Emergency work/ rates

[johnmcginty]

Hi guys I've started to do 24hr call outs and have a few questions.

1. Do you reakon these rates are ok :- 8am - 6 pm 50 pound call out
6pm - 11 pm 85 pound call out
11 pm - 8 am 100 pound call out
( I am in Leeds)

just wondered what you guys thought and if any one else was doing the same!

2. Turned up to a job the other day on a burst pipe going up to a tap and the outside stop tap would 'nt go fully
and did'nt want to force it . Someone had turned the inside stop tap into a outside garden tap ....brilliant... so I just pipe sliced the inlet and put a pushfit service valve on ?? then obviously turned in off position. what is everyone else using? as I was told pushfit stopends don't work as there is too much pressure and had limited room to turn a spanner for the compression stop end and too much pressure again?
Any other emergency work advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers folks John

[sonray ltd]

im a bit confused here.
burst pipe going to a tap.
then put a pushfit service valve on ?? then obviously turned in off position

why did you turn it off ?
surely if you had cut the pipe you would have fixed the burst.


we always aim to fix 99% of night time emergencys that night.
and carry a wide range of common parts so reducing the need to isolate go back next day an fix.

toilet spares,stopcocks,valves,traps etc.

[johnmcginty]

I'll be more clear sorry. I would have wanted to fix though all other outlay / spares were not in this particular van so I had to make do and just stop the water then go round and fix in the morning ! so just ended up using a service valve pushfit on the gushing pipe ...seemed to do the trick .

[obseen16]

Are those rates hourly or is that just for you to turn up plus an hourly rate on top?

[johnmcginty]

Never had an emergency last longer than an hour ! I would'nt charge after that anyway ...only parts.

[sonray ltd]

I would'nt charge after that anyway

you've got to your running a business. if you charge £50 hour and don't charge any time after an hour and it takes you 30 mins there 30 mins back and 2 hours to fix, minus your tax, take in to consideration they may call you back, or if the worst happens a insuance claim.

your working extra time when you can be on another job.


i sub to two of the largest call centres and if you work like that you will be out of business.
if your going to use them figures as just call out rates then an hourly rate on top, your well over priced.

if they are your hourly rates and free call out. what about weekends, bank holidays etc.

our rates fluctuate depending on the time of yr and how the emergency work is going.
call centres will all call each other with fake jobs just to see what the going rate is at a certain times.
as now the rates are slightly down on last year due to the work situation and people not spending.

any drainage work works on a half hourly rate.
any time into the next hour is classed as a second hour.
and if your going to be doing a lot of emergency work you'll need some t&c's to cover your backside. believe me if the public think they can get away with something they will try it always get a signature.

tell them your hourly rate when you recieve the job on the phone + parts.
confirm the rate again when you arrive ate the property. get a signature next to the rate/t&c's your charging before you start work.
get them to sign again when they are satisfied and payment has been made.

never remove all your tools from the property before payment, or they end up shutting the door .
any problems with payment or final price, you have the first signature so in that situation we pass it straight to the creditors.

[MickW]

Interestingly, in a recent survey we carried out in the SE, more than 40% of plumbers and heating engineers responding did not have a call-out charge.

This was 6% higher than last year, indicating that call-out charges are becoming less common.