Gas fire vermiculite replacement

[johnfs]

I have an old gas fire which wasn't working well. I asked a plumber to do a CP12 test (£40 as an addition to the boiler test) and tell me what he thought was required. After doing this he said it needed servicing, which would be an additional £60, and then would probably be OK. I went ahead with this (which he did on a visit along with a larger job). At this point he removed the vermiculite, saying it was in a bad condition, and asked for £72 for a third visit to replace it.

Any comments on the legitimacy and cost of this?
The vermiculite is mostly hidden by the coals in this fire, so wouldn't need replacing for cosmetic reasons.
Would the labour for vermiculite replacement, if necessary, usually be included in the price of a service? That would be my expectation, especially as the total labour charge for the fire up to that point was £100.
Does £72 sound like a reasonable price for a third visit to do this job? Seems to me it would have been a couple of minutes work if done during the service.

Thanks

 

[Chuck]

What type of fire is it? Do you have a photo?

Firstly, as you probably know, there is no 'right price' for a job. Buyers and sellers of services need to agree terms in advance. A reputable trader won't start work until they've given the customer a clear estimate and explained any potential extras and contignencies. That's how they keep their reputation!

That said, if a price wasn't agreed in advance the charges must be reasonable and the work done with proper skill and care. Did you check that the guy's Gas Safe Registration includes servicing fires? I'd have expected most people who were qualified to service fires would have vermiculite on the van and would be able to finish the job in one one go.

 

[johnfs]

He is registered for work on gas fires.

After the service he also told me that coals needed respraying, at an additional cost of ~£30.
[automerge]1602260778[/automerge]
Here's a photo from the manual. Natural gas.