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Fitting 5 full systems a week, hard graft but good money!

5 full systems a week! fair play to you my man, i take 5 days to do one full system in a week on my own :D
 
Sorry to black cat but i was in a team of 3 who managewd 10 in one week , was done in at the end of it tho but crazy dosh !
 
Seem to be having a problem with that trade uk uploading my quals ,,,,annoying as can see guys local to me that are charlatans already there ,,,,,harumph !!!
 
Prices are definitely tumbling. Public are taking the mickey but why not as everything is cheap or free. Fit one tap get one free. That's the mentality out there. The trade websites don't help either as they sell on getting the lowest price.
 
Customers will take the micky if you let them,always will
We notice it more when things are quite maybe and are more likely to let them as do not want to loose the work
Know it is easier said than done but try not to drop your prices to drastically to get the work,odds are you may get it anyway,if you are not willing to take that risk,you will end up working for pea nuts

imho
 
tbh im fed up of the whole waiting around game "waiting for someone to ring with a job".cant do anything else,ive advertised ,leaflet drops ,enquired about subbing etc ,dont want to pack it in but having no work has made the decision for me .im gonna apply for a postman vacancy me thinks :)
 
got to agree with most of you guys i've been on my own since 70's, never known it this bad.
even the crapola jobs no one wants have dried up
priced a w/b28 swap all the trimmings i was nearly a grand dearer than bg!
anyway tough it out and remember how long it takes to make a good tradesman.
bri.
 
Customers will take the micky if you let them,always will
We notice it more when things are quite maybe and are more likely to let them as do not want to loose the work
Know it is easier said than done but try not to drop your prices to drastically to get the work,odds are you may get it anyway,if you are not willing to take that risk,you will end up working for pea nuts

imho

having priced 5 jobs and not getting one, as made me contemplate my pricing, i know i'm not a million miles away and i'm definitely not dear,went to price one today full bathroom old out, new in and a bit of tiling around the bath,i know if the price is right the jobs mine,but got a feeling she's going to get a shock,do i have the courage to stick to my guns, or do i do it for a weeks wage,( without running costs),just to get the job.
 
having priced 5 jobs and not getting one, as made me contemplate my pricing, i know i'm not a million miles away and i'm definitely not dear,went to price one today full bathroom old out, new in and a bit of tiling around the bath,i know if the price is right the jobs mine,but got a feeling she's going to get a shock,do i have the courage to stick to my guns, or do i do it for a weeks wage,( without running costs),just to get the job.

Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.
 
Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.

out of interest how much would you charge to plumb a washing machine in, you've got the cold mains,so you need,w/mc tap, the waste kit and to core1"1/4 to drain,by the way it's on a out side wall and drain is directly opposite w/mc
 
out of interest how much would you charge to plumb a washing machine in, you've got the cold mains,so you need,w/mc tap, the waste kit and to core1"1/4 to drain,by the way it's on a out side wall and drain is directly opposite w/mc

Upwards from ÂŁ80, depends on wall construction.
 
Whichever way you go it'll probably be wrong. It'll either be "how much!" if you stick to your guns or the good old "I thought it would be a lot more expensive" if you short change yourself.

Was going to ask you what you where thinking but its open forum.

if i said to you i'll do it for ÂŁ500, over five days, labour only,what would you say.!!!
 
if i said to you i'll do it for ÂŁ500, over five days, labour only,what would you say.!!!

For a straight out and in, I'd be looking at a day to strip and fit, with maybe an hours pre visit the evening before to put taps on, fit wastes and put the cistern together. Might run into day 2 finishing off, then complete tiling and return for an hour day 3 to grout. I'd throw in new basin waste, bath waste, pan connector and isolation valves to taps and wc, adhesive and grout (only use my own adhesives and grouts). That would be about the ÂŁ500 mark, give or take, for square metreage of tiling and size of tile. Would be more expensive if new suite from B&Q, Homebase etc.
 
i quoted ÂŁ100,punter said he got a quote for ÂŁ40.!!!

I would have laughed and walked away! Was probably looking to haggle. I never believe what a customer tells me, not calling them liars, just economical with the truth.
 
Bloke looking for quotes on Sheffield forum for a new boiler. He just posted that "the best quote for boiler supply and fit is ÂŁ850, can anyone beat that" Hope he like what he gets for that price..... Thinkin Ravenheat!
 
i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol
 
i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

Can't help on that one, I don't touch gas. If its just based on connecting a copper pipe and two visits I'd be looking for around the ÂŁ100. I don't get any work off of joiners (except when they've done it themselves and made a horlicks of it and had to go and fix) but if its the customer maybe do some sort of deal, but, will you get next years service if its not been done in 3 years? All to be chucked into the equation.
 
simon you dont do gas are you intending to ?

Thats a definite no. Quite rural round here, quite a few gas guys, couple of really good ones and then the ones who should have their tools taken off em. Do oil, all the wet stuff, tiling, unvented and wanting to move into renewables (MCS willing :) )
 
i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol


I had a similar job to do for a local builer, kichen guy fluffed up the worktop so he just wanted me to disconnected sink and hob the go back and reconnect, quoted him 1hr to disconnect and 1hr to reconnect (ÂŁ90 all up) haven't heard back from him :confused:
 
well I finished the job today, had to use some materials so materials probably came to about ÂŁ15 max and I charged ÂŁ90, 2 visits at around 4 hours all in(alot of rsing about trying to turn off water) If I charged my normal rate it would of been dearer
 
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im in stoke mate and the past month has been very quiet tomany trades in this area

ant
 
any on from post code GL65 in here ? much work around ? what a lovely villages round there , thinking to immigrate again :) and the wife loves it too !
 
I have worked in the GL postcode when I worked in social housing. What where you doing round that way?
 
day out with wife ,did not see any social housing staff ! had a wonderful lunch in a pub called greedy goose

lovely area to honest GL65 I am talking about ,was in art gallery two couples bout some art 5k a each

so must be a lot of rich round there
 
I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!
 
read my other post some one willing to pay me to train him and he is dooing a portfolio for gas
 
Well thats just ridiculous , are these people aware that there are other trades and not just plumbing / heating . I have been plumbing for a number of years and erned last year what i was earning 12 years ago . Training centers will never admit that plumbing is struggling as market is flooded as it will effect there profits . A friend of mine left a 26,000 p/a job to become a plumber now he is in debt and always looking for work ,,,,,,stupidity and gullible !
 
I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!

Spot on! I think the work is still out there but theres just more people taking a piece of it and there is just not enough to go round. I can't for the life of me see the fascination that these people have with our trade, its not like its a 9-5 job. I think if they came out with a bloke for a few weeks before signing up to these courses then they may have a change of heart. they would soon see that there is alot of working weekends and evenings and see how dirty the job can be at times, and get them lugging big rads down 10 flights of stairs because the lift don't work. let them see how rsey customers can be and how much rubbish you have to put up with. I think they would soon change their mind and try plastering etc etc.

The problem is the training centres though, they will always take people money and promise them 50k per year once qualified and tell them they will be finsihed by 2 everyday and have the life of a preiership footballer. But this will never change, as long as there are people willing to part with cash then the training centres will gladly take it and fill their heads with false hopes and dreams.
 
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When I did my A.C.S. there were blokes that didn't have an ounce of practical knowledge and were expecting to be able to fit full systems by the end of the course (Paid for by govt!). When the instructor explained that it was a gas safety course and not a plumbing and heating course, 2 of em didn't bother turning up after day 2. Can't understand why they don't have some sort of minimum requirement for practical ability. Spent half an hour with a bloke showing him how to solder a joint and it just weren't sinking in that it doesn't have to glow red to get it to run! The solder was bouncing all over so I just let him get on with it........He passed God help us!!
 
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