Someone Please Cheer Me Up!

[cr0ft]

Just gone to do 3 jobs that should have been simple for a new customer today. First one, change tap washer. Except I can't get the cartridge out of the tap, no matter how much brute force/WD40 I try and use. Just wouldn't shift. Told customer I would replace both taps on another visit for £30 inc. VAT.

Job 2 - replace a faulty TRV. Get to the radiator and bleed valve is rounded off so won't be able to bleed it if I drain down (one of the old style one with just a bleed valve screw at the top. Decide to freeze the pipe tails. All is going well until I remove the TRV side and the plug decides to pop out, showering the walls/room in magnatite and rubbish. Of course the customer neglected to mention that the heating system had clearly never had inhibitor added. Good job I didn't go for a drain-down after all.

Manage to clear nearly all of the magnatite off the carpet/walls using water and a wet-vac (the best tool ever by the way).

Was considering just packing up tools and disappearing before he noticed but my conscience couldn't do that so I came back and explained to him what had happened. I also said (politely) that due to the condition of the heating system I wasn't going to do any work on it as I was convinced that anything I did would open up a can of worms.

Showed him the small section of carpet that is now damaged and offered to clean it for free to get it back to as good as it was before. He said no and told me he that I was con artist (he hasn't paid me any money and of course I won't be charging him) and that he would be posting Checkatrade feedback to say that I am completely rubbish.

A great morning basically. First time something this bad has happened to me in 3 years.

Anyone had anything like this happen before or any funnier stories to cheer me up? Feeling on a bit of a downer now to be honest!

 

[CES]

Rough day man! Chin up and eyes front cos tomorrows another day!

 

[quality]

The good old saying these things are sent to try us not beat us
but i does seem you have been beat this time. we are not aware of the circumstances i.e. time / money but if I knew What you knew before you tried to freeze the pipework I would have not done it and told the customer.
AS said I don`t know the arrangements of your new customer but are you new because of the obvious reason

 

[secret squirrel]

I'll make you laugh read the posts about the muppet unable to get water out of the toilet he changed......

If this doesn't make you laugh then you'll realise, yeah, my day wasn't that bad....

 

[SimonJohns]

I'll make you laugh read the posts about the muppet unable to get water out of the toilet he changed......

If this doesn't make you laugh then you'll realise, yeah, my day wasn't that bad....

What's the thread called

 

[SimonG]

Aye, have a read of that, an engrossing tale.

There's nowt you can do when you come across a day like that and somebody who can't see reason. I know the horse has bolted but I probably wouldn't have touched the rad if the air tap was u/s.

I have one at the minute. I refused to finish 2nd fix after a stand up row with his mrs, now he's coming the clever sod with letters. Once I resisted the urge to rip him a new one I just responded with the facts and kept it completely emotionless.

 

[SimonJohns]

Sorry is this the one with the airlock

 

[SimonG]

What's the thread called

You should know Simon 🙂, you where in there. I think you posted about trying to get everybody to stop helping him!!! 🙂 🙂

 

[SimonG]

Sorry is this the one with the airlock

That's the one 🙂

 

[SimonJohns]

I read it as

Trying to get water out of toilet(pan)

Feel a bit of a moron now lmao

 

[GQuigley67]

I had a crappy day, had a kitchen sink and hob booked in for same customer thought it was only going to take 3-4 hours ended up taking all day but I already said £150 so I probably only made about £100 after materials, cheap kitchen sink came with some god awful waste(wrong one aswell) and no trap, had to cancel another job because it dragged on guy was not happy as his days off are "precious" because he works 12 hours shifts, booohoooo so do alot of people including myself these things happen, went to look at boiler i priced up for a view of changing rads aswell from a landlord who seems like a good guy with a few properties and not afraid to spend cash and looks likes hes binned his usual plumber in favour of me 🙂

 

[Resolute]

We all have bad days, I couldn't get a garden tap undone at the inlaws the other day - how pathetic does that make me look?!

That reminds me though, I must go back with some penetrating oil and give it another go!

 

[GQuigley67]

every monday is a crap day, i'm bloody knackered and annoyed with myself for underpricing the job, and now she says "we've ran out of money so we're going for a cheap B&Q bathroom but could you pick it up for us when you install it?" ohhhhh the joys got that to look forward too now, with the existing shower tails coming out at 95-100mm centres anyone know any mixer showers that would fit it lol

 

[dontknowitall]

Every Monday is a dot dot dot day.Some weeks everyday is a dot dot dot day and some months every week is ...

 

[REDSAW]

every monday is a crap day, i'm bloody knackered and annoyed with myself for underpricing the job, and now she says "we've ran out of money so we're going for a cheap B&Q bathroom but could you pick it up for us when you install it?" ohhhhh the joys got that to look forward too now, with the existing shower tails coming out at 95-100mm centres anyone know any mixer showers that would fit it lol

one of the mira ones at 100mm centers

 

[cr0ft]

Thanks all. The thing that got me is that the freezer didn't work at all. Does anyone else think that the fact the heating system was chock-full of black magnatite would have had something to do with this? Never had this happen with an electric freezer. In hinsight I would never have touched the rad and will make sure I check the air vent next time.

Live and learn!

 

[Hybrid]

Some days you'll make stupid mistakes which cost you money and time and some days you'll be tucked up like a kipper. Everyone gets crappy days like these, if anyone claims otherwise they're telling porkies.

It's easy to think all customers and potential customers have a direct line to each other and news of a balls up spreads quickly. It's good thing because it keeps us on our toes but honestly it's not true.
I know of guys living in a town of 40k population who have been on consumer protection programs and continue to find new customers and make a very good profit from their programs.

Don't sweat it. Look forward to tomorrow where you get the chance to make your money back and do work you're proud of.

 

[obseen16]

if it makes you feel better i almost flooded an office block and a designer clothes shop today. ripped up lino and 3 layers of ply to get under the gents toilet floor, found a leak caused by nail that had rubbed a tiny hole. the pipe was headed straight for the radiator so i figured hey ill rent a freezing machine and make light work of it, put the freezing ends on the rad tail and the other end of the pipe under the floor and suddenly my leaky bladder kicked in, after going for a wee i flushed the toilet and noticed the pipe with the leak was getting cold and i could feel water going through it, :O thats the first time i have been glad i have a weak bladder had i not have gone for a pee id have frozen the rad tail and the wrong end of the cold water main. i hate mondays. i also had to pay £4.60 for parking 🙁

 

[quality]

Back to the OP I called into 10 min job on my way home ???? to sort a tap as the customer were not getting no water from it.
Same old story at the end of the day , what a pig it was was getting the cartridge out.
I was not to be beaten the tap did as it was told

When it don`t move, Tighten it it up first then it will come out, Its a fitter`s method so I am told but it works on most stuff