Any one need a plumbers mate in north cornwall area?

[Chris R]

I agree, at times it is hard to say no to business. I have learned that the most important skill of all is knowing when to say no. This can be because a job is beyond my skills, or that the customer is trying it on.

We have had no problem filling every day with jobs ranging from the smallest repairs to full blown bathroom refits. It is striking how difficult most of our customers have found it to find someone to do the work for them. I have lost count of the number of customers who have tried 7 or 8 plumbers for their work to find that only one turns up to quote. Many plumbers do not seem to be interested in 'smaller' jobs and will only take on new builds, full central heating systems, new boilers etc - and why not.

Knowing what you can and can't do is vital - in my case I do not pretend to be a heating engineer, my adverts do not make any reference to this work at all. I stick to what I am qualified to do and good at and turn down things I know are beyond me.

A lot of the debate on these forums seems to be about the importance of experience etc, etc. I fully agree and would not allow someone who did not know what they were doing to work on my central heating system. It seems to me that the term 'plumber' is being used by some as describing someone who is totally competent in every aspect of heating, gas, plumbing, etc, etc. Many of us do not aspire to this greatness and are content to make a reasonable living out of the mundane end of plumbing. I respect those who are fully time served and qualified. I do not see the type of work I do as any sort of threat to them, nor them to me. There is plenty of scope in the market for those of us who are prepared to do a good job at a reasonable price at both extremes of the job.

Unfortunately the public does not make the distinction between the different types of work we can all do.

Perhaps the whole thing revolves around the meaning of the word 'plumber' - this will probably never be resolved and neither will the long running debate between the time served and us career changers !

Look forward to replies