Custards wanting to buy own boiler

[Scott_D]

What do you do if the customer wants to buy their own boiler?
Say no
Add money to your price to allow for possible problems/delays
Get them to pay your supplier directly

 

[secret squirrel]

Problem is everyone thinks everyone else is earning a fortune, they think they'll get a better deal than letting you buy the parts. They want your trade discount, they're muppets.

When it fails after a few weeks and you turn up and say, "not my work, call the manufacturer they get the hump," they want it all, they want it cheaper.

 

[Leo21]

Give them a daily or hourly rate and estimate the time. But don't guarantee how long it will take. Let them know they have to deal with any manufacturing faults.
or iff your bust enough tell them your not interested.

 

[clarky101]

Don't supply, don't fit, easy peasy......

 

[hammers4spanner]

Don't supply, don't fit, easy peasy......

turning potential work away , i'm happy if cust buys but i wont do any running around for them turn up fit appliance go home .

any aggro its their issue

 

[plumber0808]

I give them the price to supply and fit, and fit only.

install only I add a bit more to my price to cover any delays, not much but enough for them consider the supply and fit quote.

 

[CES]

Don't supply, don't fit, easy peasy......

 

[clarky101]

Really can't be bothered with the cack bathroom suites & ferrolli boiler that people buy cos there cheap and expect you to fit for a pittance ....by all means if the customer wants to play Internet roulette but as they say ....I'm out...

 

[SimonG]

Let the customer buy if they think they can get it cheaper, I've had a few do it on the oil side. I add money onto my install price to cover part of the loss of the overage. If anything is wrong and I'm delayed then it's chargeable. If they've supplied I want the new boiler located near to installation position, 180kgs takes some moving when not used to it . Any issues with equipment after install are chargeable calls. Can be a bit of a pain but can be really lucrative and satisfying.

 

[sheff paul]

What do you do if the customer wants to buy their own boiler?
Say no
Add money to your price to allow for possible problems/delays
Get them to pay your supplier directly

done this loads of times,the custard can never come back at you saying the you recommended a crap manufactuer,got stung years ago with some dubious ''French company''

 

[Rickster123]

I love these jobs to be honest. Saves me grief and hassle. I always say I provide pipework and fittings and give them a price. I'd hang a turd on the wall and pipe it up if the price is right.

 

[P J F PLUMBING]

You turn up the flues missing or it's damaged hard work then they say can you come with me to get the bits. I don't no what to ask for. Then when it goes wrong. You fitted it !! Then the old chestnut ill contact gas safe on you

 

[Rickster123]

You turn up the flues missing or it's damaged hard work then they say can you come with me to get the bits. I don't no what to ask for. Then when it goes wrong. You fitted it !! Then the old chestnut ill contact gas safe on you

Ive never had issues. It's the same with any job. You put it all in writing. End of. Times have changed. Personally I wouldn't walk away from a potential earner just because the customer wants to buy he gear.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

just get all the other materials and let them buy it and charge the markup you would have if you were going to get the boiler your self

dont walk of the job

 

[P J F PLUMBING]

I don't walk away from the job but some people are so stress full lately I'm finding so many questions 20 quotes all done for nearly nothing Rant over

 

[Leo21]

I find when they want to supply its all about cost. When you give them a price there gob smacked.
Youve wasted a load of time quoting only to have a "how much" no thanks.

 

[P J F PLUMBING]

That's right. I give the low to high price. Do I get x boiler with magna clean wireless controls oh do I get new valves and this that and other for lower price. Then the oh the last guys said he could. And I'll be honest we have got 5 other people come to quote we will let you no.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

you lucky you had 20 quotes i had none

 

[P J F PLUMBING]

you lucky you had 20 quotes i had none

what I Ment was they get 20 quotes then you get there they always no everything want it all for nothing and then you don't get the job after going to the house at 8 pm chatted till 9 30 then we will let u no when the other 5 have quoted

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I understand now

 

[Millsy 82]

what I Ment was they get 20 quotes then you get there they always no everything want it all for nothing and then you don't get the job after going to the house at 8 pm chatted till 9 30 then we will let u no when the other 5 have quoted

Ask them a few questions on the phone, From that you can gauge if its a combi swap etc what boiler is in for the gas pipe etc then give them a rough estimate over the phone If their happy with that then go round and give them a price. Thats what I used to do it saved petrol and more importantly it saved me wasting my time. It also sorted out those that were just after the cheapest quote as I was never going to win those.

I did do a job where the customer got the boiler when I worked for a bloke a few years back it was a ferroli and it had to be converted to LPG took me an hour and a half to convert it over they ordered a horizontal flue kit it needed vertical flue kit and 1 extension. It took 2 days for that to come. and when I eventually fired it up there was a pcb fault on it. so price high as it could be a boiler your not used to and it could be a fool ordering the bits.

 

[emergencyman]

What do you do if the customer wants to buy their own boiler?
Say no
Add money to your price to allow for possible problems/delays
Get them to pay your supplier directly

I would give the same answer that my local restaurant would give if I asked if I could buy my own steak from the supermarket and get him to cook it.

 

[Linkyplumb]

I have no issue with fitting customer supplied gear.
They get told that as I dont supply the gear, then any faults with it, are not my problem.
Most people, in my experience, have come back once they have done their research, and in fact realise that they may be able to get the gear ever so slightly cheaper, that it relly is not worth the aggro, and let me supply and fit.
Totally agree with other comments about turning down potential work.

 

[jtsplumbing]

I have no problem with customer supplying, as long as they understand that any problems with what they have got is down to them, parts missing, they have to do the running around, all that comes off the van is the tool box everything else is extra !

 

[buckley plumb]

if they supply any missing parts is their fault I just sit drinking tea charging them while they run around .