Ahem!
Any source of advice can be biased, and it always helps to understand the potential bias of the advisor when evaluating their input.
Hi Ray,
The statement was fairly broad....and based on seeing homeowners end up with something that doesn't suit.
You don't deal with the General Public, so you are fairly sheltered with advising what items / systems they require and what is suitable to be installed.
Over the years I have been asked to install appliances / systems that customers have bought themselves through advice from Plumbing Suppliers.
1: They pay way over what I would pay for the materials / equipment.
2: A lot of the time the equipment is not correctly sized or suitable to be installed in the property.
I'm not saying Merchants aren't entitled to make money, nor am I saying Plumbers aren't biased towards brands and products.
At the end of the day, this customer wants to find out what systems are suitable for his situation. It would be best for him to have a couple of reputable plumbers give him advice on what is best for him.
He doesn't know what is best for him, that's why he went to the Merchants first and then came on here to see if what the Merchants suggested are suitable.
He may end up buying something that no one wants to install - nor guarantee the installation
His first port of call won't be to the Merchant that supplied the goods, it will be the Plumber that installed the system.