Support your local registered gas engineer

[Biggles..]

It's time to try and set the record straight about the small people of the heating industry.
For years the press has given the public an impression that gas engineers earn £100K Pa, the TV had shown every type of program trying to insinuate that we're rouge traders, we've had the big companies do all they can to ride rough shot over us, and now we have the manufacturers stab us In the back as well.

For years gas installers have attached themselves to a certain brand or model, when we come to quote we offer you what we think is the best available to suit what you need. When we install these products we're forced by the rules that govern our industry, by building control and the manufacturer to give you the customer a valid warrenty, to supply certain details. Lately these details are being used to send you the customer unsolicited mail, offering their services. These manufacturers are forgetting who open the door, putting their product into your home, and are bypassing us the installer.

Now, these offers are nothing that your local Gas engineer can't do for you, within your postcode there will always be someone who has the same product training as the manufacturers engineers.
These manufacturers engineers may turn up in their shiney van and their corporate uniforms, but they won't give you the same personal touch as your local, they'll be concerned solely on their boiler, not the leaking radiator underneath, they'll have a list of 8 jobs, have to spend more time
Doing paperwork than have their head in your boiler, they'll still have to up sell the corporate products such as unwanted flushes, warrenty packages, you'll not see the same guy twice, you won't speak to your engineer on the phone, your just a job number not a customer but it's seen as ok because their from the manufacturer!

Ring the local guy, ring your installer, they'll know your boilers, they 'll know your system, they'll care!

Support your local gas engineer!

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

And, that is why I offer the first 'Annual Service' as part of the installation package, to show that I am HAPPY to do more than just 'sell another boiler', but look after it (and of course the customer, be it the homeowner/tenant/concerned parent etc) for as long as the customer wants me to.

DH (not my actual trading name....)

 

[ALCPlumbing]

You raise some good points Lee. Unfortunately the big companies and manufacturers are slowly squeezing out the local independent firms and self employed engineers. They are doing by not only offering deals that, before you've read the small print, are almost impossible for us to match, but by poaching our customers from the information we are duty bound to provide regarding any installations we undertake.

Fortunately, after speaking with some of my own customers, there are still people out there that understand that as with anything in life, price should never be the only consideration. As Lee points out using a local engineer means you get to build up a relationship with someone you trust in your house, and that when you call you will speak to the person that knows your heating system intimately and can often help you over the phone. These big companies will always try to get out of honouring their contract by not covering faults or parts failing from 'wear and tear'. What else is causing these problems after 5 to 7 years. It's total BS.

Would be nice to get some feedback from the general public please.

 

[Dean744PiN5]

And if we all go under will the likes of homeserve come on here and offer free advice to the public on their plumbing and heating problems? Like fook they will.

 

[Tibbot]

In the days of cast iron boilers, manufacturers engineers existed only to help the installer and there weren't many of them. When the combi arrived, inherent faults meant that manufacturers couldn't keep the products on the market without back-up. Many installers resented having to put right products that they'd installed correctly.

In recent years installers would brag how their chosen boiler is backed by 100's of manufacturer's engineers or how they won't touch a brand because they use agents and have no engineers.

Today, the result is an industry that reflects the way the market has grown. What Lee says is true, they are poaching customers and the self-helping installer is losing out. However the reason we've got to this stage is that, for years, too many installers have been too stupid or too happy to let their customers go.

In other European countries boilers are also registered and then given to an army of willing, tooled-up professionals to look after. Here, we've allowed insurance pen-pushers, supermarkets, utilities etc to take over that business.

 

[Nige F]

Here, we've allowed insurance pen-pushers, supermarkets, utilities etc to take over that business.

But that`s the GB version of Free Market Economy the other option would have been to remain with the Nationalised regional Gas Boards - and we`d be waiting a week for the bod on his pushbike with a canvas toolbag

 

[doitall]

Yes Nige F and if the cans were not built to fail you wouldn't need an army of white van men running around 24/7 to keep them going

Not that long ago a boiler would last 30-40 years without breaking into a sweat, the last 20 years in rip-off Britain you'll be lucky if they last 3-4 years.

PCB for example £2-3 quid from Taiwan, add a couple of 00s on the end by the manufacturer and happy days.

 

[ALEC1]

thats odd, a lot of my boilers are coming up for 8 years with no issues, and the oldest condensing boiler I know is 17 yrs old..

 

[Agile]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

Not helped by the priced down annual repair deal which only works when its a simple fault which is not too expensive to repair. Otherwise its £450 off THEIR inflated price to replace the boiler.

Then there are the must have power flushes at £600 otherwise the cover is cancelled.

I have been to many where the £600 power flush was not required and the last one just needed a £28 part.

Tony

 

[gasanstuff]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

Not helped by the priced down annual repair deal which only works when its a simple fault which is not too expensive to repair. Otherwise its £450 off THEIR inflated price to replace the boiler.

Then there are the must have power flushes at £600 otherwise the cover is cancelled.

I have been to many where the £600 power flush was not required and the last one just needed a £28 part.

Tony

And over the last ten years the most any one customer has spent with me (annual servicing and repairs of a gas boiler.)
Is around £1200.

Had they been singed up to a maintenance contract that would have spent probably double that

 

[doitall]

Thats your bad marketing gasanstuff.

Nearly all our clients signed up our in house maintenance contract. That got them a 24/7 call out number, including Christmas and bank holidays.

 

[gasanstuff]

True enough but I don't have a maintenance contract that I sell. All I do is continue the servicing etc. and now boilers have 5-10 year warranties then it does seem difficult to sign people up to these contracts seeing as they are covered

 

[doitall]

They maybe covered under the warranties but not the required service.

Its a very simple system.

Install boiler, sign custard up for a 10quid a month service contract.

For that they get a yearly service, (a proper one not a BG type safety check in and out in 10 mins), which can be programmed during quite times.

and a dedicated call out number they can phone if they have a breakdown.

Even works with landlords, and the best bit is no chasing money.

Obviously call outs and breakdowns are extra, but they get a guaranteed response, and you get a happy custard thats gonna stick two fingers up at the manufactures.

 

[ALEC1]

thats nothing an independent can't offer...


in reality there are markets for both, but the manufacturers are misusing information gained for other purposes..

 

[doitall]

We were an independent Alec. ok not quite a one man band but it should work at all levels.

How many moan they haven't any work, phone a few and see if you can book a service, they already paid so no wait till the end of the month when I get get paid. That the beauty of it, you can fill gaps and quite spells.