Approx price for replacing tempering valve on solar hotwater

[Jaymuss]

Just wanting advice on the average cost of installing a tempering valve on a solar hot water system located on the roof of single storey home. Ive been charged $445 inc gst, no extra parts needed and took plumber less than 30 minutes to install, it seems a bit steep
Any advice appreciated

 

[WC1]

Having done this work for a while I often wonder if I should spin a job out a bit more so the customer feels they've got better value.

The question you should ask is not "was he too quick?" but "was he good?"

 

[Chuck]

Any advice appreciated

I don't know about Australia, which is where you appear to be asking about but in the UK you should always get a quote or estimate for work before agreeing to have it done.

Also, in the UK, there is no 'right price' for small jobs particularly if they need to be done in a hurry. Labour for a five minute job can be anything from free (if you're a good longstanding customer) to £150 (if it's out in the sticks and/or parts need to be collected and/or it needs to be done out of hours because there's a lot of work on.)

 

[Ric2013]

I don't know about Australia, which is where you appear to be asking about but in the UK you should always get a quote or estimate for work before agreeing to have it done.

Also, in the UK, there is no 'right price' for small jobs particularly if they need to be done in a hurry. Labour for a five minute job can be anything from free (if you're a good longstanding customer) to £150 (if it's out in the sticks and/or parts need to be collected and/or it needs to be done out of hours because there's a lot of work on.)

Indeed, if it's a diagnose and repair fault situation, the plumber might find himself booking a two-hour window only to find the job only takes half an hour. In any case, how many half-hour jobs have you had that end up taking significantly longer? You often have to assume they'll take two hours...

 

[Jaymuss]

Having done this work for a while I often wonder if I should spin a job out a bit more so the customer feels they've got better value.

The question you should ask is not "was he too quick?" but "was he good?"

To me and most customers, we look at the cost of parts, then how long the job took, and if trade is based local and havent travelled far. I haven't priced the part, have only seen comparible parts and estimate its cost around $150. Labour 20-25 minutes. The job was $450, so $300 for under 30 minutes seems expensive, but hey i could be wrong and thats the goin rate mate. As i said to another bloke, i gotta get onto this plumbing cash cow

 

[Jaymuss]

Indeed, if it's a diagnose and repair fault situation, the plumber might find himself booking a two-hour window only to find the job only takes half an hour. In any case, how many half-hour jobs have you had that end up taking significantly longer? You often have to assume they'll take two hours...

Theres always two perspectives, the tradie and the customer. From my point of view, 20 minutes labour is 20 minutes labour, $300 after cost of parts when the business is local and its a simple tempering valve replacement to me seems expensive. If a 2hr window is booked and it takes 15 minutes is it right to charge 2hrs? A minimum call out plus labour and parts of course
Anyway mate, hoping there are some plumbers that can tell me what they would charge for this exact service

 

[oz-plumber]

What brand of valve is installed?

There is a lot of variation in price depending on what brand and which supplier you use.

I buy all my tempering valves from one supplier because they are 1/2 the price of my other 2 main suppliers.

 

[Ric2013]

Theres always two perspectives, the tradie and the customer. From my point of view, 20 minutes labour is 20 minutes labour, $300 after cost of parts when the business is local and its a simple tempering valve replacement to me seems expensive. If a 2hr window is booked and it takes 15 minutes is it right to charge 2hrs? A minimum call out plus labour and parts of course
Anyway mate, hoping there are some plumbers that can tell me what they would charge for this exact service

20 minutes' labour is 20 minutes' labour if you bring the your house to me and I can do the work at my leisure 🙂 If I have to come out to a customer, though, a 20 minute job can be my morning gone. I understand the customer's point of view, but ultimately I charge what I need to charge to avoid finding going to work at a minimum wage job on contractual hours an attractive proposition.

To give you a more helpful answer, in South-East (UK) prices, if it were a local job (<5 ,miles each way), I would estimate I'd be charging you £60 labour for that 20 minute job (assuming it's no more than an hour from the time I set foot on your property to the time I'm packed up and have started driving away) plus (the cost I've paid for the part+10%). I don't have good buying terms with my merchants, so probably you can get the part as cheaply as I could supply it. That is if I hadn't agreed a price before I started work, because if you wanted a fixed price, I'd be adding a duck-up factor for when the 20 minute job ends up taking me two hours.

Bear in mind, a tempering valve (assuming you mean a thermostatic mixing valve on the hot water coming to your taps) is an expensive part I would not have sitting in the van just in case I needed it, so unless I knew exactly what I needed before turning up, I'd be driving around town to buy it specially and the travel time would be chargeable. Hope this helps.

 

[Jaymuss]

20 minutes' labour is 20 minutes' labour if you bring the your house to me and I can do the work at my leisure 🙂 If I have to come out to a customer, though, a 20 minute job can be my morning gone. I understand the customer's point of view, but ultimately I charge what I need to charge to avoid finding going to work at a minimum wage job on contractual hours an attractive proposition.

To give you a more helpful answer, in South-East (UK) prices, if it were a local job (<5 ,miles each way), I would estimate I'd be charging you £60 labour for that 20 minute job (assuming it's no more than an hour from the time I set foot on your property to the time I'm packed up and have started driving away) plus (the cost I've paid for the part+10%). I don't have good buying terms with my merchants, so probably you can get the part as cheaply as I could supply it. That is if I hadn't agreed a price before I started work, because if you wanted a fixed price, I'd be adding a duck-up factor for when the 20 minute job ends up taking me two hours.

Bear in mind, a tempering valve (assuming you mean a thermostatic mixing valve on the hot water coming to your taps) is an expensive part I would not have sitting in the van just in case I needed it, so unless I knew exactly what I needed before turning up, I'd be driving around town to buy it specially and the travel time would be chargeable. Hope this helps.

Thank for the reply mate.This was from a business based about an 8 minute drive from my house, the guy had a job prior and a job after me and the business has about half a dozen blokes on the tools so i would imagine they have a regular supplier that looks after them
From what ive learnt, it was expensive, but not outrageous
Its good to get the tradies perspective on these matters so cheers Ric,

 

[andrew black]

well i just paid $400 for 30 minutes work the plumber came with an 18mm Temp valve and needed a 20mm so went back to get right part. 20 minutes travel time. What sort of gets up my nose is that he tells me he hasd to add bits of pipe to adjust and make it fit. If it was 20mm and like for like there no need for any extra pipe which he didnt have in his arsenal. most expensive temp valve is $179 he told me 20mm cost $220.
Just saying to put things into perspective!

 

[Lou]

(Just bumping a few older threads, they will drop off what is new soon)

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