How to avoid a bad plumber

[DavidSWP]

I'd suggest this as a pinned thread

1. The plumber asks you what you think the problem is. WARNING SIGN. I have several examples from personal experience, so I will give just one. Boiler not working, plumber turns up, has a rummage round and then asks you what you think the problem is. Maybe you did some research on your boiler and found the fan failed often on your boiler type, so you suggest 'maybe its the fan'. The plumber will suggest changing the fan. Your contract is now (in his eyes) for him to change the fan. He changes the fan, boiler still doesn't work. Big arguments ensue. You just asked him to fix the boiler. This is absolutely typical of plumbers no matter what the task.

2. They turn up and don't do a full site survey. Make sure they put in writing what you are paying for in as much detail as necessary. Don't rely on verbal communication. Most plumbers will reject the job if you insist on anything written. So you are stuck. I haven't found any answer to this apart from doing it yourself.

 

[Newboy]

The plumber asks you what you think the problem is

That's usually the one question NOT to ask - if a customer tells me what the problem is, it indicates that they have been either having a go themselves or have half diagnosed the problem by getting advice from 'mates' and/or the internet.

If you've had this experience several times, 1) Why do you keep answering the question and 2) How do you guess at the problem?

This is absolutely typical of plumbers no matter what the task.

A rather generalised statement - typical of customers?!

Most plumbers will reject the job if you insist on anything written.

I seem to spend quite a lot of time writing/emailing customers - it makes sure that we both understand the extent of the job and the costs.

You would appear to have had some bad experiences with plumbers but don't tar everybody with the same brush - most trades will have had bad experiences with some customers but that doesn't mean that they all get treated as rogue customers.

 

[dilalio]

I'd suggest this as a pinned thread

I'd suggest this as a "binned thread"; reason: Inflammatory!

WARNING SIGN: Avoid calling out a "PLUMBER" to a boiler breakdown! Unless you have first ascertained he has qualifications and experience in this field... ask him when you call.

 

[AGAS]

'd suggest this as a pinned thread

1. The plumber asks you what you think the problem is. WARNING SIGN. I have several examples from personal experience, so I will give just one. Boiler not working, plumber turns up, has a rummage round and then asks you what you think the problem is. Maybe you did some research on your boiler and found the fan failed often on your boiler type, so you suggest 'maybe its the fan'. The plumber will suggest changing the fan. Your contract is now (in his eyes) for him to change the fan. He changes the fan, boiler still doesn't work. Big arguments ensue. You just asked him to fix the boiler. This is absolutely typical of plumbers no matter what the task.

2. They turn up and don't do a full site survey. Make sure they put in writing what you are paying for in as much detail as necessary. Don't rely on verbal communication. Most plumbers will reject the job if you insist on anything written. So you are stuck. I haven't found any answer to this apart from doing it yourself.

TBH tending to lean towards its something your doing , either the way/where your obtaining these gas engineer/plumbers , or , the way your conversing with the gas engineer/plumber . . the amount of times I've spent behind a computer drawing up specs or contracts is surmountable , then the times I've spent this time only for the customer to go with the cheapest for which you should know is plainly stupid . there is a lot more going on here your than your letting on

 

[bernardgreen]

Plumbers are not the same as boiler technicians.

Installers of boilers may not have any of the diagnostic skills required for fault finding on the boilers they install.

A few tradesmen have all the necessary skills, plumbing, installing and diagnostic repairing.

if a customer tells me what the problem is, it indicates that they have been either having a go themselves or have half diagnosed the problem by getting advice from 'mates' and/or the internet.

Or they may have spoken with the boiler manufacturer's technical department and been given an accurate diagnosis.

 

[Newboy]

Or they may have spoken with the boiler manufacturer's technical department and been given an accurate diagnosis.

Well on the basis of the OP's post, whoever gave the diagnosis clearly didn't provide an ACCURATE diagnosis. I can't imagine a manufacturer's tech help diagnosing a boiler fault starting with "the boiler isn't working" and taking a consumer step by step to a full fault diagnosis.

 

[bernardgreen]

whoever gave the diagnosis clearly didn't provide an ACCURATE diagnosis.

I read the original post as saying that the "failed fan" was used as an example of the sort of question and answer that does sometimes happen when a plumber arrrives to repair a boiler of a type or make that (s)he has no experience of. The acceptable first question then should be " do you have the installation and service manual that was ( should have been ) left with you when the boiler was installed ?"

 

[Newboy]

I have absolutely no idea what point you are trying to make as your two previous posts have no discernable logic to them

 

[HERTS P&D]

You don't choose the gas engineer, he picks you.

Andy

 

[Newboy]

You don't choose the gas engineer, he picks you.

Andy

You're not using that internet dating site again are you?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Don't knock it, there are loads of lonely women out there!

Happy days.

Andy

 

[Nige F]

But loads of old boilers

 

[HERTS P&D]

Every old boiler needs a jump start now and again.

Andy

 

[DaveHerns]

Don't tell the expert what you think the cause of the problem is , tell him what the symptoms are and let him diagnose the fault. For example I wouldn't tell my doctor I'm diabetic ( I'm not apparently) but I have all the symptoms that I am. So I (should) tell my doctor that my toes are tingling and I have impaired sensation in my hands and feet. He needs to find the cause ( and I wish he would).

 

[Newboy]

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