Plumbers for hire?

[fathertobe]

Ok. This might get pulled by mods, I guess. However, having read various people's advice on this forum, I get the feeling that there are several people who actually know what they are talking about.

I like my plumber and he's done a few good jobs for me, but he does perform to stereotype (workshy, untimely, a little vague etc).

So, I guess without the ability to PM on this forum, I'm asking:

Which of you guys are plumbers for hire (who would do some work west london way)?

I don't know if you're allowed to post on here wrt to that so if you want to email me offlist, please feel free: Moderator, see note below

And if I've broken a rule, I sincerely apologise. This forum is so good, I'm almost getting the confidence to do my own work. But quite frankly, as long as I don't have to pay the earth, I'd rather give it to someone who is not on such a learning curve - and who isn't panicking about the state of his house and an impending baby!

________________________

Moderator - email deleted, your email can be shown in your profile, which is here

 

[Agile]

I am amused by your stereotype!

There is one point that I think should be explained to you, "untimely".

Plumbing is practical work done with the hands!

A plumber cannot come to you at a particular time ( unless its his first call ). He can come to you only AFTER he has completed the previous job to the client's satisfaction and some of them take some satisfying!

I used to remember a bank manager who, when the allotted 15 minutes was up, used to stand up to indicate the end of the discussion and to thank me for coming.

A plumber cannot stand up and shake hands and leave the clients pipes in bits all over the floor. He has to complete the work and throughly test it. Then convince the client thats its OK and wait ages while the client looks for his cheque book and even longer while he tries to remember how to write out a cheque.

Most of the people here who you think know what they are talking about are really armchair plumbers who now relax in front of their computers at the end of their career looking up how to do it so that they appear knowledgeable. One fellow on another forum has worked as a plumber for 46 years!

Tony

 

[fathertobe]

Unfortunately it's not my stereotype...

I think 'untimely' was a poor choice of word. It's late and I want my heating to work - forgive me. I meant 'perenially late' or 'entirely unable to turn up anywhere near the arranged hour'.

I appreciate that plumbing (like many other services) can make appointments more difficult to keep than other jobs. But some time management should be expected of anyone, shouldn't it? Or at least a courtesy call to say one is going to be late.

My plumber, who I emphasised that I liked, find such calls very difficult to make ...

Anyway, back to plumbers in West London - armchair or otherwise!

 

[Agile]

Actually "untimely" actually means "at an inappropriate time".

I had nevertheless responded to your use of the word in the context I assumed you meant of, "always late" or "not turning up at all".

Lets take an example I encountered today! Going to a Central London job on the tube the speaking lady and the visual display thought the train was going in the other direction. The driver attempted a "hard reset" by cutting the power to the whole train. He then suggested we take another train which would leave first as his was by then late. That made my arrical late.

The client had not fully described the condition of the boiler. It was apalling and after repairing the first fault I found internal parts jammed through non use for several weeks. That took a lot longer than planned and I was unable to get to another client in Maidenhead because it was 10 pm before I had finished with the next one.

This was partly because the Landlady wanted us to sit down in her lounge so that she could tell me how pleased she was that I knew what I was doing and how annoyed she was with the plumber who first came four weeks ago and had not fixed the problem. After that it was too late to get to Maidenhead!

Tony

 

[chrishutt]

Most of the people here who you think know what they are talking about are really armchair plumbers who now relax in front of their computers at the end of their career looking up how to do it so that they appear knowledgeable.

Speak for yourself Tony.

Actually Father Tobe (are you really a monk?), Tony covers West London (as he might have hinted) so if he hasn't put you off with his pedantry you could do a lot worse.

 

[fathertobe]

I guess tony isn't keen... (I am not saying he's workshy, of course )... and I can't work out how to contact him via the forum.

 

[chrishutt]

His email is in his profile.

 

[meldrew's_mate]

...My plumber, who I emphasised that I liked....
Anyway, back to plumbers in West London - armchair or otherwise!

If your heating doesn't work and you still like (I assume "liked" was a typo error) why not post the symptoms of your heating faults so we can guide your plumber to success.
If it's a boiler problem then you'll need a Registered Gas Fitter (Installer), and I'm sure Agile will be pleased to help you in person (I didn't know he went all the way out to Maidenhead)

 

[Agile]

I think Chris that rather than being "Father Tobe" that he is a "Father To Be" and that he is therefore still in training to be a Monk or Priest. In that case you would have thought that he would be accustomed to cold unheated abbeys!

Not only do I sometimes go to Maidenhead but even to Reading from time to time! Also to Warwick and Coventry!

Tony

 

[chrishutt]

He will always be Father Tobe to me.

 

[corgiman]

Most of the people here who you think know what they are talking about are really armchair plumbers who now relax in front of their computers at the end of their career looking up how to do it so that they appear knowledgeable.

Speak for yourself Tony.

Actually Father Tobe (are you really a monk?), Tony covers West London (as he might have hinted) so if he hasn't put you off with his pedantry you could do a lot worse.

LOL wish I was an armchair plumber, would people to bring their boilers, taps tanks etc to me so i could work on em from the comfort of me old chair.

tony is uberpedant!!!

 

[corgiman]

I think Chris that rather than being "Father Tobe" that he is a "Father To Be" and that he is therefore still in training to be a Monk or Priest. In that case you would have thought that he would be accustomed to cold unheated abbeys!

Not only do I sometimes go to Maidenhead but even to Reading from time to time! Also to Warwick and Coventry!

Tony

blimey tony hope you have had your jabs and packed your passport for such exotic climes

 

[Agile]

I had all the jabs in order to visit Southall and even eat in the Heyes Tandoori which if you can find a seat serves the best fish curry that I have had outside Sri Lanka.

Please note that Father Tobe has a parallel discussion thread about his boiler problem, ( real or immaginary ).

Tony

 

[B.O.B DOLE]

Ok. This might get pulled by mods, I guess. However, having read various people's advice on this forum, I get the feeling that there are several people who actually know what they are talking about.

I like my plumber and he's done a few good jobs for me, but he does perform to stereotype (workshy, untimely, a little vague etc).

So, I guess without the ability to PM on this forum, I'm asking:

Which of you guys are plumbers for hire (who would do some work west london way)?

I don't know if you're allowed to post on here wrt to that so if you want to email me offlist, please feel free: Moderator, see note below

And if I've broken a rule, I sincerely apologise. This forum is so good, I'm almost getting the confidence to do my own work. But quite frankly, as long as I don't have to pay the earth, I'd rather give it to someone who is not on such a learning curve - and who isn't panicking about the state of his house and an impending baby!

________________________

Moderator - email deleted, your email can be shown in your profile, which is here

yet another scum bag contractor poaching for cheap labour, if you whant to advertise for plumbers go and pay the job centre to do it, dont come on here with cheap talk saying you dont know that if your breaking the rules, you know you are.

 

[corgiman]

I had all the jabs in order to visit Southall and even eat in the Heyes Tandoori which if you can find a seat serves the best fish curry that i have head outside Sri Lanka.

Please note that Father Tobe has a parallel discussion thread about his boiler problem, ( real or immaginary ).

Tony