My 2p worth

[WaterTight]

Hmm. Maybe thing to do would be to carry B+Q catalouge and take it out infront of customer while surveying job. Give customer a calculator and point to items going "you'll want two of those, three of those..."

"Ok materials for your syphon change and ball-valve replacement......£109.50"

 

[Spike295]

Hmm. Maybe thing to do would be to carry B+Q catalouge and take it out infront of customer while surveying job. Give customer a calculator and point to items going "you'll want two of those, three of those..."

"Ok materials for your syphon change and ball-valve replacement......£109.50"

Try pricing all your jobs from now on from the B & Q catalogue & see if you still have a business in 6 months time!

 

[GQuigley67]

I always go to plumbing merchants for my fittings, got an account with a local independant one the guys are great and they offer me credit but some of the stuff isn't of good quality. Just applied for an account with wolseley also. B&Q's prices are a joke, and toolstation and screwfix stuff doesnt look too great.

 

[quality]

Hmm. Maybe thing to do would be to carry B+Q catalouge and take it out infront of customer while surveying job. Give customer a calculator and point to items going "you'll want two of those, three of those..."

"Ok materials for your syphon change and ball-valve replacement......£109.50"

Sounds ok around 109 quid ,materials about 10 thats 20 to the customer at least 50 to even get in the van and the rest is labour
is there any wonder I don`t fit syphons etc

 

[SimonG]

I always go to plumbing merchants for my fittings, got an account with a local independant one the guys are great and they offer me credit but some of the stuff isn't of good quality. Just applied for an account with wolseley also. B&Q's prices are a joke, and toolstation and screwfix stuff doesnt look too great.

I think it's like everything. I use Screwfix and Toolstation for some gear (BUT NOT TRAPS), HWOS for my oil bits solder fittings compression fittings and pumps and the rest from the local build center who have a really good plumbing section.

 

[philtheflush]

great thread but its what all trades go through and always will its all about balance on charging for return repairs ect, but youve got to realize being a good plumber its just not plumbing,its being diplomatic and fair and thats when youre name gets around , but try and tell the customer the reason why youve got charge for this and that.youve got a buisness to run and they would do the same im on the 25% side

 

[moony]

Do you give pensioners 20% discount on a wednesday?
I'm the same as the next man who wants to make a bit on materials, but i can honestly say i dont get 50% discount over what Joe Public could buy the same for from my local merchant!

joe public shouldnt really be using the trade counter (hence word trade) but they do - but the ones who go there prob do the the job themselves anyway.

 

[Spike295]

Joe Public are entitled to shop wherever they please, but if you are a trader & hold an account with certain merchants, its your loyalty & frequent spending with them that entitles you to trade discounts, therefore Joe Public buys a certain item for X amount of pounds, you buy the same item for 25/30/35% less....my arguement is that you cant charge them twice as much as what you buy it for because it will cost more than what the can buy it for anyway...but by all means add the 25/30/35% back on & charge them that!

 

[johnmcginty]

If materials cost you £400 & you charge £800 it wont be long before the customer realises he could of bought them himself for less than you are charging! Sorry but its practices like this that get plumbers their 'rip off ' reputation & gives us plumbers a bad name. We all like to make a bit, but there is making a bit & 'making a bit'!

I think he's is fine to charge that as he did say it was still roughly retail price. If the customer buys the part and it fails and floods thier house who's insurance does it come out of, how can you guarantee a part you did'nt buy yourself? what if he bought it from india last week and it is total rubbish?

 

[Spike295]

I think he's is fine to charge that as he did say it was still roughly retail price. If the customer buys the part and it fails and floods thier house who's insurance does it come out of, how can you guarantee a part you did'nt buy yourself? what if he bought it from india last week and it is total rubbish?

So to charge the customer double the price of what the customer could buy it for anyway, same part from the same place is ok because if the part fails its your insurance thats liable!!!!!!!!

 

[GQuigley67]

i only offer a gaurantee on the stuff that i supply, i add around 20% usually. But anything customer supplied that was dodgy i would make sure not to be held liable but if they supply decent stuff then whats the problem

 

[SafeGasInstall]

every one has different philosophies about charge rates . as long as you get jobs and then you get paid I don't see problem !
but I think we all have to be reasonable to be able to get more work from the same customers and get recommended by them to all there friends and family members . what I have experienced lately is that all customers are asking for a break dawn of the price and then they go on line to see how much this cost how much that cost ! Times are difficult and every one is trying to look after the 1p let alone the 2p !

 

[GQuigley67]

the 20% for materials is for my troubles in getting them, then the labour rate for onsite work