly against that though.

If you wanted to recruit experts from amongst those who answer questions on this site then you might be better off approaching individuals directly with full details of your proposals.

There was someone who had a 50p/min premium rate number for enquiries in relation to boilers advertised on his web site as the expectation was that ordering was to be done through the web site and anyone who had to telephone should pay extra for the increased time taken to answer.

Tony

 

[oilman]

They get a quicker, more tailored answer

Quicker than what? Answers are often available here in less than half an hour, they are reasonably tailored, and theres the possibility of extra information from later replies.

Paying does not necessarily get you better information, and I can earn more by going out and doing a repair than any amount available from answering online questions. There would also be the big-burners, Dr. Drivels and other rubbish talkers giving advice.

 

[Steve69the69Gas]

Unless they are simple questions/problems eg how to pressurise a combi, then many answers would probably end with 'Get a good RGI in'

 

[gorepairs]

Thanks for your replys guys, I want to try respond to some of your questions. Firstly let me say this was just an idea I've been playing around with. It's not a feature on my site nor does it sound it will be (judging from the response here).

Let me also say I am not looking to recruit people from this site just opinions from a potential target audience. As for how you would earn, just doing what you are doing here. Answering questions on a free forum board. The user would be tipping you for your kindness maybe for the best answer or could split the tips if more than one person was helpful.

Whilst yes it would not be a fortune and yes you could earn more by going out and doing a job. But when your on boards like here I guess your not on a job, there by earning nothing?(And yes money isn't everything - but it is nice to have a little extra.)

And it would only be available to pre-approved problem solvers - I would not want anyone giving potential dangerous or/and illegal advice.

Whilst my original question got no real figures, you did all pose some interesting problems/questions. Thank you for your time.

 

[Johnharp]

I would stop defending yourself gorepairs. They seem adamant to go against any good ideas. Let them give their free advice. I am sure that somebody sat on the floor trying to fix their boiler for their family at 11.00pm at night, would gratefully pay for some help online. I don’t suspect oilman, Agile ornitro23456 would want to be posting a reply within 30 mins at this time of night for free – unless of course it really floats their boat to sit on the internet with all their free time (that would be a bit sad wouldn’t it?)

Also it really does suggest this whole site is a waste of time if:
‘Unless they are simple questions/problems eg how to pressurise a combi, then many answers would probably end with 'Get a good RGI in'’. Surely the whole point of this forum/paid service is to do a better job and to save money, not to just suggest getting a pro in.

Also you should note that they will always ‘nit pick ‘any situation/posting to make it negative– just read their replies to other posting – always being difficult and finding problems where there aren’t any. Notice their use of quotes whenever they get a chance.

Of course this is “just my opinion mate, doesn’t make it right (necessarily).”

I welcome the abuse that will surely follow from my post.

Good luck to your business.

 

[hairyben]

There's an interesting legal aspect when you go from "free advice from stranger on internet" to "paid for an advice service", should anything go wrong, from serious injury to broken parts... regardless of disclaimers... on the other hand, to add to whats said, if someone spent 30 minutes on a premium rate line only to be told the jobs beyond their abilities or the limitations of telephone-guidance, and they should get a pro, would they be keen to pay?

 

[doitall]

The whole point about this and other forums, is to help others, asking for money is morbid, and not in the spirit of things.

 

[oilman]

I would stop defending yourself gorepairs. They seem adamant to go against any good ideas. Let them give their free advice. I am sure that somebody sat on the floor trying to fix their boiler for their family at 11.00pm at night, would gratefully pay for some help online.

It would be better to do it in the daytime when you have the possibility of getting spares, rather than last thing at night when tired.

I don’t suspect oilman, Agile ornitro23456 would want to be posting a reply within 30 mins at this time of night for free – unless of course it really floats their boat to sit on the internet with all their free time (that would be a bit sad wouldn’t it?)

At the time of posting, you had the grand total of 1 post. You appear to know little about the posting times of the people you mention, otherwise you would know there are quite a few. Do you do anything for anyone? How would you feel at being described as "sad" for doing so. I, for one, find your remark contemptible.

Also you should note that they will always ‘nit pick ‘any situation/posting to make it negative– just read their replies to other posting – always being difficult and finding problems where there aren’t any.

I think you should refer to a dictionary for the meaning of the word "always"

Notice their use of quotes whenever they get a chance.

Wouldn't want to disappoint you, but again, your generalisation is inaccurate. Perhaps you could suggest a better way to refer to posts some way up the page without using quotes.

I welcome the abuse that will surely follow from my post.

Maybe you should also refer to a dictionary for meaning of "abuse". Did you mean "debate"?