Hiring a plumber

[Agile]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a pop at anyone in particular. It is just a general observation as I work for a company that services industrial catering equipment, and even our senior engineers don't earn that amount per day !

Its not relevant what your engineers earn!

Now how much does your company charge its customers ???

As a guide a plumbing firm used to charge £900 per day for the services of one of the regular posters on here ( so he tells us! ) But I doubt he was paid that much!

Tony

 

[Malc C]

Tony, I expect that they charge something similar, especially of working in major cities. And Nixt, yes you are right there is a lot more to employing someone than just paying their salary. But the average one man band has a lot less to worry about and at £500 a day can I see why my local pub always has a stack of "tradesman" vans parked out side it at 3 pm most days

Don't get me wrong guys, if the skilled tradesman here feel that they are worth £500 or more a day then fair doo's - and I apreciate that behind that is all the training, courses and constant re-training to keep up to everchanging legal requirements. But, IMO they often price themselves out of the market. But then again, if they are getting £2K - £5K per week I guess they can be choosy as to when and where they want to work.

 

[tryitandsee]

Supply and demand.

A Solicitor banged off a standard letter for me the other day straight from Microsoft Word, £100+vat. A rather nice merc parked in the car park. I wonder why.

What's the problem with any tradesman earning £500 to £600 a day. Some of these guys are incredibly skilled, with years of experience. They knock out a central heating system in 2 days at a push. Thats what you pay for, or would you prefer them to take longer for the same price.

 

[Nige F]

I see it as more analagous to a car dealer servicing a car. If I chose to import my car from a European dealer because it was cheaper would the UK dealer then refuse to service it (at a cost)? damn right they wouldn't.

I think the issue is that plumbers are pricing themselves out of jobs. NEVER I was quoted from just under £2000 to £2500 from three plumbers to remove the old rads and pipework and install 5 new ones and move two others. The price for the parts (quinn rads and all the copper pipe and fittings etc) came to just under £650 when I enquired at a local merchant. Now if we all assume that these guys would be getting a discount from the supplier on parts this would mean the labour would be between £1500 - £2000 for the estimated three days it would take - IMO £500 - £650 per day is a bit steep for a day rate !

Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a pop at anyone in particular. I am though.......the ££££loving Corgi ACS= All Cash Sorted

 

[Nige F]

Supply and demand.

A Solicitor banged off a standard letter for me the other day straight from Microsoft Word, £100+vat. A rather nice merc parked in the car park. I wonder why.

What's the problem with any tradesman earning £500 to £600 a day. Some of these guys are incredibly skilled, with years of experience. That counts for nothing They knock out a central heating system in 2 days at a push. Good for them Thats what you pay for, or would you prefer them to take longer for the same price.

NO, you pay for their Corgi "training" and their use of it to charge WTF they like ...

 

[D_Hailsham]

I am curious why plumbers and heating engineers are reluctant to give priced quotations. Some even take the attitude: "it's none of your business, guv".

If I take my car into the garage for a service or repair I know exactly what I will be charged for parts and labour; and if they find anything else wrong they will phone me up and tell me what the extra cost will be. If I ask for a breakdown of parts and labour I am told; I don't get fobbed of with "mind your own business" (politely) or "it's an inclusive price guv".

In the commercial contracting world, such as building office blocks etc, everything is fully costed and detailed. The idea of blanket costs are unheard of. How do I know? Well my father worked for a large London building contractor, one brother was an architect and the other a quantity surveyor.

And, as for charging for estimates and quotations, what nonsense! My architect brother's firm were often in contest with others for the contract to design a new office block or headquarters for a client. It would cost them thousands; a model could cost £40k. If they lost, the cost of competing came out of their own pocket. It was all part of the commercial world: you win some and you loose some.

 

[Malc C]

A Solicitor banged off a standard letter for me the other day straight from Microsoft Word, £100+vat. A rather nice merc parked in the car park. I wonder why.

What's the problem with any tradesman earning £500 to £600 a day. Some of these guys are incredibly skilled, with years of experience.

Sounds like you are equating a plumber in the same class as a solicitor... and I think most people would expect high bills from a solicitor given the training and education that most solicitors go through.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

A Solicitor banged off a standard letter for me the other day straight from Microsoft Word, £100+vat. A rather nice merc parked in the car park. I wonder why.

What's the problem with any tradesman earning £500 to £600 a day. Some of these guys are incredibly skilled, with years of experience.

Sounds like you are equating a plumber in the same class as a solicitor... and I think most people would expect high bills from a solicitor given the training and education that most solicitors go through.

you will as well wen ya need a plumber, or shall i say a corgi registered installer to do the wok for ya or repair ya heating system wen ya without!