Plumbers V heating engineers

[wilki]

I have found that there are some very good plumbers out there, and the rates peope charge for work differ so much, I read a persons rates , user name boxster, ref to the car he drives. who has a standard charge of 70q 1/2hr 140 for 1hr. when someone works with gas the price goes up, to cover all there expenses, which are high.
The bridge between plumbing and heating is very narrow. Some people advertise them selves as plumbing&heating engineers. But the rate to call on a broken boiler fault find, repair, 1hr labour, as oppossed to fixing a leaking toilet which in some cases can be a pig. which could also take 1hr to put right.
The person fixing the toilet is as skilled as the person on the boiler, its just his job details for the day include a leaking toilet. a 140 quid for fixing toilet . ?????????. customer says thats alot of money for fixing the toilet, Gas boiler customer says nothing. Bob down the road only payed steve the plumber 30qiud for his toilet.

 

[Bahco]

What is the nature of your complaint / enquiry

 

[wilki]

30 quid or 140, is one to high and one to little, or are they both fair.

 

[twgas]

If a workman is happy charging any amount and a customer is happy paying that amount it must be fair - irrespective of what others may charge or be willing to pay - unless of course its for unnecesary work/parts

 

[mickyg]

The person fixing the toilet is as skilled as the person on the boiler

you reckon?

 

[gremlin16]

Flue gas analysers, manometers, multi meters, calibration, ACS, Corgi registration, Oftec Registration, Gas work notification, training cost (including days/weeks in class rooms), insurance premiums, ect ect ect.

All for free

Repairing W/c, pair of adjustables and pump pliers

Work the difference for yourself.

Belive it or not heating engineers are not a registered charity. (some people think we are)

And some even have the burden of supporting a family, and feeding themselves.

 

[Norcon]

The person fixing the toilet is as skilled as the person on the boiler

you reckon?

Id agree with wilki's reckoning.

 

[oakland99]

My dad could fix a toilet, but stick him in front of a boiler when the customer is saying, " every 3 days the boiler locks out and i have to re set it, please fix it" and he would have a bit of trouble.

The difference between a plumber and a heating engineer is a bit more than you think.

 

[Gasguru]

Fixing this......

Untitled

• Gasguru
• 5 Oct 2008
• 1

is as easy as this

Untitled

• Gasguru
• 5 Oct 2008
• 1

What planet do live on wilki

And if you think working on boilers is quick and easy I suggest you change a PRV on a Worcester Greenstar Junior or replace the expansion vessel hose on a Glowworm 24Ci (when the clip faces the wall). Carp design.

 

[gremlin16]

change a PRV on a Worcester Greenstar Junior

that was cruel

 

[roguetrader]

Bob down the road only payed steve the plumber 30qiud for his toilet.

There are plenty of 'steves' about, they are usually fireman, dockers etc.

A 'steve' will generally work from the back of his old sierra, 'steves' very often ask to borrow the tools from your garage/shed.

There is a 'steve' working next door to our current job, and works on a tug as his main employment. He works 4 days on and 4 days off. His 4 days off he does everything from painting and decorating, bricklaying, plumbing etc etc.

This particular 'steve' laughed about the fact that he works only for cash, has no public liability, obviously wont have any kind of professional affiliation or formal training. He doesn't pay bank charges, accountants, training, re-training.

Everyone knows a 'steve'

 

[wilki]

At least the plumber can fix the toilet, unlike some so called heating engineers, who cant find & cant fix the problem, new part still not working, not all of course. And Im speaking of a reg gas eng & plumber. he does the lot. because thats his trade, not afraid to get abit of **** on his hands after servicing a boiler. Some gas eng might think there above the toilet / bathroom jobs.

 

[wilki]

The same skilled person doing both jobs, yes the toilet alot easier that boiler fault finding ect. I have seen and worked with gas eng, who have cracked pans fitting them, burnt carpets. foot through ceilings, I have seen them all. Im sure your not one of those gasguru.

 

[Corgigrouch]

Well why don't you get your plumber to fix your boiler for £30 and stop bellyaching?

And while you are at it get your coal merchant to fix the brakes on your car

The clue is in the name Why would you need a gas fitter or heating engineer to fix your toilet?... Unless, of course you wished to have hot flushes...

 

[gary71]

Plumbers they don't flush systems, they use auto fillers to hide water leaks and if they have accidentally plumbed the washing machine in to the heating circuit you can't always get a 40c wash, they zone a house and put switches under the boiler to control the zones, but they do use felt tip to let you know which is which.

They use 10 litre under sink electric water heaters to heat a rad circuit, they fit unvented cylinders without any temperature controls other than the boiler stat and no discharge to be seen, they cap t/p valves if there letting by, they think 10 mbar working pressure is ok, they use 10 mm pipe to feed a 30 kw combi, they use 15 mm pipe for flow and return, they use shower pumps to fill heating systems so you have to run the shower first to get the pump going, they fit a cylinder with a combi boiler with no permanent live supply to the boiler so you have to turn programmer on for hot water to get the combi to work which feeds the kitchen only, they use the pipe earth bonding for earthing a boiler so they can use the boiler earth as a switch live, they fit room stats over rads or beside the front door, they convert balanced flue boilers to open with no vents but they do fit an extractor, they box in flue terminals on large development because they terminate at the same level as balcony floor, they terminate flues in to conservatories but they leave the window ajar, they build extensions around open flue boilers but they did remove the flue first to get the roof on, the soot on the walls and the headaches didn't concerned anyone onsite, I'll stop now i don't want them to think I'm picking on them, but all above jobs have been done by plumbers, probably for cheap money and thank god for them cos they make me look a technician and all i do is read the manual, Gary