Are you busy !?

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i am back working with the council, Been put back on kitchen and bathrooms which is great cause its all price work, only down side is that i now need to go on 24hour call out, tho is good in money terms 40 jobs just the other week £20 a call £10 a shut and £100 for the week your on just going on it no matter how many calls you get,

Still got my other own business, just doing small jobs at night and big jobs at the weekend, i am busy with my own stuff even looked at getting a other plumber to give me a hand, but the work just now peeks high then peeks low.

My problem now is i get phone calls asking for boiler breakdowns etc and i just cant attend them, and finding a plumber round here that you can trust can be a nightmare,

My jetter that i use is allways busy he travels allround scotland jetting for normal day to day customer right up to big companys, tho i dont fancy getting covered in **** every day

Steven
 
o and i have bought a house so my business will be going on hold slightly
 
smtplumbing said:
i am back working with the council, Been put back on kitchen and bathrooms which is great cause its all price work, only down side is that i now need to go on 24hour call out, tho is good in money terms 40 jobs just the other week £20 a call £10 a shut and £100 for the week your on just going on it no matter how many calls you get,

Still got my other own business, just doing small jobs at night and big jobs at the weekend, i am busy with my own stuff even looked at getting a other plumber to give me a hand, but the work just now peeks high then peeks low.

My problem now is i get phone calls asking for boiler breakdowns etc and i just cant attend them, and finding a plumber round here that you can trust can be a nightmare,

My jetter that i use is allways busy he travels allround scotland jetting for normal day to day customer right up to big companys, tho i dont fancy getting covered in **** every day

Steven
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I wish I had the stomach for drainage. I couldnt do it for any money. I think I'd even pay someone else if mine were blocked!
 
Smt why not let us know where you are based and one of us might be able to help out
 
The week starts well for me. Had a call yesterday to go and price up a job this morning. If I get it, thats possibly 2 days work.
 
Good for you Bobleponge. I had nothing for 2 weeks now. At least doing some training at Baxi this week for 3 days so keeps my mind occupied and not depressed of not being working. :/ damn recession, when this will end?
 
I just seem to be incredibly patchy at the moment I'll have a quiet week then the phone won't stop ringing for another. Give it another month or so and the autumn rush will begin, then we'll be wishing we could get a few hours of peace to catch up!
 
galaxy_plumbing said:
Good for you Bobleponge. I had nothing for 2 weeks now. At least doing some training at Baxi this week for 3 days so keeps my mind occupied and not depressed of not being working. :/ damn recession, when this will end?
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I take it, that's the Baxi Combi appreciation/electrical fault finding course?

Its really good. I did it last year.
 
Baxi ones are £75 each, but you get 10% off when booked online. They do other ones too, like unvented, cpa1, solar.
 
i paid £202.50 together for 3 days, wanted boiler diagnostics too but was booked out
 
i should have been a copper, just plodding and too many 't' breaks.

seem to be spending more than £ coming in?.
 
Same down here in Plymouth area REDSHAW just seam to be paying out everthing i earn nothing left at end of week, will be liveing on road kill soon , lol
 
No work at mo hence thats why Im on here at this time of the morning... I subby and I'm waiting for a new contract starts beginning of July (hopefully) ended unexpectedly. Even looking at doing warehouse work to keep me ticking over for £6.08 per hour for 7.5 hr days no need to break out the calculator for my nett earnings on that!!!.

I graft (like we all do) really hard for the money I saved when busy and hate the fact that its going to drbble away on the quiet times but thats subby work. Swapped over an electric shower and fixed a roof last week for £110.00 whisch I thought was fair but got a lecture from the wife of the customer who wanted a "special price" and gave me the promise of more work..... (how many times have custards tried to get me on that hook) thats why I like contracting.
 
Off topic, but relevant to course question above..... How much is Part P course and how long does it take. I know Bod did it recently, so if you're around let me know Lee mate.
 
I looked into this earlier in the year and one day I might do something about it.

I think, like all things, that the cheaper the course the less you'll learn. I think the one I enquired about was 6 days (4 days defined and another two to obtain full scope) and was £1,200+vat.

Not enough to make you into a full blown electrician but certainly enough for domestic and to change consumer unit on single phase.

Then there's the cost of registration to yet another wallet scrounging body.
 
I've got one of those but only used it once or twice and have now forgotten how it works!
 
and of course they need calibrating every year at x£££s just like gas analysers
 
Do you need a portfolio of evidence or any sort of experience to do the part p?
 
My left hand is busy yeah... seeing more action than my right hand holding my pliers. :willy_nilly:
 
i totally agree this forum should be for plumbers only, NOT for home owners to get good advise and then do it them shelfs, while the people on here sit at home makeing nothing, think alot of people take advantage of this site.
 
marinegmillie said:
i totally agree this forum should be for plumbers only, NOT for home owners to get good advise and then do it them shelfs, while the people on here sit at home makeing nothing, think alot of people take advantage of this site.
Click to expand...
Yep.
Certainly give advise about shelfs but changing a plumbing fixture.......
 
To be honest since gaining my "plumbers arms member" status I don't bother posting advice unless I think it's another tradesman. You don't want to be giving hard earnt info to the public. And iff your in the trade you can't know everything, unless your Monica is mountain man. Who must have a brain the size of a beech ball.
 
Once I arrive at such exalted status I shall be very similar Leo, i've spent a long time learning what I know now, and to give it away for free when I'm struggling for work doesnt seem to make economical sense to me. In the mean time though, when I'm stuck, I shall have to rely on the benevolence of those who are less miserable than I will be.
 
A mate of mine works for a contractor doing housing association bathroom refits, he's just been told that his day rate's being cut from £110 to £70 and when he challenged the boss was told where the door was and to close it after him if he did'nt accept the cut.

So what do you do? He's taken the cut and now does weekend work to make ends meet. His boss has even fitted a tracker to the vans to stop the lads using them out of hours and he no longer pays travelling time (some of the work is over 2 hours from home - so thats a days work - plus 4 hours a day travelling - for £70 day!!). The only overtime he's had since Christmas was a job for a HA director!
 
Wounder if his boss has had is rates cut by HA, can see a big fall off in quality of work, with more call backs, same thing went on in Plymouth and job fell so far behind, think they lost contract
 
I e been quite lucky, my dad was a self employed plumber. When I went self employed I deliberately cultivated private work only. Advertising locally and building a customer base. It's paid of but I'm not always busy. Holiday times are dead. Keep your powder dry and don't drop your prices to much. It's a shame we can't all get together and thrash out a minimum day rate. Or price fixing if you like. Wich ever you prefer.
 
24 yrs in the trade,decided last week to jack it all in,weathered the recession quite well since it started,but had very few enquiries since april,had offers of subby work,agencies,contracting,but hassle of getting paid,travel,and the type of work has put me off.
At 39 with no pension and the prospect of this downturn lasting quite a while,its time to do something else and think of my future,signed up to uni to do a health care access course with a view to working in the nhs in some capacity when i'm done..At least i'll be paid every month,lieu time,holidays,pension,sick pay,nice warm working conditions,staff room,overtime where you get paid,no macho bosses,work mates,free training,sounds like another planet compared to what i've put up with in the building trade...

Earn't some good money plumbing in my time,but once the van goes on wednesday thats me done..Thank goodness.
 
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Sorry to here that missille, :bigcry: but you know what's best, If i was younger would do same but only got 2 years to go. :wheelchair:

Good luck in your new job.
 
missille said:
24 yrs in the trade,decided last week to jack it all in,weathered the recession quite well since it started,but had very few enquiries since april,had offers of subby work,agencies,contracting,but hassle of getting paid,travel,and the type of work has put me off.
At 39 with no pension and the prospect of this downturn lasting quite a while,its time to do something else and think of my future,signed up to uni to do a health care access course with a view to working in the nhs in some capacity when i'm done..At least i'll be paid every month,lieu time,holidays,pension,sick pay,nice warm working conditions,staff room,overtime where you get paid,no macho bosses,work mates,free training,sounds like another planet compared to what i've put up with in the building trade...

Earn't some good money plumbing in my time,but once the van goes on wednesday thats me done..Thank goodness.
Click to expand...
All the best with your new career, your a braver man than I. That takes some real courage. Ps is the van going cheap?
 
Looks like all the work is in the north , does that mean southern plumbers all moving north ? hope so might i might get the work here then, it is slow,i know a lot like me just ticking over. i wonder if Gas Safe will lower thier fees till work picks up mmmm doubt it.just have to carry on until it picks up
 
Must admit i'm the same as missille starting to think of jacking this in after 22 years , to many idiots in this job now ,low rates and has become a rat race for work.Hardly done anything this month probably £400 worth of work thus far which is pathetic for a trade .
Funny as last year had someone wanting to possibly retrain as a plumber so worked with me for three months . After three months he decideed that plumbing was the worst job he ever tried and acxtually said was a mugs game .
Laughed at the time but now think he's right lol
 
petfenn said:
Looks like all the work is in the north , does that mean southern plumbers all moving north ? hope so might i might get the work here then, it is slow,i know a lot like me just ticking over. i wonder if Gas Safe will lower thier fees till work picks up mmmm doubt it.just have to carry on until it picks up
Click to expand...


Gas safe lower prices ,,,, as if !!!
I heard with the phasing out of gas they are going the other way forcing more safety courses in other words money making !!
 
renewed my Gas Safe reg today,not happy about it,had to do CPA course earlier in year because Gas Safe require it now,what's next ?? i wonder how can they squeeze more money from us. next big thing i'm due to do is CCN1 ect another costly outlay,is it worth staying in the trade
 
I have a few mates who retrained as plumbers,every single one of them now hates it and have all left.
The problem with the trade is gas safe,jib,all the training centres,cscs,the new leglislation are all after your cash,every year there are new unhelpful edicts from those who are supposed to be helping the industry,but there not,all they are doing is milking the lads on the tools...Its like the agencies,advertising jobs for ridiculous rates,bosses chopping prices to below union agreed rates,late payers,etc,etc,....
I've no doubt it will pick up,but i just dont have the drive or enthusiasm to start grafting again either now or in 4-5 yrs...

My partner works in the nhs and suggested it,and she's been very supportive,loves her job,so it seems like a sensible choice,plus i'll get to go to uni and ogle all the young women...
 
Personally I hate all the courses as well. But don't think that's the problem. There's just to many idiots at it that think the busier they are the better. Not realising that they started out to make a decent living not chuckle at people they've managed to under cut. It's not big and it's definitely not clever.
 
Hey work depends on your clients and willingnes to get people booked up in advance, just part of the business skillsset needed for a good plumber
 
People will only wait if you've been highly recommended or are seriously cheap.
 
Alright lads. I havn't logged on for a while.
Sad to see things are grim out there in plumber land :sad:

I've just skimmed through this thread and one thing that pops
up a few times is the free advice we give, therefore possibly
taking a job off one of our own fellow tradesmen.

Now I dont think this website is responsible for our lack of earnings
but I do think steps should be taken so that ......er......
Blah blah blah..... you get my drift!
:behead:
 
Blah blah blah....yeah I do. Less advice to joe public!! LOL.

I think this thread has become the most depressing one in a long time. I'm changing my name to Suicidal Sid. (From The Viz).
 
What do you expect from an are you busy thread in a double dip recession? Not sure what double dip means though.
 
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