What do you reckon prices?

[Millsy 82]

Getting fed up of pricing boiler swaps and heating systems bathrooms etc and not getting them all I have got is 1 that I screwed up and under priced so I didn't make a lot for 10 days work. Am I overcharging/ being unrealistic?

1) combi swap, duotec he 28, horizontal flue, magnaclean, rf stat (salus) gas is fine boiler in same position condense to waste about 2 Mtrs away. £1713.51

2) combi swap, duotec he 33, horizontal flue, rf stat, 8mtrs of 28mm easy run for gas, condense 1.5 Mtrs. £1771.48

3) full install, duotec he 28, horizontal flue, 5 rads, rf stat, 39Mtrs 15mm, 12mtrs 22mm, condense directly below, sparky to come and earth gas pipe and fit new switch for boiler, lagging in loft, £3343.94

What do you reckon are those prices sensible?

Forgot.

4) bathroom suite, customer supplying sanitary and taps I supply every thing else including a concealed system, floor to come up (wood) to alter soil for toilet, 1st fix and 2nd fix 2-2.5 days work £800.00

 

[TBServices]

Too cheap on that bathroom

 

[Millsy 82]

Too cheap on that bathroom

I'm guessing they didn't think that lol.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Your cheaper than me, most swaps for me are £2000 region, full install £4000 region. Maybe your some how not selling your self right. Have a re-evaluation of what you do and say in the customers house. Instead of being more expensive than some one fill the difference in price with value so they feel they are paying slightly more for a much better service/product.

Dont be negative about any part of the job, even the small bits. Never tell them theres hard bits and never say we have do something like 'we have
to run a new gas line' like its a problem, just say it matter of factly. 'We will need a new gas line and the route is such and such'

Hope these little tips help

 

[Masood]

Where are you based Millsy?

 

[lame plumber]

good advice up there gmxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Millsy 82]

Where are you based Millsy?

I'm down in cornwall.

 

[Millsy 82]

Your cheaper than me, most swaps for me are £2000 region, full install £4000 region. Maybe your some how not selling your self right. Have a re-evaluation of what you do and say in the customers house. Instead of being more expensive than some one fill the difference in price with value so they feel they are paying slightly more for a much better service/product.

Dont be negative about any part of the job, even the small bits. Never tell them theres hard bits and never say we have do something like 'we have
to run a new gas line' like its a problem, just say it matter of factly. 'We will need a new gas line and the route is such and such'

Hope these little tips help

I think that this is the problem that I'm not selling myself. If it was a breakdown or the installation itself I am quite confident but the selling bit is where I fall down as I have no experience.

I don't think I'm negative but I will certainly keep an eye on what I say.

I also think that a lot of people only want worcester boilers and I can't compete with the accredited installers so I try and either persuade them to go for a Cdi or a Baxi as I can offer better warranty on those. I know that no1 was against a worcester accredited installer and I was £80 cheaper where as if I was installing a Cdi I would of been £300.00 more expensive.

Thanks all for the advice it is much appreciated lucky enough I'm getting quite a few breakdowns through so I'm surviving through those at the moment but could do with a few installs to boost my wages.

 

[Rickster123]

Do you always push the baxi? Do you give boiler options? The pricing looks very reasonable to me but I don't do bathrooms.

 

[Millsy 82]

Do you always push the baxi? Do you give boiler options? The pricing looks very reasonable to me but I don't do bathrooms.

I recommend them. If people want a worcester combi I tend to say, if you would like a worcester then I would recommend a Cdi (mainly because of the warranty but I don't tell them that) then I say for the price that you are paying for that I would recommend a Baxi as it comes with more warranty better boiler and works out cheaper. I then go through options like magnaclean etc and recommend one then I talk them through what I will do try and let them know that I will make sure it is all going to be to regs.

I don't want to do bathrooms really as I don't tile plaster etc so all I do is the plumbing side.

 

[buckley plumb]

wish I could charge those prices ,pices around here very competitive . combi to combi swap should be achievable in a day .
1st job from my reconing you making £600 to £700 which is good for a day or even 2 if it takes that long

 

[Millsy 82]

wish I could charge those prices ,pices around here very competitive . combi to combi swap should be achievable in a day .
1st job from my reconing you making £600 to £700 which is good for a day or even 2 if it takes that long

I think it was between £500 and £600.

That was for 1st visit add cleaner, return after a week and install fitting magnaclean, scale reducer etc take off existing wooden panels bath panel for condense fill up flush out again fill and commission with inhibitor. Then obviously mark up on materials. I won't get it done in a day nowadays I'm looking a day and a half. A few years ago not a problem but not now

 

[buckley plumb]

still not bad mate .people around here doing them for £300

 

[Millsy 82]

Where abouts you from?

 

[buckley plumb]

Where abouts you from?

staffordshire

 

[woodsy]

Prices look about what they should be regarding boilers in the real world although the local community magazine that drops through my door every quarter has a least 4-5 installers offering combi to combi swaps for £900 or less which makes your £1700 look expensive even though the quality of the products you are supplying will be of a far superior quality. It's a case of trying to to sell that quality and expertise against your competitors but I agree at times it can be soul destroying when you get that glazed look as you try to explain the benefits.

 

[Millsy 82]

Well after me moaning and worrying turns out that I will be doing number 2 at the end of the month and the cheque for the deposit is on the way. Happy days!

 

[brum]

Too cheap on that bathroom

You think that's cheap hows this
Cast bath out
Whb out
wc out
rad out
Everything moved easier to repipe inc all new waste inc 4"" wc moved 1 m
Semi ped basin (raggle solid walls)new position.
wc in new position.
Shower tray in inc enclosure.
corner bath in new position.
towel rail in new position
This involves lifting floors and making good supplying pipe and fittings £760.00
this was part of a complete fit originally priced at £1815.00 inc tiling and joinery work,was asked to split quote because I was too dear tiling £30 per metre.
At £760 for all that work she still thought I was too dear so I gave her the two fingered salute and ran for the hills..brum

 

[village idiot]

You think that's cheap hows this
Cast bath out
Whb out
wc out
rad out
Everything moved easier to repipe inc all new waste inc 4"" wc moved 1 m
Semi ped basin (raggle solid walls)new position.
wc in new position.
Shower tray in inc enclosure.
corner bath in new position.
towel rail in new position
This involves lifting floors and making good supplying pipe and fittings £760.00
this was part of a complete fit originally priced at £1815.00 inc tiling and joinery work,was asked to split quote because I was too dear tiling £30 per metre.
At £760 for all that work she still thought I was too dear so I gave her the two fingered salute and ran for the hills..brum

I am refitting a bathroom next week or week after, all basic stuff replacing like for like (bath, basin & wc). Labour £600, customer to provide materials.

 

[brum]

I am refitting a bathroom next week or week after, all basic stuff replacing like for like (bath, basin & wc). Labour £600, customer to provide materials.

that's a good price if I do a straight swap £300 inc traps & fittings one days work £270 labour £30 materials..brum

 

[village idiot]

I charge a minimum of £200 per appliance.
Except for people I know too well, in which case I charge £120 for basin, £150 for wc and always at least £200 for bath tub.
I earn more money on bathrooms than boiler installations, but prefer boiler installations as I do not have to roll on my back so much🙂

 

[hammers4spanner]

Cant say about the rest of the country but everyone around cornwall wants a deal and we have plenty of idiots around here undermining our hourly rates .
As already stated try to sell yourself better than the others its something i fall short on but my bird does the paperwork side of estimates and looks very professional from that point of view .

I had a chat with guys down one of my local suppliers this morning and they were saying majority of the plumbs that come through the door you wouldnt want working in your home, so i guess try a step above this shambles.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Spoke to a guy on Wednesday and he was apparently starting his third boiler of the week......he did say he made £245 on the first one with a vert flue and 2 guys so he can keep the three all too himself lol

 

[buckley plumb]

that is some money £200 for a toilet .what area are you in

 

[buckley plumb]

that's a good price if I do a straight swap £300 inc traps & fittings one days work £270 labour £30 materials..brum

where are we going wrong brum ? I changed a toilet for a little old lady last wk £50

 

[hammers4spanner]

50 to change a thomas not worth the aggro unless you have nowt on imho

 

[village idiot]

that is some money £200 for a toilet .what area are you in

I am in Croydon, Surrey.
Peeps in Purley particularly pay well, I have noticed. But I am happy to walk away once the customer says £200 for a toilet change is too much. I like to take life at an easy pace. Life is too short.

 

[brum]

bog change 50 - 60 1hrs work. and that includes new multikwik..brum

 

[Ermintrude]

Did a system swap - upgrade £619 each for two of us for 6 hours. So would have made more fitting bogs?

 

[brum]

where are we going wrong brum ? I changed a toilet for a little old lady last wk £50

but we can sleep at night my friend..brum

 

[brum]

I charge a minimum of £200 per appliance.
Except for people I know too well, in which case I charge £120 for basin, £150 for wc and always at least £200 for bath tub.
I earn more money on bathrooms than boiler installations, but prefer boiler installations as I do not have to roll on my back so much🙂

Aye I bet you do ..brum

 

[kris]

I done a boiler swap today ( i only found out about it this morning) , the folks had there glowworm condemed by BG because of a flue clip, anyway the guy went straight to elgin and bought a worcester 34 classic, then phoned me when he got back so i cancelled this avo job and fitted his boiler, the telescopic flue wasnt long enough so i gave him a 1m ext plus fittings n fernox and i charged him £378. (£90 of the £378 was materials so £270 to fit a boiler, 5hrs just me ) its the lowest ive done one for but i know the folks and get alot of work from the family,

 

[LPC]

I'll be honest: Baxi boilers are crap. Salus controls are crap. When they are getting other quotes, they are likely mentioning Baxi and Salus to other installers who are then informing the customer that you've quoted them crap stuff.
Also personality and professionalism is everything. I get 9 out of 10 boilers and I am not cheap by a long shot. I'm usually the most expensive quote.

 

[Millsy 82]

I'll be honest: Baxi boilers are crap. Salus controls are crap. When they are getting other quotes, they are likely mentioning Baxi and Salus to other installers who are then informing the customer that you've quoted them crap stuff.
Also personality and professionalism is everything. I get 9 out of 10 boilers and I am not cheap by a long shot. I'm usually the most expensive quote.

What boilers do you recommend? I don't think Baxi are crap far from it. I think they are better quality than worcester, ideal, viessman, I can't see the point in recommending Vaillant if they try to steal your customers off you straight away if they didn't then I would only recommend them! Then you have all the **** like Vokera alpha etc.

The same goes for rf stats who do you recommend? Honeywell that I've had loads of problems with their rf and hard wired controls over the last 2 years! Drayton whose rf stats only seem to last 4-5 years before they need replacing or a salus that will probably last 3-4 years and half the price?

 

[TBServices]

Salus are utter tat, I've replaced loads.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Honeywell are pants as well use to rate them until I fitted them.

The platinum appears to be pretty decent imho

 

[SimonG]

Salus used to be tat, they had lots of issues 2 or 3 years ago. I use Altech which are rebadged Salus and have had no issues since they sorted themselves out.

Tried a Grasslin one from HWOS, now thats tat.

 

[LPC]

What boilers do you recommend?

Vaillant. Sign up to Vaillant Advance and you can give a 7-year warranty on the Plus' too. Best boiler on the market. Just make sure system is super-clean before install (powerflush).

I don't think Baxi are crap far from it. I think they are better quality than worcester, ideal, viessman, I can't see the point in recommending Vaillant if they try to steal your customers off you straight away if they didn't then I would only recommend them!

Each to their own. What have you got in your own house? Sign up to Vaillant Advance and there is the option when you register the boiler for Vaillant to never contact your customer.

The same goes for rf stats who do you recommend? Honeywell that I've had loads of problems with their rf and hard wired controls over the last 2 years!

Seimens RDJ10RF for 'lower' end installs, Honeywell CM927 for 'higher' end installs. Never, ever, had a problem with either. Ever. The Seimens is really nice for old people because you just tell them to ignore everything except off, moon and sun and they get it real quick.

 

[Millsy 82]

Vaillant. Sign up to Vaillant Advance and you can give a 7-year warranty on the Plus' too. Best boiler on the market. Just make sure system is super-clean before install (powerflush).


Each to their own. What have you got in your own house? Sign up to Vaillant Advance and there is the option when you register the boiler for Vaillant to never contact your customer.


Seimens RDJ10RF for 'lower' end installs, Honeywell CM927 for 'higher' end installs. Never, ever, had a problem with either. Ever. The Seimens is really nice for old people because you just tell them to ignore everything except off, moon and sun and they get it real quick.

That's good to know about Vaillant. At the moment though I want to try and keep my prices down a bit until my name gets out there and Vaillant are flaming expensive as well.

I'm not going to argue with you about the Siemens though that is what I was replacing all the Honeywell with over the 18 months I worked for them I must of fitted 100 and only had 1 fail and for what the company paid for them they were a bargain. I can't remember which Honeywell they were fitting but I was there after about 18 months! Shame as I used to like Honeywell.

As for prices I have had a phone call I have also got the 1st one as well now! Although I did lose out on a big oil job but the bloke gave me some good feedback saying that my price was about the same as the others but I was more thorough! He decided to go for LPG and mine ran out a week ago just waiting to go back on it but gotta wait until mid November!

 

[LPC]

Mercedes are expensive but look how many cars they sell. I did a fairly long post a while back about how I compete on myself and 'quality' rather than price, and how it's served me extremely well. If a customer shows me other quotes, I purposefully go more expensive rather than cheaper. Vaillant are expensive, but quality costs. Make sure your customer knows that.

 

[tomplumb83]

LPC - I remember your post - Big gold stamps on estimates and what not. 'Tis true
- the bathroom company near me charge roughly 12grand for a small bathroom.
I know of one fitted to a caravan just round the corner from me that cost 12k - i kid you not