Should I charge?

[Dannypipe]

Just had a call from a grumpy customer who I installed a boiler for last year, I'm currently back at the house doing a bedroom to bathroom conversion. I did price for a much larger job, (extension) but didn't win it as I was too expensive.

Anyway, They have come home and the heating was off. I talked them through checking the boiler, and it was a low pressure fault. I talked them through re-charging the system. To be told the needle on the gauge was dropping like a stone.

I asked if the other builders had removed any radiators, to be told "they haven't even started!!"

So I said, I'm on my way. Dropped everything, and raced their. Just as I pull up outside, the phone rings. Its them, and I get told the other builders had started, and had removed a radiator, and hadn't capped off the TRV and it had ****ed everywhere.

I said, well I'm here now. I go in. Sure enough, at the back of the house, where the extension will take place, is flooded.

I cut and cap the pipe work properly. Re-pressurise the system and inform them they will have lost some of the inhibitor. I genuinely double dosed the system as it's a fairly large house, and because it's my installation, and I want the system water to be bang on.

The builder who had caused this mess was on the phone to them and was willing to come, but I told them to tell him not to bother it was sorted. He apparently said, I'll buy him a beer.

Anyway, I have no hard feelings to this bloke, so should probably just let it go. But I don't enjoying driving out on a Saturday evening to fix other peoples cock ups, and be spoken to all surely on the phone by a customer who has jumped to conclusions.

 

[Barry98]

Charge it's not your fault , it's the weekend it's your time

 

[Dannypipe]

That's my gut feeling. I can get to the job in about 10 mins, and to cut and cap it took me about 20 seconds! But still I was reading a book to my daughter when I was called, and had to chuck on my work clobber and go sort it.

When the other bloke has offered to buy me a beer, I'm thinking "no you'll pay me a call out" but is that a bit heartless!?

 

[tweakyboy]

Charge and put in a nice 50% on the bill!

 

[Dannypipe]

LOL - I like it. Twist the knife!!

Maybe I'm getting softer as I get older.

 

[warrington]

You should have charged the customer, not your fault. It is up to customer then to sort with the builder.

 

[Howsie]

Chargeable every day of the week and weekend.

 

[SimonG]

Charge, and charge full whack. You've had to put some other idiots work right, you even asked about had they started.

 

[Thoggy]

If charge mate unless there is work being put your way you owe them nothing, you were spending time with your daughter why should you go out for nothing. Times precious money pays bills.

 

[Dannypipe]

Well, I'm back there Monday morning to continue with my bathroom job! So can easily add it to the bill at the end. Probably the easiest way to do it. Just tag it on, and say nothing!! I can't see how they could argue it.

They remarked on how quickly I got there. Well I drove like a bat out of hell, as I knew if the needle was dropping like a stone, that it was a proper leak, and if it was on our work, which is on the 2nd floor then there would be one hell of a mess!

So I think I was so relieved I just sorted it and left. In fairness I cut isolation into the riser up to our work, so at the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't our work as it's all dead.

I thought it might be the PRV. But the boiler is only 2 months old....anyway, sounds like the over whelming opinion is charge em!!

 

[AWheating]

charge the customer, its his problem what the builder thinks. You should be paid for your time, as anybody should expect.

 

[Dannypipe]

Thanks for all the replies by the way.

 

[SimonG]

and don't forget to add on the idiot tax

 

[tom609]

Charge it's not your fault , it's the weekend it's your time

i agree charge them and tell them to pass it on to the incompetants good job it wasnt upstairs like a joiner did on a job of mine trv opened in cold weather brought kitchen ceiling down

 

[Dannypipe]

Yes, bit annoyed that they didn't even know the other builders had started.

They said to me as I left, it's hard for us as we now have two firms to manage. Please can I let the other firm know that I'll be running a new soil run. (I allready had informed them).

Some people, what planet are they on!! The funny thing was, not only had the other builder started, but he'd completely removed all the internal walls at the back of the house. Closed off by a door, but still how can you miss that!!?

 

[Dannypipe]

Idiot tax!! Like it.

Yep, it's pretty obvious that these guys are builders not plumbers. They are lucky they haven't started on the room above, which actually is over the kitchen.

 

[Dannypipe]

Cheers chaps, you're all top fellas and yes I'm gonna charge em!!

Charge like a wounded Rhino.

 

[vern]

Deffo charge pal, add 2 pots of inhibitor to the bill too, because guess who they will ring years down the line if the water goes crappy!

 

[Nostrum]

If they blatantly lied to you on the phone then charge the feckers a call out plus 2 new front tyres for smoking the old ones up as you left your house.

 

[turnpin]

Have to go with concensus charge customer and let them take it up with builder as they would charge you if your leak wrecked thier plasterboards etc regards turnpin:19:

 

[Rickster123]

If Pamela Anderson called me out on a Saturday evening with a moist patch I'd still blooming charge! Don't go soft. The extention could lead to countless problems like this. Start as you mean to go on.

 

[tom609]

If Pamela Anderson called me out on a Saturday evening with a moist patch I'd still blooming charge! Don't go soft. The extention could lead to countless problems like this. Start as you mean to go on.

is the moist patch on the plasterboard or the carpet it gives me a clue as to the leak ha ha

 

[Rickster123]

is the moist patch on the plasterboard or the carpet it gives me a clue as to the leak ha ha

Its in the rug.....

 

[tom609]

doesnt look like the person to have a rug

 

[tom609]

i know its off thread but were luton sposered by nic eic maybe the plumbers forum next time ha ha

 

[Rickster123]

i know its off thread but were luton sposered by nic eic maybe the plumbers forum next time ha ha

How can you go from Pamela Anderson to Luton town?!

 

[tom609]

football cup football is what dreams are made of ha ha

 

[MrMeek]

The way I see it if any work carried out by yourself that is faulty should be fixed free of charge, if its not your fault charge them!

 

[tom609]

The way I see it if any work carried out by yourself that is faulty should be fixed free of charge, if its not your fault charge them!

ha ha forgot what the origonal thread was you are right mr meek

 

[on31ll]

Id be more ****ed off the blatently lied to you ! They knew the builders had started they just want to blame you. !

 

[on31ll]

Sorry just realise i said p155ed

 

[Dotty]

Sorry just realise i said p155ed

It has been noted. You'll be the first against the wall come the revolution!

 

[Dannypipe]

I actually think they didn't realise the other builders had started, but it's no excuse. All they had to do was go out the door behind their kitchen and they would have seen it had been started.

I'm 100% going to charge. Not going to stick the knife in though, but I am going to charge. As you have all said, it wasn't my fault, it was in my free time, and they were all moody on the phone until they realised it wasn't my cock up. So I will be tagging a call out on the final invoice.

Many thanks to everyone for the replies.

 

[Kimou]

It has been noted. You'll be the first against the wall come the revolution!

Yes those that p155 should be against the wall. Mother Red's manifesto stipulates it to be. Comrade Uri Natesky is in the firing squad leading the revolutionaries.