This is not a criticism of gas fitters or engineers, but in 3 prices for a new boiler, (they have all been verbal, with various re-routing pipes etc, and all sorts of terms I don't understand) NONE offered a written quote. Spending in excess of £2,000, I would expect a letter stating what they will be doing, and breaking down the cost between parts and labour, OR am I being to pedantic ?
Why is it difficult to obtain a written quote
- Thread starter shuggy50
- Start date
The main problem is that many installers are also their own salesmen and secretaries. If they aren't pretty confident of getting the work, any time spent quoting and preparing is working for nothing. Most good installers will be snowed under with work and therefore not keen to turn away paying work for speculative quotes.
Fair enough to expect a written quote and I am sure there are a few of the guys on this forum that do give written quotes.
Personally, if i'm asked for a written quote then I will charge £20.00 for the quote which will be refundable if and when I get the job, otherwise you could spend a lot of your time doing quotes for jobs you are not going to get.
Thats fine and I am sure your chosen installer will give you a written quote WHEN you select them for your work.
It is totally unrealistic for you to expect all three people quoting to waste an hour each preparing a written quote when only one just might get the job!!!
I dont even usually go to look at ther job for free. I ask a lot of questions and give a budgetary figure over the phone which if accepted then I would visit to confirm.
It is quite possible that your manner in dealing with them has made them suspicious that you could be a fussy customer and one perhaps better avoided.
Just to help you understand, I would NEVER do a free written quote when I suspected that it was going hawked around to get a lower price. I am happy to give one but would charge £100 !
Tony
Thanks for all your answers and I understand, the time wasted in providing written quotes. I like the refundable cost of quote (if proceed on job) option. In answer to eliteheat, on the breakdown of parts and labour, I would expect this, as you surely have an hourly rate, and experience would determine the amount of time it takes for the job (give or take). Is this unfair ?
You should get a written quote. I spend most of my life writing them. I wouldn't have a boiler fitted without one, it is your contract.
But as others allude here, has it occured to you that if three tradesmen write you a quote, only one of them is going to get the work? Two drove to your house, spent 30-60 mins with you describing your requirements, then spent an hour or so on the computer, for nothing.
What this means is that one way or another, the person who does win your work has allowed in his overheads for the time he generally spends doing quotes unsucessfully. After all, he isn't going to be able to charge the customers that turned him down.
In real terms each installer probably has overheads of providing quotes of £70 per job. Which means if everyone gets three quotes on average £140 of their finished job will be overheads from other jobs not won.
Frightening isn't it?
So if a customer lets slip we are quote no4 or no5, we decline to get involved.
Finally, you have every right to ask for a parts and labour breakdown, but if every part is listed and described what difference does this give you? we used to give parts and labour but occasionally if we finished early, a customer would demand a discount from the agreed written sum.
Welcome to our world.
But as others allude here, has it occured to you that if three tradesmen write you a quote, only one of them is going to get the work? Two drove to your house, spent 30-60 mins with you describing your requirements, then spent an hour or so on the computer, for nothing.
What this means is that one way or another, the person who does win your work has allowed in his overheads for the time he generally spends doing quotes unsucessfully. After all, he isn't going to be able to charge the customers that turned him down.
In real terms each installer probably has overheads of providing quotes of £70 per job. Which means if everyone gets three quotes on average £140 of their finished job will be overheads from other jobs not won.
Frightening isn't it?
So if a customer lets slip we are quote no4 or no5, we decline to get involved.
Finally, you have every right to ask for a parts and labour breakdown, but if every part is listed and described what difference does this give you? we used to give parts and labour but occasionally if we finished early, a customer would demand a discount from the agreed written sum.
Welcome to our world.
I can understand why you think that is reasonable. However in this business the parts cost the installers the same and their installation prices depend on their hourly rate and how long they expect to take plus the fixed overheads.
How each one manages these is up to him.
If one says it will take 10 hours @£20 an hour and another says 20 hours @£10 an hour, is this of any relevance to you when the labour charge is to be fixed however long it takes?
For a £2000 boiler install I could say parts £1000, labour £1000.
OR
Parts £1000, labour £600, overheads £400.
OR
Parts £1200, labour £800, overheads £0.
OR
Parts £1200, labour £600, overheads £200
OR
Any other combination of figures, none of which are at all relevant to you.
Tony
I always provide a written quote from the outset. I would not split it up between parts and labour as all you as a customer should be comparing is the final price you will pay.
Some installers charge retail for parts and low labour rates, other do the opposite.
Some installers charge retail for parts and low labour rates, other do the opposite.
I would certainly expect a written quote, to include a full itemized list of the mains materials, type of rads, boiler etc.
There is not a cat in halls chance I would use a tradesman that refused or wanted to charge for it either.
An exception would be if detailed drawing were to be provided.
There is not a cat in halls chance I would use a tradesman that refused or wanted to charge for it either.
An exception would be if detailed drawing were to be provided.
How many cats have you got in your hall then dia?
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