Same day boiler repairs

[Stanios]

Hi all,

Do any of you carry out same day boiler repairs? I've only been lucky once with local merch having the right part. I don't bother now just order online for next day delivery.
If you charge for picking up the parts are customers ok with paying hourly rate while you drive?

Cheers!

 

[townfanjon]

Personally no , if one breaks down its usually a look on the way home , if parts are needed which is usually the case , next day ish. If its not the middle of winter and the customer has a lecky shower they may have to wait longer .

However an elderly or superb customer will sort of have priority.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I'm far to busy to do that. I diagnose then return with the parts ASAP to repair.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Unless it's life or death eg middle of winter and an oap

No normally next / 2 days depends on parts but I go and see it same day they phoned

 

[Stanios]

Do you guys add % on top of boiler parts? I just cant force myself to add a penny on a PCB thats £260 already

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Depends on price but normally 5% on all parts or 10% on cheaper parts

But depends on customer if oap nothing gets added

 

[Harvest Fields]

Depends on price but normally 5% on all parts or 10% on cheaper parts

But depends on customer if oap nothing gets added

You sound like me. I'm a right sucker for an OAP. My wife laughs at me now the second I say old boy or old dear. I normally don't make anything on parts but as stated on another thread. That's because I am top end on my labour. So normally it evens out.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You sound like me. I'm a right sucker for an OAP. My wife laughs at me now the second I say old boy or old dear. I normally don't make anything on parts but as stated on another thread. That's because I am top end on my labour. So normally it evens out.

Have to look after our older generations

 

[Harvest Fields]

Have to look after our older generations

Fully agree mate. We will all be there one day. I only hope that there are still people like us about at that time.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

By then hopefully they have successfully done a brain transfer (old-Young)

 

[Stanios]

And if you diagnose a part to replace and that doesnt end up fixing the boiler do you carry on changing labour for subsequent repair /try?
Ta

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Been lucky lately and haven't had anything go afterwards

But get what your saying like a pcb and then the fan Goes

But normally half the labour cost

 

[woodsy]

You sound like me. I'm a right sucker for an OAP. My wife laughs at me now the second I say old boy or old dear. I normally don't make anything on parts but as stated on another thread. That's because I am top end on my labour. So normally it evens out.

What's top end for your labour as not putting percentage on parts doesn't make business sense.

 

[woodsy]

£75 call out. £60 per hour after that. Plus parts if I start putting a mark up on my parts as well my turn over will mean I need to be vat registered and don't want to do that yet. Once I am vat registered I will put a mark up on my parts. But not yet.

Crikey, now I understand why no need for a markup on parts. Good on you if you can get that but absolutely no chance of them rates in Yorkshire.

 

[Harvest Fields]

To be honest mate. I don't think I am far off London prices. To begin with I just did it because I was busy and could not fit anymore work in. But if people are willing to pay it, who am I to argue. Some of my regular customers do get a better rate. But all new customers are charged the above. I've heard it is very competitive in Yorkshire. I was on a course with a lad from Doncaster (I believe this is in yorkshire but correct me if am wrong) and he said he was struggling for work and was always getting undercut on prices.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Crikey, now I understand why no need for a markup on parts. Good on you if you can get that but absolutely no chance of them rates in Yorkshire.

That top one was supposed to be a private message to you. #efffingidiotiam so I have deleted it from the above post.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

That top one was supposed to be a private message to you. #efffingidiotiam so I have deleted it from the above post.

It's in a private section so I wouldn't be too alarmed

 

[Harvest Fields]

It's in a private section so I wouldn't be too alarmed

ohhhh yeah.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

ohhhh yeah.

 

[jtsplumbing]

rates are quite low in the part of Devon I live in + an elderly population But such a nice place to live, Money not everything, just cover my outgoings now and spend rest of day just taking it easy.

 

[Alpha man]

Yes I do, I carry a huge amount of Alpha stock on my van, the stock is worth more than the van!! Lol

 

[woodsy]

To be honest mate. I don't think I am far off London prices. To begin with I just did it because I was busy and could not fit anymore work in. But if people are willing to pay it, who am I to argue. Some of my regular customers do get a better rate. But all new customers are charged the above. I've heard it is very competitive in Yorkshire. I was on a course with a lad from Doncaster (I believe this is in yorkshire but correct me if am wrong) and he said he was struggling for work and was always getting undercut on prices.

Glad for u and not meant as a criticism, lucky to get £40 and £25 an hr round here

 

[Harvest Fields]

It baffles me how the prices actually do rise the further south you go. I would still be happy if they evened out across the whole of the U.K. To be honest with you. I don't charge that price on all my work.

 

[Stanios]

Im just trying to work out how to make better dosh from boiler repairs because atm its not making more money than any other work and some jobs that require very little training, knowledge and equipment i.e drains makes way more money.

I know the more avenues of income you have the better but to be properly qualified and clued up to fix a broken boiler should surely carry a good premium and it seems either it doesn't or I am missing something.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Drains will always bring in more more as it is Shi**y work and nobody likes doing it.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Drains will always bring in more more as it is Shi**y work and nobody likes doing it.

Where there's muck there's money as they say hear in Yorkshire.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Drains are always the very last job of the day, if I have to do them and I only do them for existing customers. No chance I'm doing a full to the brim at 0300 in the morning.

 

[Last Plumber]

We always try a same day fix tbh.
Good supplier near me has a good stock of parts but most things not in stock are the next day. Unless it's from manufacturers of course, then you're on a hiding to nothing.

We Put 33% on parts and charge £90 first hour and a half then £45 per hour following ( plus VAT).

 

[Deleted member 32524]

I always go for same day fix, if I can. I find most of the bigger guys hold really poor choice of stock and you need to order things like primary thermistor for a vokera and get it next day. I use an independent who pretty mush never let me down. They are a little more expensive for most parts, but they have them because their finger is on the pulse for what spares are selling in my district. I never use internet. If independent does not have it I order it through them for next day, usually. Most customers want stuff china cheap so add cost to parts and show them Plumbcentre's website that shows the RRP price. They don't like to think that you have the audacity to actually earn a living from your labour charge. If I make a mistake on diagnostic then I either take the part in to my stock or depending on part come to an arrangement that they pay for all parts and installation of the correct part and my time is free for the mistake.

 

[Darren Jackson]

I do nearly all my repairs the same day. We have two really good gas spares suppliers in my area, who between them have almost always got the spares I need in stock. On the very rare occasion both do not have it in stock they get me it by 9am the next morning. I charge it out + 15% for the part & my 9 to 5 hrs charge is £55 for the 1st hr and £45 per hr after that. Out of hrs I charge a call out fee on top and my rate goes up x1.5 evenings & Saturday & x2 on a Sunday.

 

[Stanios]

Do you guys charge for your time picking up the part?

 

[Harvest Fields]

Not normally but I know some do.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Do you guys charge for your time picking up the part?

I only charge for my time on site, The 15% mark up on the parts I charge covers my costs for picking up the part. But I am usually within 20mins of my local gas spares suppliers.But if I am out in the sticks and more than half an hour away from a supplier then yes I do,usually a £20 delivery charge.

 

[woodsy]

Do you guys charge for your time picking up the part?

Why wouldn't you ? Is your van, time, diesel, insurance etc free ? Collecting parts if it's specifically for that job is surely part of of it ?