F
fuzzy
its a southerner, i should have knew as much
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why ive got no work
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View the thread, titled "why ive got no work" which is posted in Gaining Plumbing Experience on UK Plumbers Forums.
B
Blackcatgas
It wasnt me.
U
Uncle_Nige
Well the first plumber paid for the second plumber, and I paid the first plumber, so not really free , no. Especially when you consider all the time off work I had to take, all the upheaval and inconvenience. And of course I've had to pay the third plumber.
It's too early to tell if the third plumber has done a good job (still drying out) but if not then tbh I may have to start looking further afield: the last plumber I had who was any good put in a suite at a previous property in London and he travelled down from Stoke, where my family has some property interests. It's not the best arrangement - taking someone off a commerical job, but even with the travel costs on top it was worth it to get a good job done.
the benefits of working on commercial is that you have clark of works, clients, agents etc and high standards of work, if you do a poor job you will be made to do it again.
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G
Gray0689
I'm sorry you got a bad job done for you on at least 2 occasions that's the problem with our trade there is a hell of a lot of bad plumbers who really do think there good.
But I'm afraid I believe this is only getting worse as the amount of new so called plumbers whether fast track or so called apprentice trained it's all about taking a pride in your work and defo not taking on more than you know
use good materials I believe in it's better to make a bit less on jobs to make a good name for your company and keep the work coming in But never sell yourself short.
The better your name the better the jobs get to
Lol
The end
But I'm afraid I believe this is only getting worse as the amount of new so called plumbers whether fast track or so called apprentice trained it's all about taking a pride in your work and defo not taking on more than you know
use good materials I believe in it's better to make a bit less on jobs to make a good name for your company and keep the work coming in But never sell yourself short.
The better your name the better the jobs get to
Lol
The end
U
Uncle_Nige
What scares me though is that both the plumbers in question are well established. The first claimed 25 years of experience and the second has been going more than 15 years afaik.
Maybe it's a bit like driving? The new kids lack experience and the old guys have got complacent cos they think they know it all.
N
noleaksihope
if it had ' ve have been me i d have tempted to knock on the door where they were working and shown my gas safe card . a sharp exit in the h reg honda might ve been on the cards .
why is not an offence for customers to use illeagal fitters ? surely they re not only risking their own property , but their neighbours , which in tenements could be a disaster.
there s a dude flying about round here by the nam off herman the german . claims to be some kind of engineer .
mated quoted a full bathroom refurb inc plumbing , joinery , tiling and electrics , labour for all trades around £2200 .
along comes herman and says he ll do it all for £500. took him around 3 weeks but customer delighted , tidy job .
that will be labour only prices, but that is one guy doing it on his own and took him 3 weeks ? if i was doing my own bathroom it wouldnt take me 3 weeks....more like 3 years 😱 lol
but for a customer, would be 3 days max
but for a customer, would be 3 days max
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The Every decent trade is very similar too top football clubs
The managers of top football clubs find it easier to scout for foreign talent than train for home grown
The British government would rather let in a load of immigrants than spend money educating the youth of this country properly
The managers of top football clubs find it easier to scout for foreign talent than train for home grown
The British government would rather let in a load of immigrants than spend money educating the youth of this country properly
N
noleaksihope
labour only whpes . we were 2,200 , he done it for 500 .
D
david williams
ask your freinds to recomend a plumber ,ask for refferences and check them !!!!ask to see proof of insurence,ask to see proof of qualifications, i advertise but still get 50% of my work on personal recomendations.
B
Bodd
Hello Uncle.
What sort of money was the first fella earning a day? I do agree with a few that said, get a Plumber to do the plumbing, a tiler to do the tiles, sparky, plasterer and so on.
It is hard getting the right advice and even a recommedation can turn out wrong. I now a fella who's a great talker (if you have never met him before) but he's a rubbish plumber.
Good luck next time
Bod
What sort of money was the first fella earning a day? I do agree with a few that said, get a Plumber to do the plumbing, a tiler to do the tiles, sparky, plasterer and so on.
It is hard getting the right advice and even a recommedation can turn out wrong. I now a fella who's a great talker (if you have never met him before) but he's a rubbish plumber.
Good luck next time
Bod
U
Uncle_Nige
Hi Bod,
The second plumber did use a tiler and a plasterer, rather than doing it himself, but the end result wasn't much better than the first plumber, who did it himself.
The third plumber reckoned that the grouting by the second was poor and had failed, and so too had the sealant, and that this was the cause of the leak.
The third plumber came round last Saturday and regrouted and resealed. I left it until today and used the shower for the first time tonight.
The shower still leaks, and from exactly the same place as before, so that was more money down the drain (no pun intended).
I'm off to find some random European - the result will probably be the same, but far cheaper than the "professionals" who've failed miserably so far.
Either that, or do it myself. I have absolutely no experience of plumbing, but given my experience of plumbers, I'd rather risk my own failure than throw more cash at people who don't seem to be able to do their job.
The second plumber did use a tiler and a plasterer, rather than doing it himself, but the end result wasn't much better than the first plumber, who did it himself.
The third plumber reckoned that the grouting by the second was poor and had failed, and so too had the sealant, and that this was the cause of the leak.
The third plumber came round last Saturday and regrouted and resealed. I left it until today and used the shower for the first time tonight.
The shower still leaks, and from exactly the same place as before, so that was more money down the drain (no pun intended).
I'm off to find some random European - the result will probably be the same, but far cheaper than the "professionals" who've failed miserably so far.
Either that, or do it myself. I have absolutely no experience of plumbing, but given my experience of plumbers, I'd rather risk my own failure than throw more cash at people who don't seem to be able to do their job.
M
moony
bad experiences nige, we have them with all trades - ive been ripped off by mechanics - only place i trust is main dealers and even they try there best to have you off...
the trouble with bathrooms is every tom dick and harry are doing them, showers should really be tanked or water proof plaster board a good job made of it and the decent sealants and grout and adhesives used - but all this is expensive - also copper fittings and no flexi tap connectors etc etc - trouble is my friend its virtually impossible to compete any more to do the job properly! so plastic pipes, felxi tap connectors - even flexi pan connectors are being used mroe and more often....
its the price you pay for the cheap eastern europen labour thats been introduced to the uk - factory jobs have gone - virtually all labour jobs have gone and now theyre moving in our trades which is dropping the money in the job right down which is causing the quality of the job to drop due to the prices being too competitive.
the trouble with bathrooms is every tom dick and harry are doing them, showers should really be tanked or water proof plaster board a good job made of it and the decent sealants and grout and adhesives used - but all this is expensive - also copper fittings and no flexi tap connectors etc etc - trouble is my friend its virtually impossible to compete any more to do the job properly! so plastic pipes, felxi tap connectors - even flexi pan connectors are being used mroe and more often....
its the price you pay for the cheap eastern europen labour thats been introduced to the uk - factory jobs have gone - virtually all labour jobs have gone and now theyre moving in our trades which is dropping the money in the job right down which is causing the quality of the job to drop due to the prices being too competitive.
B
Bodd
Hello Uncle.
My guess would be if it is still leaking, it'll be the cubical. Was the cubils/door fitted and the siliconed?
Bod
U
Uncle_Nige
Cheers Bodd,
The leak is behind the tiles. 5 minutes with the shower hose running straight into a bucket and I discovered what half a dozen highly paid "main dealers" couldn't.
So, for the 4th time in 2 years it's strip the whole thing out, back to the plaster and start again. But who to go with? the certificated, 25 years experienced, established plumber - like the ones who've made such a brilliant job already, or the random Pole who charges a quarter of the price?
Yes, I get that there are bad tradesmen in every trade - I'm in IT and I see it all the time in that area (from the Millennium Bug scam to the online "maintenance" offers nowadays). Maybe I've got MUG written on my forehead or something, or this area of London (SE18) just doesn't have any decent plumbers, but TBH I'm sick of throwing money and time away for as bad a result as I could get myself with a DIY manual. Sure you can blame the Eastern Europeans for taking the work, but imho it's the supposedly kosher plumbers who I've experienced who've done such a bad job that give you all a bad name and tempt the average punter like me to go with the cheaper option.
The leak is behind the tiles. 5 minutes with the shower hose running straight into a bucket and I discovered what half a dozen highly paid "main dealers" couldn't.
So, for the 4th time in 2 years it's strip the whole thing out, back to the plaster and start again. But who to go with? the certificated, 25 years experienced, established plumber - like the ones who've made such a brilliant job already, or the random Pole who charges a quarter of the price?
Yes, I get that there are bad tradesmen in every trade - I'm in IT and I see it all the time in that area (from the Millennium Bug scam to the online "maintenance" offers nowadays). Maybe I've got MUG written on my forehead or something, or this area of London (SE18) just doesn't have any decent plumbers, but TBH I'm sick of throwing money and time away for as bad a result as I could get myself with a DIY manual. Sure you can blame the Eastern Europeans for taking the work, but imho it's the supposedly kosher plumbers who I've experienced who've done such a bad job that give you all a bad name and tempt the average punter like me to go with the cheaper option.
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B
Blackcatgas
Three things to remember when tiling, tanking, tanking and tanking, do a search on the tilers forum.
I suggest you check in the mirror...this could be the cause of all your issues. IMHO
🙂 🙂 😉
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sell home , your joist must have rotten by know ! i am Easter European (Bulgaria)and I have a van and can not change a boiler for 3h !
I thought I was quick as it takes me 1 day to do it on my own , with apprentice 6h !
Colleges are open for all people ,so I went and got my self a ACS, in college i did just as good as the English lads ! Now i start working for a small firm as sub contractor and all members are English and there very polite to me so am I to them ! and I dont get any less then others just £180 a day ! but this is temporary job as I am trying to generate my own jobs ! and I dont charge less then others ! combi combi -£600-£1200 for labour plus £100 on materials ! In fact i have lost many many jobs lately as i was to expansive !
CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPECTATION THAT FOREIGN WORKERS ARE ALWAYS CHEAP!!!!
no I stick to my prices (as this was one of the first thing i learned ) !
I thought I was quick as it takes me 1 day to do it on my own , with apprentice 6h !
Colleges are open for all people ,so I went and got my self a ACS, in college i did just as good as the English lads ! Now i start working for a small firm as sub contractor and all members are English and there very polite to me so am I to them ! and I dont get any less then others just £180 a day ! but this is temporary job as I am trying to generate my own jobs ! and I dont charge less then others ! combi combi -£600-£1200 for labour plus £100 on materials ! In fact i have lost many many jobs lately as i was to expansive !
CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPECTATION THAT FOREIGN WORKERS ARE ALWAYS CHEAP!!!!
no I stick to my prices (as this was one of the first thing i learned ) !
R
Resolute
Instead of getting a plumber to tile it why not look for a tiler?
U
Uncle_Nige
@Blackcatgas - cheers for that tip.
@ Dannypipe - You may well be right. Never trust a plumber, because they see someone with no knowledge of plumbing and take advantage eh? thanks for that tip, but I've got the message now!
@ SafeGas - No offence intended. I was only echoing the sentiment of the OP, who believes he's got no work because eastern Europeans are cheaper. My contention is that more expensive doesn't always mean a better job.
@ Resolute - Thanks for the tip. My earlier posts indicate that a tiler was used. I'm actually looking for a cack-handed chimp now, since I think it would do a better job than the professionals I've used so far.
@ Dannypipe - You may well be right. Never trust a plumber, because they see someone with no knowledge of plumbing and take advantage eh? thanks for that tip, but I've got the message now!
@ SafeGas - No offence intended. I was only echoing the sentiment of the OP, who believes he's got no work because eastern Europeans are cheaper. My contention is that more expensive doesn't always mean a better job.
@ Resolute - Thanks for the tip. My earlier posts indicate that a tiler was used. I'm actually looking for a cack-handed chimp now, since I think it would do a better job than the professionals I've used so far.
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