When customers insist they want a quote for a small job

[Millsy 82]

What do you say to them? I've just had someone that want a radiator installing in an annexe and would like me to go round and give them a price and size the radiator for them to order!

I said it's not something I normally go out to to price and you would be looking half a day plus parts.

He was then going on about not wanting to order the wrong rad etc

What do you do? I said I will go round and size it and charge him an hour and he said can I pay you once its complete?

Do you go out and price small jobs like this or what do you say?

 

[Welder]

What do you say to them? I've just had someone that want a radiator installing in an annexe and would like me to go round and give them a price and size the radiator for them to order!

I said it's not something I normally go out to to price and you would be looking half a day plus parts.

He was then going on about not wanting to order the wrong rad etc

What do you do? I said I will go round and size it and charge him an hour and he said can I pay you once its complete?

Do you go out and price small jobs like this or what do you say?

Tell him you want paying for the visit & use of your expertise but you'll knock if off the job if you get it. Then up the job price by an hour. That way no losers.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I smell fishy get you to go out measure the rads and never call you again

 

[Millsy 82]

Tell him you want paying for the visit & use of your expertise but you'll knock if off the job if you get it. Then up the job price by an hour. That way no losers.

Pretty much what I said.

 

[Millsy 82]

I smell fishy get you to go out measure the rads and never call you again

That's what I've had. If I put the time of the quote on the job then I'm too expensive but they have the size of the rad.

At the moment though I've gone dead. All I seem to be getting is jokers! Bring on the winter.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

That's what I've had. If I put the time of the quote on the job then I'm too expensive but they have the size of the rad.

At the moment though I've gone dead. All I seem to be getting is jokers! Bring on the winter.

I’ve stopped listing sizes of rads on any paperwork I do just say double panel etc

 

[rpm]

I’ve stopped listing sizes of rads on any paperwork I do just say double panel etc

What if they insist on buying the radiators as in this case

 

[ShaunCorbs]

What if they insist on buying the radiators as in this case

take a deposit first

 

[Millsy 82]

I’ve stopped listing sizes of rads on any paperwork I do just say double panel etc

I've never given sizes always put that the radiator sizes are calculated to the rooms requirements.

 

[mfgs]

If local I don't mind stopping by on my way home or before first job etc to take a look at the job. I wouldn't be handing over the heat loss calculation details to a customer until the job is guaranteed.

 

[Ben-gee]

Ask him to give the room measurements over the phone - then you can size it from that, saves a trip and only takes a few minutes.

 

[Scott_D]

Its akward and lots of time can be wasted so the customer can save a few pounds

 

[hammers4spanner]

I always say i want 100 quid to do it then plus materials on top of that.

 

[Millsy 82]

Ask him to give the room measurements over the phone - then you can size it from that, saves a trip and only takes a few minutes.

Tried that still insisted on coming round so I said ok but I will have to charge you.

 

[Millsy 82]

I always say i want 100 quid to do it then plus materials on top of that.

100 quid? Cool when can you do it?

 

[Scott_D]

I was going to do a quote tonight
Boiler service
Remove fire
Chase some pipes into the wall

Message earlier -someone else has now done the gas bits, can I just quote to chase the pipes in?
I didnt go as traffic was bad

 

[Best]

I was told legally you cannot charge for doing the heat output calculations.
You can charge for callout though

 

[Best]

I was going to do a quote tonight
Boiler service
Remove fire
Chase some pipes into the wall

Message earlier -someone else has now done the gas bits, can I just quote to chase the pipes in?
I didnt go as traffic was bad

Surprised they didn’t message you to say someone else has done everything except unblock and clean the toilet and could you do it?

 

[Scott_D]

Surprised they didn’t message you to say someone else has done everything except unblock and clean the toilet and could you do it?

rather that than chase the walls

 

[Best]

rather that than chase the walls

I have had that happen to me, as am sure we all have.
Funny how we are forgotten about for the good jobs and suddenly we are remembered when it all goes wrong, or a sewer gets blocked.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I was told legally you cannot charge for doing the heat output calculations.
You can charge for callout though

You can as there’s companies that do this and charge you

 

[Best]

You can as there’s companies that do this and charge you

I know it is strange. From what I am also told is that information that is available to anyone, such as heat loss calculations, is not chargeable.
I see that as wrong because if a customer asks you for calculations, they should pay for it.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I know it is strange. From what I am also told is that information that is available to anyone, such as heat loss calculations, is not chargeable.
I see that as wrong because if a customer asks you for calculations, they should pay for it.

What happens if you don’t use a free system then loop hole

 

[Welder]

I was told legally you cannot charge for doing the heat output calculations.
You can charge for callout though

Doesn't make sense. You are using your skills & experience so 100% can charge.

 

[Scott_D]

Virtually all information is available for free online

 

[Ben-gee]

And some of it is even correct, if you’re lucky!

 

[Scott_D]

If he wants you to size a rad, you will be held responsible if it’s undersized.

 

[firemant]

What do you actually expect the punter to do? Give you a blank cheque?

If you won’t give prices, are you surprised that you are short of work?

 

[Millsy 82]

What do you actually expect the punter to do? Give you a blank cheque?

If you won’t give prices, are you surprised that you are short of work?

Do you go out and quote for a tap washer? Do you go out and give a quote for half a day job?

I've always given an estimate of time and a rough idea of price for small jobs. I bet people that work in Tesco's get paid for pricing up but we should give up our free time to quote for something that we cannot hide the cost of your time going out.

 

[Ben-gee]

In the old days customers had to pay for a quote.

At least that was an honest reflection of time involved - I’m pretty sure it curbed those “ I’ll just get another quote, seven doesn’t seem enough” customers.

I have actually been asked to quote for work that the customer had already awarded to someone else “just to check it was a good deal”.
Luckily I ascertained this during the phone call and declined to go out - they had a start date the following week, so there was no chance - I did say “ well obviously I’d need a proper look but it should come in at about £3500”, for at least £5000 worth of work, just before I put the phone down.

 

[firemant]

Fair enough, to a point. So you visit the punters on the agreed day and time to fit a rad. You THEN measure up and do calculation and go to merchants? Then return and fit?

If you are not getting enough work, then you Are doing something, if not wrong, against the general practice in your area. I would say most guys DO quite for half day jobs, if materials are involved and that job is reasonably predictable.
I have never gone out to quote for repairs, but always explain HOW I charge.

 

[Millsy 82]

I did say “ well obviously I’d need a proper look but it should come in at about £3500”, for at least £5000 worth of work, just before I put the phone down.

I can just imagine the phone call to the other plumber.

 

[Ben-gee]

I agree that most customers want some idea of price especially if they haven’t used you before, and that’s fair enough.

Should be able to tell them on phone a rough idea subject to all being as one would expect, maybe tell them hourly rate too.
When you get there it should be obvious fairly quickly if something is amiss and you just need to point that out early doors and revise estimate before you get too far in - at this stage if you can slightly overdo the possible outcomes and then come in £30 less than you said you will find all is well and often they become your customer.

 

[Millsy 82]

Fair enough, to a point. So you visit the punters on the agreed day and time to fit a rad. You THEN measure up and do calculation and go to merchants? Then return and fit?

If you are not getting enough work, then you Are doing something, if not wrong, against the general practice in your area. I would say most guys DO quite for half day jobs, if materials are involved and that job is reasonably predictable.
I have never gone out to quote for repairs, but always explain HOW I charge.

I'm sure most plumbers have quite a few lengths of 15mm on the van and if the customer is supplying the radiator and even when I go round to measure up for them they dont listen when I say 1 radiator will not do the whole annexe as you will struggle to get a radiator 1mtr wide to do 4kw. I then spoke to the manufacturers and got the closest to the output as possible the customer says no I dont want one that size.

Even if you are supplying a radiator ask the customer to have a quick measure up for you as it will save them x amount and they will all be like yes i will do that now for you. Then you can take the correct radiator with you.

 

[firemant]

At the end if the day, we all find our methods. I took the professional approach - gave best advice, quoted accordingly and most punters saw I was honest and got most jobs I quoted for. I earned a good living, had very few arguments and even fewer bad debts.

(If you fit a well undersized rad, even if client supplied, without pointing out the problem - your rep will inevitably suffer by the end of the upcoming winter.)

Or you can sit at home worrying that punters are taking the pis$, and wondering where my next job is coming from.

All in my opinion, obviously