Undercut

[Hybrid]

You think i'd be used to it by now but it gets my blood pressure up everytime.
I've looked after this guys boiler for a while but eventually (and after 19 years) it gave up the ghost. He's a mate and asked for a price to fit a replacement on the landing which would involve 32m of pipework and a 3m flue which passes through two walls. He was supplying all materials by scrounging off work collegues and buying what he couldn't swipe. I would ordinarily avoid a customer like this but as he's a mate I agreed i'd fit it for just £500 labour and supply the sundries like wirewool, solder etc.

I've visited, told him where the flue will terminate, tested the water pressure and flow and sized the gas pipe. I was supposed to fit it tomorrow morning but he's just rang me now to say someone else is going it for £120 dayrate!

I'm bloody fuming.
Sorry for the rant, my missus didn't want to hear it lol.

 

[Rickster123]

One of two things will happen. Either you will get a call to put it right when something goes pear shaped or the guy will be there 5 days at 120 quid! He ain't gonna rush on day rates.
I got hump this week. Priced a boiler change for a regular customer. Gave a great price with a quality boiler. She opted to get a glowworm fitted for 50 quid less. Rung me this week to ask if I'd service it!!

 

[Destroyer2813]

Dont bother answering the phone when he rings when it goes balls up

 

[Hybrid]

I asked if the guy was gas reg and insured and he just said, "He must be". Plonker.
I'm expecting him to be tucked up and, mate or no, I honestly hope he does.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

you just know you are going to get the call

 

[Leo21]

All these posts sound so familiar. I must have have loads of these cants due to call me. Just hit them with a huge price for servivcing etc or laugh at the silly buggers freezing there stupid little extremittys of.

 

[Koogatubac]

Same happened to me, priced for ALOT of plumbing which came to £1400, in the end girlfriends mum and stepdad (who rules the roost) got a handman, put flexis everywhere and compression joints everywhere, not to mention on a radiator he PTFE'd the rad valve body (to tailpiece and to incoming pipe)

The guy has already drilled through a pipe and only took 1 title off and left the rest, and the grout never set! They always ask me whats gone wrong and for me to fix it. Absolute joke. No more shall i do it

 

[theanalyst]

You think i'd be used to it by now but it gets my blood pressure up everytime.
I've looked after this guys boiler for a while but eventually (and after 19 years) it gave up the ghost. He's a mate and asked for a price to fit a replacement on the landing which would involve 32m of pipework and a 3m flue which passes through two walls. He was supplying all materials by scrounging off work collegues and buying what he couldn't swipe. I would ordinarily avoid a customer like this but as he's a mate I agreed i'd fit it for just £500 labour and supply the sundries like wirewool, solder etc.

I've visited, told him where the flue will terminate, tested the water pressure and flow and sized the gas pipe. I was supposed to fit it tomorrow morning but he's just rang me now to say someone else is going it for £120 dayrate!

I'm bloody fuming.
Sorry for the rant, my missus didn't want to hear it lol.

What a ****!!
I would strike him right off my christmas card list...
Really does make my blood boil that idiots like this go for the lowest number available without thinking about the fact that if it takes him 4 days then for £20 he could have given the work to his mate.
Lowlife in my book!

 

[Hybrid]

Cheers fellas, venting to people who understand the situation is very cathartic.
Putting my thick skin back on lol!

 

[Plum Bob 66]

You think i'd be used to it by now but it gets my blood pressure up everytime.
I've looked after this guys boiler for a while but eventually (and after 19 years) it gave up the ghost. He's a mate and asked for a price to fit a replacement on the landing which would involve 32m of pipework and a 3m flue which passes through two walls. He was supplying all materials by scrounging off work collegues and buying what he couldn't swipe. I would ordinarily avoid a customer like this but as he's a mate I agreed i'd fit it for just £500 labour and supply the sundries like wirewool, solder etc.

I've visited, told him where the flue will terminate, tested the water pressure and flow and sized the gas pipe. I was supposed to fit it tomorrow morning but he's just rang me now to say someone else is going it for £120 dayrate!

I'm bloody fuming.
Sorry for the rant, my missus didn't want to hear it lol.

and you call him a mate, hate to meet your enemies, I would bin him mate.Work on the mantra no mates rates and never do work for family and friends.

 

[Leo21]

Or when he rings you to repair it, he's got water pouring through his ceiling. Remind him that your to expensive.

 

[Masood]

I feel your pain, mate. Did a favour for a mate that I've known since we were knee high to a grasshopper. Now all of a sudden EVERYTHING that's goes wrong in his flat is somehow my responsibility... Never working for friend and family again, ever...

 

[tamz]

Or when he rings you to repair it, he's got water pouring through his ceiling. Remind him that your to expensive.

And too busy even if you are scratching your rse.

 

[peteheat]

I supply pellet stoves with boilers to a plumber in the midlands, after delivering stoves to two customers of his we met up at a local pub for coffee, payment for the stoves was direct to me from the customers a mix of cheques and cash, one was €3,900 the other was €3,700.

Surprising part was the customer who paid the €3,900 is an in law of his, part of the meeting was he got his commission, the stoves go to him at €3,500 each so he collects something out of the sale, his reason for the in law paying the full price is they would haunt him if anything went wrong with the stove or the plumbing.

I like his policy which is similar to mine, the closer they are the higher the price because you can't afford anything to go wrong, I always point out to anyone who thinks they should be getting "Mates Rates" that we are talking business so no harm done if they want to go with a competitor, most realise they are getting more than the standard warranty / guarantee kinda by default so by using my service they will get extra value, the ones that don't see it that way and go elsewhere I say no harm done of course the unsaid part is don't call me with any problems you may have.

My advice is separate the business from the personal relationships and you will never be disappointed or annoyed.

 

[buckley plumb]

i quoted last wk to fit an extra rad at a house parts and labour . got a call today saying they have bought the parts can i do labour only to fit the rad.dreading what rubbish i will turn up to - explained to them though if any of the parts are wrong etc they will be paying me while they go and change them

 

[kirkgas]

You shouldn't have a problem working on labour only as you shouldn't be making profit from parts, yes you should have a mark up to cover your billing, your time to order and a warranty but that's a legitimate add on due to added work for you, however if you work labour only you simply have no risk and you can actually profit from their poor choice of materials by charging for call outs, the trick is to ensure your T&C's are watertight, cause if the job isn't watertight and its down to faulty parts you get paid.
I know guys who get stuff from their works van etc and charge for parts and labour to make their labour charge seem cheaper but they are stealing from their boss,
The other thing is when measuring a heating job to give only a supply and fit total and no breakdown of materials required as they just come back and say do labour only cause I will get the parts from your list. If they want to source the stuff you charge £100 for the design and supply of list, they get the stuff and if there's any damage or shortfall they go and get it and you are on day rate if held up, and remind them that if they but the stuff they deal with the supplier if faulty and again pay your call out to identify prob and make safe then pay you to revisit to fix it, they soon decide to go with my reasonable price

 

[Guest123]

Just don't ever do any any more work for him. Simples.

Some mate he turned out to be.

 

[Hybrid]

Yeah he's ****ed on his chips now, defo not working for him again.
A guy who runs about doing installs for £120-240 with customer supplied materials isn't going to make himself available to a custard who's obviously tight.
Things are getting a bit grim around here for small firms. I've been offered a job with local authority on £38k/yr which i'd not given any serious thought to but after this most recent of a long line of slaps in the face i'm tempted if only to tide me over till things pick up.

 

[markfxy]

why shouldn't you be making a profit from parts Kirkgas thats why you negotiate a good discount its for profit not to give to the customer, whats the point in supplying without making a profit?

 

[kirkgas]

You missed my point a bit on the material, yes you charge more than you pay but that comes with extra liabity/time etc so I don't count it as profit as you have worked for it I see it as wages/warranty but if you fit only you don't have the extra cost/work, if you add 25% to £100 invoice you don't profit by £25 due to extra work and having to supply a warranty for the part