Private Work

[jaydebruyne]

So I've just been to diagnose my first private job, I told the lady that I charge a fallout of £45 but will only charge it if I get the job.

She agreed.

How does everyone else do call out charges? If you charge a callout but they go with another company do you send them an invoice for just a callout fee?

Cheers

 

[ShaunCorbs]

what was if for ?? and normally if i get the job no call out within reason but if i dont and i have given advice/time on it then call out fee is sent

 

[hammers4spanner]

Define the term callout first because what you think it means the customer will think different

 

[jaydebruyne]

Define the term callout first because what you think it means the customer will think different

I thought it was an amount to charge just for attending to diagnose... :/ or if something can be fixed there and then.

No??

 

[jaydebruyne]

what was if for ?? and normally if i get the job no call out within reason but if i dont and i have given advice/time on it then call out fee is sent

To trace a leak into property below, diagnose leaking taps and to have a look at her shower pump.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

To trace a leak into property below, diagnose leaking taps and to have a look at her shower pump.

sounds about right but instead of call out put the above

 

[rocketmanbkk]

If I get a sniff of time waster I charge call out fee, if I can fix there & then I'll do it. If it's a give me a price then I'll quote & leave.

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

I only use call out on diagnosis and I'll charge there and then for it. No point sending an invoice as they'll only laugh and bin it.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I only use call out on diagnosis and I'll charge there and then for it. No point sending an invoice as they'll only laugh and bin it.

Agreed

 

[WaterTight]

A lot of customers don't even know what they mean by a call out charge when they ask if you have one. They just know it's something that means they may have to spend money without the problem being fixed.

I answer no charge unless work is done. I don't include shining a torch under a sink, peeking in a loft or popping an easy to remove bath panel on or off as work. Some guys do.

 

[oz-plumber]

So I've just been to diagnose my first private job, I told the lady that I charge a fallout of £45 but will only charge it if I get the job.

She agreed.

How does everyone else do call out charges? If you charge a callout but they go with another company do you send them an invoice for just a callout fee?

Cheers

Have some more faith in yourself.

What you could say is:

' I charge a £45 call out fee. If I can fix the problem on the spot I will.
If the works involve more that a simple repair - (eg. boiler replacement ) I will deduct the service call off the invoice for the boiler replacement'

That's how I do it anyway.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Another way to do it is make it up as you go along , i do that as well

 

[jaydebruyne]

Another way to do it is make it up as you go along , i do that as well

Sounds good to me

 

[Best]

If its anything that helps the customer- they should be paying for it!
If it is just an estimate, then free.
Exceptions are decent local people, or very good customers that have been good to you in the past.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

and don't forget, if you diagnose but not fix on the first visit don't tell them or when you call to arrange a re visit you may find the job has already been done

 

[stevetheplumber]

anything that needs diagnosing or tracing a leak is hourly rate i only do estimates for boilers system and refits anything else its hourly rate with a guestimate on the phone, waste of time estimating for a basin change or toilet not flushing unless its on route or very close to home
when i first strarted i had a bloke got me out to look at three jobs told him what was wrong and never got the jobs

 

[Leo21]

T

A lot of customers don't even know what they mean by a call out charge when they ask if you have one. They just know it's something that means they may have to spend money without the problem being fixed.

I answer no charge unless work is done. I don't include shining a torch under a sink, peeking in a loft or popping an easy to remove bath panel on or off as work. Some guys do.

I consider wearing work clothes and driving my vehicle to a place of work. Work. The only reason I do free heating quote is that I can't get away with charging for them.
I charge £45 for the first half hour, if it can be fixed within half an hour no extra charge. If I'm stumped (it happens) no charge.
I'm not gong into someone's house to tell them what's wrong with something for free!

 

[quality]

I will quote most jobs for free but if I`m going to look at something that's broken or problematic then it £50.00 to get in the van for new customers if not then I wont bother. If its one of my customers it will be free as I know I will get the job the only exception is pensioners but you cant tell that on the phone but for some reason most of them tell you lol.

 

[jaydebruyne]

I will quote most jobs for free but if I`m going to look at something that's broken or problematic then it £50.00 to get in the van for new customers if not then I wont bother. If its one of my customers it will be free as I know I will get the job the only exception is pensioners but you cant tell that on the phone but for some reason most of them tell you lol.

And do you collection the £50 at the time or invoice them?

Sorry I've not done private work before so asking lots of dumb questions

 

[rpm]

and do you collection the £50 at the time or invoice them?

Sorry i've not done private work before so asking lots of dumb questions

at the time !

 

[quality]

For new customers at time but I follow up with an invoice

 

[Leo21]

Always payment on completion. I tell them as well.

 

[jaydebruyne]

Ok, so obviously you tell the custard all of this on the phone before you even go there?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

Ok, so obviously you tell the custard all of this on the phone before you even go there?

ideally yes

 

[oz-plumber]

Ok, so obviously you tell the custard all of this on the phone before you even go there?

Jay,

If you employed someone, would you offer to send them out to a customers house at your expense, to look at what needs repairing on a job.

Work out what it costs you to send and employee out to do minor repairs and charge that rate out for yourself as a minimum.
When you work it out, you may be shocked what you have to charge to make the equivalent hourly rate as an employee on wages.

 

[newcastle phill]

Some of the time ive had people asking if i do free callout they get you there and then you never hear from them again.
Now i sort of interogate them when they call to clarify that if i can fix it whether its there or then or next day etc if they want will it doing. I press them.
I make it clear there will be a charge but the repair reduced once complete.


I had a run of pi$$ takers who milked my knowledge and wasted my diesel on the 'free callout but err ill think about it' diy'ers.
Now id rather be sat on my harris playing with my phone than doing free callouts on a whim.

 

[quality]

i put a post on here a few years back when I went to look at a boiler (on my way home) which I could see was obliviously a diy install. long story short I said it needed a PCB which it didn't as it was the APS. He insisted that he would get the part then would call me to fit it. 2 days later the cheeky swine called and said that he had fitted the new PCB and the boiler was the same to which I replied it will be because its not the PCB. Ive spent so many ££££ on a new PCB for nothing he shouted down the phone I replied yes hes then told me I was a C**T I replied calmly no C**T your the C**T I still remember it vividly lol

 

[jaydebruyne]

So just an update and some feedback if poss..

The works intended are:

Cut out section of floorboards and replace twin shower pump

Resealed bath silicone seal

Fit new cartridges to wall mounted basin tap

Regrout tiles in shower/bath area

Including parts and labour I'm quoting £688.80.

Is that reasonable? Am I undercharging?

I've worked out maybe 4 hours work & £60 an hour, parts at £448 (inc my markup).

???

 

[rpm]

You can do that in 4hrs? Does that include removing the old grout?

 

[jaydebruyne]

You can do that in 4hrs? Does that include removing the old grout?

If all goes to plan.. Possibly may take longer but the basin taps and reseal won't take long, the pump may be a bit of a bugger and the grout removal with a multi tool won't take that long.. Maybe 4-6 hours depending on how it goes.

 

[rpm]

So you could already be 2hrs down then. Not nit picking but know my jobs always take longer than my estimate mate.

 

[jaydebruyne]

So you could already be 2hrs down then. Not nit picking but know my jobs always take longer than my estimate mate.

Yeah very true... She's had a quote from another firm for just the pump and taps at £800.. Maybe I'll quote for 6 hours..

I need to get some confidence lol

 

[Atouchofgas]

Always over estimate, then if you do it quicker you can reduce the price and the cust will think your great

 

[rpm]

Always over estimate, then if you do it quicker you can reduce the price and the cust will think your great

Agree ^
Man I can spend ages "tidying up" as long the customers not watching. lol

 

[jaydebruyne]

Agree ^
Man I can spend ages "tidying up" as long the customers not watching. lol

Haha I hear ya!!!