Customer wants a bodge job done. Opinions

[armyash]

Hi guys

Customer has stains appeared on his ceiling in the living room.

The shower tray above needs resealing. There is also a very thin crack in the tray, I'm not sure if this crack goes all the way through or it's just cracked on the top layer of acrylic. See picture. I suspect it's just the top layer. The tray has a bit of a bounce to it, needs a bit of extra support underneath.

Customer has said that he doesn't want a new tray (tight) but asked if i can fix it. The only thing I can do is fill the crack with adiseal. This is a walk away from job but I need the money.

Obviously I won't offer any sort of guarantee on the work and will say it's a temporary fix and advise a new tray.

Just thought I would post this for your opinions. And what would you charge?

 

[Rickster123]

Walk away mate. There's a future claim against you in the pipeline.

 

[gasmanrob]

You touch that you'll loose money! Maybe not straight away but in months to come.

 

[armyash]

You touch that you'll loose money! Maybe not straight away but in months to come.

Even if i advise it's a temporary fix and the tray should be replaced asap?

Can the customer still claim against me if they have ignored my advice?

 

[Rickster123]

Even if i advise it's a temporary fix and the tray should be replaced asap?

Can the customer still claim against me if they have ignored my advice?

Of course they can and they will mate

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Ash, as much as you want the money just don't risk it,if they tray bounces it won't seal for long and your sure to take the blame! After all how long is temporary?

 

[smtplumbing]

Be here before walk away man from it

 

[armyash]

Of course they can and they will mate

Ok thanks, I have no experience of claims against me or how it works. I don't really want to either so will let them know I am swerving it due to risk of ceilings collapsing etc.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i would do it and put it on a letter head that its a temporary repair

 

[armyash]

Thanks for the replies. I will tell him that I would not be happy doing the work as too risky but more than happy to quote for a new tray.

 

[Gray0689]

Seal it with tec7 take his money and as said just put it on paper that it's a temp fix with no guarantee

 

[armyash]

Be here before walk away man from it

What happened with you?

 

[Best]

I would also suggest you do a patch up with Tec7 or similar & do make sure it is all on paper that you did this by their request as a tempory no guarantee fix.
Problem I find with those sort of jobs is you do it & a few months later you get a call - "There's a tiny drip coming from the thing that you fixed & can you just come straight away & add more sealant?"
Great when they say things like that in front of other people! Everybody thinks you bodged something & leave leaks as a norm

 

[Ray Stafford]

Even if i advise it's a temporary fix and the tray should be replaced asap?

Can the customer still claim against me if they have ignored my advice?

People can claim for whatever they like.

Its whether they have any chance of success thats important.

whatever you do, the critical thing is to give your advise in writing, and to get them to acknowledge receipt. Both are important.

Something like this:

Hi Bill

Thanks for getting in touch and asking me to look at your shower tray.

As we discussed, the best solution would be to replace it completely. However, I understand that you would prefer not to go to that expense, and have asked me to try to make a temporary repair.

I am reluctantly prepared to try this, on the understanding that it comes with no guarantee, either regarding this repair, or any future damage should it fail. My insurance company would insist that I make this point very clear.

If you would be kind enough to acknowledge receipt of this disclaimer ( a simple one liner email would be fine) then I will attempt the temporary repair for the sum of £***.xx, which will be payable on completion, regardless of the success of the attempt.

Best regards

Army Ash.

 

[armyash]

People can claim for whatever they like.

Its whether they have any chance of success thats important.

whatever you do, the critical thing is to give your advise in writing, and to get them to acknowledge receipt. Both are important.

Something like this:

Hi Bill

Thanks for getting in touch and asking me to look at your shower tray.

As we discussed, the best solution would be to replace it completely. However, I understand that you would prefer not to go to that expense, and have asked me to try to make a temporary repair.

I am reluctantly prepared to try this, on the understanding that it comes with no guarantee, either regarding this repair, or any future damage should it fail. My insurance company would insist that I make this point very clear.

If you would be kind enough to acknowledge receipt of this disclaimer ( a simple one liner email would be fine) then I will attempt the temporary repair for the sum of £***.xx, which will be payable on completion, regardless of the success of the attempt.

Best regards

Army Ash.

That's excellent Ray thanks, i'm sure that will be useful to others on here too.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Also Ash it'll only be small money for, as said, maybe a future claim or more grief in the future.

This is why I charge call out fee. - waste of time tight bodge custards.

Tell him to do it himself

 

[WaterTight]

i'd do it. cash, no receipt, no letter, i didn't do it, nobody saw me do it can't prove anything, do the bartman.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

i'd do it. cash, no receipt, no letter, i didn't do it, nobody saw me do it can't prove anything, do the bartman.

Yep, there is that but I'd rather no have any calls telling me this & that!

 

[armyash]

i'd do it. cash, no receipt, no letter, i didn't do it, nobody saw me do it can't prove anything, do the bartman.

Do the bartman

 

[village idiot]

Also Ash it'll only be small money for, as said, maybe a future claim or more grief in the future.

This is why I charge call out fee. - waste of time tight bodge custards.

Tell him to do it himself

Customer (another of my missuses friend) told me to attend her property and reseal a shower tray that was leaking as downstairs ceiling is wet/damp. I attended in her absence as only her daughter was home. Expecting shower tray seals or seals at shower cubicle posts leaking but when I ran shower around all sealed areas, no leak was obvious. So I left, informing her I could find no leak but making her aware my guess would be something other than the shower tray seals (tiles, shower valve, etc). A week later she left a message asking that I come and reseal shower tray as requested. I did, then sent her a text saying job has been done as requested but there is a 90% chance it will not stop the said leak as I'm convinced it's from something other than shower tray. A week later she rings me and says: ''If you knew it wasn't the shower tray, you shouldn't have resealed it as that was just a waste of money''.
Well, she should have listened to me in the first place but said she doesn't want to spend money on a new shower?

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Customer (another of my missuses friend) told me to attend her property and reseal a shower tray that was leaking as downstairs ceiling is wet/damp. I attended in her absence as only her daughter was home. Expecting shower tray seals or seals at shower cubicle posts leaking but when I ran shower around all sealed areas, no leak was obvious. So I left, informing her I could find no leak but making her aware my guess would be something other than the shower tray seals (tiles, shower valve, etc). A week later she left a message asking that I come and reseal shower tray as requested. I did, then sent her a text saying job has been done as requested but there is a 90% chance it will not stop the said leak as I'm convinced it's from something other than shower tray. A week later she rings me and says: ''If you knew it wasn't the shower tray, you shouldn't have resealed it as that was just a waste of money''.
Well, she should have listened to me in the first place but said she doesn't want to spend money on a new shower?

There you go, your fault, took her money!!

A no win situation

Not for me!

 

[village idiot]

I agree rocketman, but I was trying to do a ''friend'' a favour. I informed her from day 1 a proper investigation was needed, but she was adamant tray seals were at fault, so when I didn't reseal on first visit, she wasn't impressed? Well, she will have to cough up that extra dough to get it properly sorted.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

That's what I'm saying, you told her, told her again & she still wanted to try it.

You did it, now it's still leaking it's all your fault, what did she want, you to do the job for free, wait a while, if no leak pay you, if leaked not pay.

You can't win, do a favour and it still goes bad.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Do the bartman

Easy there Ash. You do yourself a mischief getting that excited.

 

[rpm]

You can't win, do a favour and it still goes bad.

Then they go and tell friends what a useless plumber you are!

It`s my way or the highway, no if`s or but`s about it.