Would you charge?

[spikewt]

If you fitted a bathroom suit 10 months ago, a wickes budget suit bought by the customer, and the tap inner became stuck closed, would you charge to repair it?

 

[lame plumber]

of course you would!

 

[Kyle87]

If you fitted a bathroom suit 10 months ago, a wickes budget suit bought by the customer, and the tap inner became stuck closed, would you charge to repair it?

If you supplied it then maybe. If customer supplied it then its their rubbish

 

[Rickster123]

If you fitted a bathroom suit 10 months ago, a wickes budget suit bought by the customer, and the tap inner became stuck closed, would you charge to repair it?

If the customer supplied materials? Yep! Every single time!

 

[Crinkmeister]

I would expect to be charged in that situation.

Except a) I would have fitted my own and 2) Would have bought a proper suite from merchants!

 

[helpsy]

Chargeable if you didn't supply items.

 

[tamz]

Of course you'd charge them unless you are running a charity or have mug stamped on your head.
They supply the materials their problem.

 

[Killy Bing]

did you supply the material? No
who purchased it? The customer!
is it your responsibility to guarantee a material that you did not source? Nopeee

charge!

 

[REDSAW]

that customer supplied came from your profit/markup which you add incase of call back=no profit so charge as normal

 

[Masood]

Yep! That goes also for stuff I bought that the custard insisted on against my wishes.

Currently dealing with the second faulty Drayton MiTime programmer at the same house. I told customer they were brand new on the market, unproven reliability. He wanted that and no other. He's paying for my time spent in sorting it out.

 

[plumber0808]

If they were good customers and they paid for anything needed to repair it and it didn't take long I would do it for nothing.

I know most wouldn't do it for nothing. Hopefully they would then pass on my name to others as word of mouth is my main way of building up customers.

 

[spikewt]

Thanks all for that. The customer got into quite a heated argument at me when I said £20. I tried to explain that he bought the gear, so its not my fault the tap broke but then his misses piped up so I gave in and left. Lesson learnt. I'll book in for my MUG tattoo tomorrow.

 

[Resolute]

Thanks all for that. The customer got into quite a heated argument at me when I said £20. I tried to explain that he bought the gear, so its not my fault the tap broke but then his misses piped up so I gave in and left. Lesson learnt. I'll book in for my MUG tattoo tomorrow.

£20 was too cheap! Should've charged double that!

 

[Reltub]

If they were half decent people they would of paid you and appreciated that you shouldn't have to go out your way to repair THEIR cheap bathroom for free.
Some people make me sick.

 

[Jimbob]

Yeah should have said '£20 too much?!... Ok then £40.... No!?.... Ok £60!'. Can't beat a bit of backward haggling. Breaks the ice nicely

 

[Kev the gas]

A piece of advice, they supplied the equipment.

If the water connection leaked and was your fault and yes a freebie.

If THEIR EQUIPMENT fails it is not you are not legally obliged to fix it.

Good will yes but not if they get Arsey !!

 

[IND_Nick]

As always I think it depends on the customer. If they were easy to work with and you think there is plenty of work and recommendations I wouldn't charge. If they were the opposite and from the sounds of it a nightmare I would explain a call out charge before heading round.

 

[Crinkmeister]

I think 20 quid was a bargain, especially as they supplied the tap!

 

[tamz]

Thanks all for that. The customer got into quite a heated argument at me when I said £20. I tried to explain that he bought the gear, so its not my fault the tap broke but then his misses piped up so I gave in and left. Lesson learnt. I'll book in for my MUG tattoo tomorrow.

I would tell him to..........well i'd better not say more than off :smile

 

[spikewt]

Yes I guess I should have explained I was goin to charge. Iv only done that one job for them but as I dont advertise, word of mouth is essential so I thort I was best to cut my losses. Its good to see I wasnt totally in the wrong. All good fun running ya own business!

 

[LPC]

Depends on if they'll need a new boiler in the next few years

 

[JAH HEATING]

I fitted a boiler other week, couple of days after they had water coming through ceiling.

Shot round at 7pm at night, couldn't see any leaks??? Lifted boards up, an old fitting had gone ?? They hadn't had a working boiler for months till I fitted this.

she understood that it was on her old pipework, I couldn't for see that.

went back the next day to cut out an repipe, couple of hours work.

she gave me a twenty pound Scottish note, very impressed

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Some folk are so tight they squeak

 

[gassafe]

Yep! That goes also for stuff I bought that the custard insisted on against my wishes.

Currently dealing with the second faulty Drayton MiTime programmer at the same house. I told customer they were brand new on the market, unproven reliability. He wanted that and no other. He's paying for my time spent in sorting it out.

What happened to Drayton eh! There old 5/2 programmers used to be the best!

new stuff seems to be pretty unreliable these days!

 

[gassafe]

I fitted a boiler other week, couple of days after they had water coming through ceiling.

Shot round at 7pm at night, couldn't see any leaks??? Lifted boards up, an old fitting had gone ?? They hadn't had a working boiler for months till I fitted this.

she understood that it was on her old pipework, I couldn't for see that.

went back the next day to cut out an repipe, couple of hours work.

she gave me a twenty pound Scottish note, very impressed

cheeky beggar... To refill the x100 alone would have been 12 quid! That leaves ya 8 quid labour, minus fuel & tax lol...

 

[joni os]

We have all been caught. Better to explain the supplier needs to meet your costs as well as the defective part. ( If you broke the fitting would the supplier have replaced free of charge).
From the conversation that follows you can assess your chance of payment, and if necessary walk out the door voicing concern and sympathy for THEIR PROBLEMS and your willingness to return once blame has been accepted.

 

[edd789]

Just asked my girlfriend this question, she reckons the plumber shouldn't charge because he done a rubbish job at installing it :banghead:

 

[stevetheplumber]

What happened to Drayton eh! There old 5/2 programmers used to be the best!

new stuff seems to be pretty unreliable these days!

dont think there is a reliable timer on the market anymore honeywell 9000 are total ****e weve got a sackfull in the office to go back

 

[tamz]

The drayton LP's are the same reliable clocks they always were since acl made them.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Yep. LP522 is still our biggest selling hard-wired programmer.

 

[WaterTight]

what did they say? what were their reasons as they explained them that you should fix something they supplied?

unbelievable.

if it was someone i liked / felt sorry for / wanted to help out and was passing / bored / in and out in ten seconds i would consider calling it a tenner to free up the valve. but otherwise minimum charge - £40 for me.

 

[AWheating]

If i do a small job/call back for a customer/person who has the attitude that they want to give me something even if they dont have alot to give then im happy with the fact they appreciate my effort.

If somebody shows no appreciation at all i will want to charge them full rate for being a twonka.

this is always the case with family and friends, i may not except anything but i want them to appreciate my efforts. If they dont they get removed from the xmas card list and univited to my funeral.

 

[armyash]

I can't believe how many threads there are like this. It only seems to be plumbers that I see that have the mickey taken. I'm probably wrong but couldn't imagine mechanics putting up with this rubbish, where I work the majority of work is for a letting agents so I don't see this type of thing. Must be difficult and feel like your stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Barry98]

Every day of he week , if product fails it's manufacturer they need to contact

 

[Best]

If a customer says you should drive to their house & fix their tap for free then i would use whatever job they earn their living to compare the situation to.
For example, - if he is an office worker, I would put it straight back to him that would he spend an hour or two in his job fixing paperwork for NO PAY that someone else produced?

 

[spikewt]

Yea I was trying to think like that at the time. Hes an accountant. As it all happened so fast and he started shoutin I just cut my losses an got out as it didnt seem like they were gonna see it from my side. I thort about sayin if you buy cheap nasty brake pads, take them to a mechanic to fit then go back 6 months later sayin they've worn out, I wonder what how fast they'd be told to off??

 

[Best]

Yea I was trying to think like that at the time. Hes an accountant. As it all happened so fast and he started shoutin I just cut my losses an got out as it didnt seem like they were gonna see it from my side. I thort about sayin if you buy cheap nasty brake pads, take them to a mechanic to fit then go back 6 months later sayin they've worn out, I wonder what how fast they'd be told to f off??

Fact that he is an accountant says it all, - miserable git!
And you only asked him for £20! Did you have far to travel? Even if it was a local job & an easy job, I bet you wasted a lot of time on it?
It is nearly always the people in professional jobs that don't want to pay.
People like that you would be better without.

 

[spikewt]

He was nice as pie until the mention of money then he flipped like a switch. Its not happened to me before and it stessed me out but from the response on here, its good to know I wasnt wrong. Ill stick to my guns when it happens again. if I need to!!

 

[Best]

He was nice as pie until the mention of money then he flipped like a switch. Its not happened to me before and it stessed me out but from the response on here, its good to know I wasnt wrong. Ill stick to my guns when it happens again. if I need to!!

Change your perception of people you work for, even so called friends. I now think this way.Don't trust anyone, always assume that there's a chance you may not get all or some of your money, keep records. But always be pleasant & decent. A lot of people think we are someone for to benefit from.

 

[sheff paul]

If you fitted a bathroom suit 10 months ago, a wickes budget suit bought by the customer, and the tap inner became stuck closed, would you charge to repair it?

damn right mate your name isnt Geldoff

 

[sheff paul]

Change your perception of people you work for, even so called friends. I now think this way.Don't trust anyone, always assume that there's a chance you may not get all or some of your money, keep records. But always be pleasant & decent. A lot of people think we are someone for to benefit from.

This is one of the best advice for young plumbs cutting their teeth