To all you experienced self employed plumbers!

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I cannot believe that you plumbers are talking about lack of work.I need my boiler changed so rang one plumber ,it took him 3 days to reply to my answerphone message and then was rude and never did come around to quote for job.the second one is a really nice person who did come around after about 4 days and is going to give me an estimate ,on Tuesday this will be 2 weeks since he called and said he would give me an estimate,fortunately as i said he is a nice person so I am waiting patiently.it appears thet hear in Somerset we have the opposite problem ie:the plimbers have too much work.Perhaps you should all move to Somerset and then perhaps things would improve.

P.S I apoligise for posting on your forum as I understand it is for plumbers but thought you might like to know how it is from a customers point of view
 
extech I agree it is unbelievable that in these hard times people can be so complacent.

I always make an appointment be it a quote or a job I always turn up on time or ring if i'm delayed more than 15 mins.

I give my best to everyone yet other F. about are down right unreliable yet, I struggle to find work!! it pis8es me right off.

if you were closer I would have been there same day or following morning which ever suited you.

P.S. can't you move nearer to hampshire :LOL: :LOL:
 
If I wasn't still signing on, I don't know how I would make ends meet in between jobs. Things are so slow at present.

Needs must ;)
 
Sorry to read so many plumbers are finding the going tough in this present recession. Speaking personally, I can only count myself lucky to be living and working in a fairly prosperous part of North London and finding that whilst work is definitely down, it is still coming in and I haven't had to lower my prices as yet.

Most of our work comes from our website which has been live for the past 15 plus years and sports around a hundred pages with lots and lots of information for the customer which they seem to love. We also receive a good amount of work from various online companies who charge for the privilege of appearing on their site and allow customers to write reviews about our work, so new customers can check out the reviews before calling us.

We do all plumbing and heating jobs and have only recently started to do jobs outside our mile radius, but these are usually boiler installs.

I believe the way to beat the downturn is to be able to take on all jobs from a blocked sink, to a blocked macerator or broken down washing machine to the installation of a central heating system.

On a final note, it isn't helped by customers who employ cheap plumbers and ignore all the warnings about employing illegal workers. See the photograph of a newly installed Vaillant boiler, Polish style, I came across yesterday!!!!!!

P.S. I have nothing against Polish workers as it's my opinion they are most probably, the hardest workers in the industry.
 
extech I agree it is unbelievable that in these hard times people can be so complacent.

I always make an appointment be it a quote or a job I always turn up on time or ring if i'm delayed more than 15 mins.

I give my best to everyone yet other F. about are down right unreliable yet, I struggle to find work!! it pis8es me right off.

if you were closer I would have been there same day or following morning which ever suited you.

P.S. can't you move nearer to hampshire :LOL: :LOL:

Yes it's a shame we are not in Hampshire,eventually got the first quote through,he's a really nice person but I am worried about giving him the job as it has taken him so long to send quote.Going to have a laugh today,as we have british gas coming around to quote !!Got so illusioned in trying to find a reliable one man band plumber that we decided to try a large company.Booked an appointment with NPower first, online only for them to ring and say they had got their bookings wrong and basically it would be an extra 12 days before they could call,needless to say they are history.Perhaps if things do get worse these particular plumbers may just remember that people like myself would have been only too pleased to have used their services.Let's hope things improve for you personally.
regards extech.
 
kevindgas,perhaps moving to Hampshire will be my easiest option at least I will be able to find a reliable plumber.
cashjob I'm surprised you are having trouble finding work as although we are in Somerset we border onto Devon and as I have stated in my earlier posts finding a plumber who will answer your telephone call in a reasonable time is hard enough let alone find one who comes around to give you a quote.
 
Personally, Ive always tried ways to ensure my business keeps busy.

Its doing ok, and Im fully booked to July. Too many 'business' people seem to think that work will flow their way. It doesnt and you need ways to enhance your business. :cool:

I try to find these and capitalise on them. :D

The guys with the new vans are nothing to do with it! Thats an apathetic view in my opinion. Sit down for a few hours, have a real think and you may find the smallest things will bring in extra money.

I cant be more blatant. Just work it out! :rolleyes:

Dave
 
It doesnt and you need ways to enhance your business. :cool:


hmmm, standing on the town hall steps, offering my "personal" services....
:oops:

no, don't think thats gonna enhance my business.

So other than knocking on peoples doors, mugging them for work, if the general public do not want to spend their money, then they wont, there's not a lot we can do about it, no mater how much we diversify with the services we offer.
 
As stated earlier had first quote to change boiler plus thermostatic valves ,timer etc ,took local tradesmen nearly 3 weeks to send it.now had British Gas over 600 pounds more.Waiting for a local company but larger than one man operations.As first local plumber took 3 weeks to reply how quick will he respond if a problem at least with British Gas I will get a service.let's hope the local company who instantly replied to my telephone call can come up with a reasonable quote as I would much rather give my money to a decent local tradesman.Unfortunately the ball is in your court as plumbers.So many people complain and say it is difficult to find a reliable plumber.(All reliable plumbers (kevindgas etc) need not take offence it's the arrogant ones I am on about.good luck in finding work all you decent ones and let's hope the unreliable arrogant ones soon get their just desserts.
A word of advice ,forget the posh new shiny vans just give a good service and you will get work by recommendation.
 
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