Competing with British Gas...

[theanalyst]

So I went to quote an install this evening. Nice couple, combi combi swap. No problem.

Until they started asking if I could offer the 'green grant' British gas could get them for about £250? (that somebody would pay to the customer..)...

The bit that really stopped me short is they said that British gas man said he might be able to get £400 for their old boiler (towards the cost of the new one...) :devil2:

I told them the scrappage scheme stopped several years ago.... so British gas could never offer this.
just wondering if anyone knows about this green grant? I want to summarise in my quote the facts of the matter for them!!

I basically told them British Gas charge high, then are probably using the £400 off bit to make them think 'Oh, that's a lot of discount, oh wow'!!! Just wondering if they are actually lying to people???

I know I will smash the BG price, and I reckon I will get the work because the muppet BG bloke had told them he would put the condensate outside, 6 metre run into a drain... when I suggested we would actually route it through the wall (from under stairs pantry thing) into kitchen units > into waste. Thereby preventing it freezing as its a rural cold location..

 

[plumber0808]

There is no competition, bg quotes are silly price. I love it when I price a job after them. They get work through people's fear of hiring a cowboy as "British gas will look after you"
They also offer great discounts of £400 off the quote.
But the quote could be £7000

 

[theanalyst]

What do we reckon the BG quote will be then chaps?
Job is removing a Sime combi -> installing a Worcester greenstar 25si (custard said Bg quoted for some digital wireless prog/stat) *but seeing as they have a wired stat in the hall currently which I prefer by far I said I would quote for Worcester clock module and modern dial stat.
Condensate tun outside (BG) into drain.
The magical BG powerflush....
All pipes beneath the boiler.
Straightforward as can be.
I reckon BG quote will be about £3000
They seem to be no less than that

British Gas Combi Boiler Quote £4,740.01! - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums


Oh, part of the system is microbore too..

 

[gasmanrob]

Be careful bg are putting out some silly prices I used to take £1000 of there price and make good money but lately I've seen them price a heat only Worcester at £1700 and a conventional to combi for £2300

 

[Roger Welton]

They do seen to have a huge variance in prices from bg lately, seen quotes vary from £5k to just over £2.5k for heat only to combi c/o

 

[CES]

I priced one last week for £2200, BG was £3750, even after their "special discount" for a Heat only gravity HW to combi c/over.

 

[theanalyst]

Cheers guys
Well I'm expecting from the customers reaction that BG quoted on the high side.. but unfortunately I don't know how much! If I do get the job and find out I will post it up here!!

 

[Mike Jackson]

There are certain scrappage deals available for green deal installers so BG may not be telling porkies on this one. It's all a bit vague at the moment though. (went to a tech evening about green deal on Tuesday night)

 

[CES]

It sounds like this will be the cashback scheme if they take out a Green Deal loan (its currently £270 to upgrade your boiler), there's more about it here:
Green Deal Cashback Announced ? £270 Boiler Scrappage For Homeowners

Bit naughty though, as there are strict guidelines about how you sell the green deal, the big one being your Green Deal advice report and plan must be genuine and fit the property. You cant sell the boiler change using the Green deal unless you have carried out the report and the measures are viable and meet the golden rule. BG sales tactics in full swing as usual.

 

[plumber0808]

The one I done 2 weeks ago. Bg quote £4400. Me £2900 and I made a bit of money off that by my standards. They phoned her up when I was there to do the hard sell.

"no thanks I've got someone doing the job as we speak,yes they are offering everything you specified, no I don't need the cover after 1 year as the installer has confirmed it is covered by the manufacturer for 5 years. No he will service it annually"
I think they still thought they could get the job?

 

[plumber0808]

if they accepted a price of £4000 for a combi change from me I would give them £270 cashback and tell them it was part of a green, blue or purple deal if that's what they wanted.

 

[theanalyst]

if they accepted a price of £4000 for a combi change from me I would give them £270 cashback and tell them it was part of a green, blue or purple deal if that's what they wanted.

hehe!
They could have £1000 cashback and it would still be a lovely earner!!

 

[Roger Welton]

The only competition you normally get from BG is getting in to quote quick enough before they put the strong arm tactics on the cust to sign up.

 

[theanalyst]

The only competition you normally get from BG is getting in to quote quick enough before they put the strong arm tactics on the cust to sign up.

I did think they might have tried the strong arm approach. The custard says the guys wasnt 'too' pushy but seemed to want them to sign up on the day..!! shock horror.
I bet the phone calls will start soon....


The custards were pretty icy when I first turned up, thought they would be a bit friendlier seeing as their son recommended me (I sorted a CO leak for him and his young family about 2 months ago!!).
After a 5 minute settling in period though they were putty in my hands!!! Well, they lightened up a lot when I asked a load of questions the British gas guy hadn't..

 

[SafeGasInstall]

if they accepted a price of £4000 for a combi change from me I would give them £270 cashback and tell them it was part of a green, blue or purple deal if that's what they wanted.

I will give them back 1k in cash

 

[plumber0808]

I did think they might have tried the strong arm approach. The custard says the guys wasnt 'too' pushy but seemed to want them to sign up on the day..!! shock horror.
I bet the phone calls will start soon....


The custards were pretty icy when I first turned up, thought they would be a bit friendlier seeing as their son recommended me (I sorted a CO leak for him and his young family about 2 months ago!!).
After a 5 minute settling in period though they were putty in my hands!!! Well, they lightened up a lot when I asked a load of questions the British gas guy hadn't..

The job I spoke about when they phoned up as I was fitting the boiler, on my initial visit obviously discussed the job in hand. I got my tape measure out and started measuring the space for the boiler and clearances for the flue
Custard "the bg chap never done that"

Bg with all their money and My good old tape measure swayed it my way.