first job as a gas reigstered company!!! NIGHMARE!!

[CXR100]

i recently registered as a gas safe company and as my first job i installed a gas hob, and a seperate cooker in a new kitchen (also run enw pipes to the kitchen sink and connected this up) in a new kitchen , now before finishing the job off i told the customer that the meter was not earthed and that she was requred to tell the electrician during his ne visit to do the second fix to earth it if he could. now when i retured i bought the bill with me for the customer (£300) to wich she refused to pay me telling me i was to expensive!!! i left the property without signing the job off, now i take it i am still required to sign the job off legaly even tho i know she will not pay me?? she left it to the point where i had finished al the testing of the installed appliances before telling me that she would not pay me, this turned to an argument and i packed my tools and walked out the house! should i get somebody to capp the gas as i have not provided her with the paperwork??? any help here would be much apreciated!!!

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

cookers arnt notifiable i believe, what paper work were you gonna give her

 

[lame plumber]

too late now but you need to follow good practice of quotes/estimates, agreeing them with custard, signing to do work/have it done and have a leg to stand on. If your work isnt "safe" call and apologize, pop back and cut it off where you started then leave, but really you should knock it on the head and learn fm your mistake. We have all been there sometime in the past, sometimes you can win the battle sometimes its easier to walk away. Just dont do it if the sums are over £500, or it will hurt

 

[CXR100]

somebody asked me the other day to install a boier for them , but the location of where it was to be fitted meant it was to close to another boiler allready installed (ina kind of plantroom) so i turned this one down as well !! bad start i guess!

 

[lame plumber]

go and have a beer, life will look rosier then, if you are registered as domestic should you be in a plant room anyhow ?

 

[CXR100]

well its not commercial , large house boiler house!! could i tell him that i will install it and state on the installation cert that it is too close to another boiler?? just want some work now to get money to cover funds!

 

[Killy Bing]

somebody asked me the other day to install a boier for them , but the location of where it was to be fitted meant it was to close to another boiler allready installed (ina kind of plantroom) so i turned this one down as well !! bad start i guess!

re run the other boilers flue?

 

[CXR100]

the flue terminals distances would be ok the way i thought of runnng the flue, its just that ther is a rs water heater on the wall , the system boiler was to be installed by its side but facing the side of the water heater on the other wall , the cover and everything would still be removable , just that i went on worcesters website and it sais that the boiler needed about 500mm clearence from the front of the casing. this would not be possible , and it was the only place the boiler could be isntalled,

 

[Killy Bing]

How much room would you have?
im sure a logic plus is 450mm

 

[lame plumber]

need a plan b old son

 

[Killy Bing]

If in doubt, measure up and take photos to us to give you a second, third and well... Lames opinion


why arnt you in the plumbers arms and gsr private area then?

 

[CXR100]

dont remember what it was excactly , ill ring worcester up to ask them , could i install it if i state that there is not enough clearance on the certificate?? im quite new to installing boilers. the only thing i do in my current job is run new gas pipes to a cooker point in new kitchens

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

worcester need 600mm in front i believe

 

[lame plumber]

no you have to follow mfis to the letter or the likes of kb or me will ar or id on our visit later on. you might be better to start with simpler jobs or get a mate to do the boiler room with you to get it right before you go off on your own.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

think outside the box, is there another location if you run vertical flue or create another installation point with some ply and cls

 

[Killy Bing]

Always install within MI's or talk to manufacturers and get it in writing you're allowed to do it.
unlikely to get anywhere with worcester, ideal or the other big ones. Smaller brands would be more likely to listen.

Assuming you're under probation, inspector goes to see it you'll be in a world of pain.

 

[Killy Bing]

think outside the box, is there another location if you run vertical flue or create another installation point with some ply and cls

*sniggers*

ventilate plant room, make atag boiler open flued and then run the flue wherever the hell you want

 

[tamz]

could i install it if i state that there is not enough clearance on the certificate??

No You can't install ncs. Think up another idea or walk away.

 

[gasmanrob]

With regards to your non paying customer if you're not particularly busy at the minute get a for sale style board and write this homeowner waited till I had completed her job before telling me she would not pay!! And stand outside for a few hours making enough noise that neighbours look out the windows!

so at any point did she offer to pay you anything or just point blank refusal to pay a penny!

signed quotes are the way forward chum

 

[Millsy 82]

Don't leave the house until your paid and keep your tools with you if they still refuse rip out what you have done and walk out obviously leaving everything safe.

 

[kirkgas]

well its not commercial , large house boiler house!! could i tell him that i will install it and state on the installation cert that it is too close to another boiler?? just want some work now to get money to cover funds!

So in effect what you want to do here is install a boiler knowing it doesn't comply, then write up paperwork confirming you know it is unsafe, that ain't gonna get you paid for this job either,
Back to the cooker job, I'm raging for you so I don't know how angry you are, BUT bite the bullet go back and discuss the issues with the customer, and decide whether A) you are in a position to take a £300 hit and tell her to shove the money where the sun don't shine, you will feel great if you can afford this or B) try to get paid something for your work 200-250 is better than nothing, but either way learn from your mistake so that it doesn't cost you the next time, she's conned you but I would not let her away with the full amount, it would choke me accepting 299 from her on principle, but my kids can't eat principles, so you decide, however whatever you decide she goes on the blacklist anyway, and karma will get her one day

 

[kirkgas]

With regards to your non paying customer if you're not particularly busy at the minute get a for sale style board and write this homeowner waited till I had completed her job before telling me she would not pay!! And stand outside for a few hours making enough noise that neighbours look out the windows!

so at any point did she offer to pay you anything or just point blank refusal to pay a penny!

signed quotes are the way forward chum

Love it

 

[kirkgas]

Don't leave the house until your paid and keep your tools with you if they still refuse rip out what you have done and walk out obviously leaving everything safe.

I agree but that makes us both wrong, once material is fitted it's the customers, unless it's in writing that all materials etc belong to,you up to the point they are paid for,

 

[acecharly]

I agree but that makes us both wrong, once material is fitted it's the customers, unless it's in writing that all materials etc belong to,you up to the point they are paid for,

This is rite, once its in its theres, not sure about while youre there but you cant legally go back after to rip it out. Ive been burnt like this before.

What I allways do now is get them to pay the merchant over the phone for the boiler. While im in the shop I call them and they pay on a card to the merchant. This helps with trust as they don't know who you are but city plumbing is everywhere so it helps them feel a bit more comfortable.

Aside from this allways agree on a price in writing with your customer before you start, stating the costs for the work to be carried out and a brief description of what you will do. (so later you can make additional charges for unforeseen costs).

Lastly, allways put in your quote your terms of payment and at the bottom of your invoice when you want to be paid. i.e. on completion, or within 7 days of invoice. This then sets out a timeline for further action for recovery.

 

[snowhead]

As Kirkgas said go back and get the best you can.

She has said you are too expensive, not that she won't pay you.

Hopefully you may bump into the electrician and warn him, obviously he's not going to get paid either for his full price, unless he has protected himself with a signed quote.