Loyal customers choosing someone else to do boiler upgrade

[steosman]

Just seeing if this has happened to anyone else. I've looked after an elderly couples plumbing and heating for a few years now, fixed there oil boiler, put in two new radiators and fixed a few other bits. I can remember she was talking about changing from oil to gas heating during the winter and i told her to give me a ring when she had decided. She rang me last week about black marks on the paint behind one of her radiators. I rang up the radiator manufacturers and got an answer for her, chemical reaction with paint. So rang her back and she told me she was changing over from oil to gas and had put down her deposit with the gas company, She said she didn't know i did gas. Things like this really get to me, i've looked after their heating for a few years and she didn't think i did gas. She could have phoned me and asked me. She could tell i was really peeved over the phone and couldn't say sorry enough, but i won't be going down to them when the guys who put in the boiler won't call out.

 

[capitanpugwash]

Have a beer mate- there's still some sun left...

 

[GQuigley67]

I worked in a guys house before putting in his heating system, then he asked me if i knew any plumbers because he wanted new basin taps and he seemed amazed when i told him i was a plumber !! point im making is some people aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer

 

[SimonG]

Done that a couple of times, gone on a breakdown to an oil boiler that I've looked after to find its been changed. Not a problem, but what a couple of really expensive repairs! plus out with the old cd11 for all the defects on the install!

 

[bert large]

They pee me off big time, you do all the little rubbish jobs for years, all the time seeing the ancient boiler creaking away or the bathroom falling to pieces & then you go back one day to find those lucrative jobs have been done by someone else. I'm never in a rush to go back to those places for the small jobs again or if I do I make sure its not cheap.

 

[leelister6]

Had that with a customer a year or so ago. Worked for myself for 5 or 6 years then work started really dropping off and was offered a 'proper job' doing reactive maintenance but still looked after my regulars, evenings and weekends etc. Done loads of work for this guy then was talking to a mate of mine and heard he'd had both bathrooms replaced and some rads changed and never even offered me the job. Then I gets a phone call 2 days before christmas, 3 rads leaking, 1 bog wouldn't flush and water coming through living room ceiling from bathroom.

I offered to send our lass round with some buckets...................... He's no longer a regular!

 

[truemanufan]

Horrid isn't it! Can't believe people don't understand to ask simple questions. I would always shout in a regular tradesman for anything unless another trade from a job forwarded a bit of work my way then I would give them a shout back !

 

[wnjswozo]

nieghbour of mine old doll,always knocked on whenever,pump packed up,theromcupling went,or rads leaked for years,
charged her hardley anything,as being a nieghbour.
coming home one day 2 bg vans outside doing a combi conversion,could,nt believe she had,nt asked me for a price,anyway
christmas come ,she,s over boiler not working,knew it was a frozen con pipe.anyway for her i was on my christmas break,told her to ring bg
they did,nt come out for 2 days,which i thought was a shame as supped my tea smuggley from my cosy house.dont do nothing for her now
i,m always to busy

 

[truemanufan]

nieghbour of mine old doll,always knocked on whenever,pump packed up,theromcupling went,or rads leaked for years,
charged her hardley anything,as being a nieghbour.
coming home one day 2 bg vans outside doing a combi conversion,could,nt believe she had,nt asked me for a price,anyway
christmas come ,she,s over boiler not working,knew it was a frozen con pipe.anyway for her i was on my christmas break,told her to ring bg
they did,nt come out for 2 days,which i thought was a shame as supped my tea smuggley from my cosy house.dont do nothing for her now
i,m always to busy

It's right mate why is everyone losing out to companies like bg who overcharge anyway

 

[SimonG]

It's right mate why is everyone losing out to companies like bg who overcharge anyway

Because the general public think the sun shines out their rses, big company = better service etc.

 

[Howsie]

If they're elderly then I'd give them a break. Life's hard enough.

 

[thereisawizza]

I had this last year; "friend" pushed me down on price for install, been looking after his Kidd oil boiler for years, have it to local firm even after I matched their price!

 

[Kengasman]

Ive lost regulars because im not willing to stoop as low as some of the local lads with cheap boilers and shoddy pipework etc... Cant win em all

 

[leelister6]

Unfortunately, most people nowadays want jobs doing for next to nowt and unfortunately i'm not prepared to break even to beat a cowboys' price. I take a lot of pride in what I do and won't bodge a job to beat some of the prices these clowns come up with. Gas safe reg fees, fuel, insurances etc. getting so its not worth getting in the van. Think i'm just gonna go stack shelfs in Lidl. Better hours, decent money and not as many noobs to deal with!

 

[dontknowitall]

What a depressing thread. Not had one like this yet but no doubt I will one day.

 

[REDSAW]

we looked after our 80 year old neighbours (now both dead) for over 20 years, even got him out the bath once as he slipped and couldnt mannage.
told us they are having complete new heating system put in as never had any, that was 2009.
my wife told them no problem and said i can give them a good price to the same spec as ours and that i will see them right.

well peeved of watching someone else doing the job with a down stairs loo put in as well.

well insulted too as i had no work on for 2 days when it was done.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

its bad when custards do this it happens in redsaws case and others on here its so annoying when people do this,had a old dear opposite me would help her out when her house flooded ,when her 35 year old knackerd Bermuda died,then she had a worcester roughed in by some cowboy so like someone else on here when it died trough hypothermia to its conden pipe in the winter she was told to call her installer cheeky old witch

 

[tamz]

You get this all the time. They seem to think if you are a small company or one man band you can only do small jobs.
It gets on my goat sometimes but you live with it.
Years ago i was doing contract work installing for BG and got a job in for the next door neighbour. Now i had lived next door to him for 6 or 7 years and did the odd job for him like fit a new shower or move a rad and he knew well enough what i did. I was out mowing the grass that night when he came out to and stopped for the general chit chat.
I said "i'll need to come in and see your boiler"
he said "it's ok i'm getting a new one"
I know, it's me who is fitting it!
His jaw near hit the floor
I took great delight in rubbing it in that he could have got it done for at least grand less than he was paying if he had only asked and I brought it up for years after. Bet he hated me for it
I made more fitting it on contract than i would have if he had asked me so i wasn't too bothered.
Btw i don't do favours or cheap jobs for anyone anymore. You will learn that one.

 

[CES]

When I turn up to do BG servicing work in my own van you should see some of the expressions on the customers faces. They honestly believe that BG only employ their own guys. I happily tell them that there are hundreds of subcontractors out there, even some of the "real" BG guys with wee blue vans are subbies!.

 

[Mikey456]

Rofl same with us we work for a company called Westward energy services we turn up at the door and they look straight at the name thats on our jumpers or tshirts and are like "I thought westward were coming?"

 

[WHPES]

Had that last year. They got someone else to do the work cheaper then had the nerve to call me when there were problems and they couldn't get the other guys back to sort it. I told them to go whistle!

 

[paulnwales]

at the end of the day its up to them who they hire to do the work, i know it makes you feel used but thats life. i done a job a few weeks back for someone and they actually told me there not using there regular lad as they felt he was being to casual .. as in more talkin than working and that his standards wer seriously dropping, funny thing is the lad in mention has only been self employed a year or 2.. maybe a lesson for us all there.

 

[capitanpugwash]

Had that last year. They got someone else to do the work cheaper then had the nerve to call me when there were problems and they couldn't get the other guys back to sort it. I told them to go whistle!

Thing is, you are right to be annoyed BUT you could be missing a serious opportunity for further recommendations here. A lecture on price and quality followed by charging for the job, could result in them recommending you to their friends and family for a boiler change in future with the warning about not going for the cheapest guy.

Sometimes it's hard to swallow your pride but if you can it can open doors for further opportunities....

 

[unguided1]

I always go back given half a chance just so I can have a giggle at the lash up I invariably find

 

[Dotty]

A few years ago my next door neighbour asked me to take a look at their boiler as it wasn't working. When I pulled the burner off a good couple of gallons of water poured out the burner tube at me. Took the inspection cover off and the baffles out and found it had rusted through inside.

Told her it had had it and she needed a new one. I put together a quote to replace it, including my call out fee, for their insurance company. I even had their insurance people ring me to check a few details.

"Goodie gumdrops!" thought Croppie, "There's a few shekels coming in off this one!"

Opened the curtains a few days later to see her old man and her dad putting a new boiler in, pointing at the MI's and scratching their heads. Lower spec (cheaper!) than the one I specified. Flue terminal approx 1m from the oil tank and 150mm from the fence.

"..............."

"..............."

"..............."

"..............." Said Croppie.

They had lots of problems.

Couple of months later I was in the garden when 'the lady' of the house called over the fence saying her new boiler wasn't working and would I take a look at it....

"....................!!"

".....................................!!!!"

"...................................................................................................................!!" Thought Croppie.

"No Girl, you'd better get your fitter back to look at it." And turned away.

My wife said her face was a picture!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

just did a conversion from open vent to combi last weekend .job done and paid for ! recommended electrician to the job some one i know very well and he has done many many full rewiring jobs ....customer accepted his quoted then hired some one cheaper )))
i am just waiting now as it will take two weeks for the rewire to see how things will end up

 

[fuzzy]

it dont matter how long youve been a plumber for em, tey get it ceaper youll be dropped. your own a good as your last game, or your price..............

 

[easyt]

I can't see the merit in pushing aside some one whose work you have been happy with in order to make a small saving. I used my regular firm last year to do some work for me. Two visits as I had a bathroom and toilet to redo and some of the work fitted around this and my provision of a new concrete base, plinth and firewall for a replacement oil tank.The total price (from memory) was about £1750. I had a comparison quote from another outfit that was about £150 cheaper. In the event I went with the usual firm. I told their boss that he was a bit dearer but that I preferred to stay with him. When they were about to start I asked them to price for some additional work. 4no 40mm holes through cavity wall and 3no through interior brick wall as they had better gear than me. I also asked them to fit fire rated boarding to 4m of eaves and soffit as my arthritis was playing me up. They threw the extra work in with their original price, gave me a few plumbing tips and also gave me a masterclass on soldering joints as I had not done any for over 20 years. I reckon then that the extras were worth at least half of the money I would have saved and a bunch of nice guys as well. Bargain.


On a similar note I had a new exhaust fitted to OH's car early this year. Checked prices and then went to my usual tyre and exhaust fitter. After he finished and I was about to pay the bill I mentioned that I could have saved £20 but would rather deal with him. Without being asked and totally to my surprise he knocked £20 off the bill.

 

[obseen16]

normally in these circumstances (only had a few) i will help them put right the cowboys wrongs. but in one or two cases if the customer is being a "You know what" ill be just as unpleasant back.

example:
had one very regular customer who got her boiler done by another company, in the winter its condensate pipe froze. i went and sorted it out for her and charged her accordingly. she got us in to do a garage conversion into a laundry room and also install a new radiator. plus shes passed our name onto a few other people.

the other customer of ours:
a landlord/builder (medium sized company) weve done a few jobs for him in the past and every single one has been a nightmare. i hated every minute of working for him. he wanted things doing there and then (did a boiler swap the day after boxing day as tenants were moving in the day after as no one else would do it). we did the job and got everything up and running, stayed till 10pm to get it running in time, he met us at the house the next morning to sign paperwork, he didnt even say thanks and didnt even smile. since then weve done a couple of other jobs for him hes always been miserable and ungreatful at the lengths weve gone to help him out, most recent one was a couple of weeks ago. he wanted the new build house finishing off (supposed to be an 8week project..... 12 months later it was still not ready for us to finish) he rang us out the blue and wanted it finishing by tomorrow, i said sorry but im on another job which is at least 2 weeks long. he replied "i dont care about your other jobs get it done by tomorrow" since then i havent answered the phone to him but i have completed the plumbing side of the job, havent told him that yet tho. im letting him sweat a little since hes to lazy and arrogant to drive down there and have a look. hes by far the worst i have ever worked for and once i get paid the last installment for this newbuild i will NEVER work for him again. even the other bloke i work with refuses to have anything to do with him. in all my years ive never met anyone who can rub me and the rest of the world up the wrong way like he can. a PRIZE (you know what) comes to mind

 

[tackleburger]

A friend of my wife moved into her new 5 bedroom house at the turn of the year and I got a call from the wife asking me to go and look at her boiler. Got there looked like the thermocouple had gone had to go to the local shed got one, turned out it was the gas valve so went dow to my lock up picked one of an old boiler fitted it got it going (old mexico). They were intending on changing it along with the kitchen and bathrooms and adding a third bathroom. Hence the used part. Took £70 quid of them 8pm at night.

She asked about the heating etc so I gave her brochures on Viessmann & Vaillant 5 year warranties etc best with a nice 250l unvented give me a shout and I'll give you a quote. Never even got asked.