Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale reducer

[Richard Rauser]

Hi there,

I know nothing about plumbing and suspect I've just been taken for a ride.. I have a Megaflo boiler that stopped working. I called a plumber who I found online who came for 1.5 hours.. he got the hot water working but told me I needed to replace my heating elements and fit a limescale reducer.

Once they had picked up the elements, they came by a week later, which is today. The work just finished and the bill excluding the previous visit is just under £1700.

Does this sound right? Here's the bill:

Labour: 6.5 hours (£585 + VAT)
Materials Collection time (1 hour): £90 + VAT
2 x megaflo elements: £299.71 + VAT
CalMag limescale reducer: £101.50 + VAT
RWC pressure reducing valve, 3.5 bar: £261.48 + VAT
Some other part (not stated): £38.30 + VAT

All told including VAT it's £1659.99.

I am concerned because just now I have found every part online for about 1/3 of the cost they charged me! Does this look correct to you experts?

 

[GQuigley67]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

his hourly rate seems to be £90, where abouts are you based ? hourly rates can vary greatly in the industry depends on the size of company, you should always agree the price before work has started, this way if you got a couple of quotes you could have chosen a more cheaper option. Nothing worse than not knowing the price of something and getting hit with an unexpected bill

 

[Gray0689]

Hi there,

I know nothing about plumbing and suspect I've just been taken for a ride.. I have a Megaflo boiler that stopped working. I called a plumber who I found online who came for 1.5 hours.. he got the hot water working but told me I needed to replace my heating elements and fit a limescale reducer.

Once they had picked up the elements, they came by a week later, which is today. The work just finished and the bill excluding the previous visit is just under £1700.

Does this sound right? Here's the bill:

Labour: 6.5 hours (£585 + VAT)
Materials Collection time (1 hour): £90 + VAT
2 x megaflo elements: £299.71 + VAT
CalMag limescale reducer: £101.50 + VAT
RWC pressure reducing valve, 3.5 bar: £261.48 + VAT
Some other part (not stated): £38.30 + VAT

All told including VAT it's £1659.99.

I am concerned because just now I have found every part online for about 1/3 of the cost they charged me! Does this look correct to you experts?

You got robbed

 

[ecowarm]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

did he look like this?

 

[WaterTight]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

whenever i mark up materials a bit OTT and over-estimate on labour i get a pang of guilt. but usually we're talking 20, 30 quid here. clearly, in the ripping people off business, there are some serious pros.

 

[stevetheplumber]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

my bet is you went for the big ads in yellow pages or similar most of which are just agencies who will have plumbers all over the place the plumber probably got 40 percent of the labour after the first hour the rest goes to the agency to pay for those fifty grand adds

 

[quality]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Hi there,

I know nothing about plumbing and suspect I've just been taken for a ride.. I have a Megaflo boiler that stopped working. I called a plumber who I found online who came for 1.5 hours.. he got the hot water working but told me I needed to replace my heating elements and fit a limescale reducer.

Once they had picked up the elements, they came by a week later, which is today. The work just finished and the bill excluding the previous visit is just under £1700.

Does this sound right? Here's the bill:

Labour: 6.5 hours (£585 + VAT)
Materials Collection time (1 hour): £90 + VAT
2 x megaflo elements: £299.71 + VAT
CalMag limescale reducer: £101.50 + VAT
RWC pressure reducing valve, 3.5 bar: £261.48 + VAT
Some other part (not stated): £38.30 + VAT

All told including VAT it's £1659.99.

I am concerned because just now I have found every part online for about 1/3 of the cost they charged me! Does this look correct to you experts?

Why did ya not simply go and by the parts yourself and fix your problem

 

[fagsanbooz]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Hi there,

I know nothing about plumbing and suspect I've just been taken for a ride.. I have a Megaflo boiler that stopped working. I called a plumber who I found online who came for 1.5 hours.. he got the hot water working but told me I needed to replace my heating elements and fit a limescale reducer.

Once they had picked up the elements, they came by a week later, which is today. The work just finished and the bill excluding the previous visit is just under £1700.

Does this sound right? Here's the bill:

Labour: 6.5 hours (£585 + VAT)
Materials Collection time (1 hour): £90 + VAT
2 x megaflo elements: £299.71 + VAT
CalMag limescale reducer: £101.50 + VAT
RWC pressure reducing valve, 3.5 bar: £261.48 + VAT
Some other part (not stated): £38.30 + VAT

All told including VAT it's £1659.99.

I am concerned because just now I have found every part online for about 1/3 of the cost they charged me! Does this look correct to you experts?

Rip-off!!! giving us all a bad name, make sure you name and shame! £90+ to pick up materials!! that's a joke! plus they have well overcharged for the parts besides that, why exactly did you need a new pressure reducing valve?
Did they give you an estimate beforehand?

 

[armyash]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

View attachment 2353 did he look like this?

I just nearly died laughing even showed my girlfriend 🙂

 

[armyash]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

View attachment 2353 did he look like this?

I just nearly died laughing even showed my girlfriend 🙂

 

[Guest123]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

No wonder people go down the DIY route.

 

[TTB]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Its a disgrace that someone in the trade takes the liberty like this, Heatrea immersion heaters are expensive but i would epect there only about £90 maximum, RWC £60, and the hourly rate well did he service your Mercedes while he was there.
I think you should go to citizens advice and see what can be done.

TTB

 

[Resolute]

How many guys were working on the system? If it's just 1 then his hourly rate is very steep! Wasn't the famous blue van plumbers from a certain area in London was it?

 

[Richard Rauser]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Hi there everyone,

Thanks for the advice. It's much appreciated.

This is the first time I've ever needed a plumber (this is the first flat I've ever owned, which I bought a couple years ago). I didn't get a written estimate up front which in hindsight is silly of me. The previous pressure reducer was wet and did seem to need replacing.. though i've seen similar ones online for £50 or £60 including VAT and not £260 + VAT.. argh.

So can you guys tell me what I should do now? I'll certainly be giving them a call on Monday morning.. but should I go to Trading Standards or the citizen's adice bureau as well?

 

[GQuigley67]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

what amazes me is that they had the cheek to break down the costs, and show you how much exactly they charged you for the fittings, PRVs are not expensive, and he has priced it as nearly the same price as 2 megalfo elements ?

you should always get a written or verbal quote, and agree on the price before any work is started, this way you can decide if you want this person or not as usually you can spot the people who over price when you get a couple of quotes off different plumbers. I add a mark up on my materials, but even with my mark up it is still cheaper than retail price.

 

[armyash]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

I don't know what to suggest on a plumbing level but in terms of getting ripped off i'd try every avenue available to you. Might be a case of if you weren't happy with the price you shouldn't have paid. Might have to put it down to a harsh lesson learnt but hope not for your sake there's bound to more knowledgable guys on here so best of luck

 

[paulnwales]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

wooooooooo i think this just goes to show some plumbers are making 70k plus!! lol... joking aside thats just wrong on so many levels.. Id defo not pay it untill i seen the main guys at what ever firm you used.

 

[tackleburger]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Would of fitted a new one for less than that maximum price for that lot should be £400

 

[royston]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Qricky ! hope he pulled your trousers back up when he had finished.

 

[WHPES]

Re: Have I been scammed? £1700 to replace two megalo heating elements + limescale red

Labour: 6.5 hours (£585 + VAT)
- 6.5 hours - presume he charged for lunch and tea break and reading paper too!

Materials Collection time (1 hour): £90 + VAT

£90 per hour! I wouldn't get many customers charging that much (more than twice my rate)



Just had a look through my trade catalogue and ...............



2 x megaflo elements: £299.71 + VAT
- These are £80 each list price. Trade would get a discount on that each



CalMag limescale reducer: £101.50 + VAT
- This is about £50 list price, and tradesmen will get discount on that price too!


RWC pressure reducing valve, 3.5 bar: £261.48 + VAT
- £133 in my catalogue list price


Some other part (not stated): £38.30 + VAT


The plumber has made over 100 per cent mark up on their parts. Wish I had cusomers gullible enough on my patch - Would only have to work 3 days a week!