Do you have a minimum charge no matter what?

[armyash]

Hi guys,

Do you have a minimum charge for even the smallest of jobs? As you are running a business can you afford to say oh just give me £10.00?

What i'm saying is if you charge £30ph (or whatever) would you still charge that for changing a tap washer that is straight forward and easy to get to?

I understand if it's a 90 year old woman who doesn't have much then the odd freebie for little things is ok but some people find it hard to believe that a tap repair should be more than a five the way they act.

I don't know what I would charge for a tap washer but if you do too many jobs at a cut price then before you know it that will be the rates always expected.

 

[LPC]

£20 cash is my default for all the silly 2 min jobs.

 

[rpm]

Leaving the 90 year old woman (or man) aside yes you must have a minimum charge, it is too easy to become a "busy fool" and over a year you have to cover for the odd foc return visit to make money.

I have a between X & Y system of pricing when I estimate (I never quote) then the customer know`s X = easy and Y covers problems unforseen, the problem is as we all know there are people who will do these £5 - 10 jobs.

 

[village idiot]

My minimum charge is £40 (if I get my hands out of my pockets). If I attend to quote, I will not charge. But if I have to remove bath panels etc to detect the source of a leak and quote for what repairs will be needed, then I will charge the minimum £40 or else I detect the problem quote for it and they get someone, tell them the exact problem and get a cheaper quote as he/she is doing what they want. As for tap washers, I try not to bother with them except my arm is twisted🙂

 

[Masood]

I have a minimum charge of £65 for up to an hour's work. For good, regular customers I will occasionally charge a nominal amount like £25 or even a freebie if it's 5 minutes work.

They know it's a little goodwill gesture and don't expect it every time. Most of the time when I say it's a freebie they try and insist on giving me something. So it's a nice, mutually respectful process.

 

[oz-plumber]

Ash,

There are many plumbers who make a descent living out of changing tap washers and doing menial plumbing repairs.
Don't under estimate your abilities.
If the customer called you to do a repair then charge accordingly.

If you get a reputation of being cheap, it will haunt you for ever.
You're not going to win every job, so don't expect
You're not going to be every customers favorite plumber either.

You should set yourself a minimum charge out rate for any job.

If you employed someone, you would have to pay their wages and whatever else.
You would not go to a job because you could do it for less than you would have to pay an employee to do it.

Use that as a basis to work out your minimum charge out rate

 

[Masood]

Absolutely, Oz.

If we don't respect ourselves customers never will. But equally, no harm in showing a little appreciation by letting loyal customers know they are not just a cash cow for us, like merchants knocking a bit extra off or sending out a packet of biccies...

 

[rocketmanbkk]

£40 usually but depends on custard.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

£20 cash is my default for all the silly 2 min jobs.

This is pretty much the same here.

 

[mfgs]

My minimum charge is £60 and covers the first hour of work. I don't do discounted prices really, if I want to do a good customer a favour then I will do it for free.

 

[Kev the gas]

I end up doing a few freebie visits, however the rule is Tools off the back of the van min charge £50 plus vat.

 

[P J F PLUMBING]

Yes no matter what fuels not free and there is no loyalty anymore

 

[lame plumber]

If I arrive at a Rayburn that needs a complete decoke and half the firebricks are missing and the owner tells me its been fine for 20 years and they have done all the servicing for 15, I walk back to the van having explained its knackered and dont light it. Some jobs arent worth the bother, did this on Friday, then turned out to an old lass up the road to do a tap washer, to find nought wrong that turning off the tap wouldnt cure 🙂 no fee. Normally though its £75 min for first hour.

 

[armyash]

Excellent advice.

To be honest a lot of what you have all said is how I have it in my head but then I some times doubt myself and when asked can i do it any cheaper i usually knock a fiver off. Only screwing myself so going to stop it. I don't even charge a lot, and usually if I ask for a rough price on here some guys charge a lot more than others I usually go for something in the middle.

Thanks, just got to grow a pair now and stick to my guns 🙂

 

[rpm]

Thataboy! Don`t under value yourself.

 

[Leo21]

£45 for a quickie, £55 for the first hour. Coffin Dodgers £35 min, or the occasional freebie for the good sort. No point in discounting to £20 or whatever, because they won't see it as a favour. Even though it is, and you'll always get it back in spades with the good ones.

 

[Dotty]

£45 for a quickie, £55 for the first hour. Coffin Dodgers £35 min, or the occasional freebie for the good sort. No point in discounting to £20 or whatever, because they won't see it as a favour. Even though it is, and you'll always get it back in spades with the good ones.

Right. So thems your streetwalking rates.

What's your plumbing rates?

 

[village idiot]

No point in discounting to £20 or whatever, because they won't see it as a favour. Even though it is, and you'll always get it back in spades with the good ones.

When customers ask for a reduced rate or friends ask for half price as it's family, I try to remind them that if I fitted their boiler for half price and there was a problem in a day or two, will they just take it on the chin or ring me and complain? If I fitted their bath at half price and there was a leak, will they just decide it was done on the cheap so no need calling back the idiot or will they be on the phone telling me I fecked it up and must come round pronto and sort it out? They won't remember it was done on the cheap, will they?

 

[Leo21]

Right. So thems your streetwalking rates.

What's your plumbing rates?

The depths your mind will plummet to, is there no limit. Pffffft.

 

[Dotty]

The depths your mind will plummet to, is there no limit. Pffffft.

None whatsoever.