Nuisance Caller

[JAP&H]

Had garbled message on answer phone so called number, the following is a clean version of the conversation.

Customer "thanks for calling me back, been calling all day and only getting answer machines or nothing"

Me "have tried calling a mobile number, think most plumbers will be out working during the day"

Customer "can't afford to call fancy mobiles. Anyway got two little jobs for you, about ten minutes each. First is to remove a radiator so that I can decorate. Second job is to put it back on again when decorating complete"

Me "am willing to call round and give you a price, may not be drain valve, have to drain into wet vac etc"

Customer "f' off I used to be an engineer, your not ripping me off you can have ten pounds per job"

Me "bye" and put the phone down.

Didn't want to waste time explaining about costs of running a business and hourly rates, problems with his particular job that he hadn't foreseen etc.

Unfortunately in current financial climate I believe someone will turn up and accept his £20 for '20 minutes' work as he put it.

 

[dontknowitall]

And he'll spend around £25 in phone calls until he finds someone.

Bit like driving all to various towns to save a few pounds on buying a piece of furniture or something. If you ask for a few £'s discount it's amazing how good value your local businesses are.

Trouble with this recession in the construction industry is prices are near the break even point already so finding those few pounds discount is more difficult.

 

[GQuigley67]

if he used to be an engineer tell him to do it himself the muppet

 

[JAP&H]

Don't think he could do it himself at the price he was offering!

 

[diamondgas]

He certainly sounded like a time waster JAP&H ... Nice seeing you in here and all red 🙂 It'll be your round I believe :54:

 

[mountainman]

'can't afford to call a fancy mobile'
Means 'can't afford a decent job' to me.

 

[secret squirrel]

I'd have done it for the money,

closed rad valves lift off rad, black crud everywhere,

Me 'well, your decorating aren't you, get a new carpet as well, anyway, what do you expect from me for a tenner and 10 minutes!'

 

[SimonG]

Should have organised to do it the next night about 18.00 and then not turn up. When he phoned to ask where you were, you could then say that you got in the van, started the engine and then his £10 ran out, so you switched off and went back inside 🙂

 

[gasmanrob]

by engineer i think he meant he used to work in the stores at the local depot

 

[Destroyer2813]

if he used to be an engineer tell him to do it himself the muppet

Would of thought a engineer could lower himself to our standards for 10 mins