any boiler serviced for £29.99

[ndsmith]

.

with the greatest of respect i dont think you have understood the point i am trying to make.

whats the point of being busy if your making peanuts or just surviving. i would say i'm doing on average 30 hours a week plumbing excluding all the other crap we have to do.

and just to clear things up it was in no way intended at anyone directly just my thoughts . i do a fair bit out of hours work so i can on a bad week work 10-20 in week and still clear a decent whack.

example last saturday hebden bridge flooded. cust calls wanted all gas checking as meter had been under 8 ft of water in the cellar. checked everything out all ok after checking water heater, cooker,meter etc( didnt really expect any problems) then property either side asked to me do same whilst i was there. i told em all price all custs happy as insurance were paying 5 hours later 600 quid richer.

Is that your normal charge or was it higher as insurance company will be paying?

 

[hammers4spanner]

This £30 pound service is suddenly become more common , seen it advertised a few more times in my town now , think this post must be having an effect!

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm! Halesowen seems to have what appears to be a good fair trade attitude towards customers, we need more of it in this country. It is not all about the gas fitter, there are other people to consider in a contract. You can't moan about bankers and then take the same attitudes yourself

 

[Anders0n]

This was finished today took 2 days, orignal boiler in kitchen below, run new 28mm gas and fit new Worcester combi. Pipes straight, clipped, no runs on solder. Quick does not mean rough.

Great to see someone else who takes pride in their work, 99% of installations I see whether new or old have been tossed in.

 

[LPC]

I'm doing boiler services at the moment for £30. Takes me on average 40 mins to do a full service, bit longer if it's a back boiler or an older boiler. Worked for a guy for 5 years (who has been a gas engineer over 30 years, and was one of the first Corgi reg engineers in the country) who charges £45 for a service and has done for as long as I can remember. I've started out on my own and £30 seemed like a good price to get me some work.

Way I see it, £30 for less than an hours work, i'm pretty happy. Lots of heating engineers in my town, i've got to get started somewhere. And a £30 service is working wonders.

 

[Halesowen1]

Good on you, nobody on here can tell anybody what to charge, the ones who are moan ing are worried they may have to work for a living soon.

 

[jase158]

I bet its easier to do a service then to fix a toilet, yet to turn around and say £80 to fix a flush valve, most customers would be puzzled why it is that expensive, yet £80 for a boiler service and people aint that bothered.

 

[topdog]

good installation and good on you,
A lot of People would give there right arm for £30 per hour,
If your happy that's all that matters.
Good luck and hope you get loads more installs,
topdog
Trainee gas engineer
doing work portfolio at the moment.

 

[johnnyplumb]

Good on you, nobody on here can tell anybody what to charge, the ones who are moan ing are worried they may have to work for a living soon.

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

 

[jase158]

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

Excellent point, There should be a standard price all over the country for servicing, will never happen, but there should be.

 

[EPH]

The irony of somebody earning the same money in 40 hours as someone else does in 30 then trying to give them business advice is not lost on me.

 

[Orry Clayton]

Excellent point, There should be a standard price all over the country for servicing, will never happen, but there should be.

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

 

[tamz]

The way some people (customers) look on it is say you do a job that takes half an hour plus a fivers worth of parts and ask for say £55. They compare that to how much they make in a day, say £80, and think they have just been shafted by another plumber or gas man who is pulling in what must be 100k a year at those prices.
They have no comprehension of what your actual costs and profit for that job may be and there is no point trying to justify it.
The low prices advertised are usually just a foot in the door exorcise. The £29 service is a sales ploy that may cost them 2 grand for a boiler if they (and they will) play it by the book but poeple are gullible.
Just take the rate you need or want. You are running a business not a charity and need to make a profit.

 

[tamz]

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

Really! Is that why all the big players are within a few quid of each other with their prices.

 

[Orry Clayton]

Really! Is that why all the big players are within a few quid of each other with their prices.

Funny, I was just on a few of there websites and noticed the same thing.

 

[REDSAW]

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

i have said this before.. there is no law about charging the going rate.....
unless you have a business the size of barclays bank.!!!!
i find it hard to believe you and the other 100,000 plumbers taken to court over it!!!!!!!

show me a solicitor doing £30 an hour and i will show you 100 doing £90-120 an hour, its the going rate and every trade should stick to the 'value' or if not, promote a special offer to gain custom only to pick it up on extended services rendered.

i like people working for nothing as eventually they will get out of the business due to going bust or 'theres no money in it' ethos. when there gone, leaves more for the rest charging the appropriate rates.

 

[Orry Clayton]

That was in response to: "there should be a standard price".

Also, I couldn't agree with you more; I'd also like to see a solicitor doing £30 per hour.

 

[Backboiler]

Is that your normal charge or was it higher as insurance company will be paying?

Saturday, desperate and out of hours if you read it properly

 

[Halesowen1]

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

I am not in the game for ripping my customers off, never have been and never will be. If you think £80 is a fair price for something that can more than likely be done in 30 mins then you go ahead and charge it, £160 per hour. All I am saying is that I am more than happy earning less that and be full week in week out. The only people who want to see a standard price of £80 per service are the ones who aint doing much and need to charge double just to get a decent wage, I much prefer to earn my money fairly and dont have to drag the job out for an hour or longer just to justify the high price.
Cost cutting doesnt only benefit the customer, if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.
You say the forum is full of moaners going on about no work and low prices, well I have a plan for you lot, lower your prices, get an advert showing in your local rag your NEW low prices and you WILL get work. But be carefull not to show these on here as they will rip the **** out of you for doing it, doing what?? using initiative and getting work.

 

[julesverne]

if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.

playing the devils advocate please consider this:
40 services x 29.99 = 1199.60
15 services x 80.00 = 1200.00

who do you think will retire sooner and live longer just a thought :yesnod:
customers perceive cost and value for money on the service they receive and this doesnt relate just to your plumbing skills but also tidyess, presentation, customer service, puncuality etc. all these skills (and they are skills) are just as important in a business so why shouldnt a plumber charge a premium if they possess these skills. although at £80.00 for a service i would expect my car washing aswell ;0)

 

[southcoastboile]

I am not in the game for ripping my customers off, never have been and never will be. If you think £80 is a fair price for something that can more than likely be done in 30 mins then you go ahead and charge it, £160 per hour. All I am saying is that I am more than happy earning less that and be full week in week out. The only people who want to see a standard price of £80 per service are the ones who aint doing much and need to charge double just to get a decent wage, I much prefer to earn my money fairly and dont have to drag the job out for an hour or longer just to justify the high price.
Cost cutting doesnt only benefit the customer, if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.
You say the forum is full of moaners going on about no work and low prices, well I have a plan for you lot, lower your prices, get an advert showing in your local rag your NEW low prices and you WILL get work. But be carefull not to show these on here as they will rip the **** out of you for doing it, doing what?? using initiative and getting work.

Theres no way you can do a thorugh boiler service in 30 mins

 

[tamz]

You can fit an outside tap in that time tho:tounge_smile:

 

[Halesowen1]

playing the devils advocate please consider this:
40 services x 29.99 = 1199.60
15 services x 80.00 = 1200.00

who do you think will retire sooner and live longer just a thought :yesnod:
customers perceive cost and value for money on the service they receive and this doesnt relate just to your plumbing skills but also tidyess, presentation, customer service, puncuality etc. all these skills (and they are skills) are just as important in a business so why shouldnt a plumber charge a premium if they possess these skills. although at £80.00 for a service i would expect my car washing aswell ;0)

But if one of these £30 a service guy lands on your plot, you suddenly look very overpriced and lose work, then he is still doing 40 and you do 5 at £80. Plus servicing is hardly going to tire anybody out is it??

 

[hammers4spanner]

Theres no way you can do a thorugh boiler service in 30 mins

new boiler analyse 30 mins?

 

[anz]

new boiler analyse 30 mins?

Who's going to do the rest?

Gas Rate
Gas Pressures
Cleaning Condensate Trap
Checking for leaks (yes, taking off cover and having a look)
etc....

 

[southcoastboile]

agreed but then I normaly check all the rads work, tanks in loft etc if applicable, gives the customer the impression they are getting something for thier money. Every boilers different but I normaly take around 40 mins on a new condencing unless its a floorstanding greenstar.
Cant believe someone thought it would be a good idea to invent a modern highflow, hate those things.

 

[bert large]

Theres no way anyone would do 40 real boiler services in a normal week. 5 day week, 8 hour day, 25-30% of boilers are BBU & fire fronts, trouble getting covers on or off, getting tools to & from the van, Driving across town between jobs, parking difficulties, tenants or householders not in at the appointed time, the inevitable, "oh, while your here could you........"
You'd be lucky to do 4 or 5 in a normal day if done properly without any difficulties !
I think what we a talking about here is a swift FGA & gone again, or more likely just a foot in the door & oh er missus your boiler is knackered.

 

[tamz]

Who's going to do the rest?

Gas Rate
Gas Pressures
Cleaning Condensate Trap
Checking for leaks (yes, taking off cover and having a look)
etc....

Optional (chargable) extras :smile:

 

[julesverne]

But if one of these £30 a service guy lands on your plot, you suddenly look very overpriced and lose work, then he is still doing 40 and you do 5 at £80. Plus servicing is hardly going to tire anybody out is it??

theres plenty of these guys on my plot servicing £30.00 landlord certs £25.00. i just leave em to it they've got no business sense. i'm doing ok for business not rushed off my feet but then i dont have to be. 2 boiler swaps booked in next week and if thats all i did in july it would still cover all my bills mortgage etc for the month.

 

[Halesowen1]

Who's going to do the rest?

Gas Rate
Gas Pressures
Cleaning Condensate Trap
Checking for leaks (yes, taking off cover and having a look)
etc....

Come on.
Take off cover 1 minute, gas rate 3 minutes, working pressure 2 minutes, analyser while doing working pressure, check for leaks 30 seconds, clean trap 3 minutes. Thats being generous too. No excuse to take longer than 20-30 minutes.
As for BBU, then you are charging extra as its 2 appliances obviously, so even if it takes 45 for them you have charged the extra.

 

[Halesowen1]

theres plenty of these guys on my plot servicing £30.00 landlord certs £25.00. i just leave em to it they've got no business sense. i'm doing ok for business not rushed off my feet but then i dont have to be. 2 boiler swaps booked in next week and if thats all i did in july it would still cover all my bills mortgage etc for the month.

No business sense just because they are not ripping off folk??
They need work and more than likely will get more if they lower price, seems like good business to me. Nothing wrong with a full diary.

 

[tamz]

Nothing wrong with a full diary.

Nothing wrong with charging what you see fit either.

An old saying which refers to busy fools
Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something - Plato

 

[EPH]

What happens when people start doing them for £19.99 after they've been earning minimum wage in a shop and doing their ACS that will suit them fine.

Be all the same people on here defending doing cheap work moaning about crazy prices.

 

[Halesowen1]

Look Gas men dont have a right to charge stupid money, those days are quickly leaving us. Our game is flooded at the moment and also less demand due to homes having less to spend, the prices were always going to drop, thousands of gas men have been laid off in the last 5 years and many have started up on their own, prices will continue to drop so get used to it.
I have also changed my route a little, as I am now doing commercial and taking LPG soon too, a company I do work for have offered me loads of LPG and Com.

 

[Millsy 82]

I am a quick worker I can fit a 3 port in 45mins all tested rads nice and hot before I leave (dont include microbore systems as they can be anything upto 4 hours getting rid of airlocks) and pumps in about 15-20 mins. But I cannot service a boiler properley in 20-30 mins takes usually 40 mins minimum FGA takes 10 mins as you have to check them high, low, high, then with casing off plus you should get them upto temperature before hand. Then checking safety devices on them some boilers will go through their cycle 5 times and can take 4-5 mins to lock out. Then checking the flues discharge pipe controls etc all takes time.

BBU and fire front takes me around an hour for a clean 1 takes me 20 mins to get to the BBU after cleaning the fire then removing the burner cleaning it then cleaning the heat exchanger is another 20 mins then carrying out all the checks on it and putting it back together as I go.

I personally do have doubts about people who get through jobs too quick as they are probably missing things. Their was a lad who worked for our company that did 1 area since he has left I am the 1 going around after him there are many jobs that I am finding quite a few faults on that have not been picked up (pretty basic faults flues not clipped etc.) all because he wanted to be in and out as quick as possible.