Mates rate jobs always seem to go wrong.

[spikewt]

I'm sure we've all been there before and it will happen again.
Simple boiler service, switched on the heating just to get rid of some heat while doing the service, all went well, packed up. Mate rate charge and on my merry way.
Get a call this evening , heatings on and his house is 37deg. Turns out the 3port valve won't go back to just hot water so had to stick a new one on. Materials paid for but got abit awkward on labour so I took a hit.
When will I learn!

 

[villa_tom]

All my mates know not to ask me to do anything, or even to look at something for them.

Its the best way

the only people I know who I do work for are my mom and dad, and my grandma

 

[spikewt]

I don't do much for mates but this guy gets me some work and I thort we'll it's only a service, what's the worst that can happen. :-\

 

[bright spark]

My brother just charges everyone the same. So everyone knows where they stand. Try to avoid working for friends myself. Although sometimes you may have to do a favour for customers houses. (I mainly do commercial and get stuck doing things for people who give you a lot of business). These jobs I usually dread, due to Murphys law

 

[Ermintrude]

I'm with bright spark . Mates who expect a discount ain't mates and family can jog on too. No likley that I'm gonna need a slip clutch or some diffs for my formula 3 any time soon so when they gonna help me? My painter told me to charge him properly for his ch as he ain't painting owt cheap . He won't do labour swaps either .

 

[Ray Stafford]

Mother in Law. "Simple" tap change. Pampas basin.

Never again.

 

[spikewt]

I will NEVER work for my mother in law! She's told 7 window cleaners to not come back in a year!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

don't do mates rates my times precious

 

[Ray Stafford]

don't do mates rates my times precious

Mark no-mates?

 

[Dotty]

Years ago I asked a mechanic mate to do some work on my car. Asked him how much discount I'd get.

"None." He replied, "mates are mates but business is business."

Seems a pretty simple and effective philosophy to me. And one I always wish I could apply.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Mark no-mates?

there are no Friends in business ray ,my mates would readily take the proverbial so dont work for them ,they either pay my rate or go elsewhere

 

[Leo21]

Mother in Law. "Simple" tap change. Pampas basin.

Never again.

I didn't know you could change taps with a pen and a calculator.

 

[Ray Stafford]

I didn't know you could change taps with a pen and a calculator.

I couldn't. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the taps had been there since Noah was an apprentice, and the additional torque that I applied (I knew that O level physics would be good for something) failed to move the backnut, but elicited a musical "ting" from the (discontinued 2 decades ago) pampas basin. It also elicited some Anglo saxon from me.

 

[Leo21]

I couldn't. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the taps had been there since Noah was an apprentice, and the additional torque that I applied (I knew that O level physics would be good for something) failed to move the backnut, but elicited a musical "ting" from the (discontinued 2 decades ago) pampas basin. It also elicited some Anglo saxon from me.

Weve all been there Ray, but I'm sure there was less physics involved.

 

[Ermintrude]

I didn't know you could change taps with a pen and a calculator.

Oooooh no sweets on your next order

 

[lame plumber]

I didn't know you could change taps with a pen and a calculator.

You'll never win a trip to New York either

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I'm sure we've all been there before and it will happen again.
Simple boiler service, switched on the heating just to get rid of some heat while doing the service, all went well, packed up. Mate rate charge and on my merry way.
Get a call this evening , heatings on and his house is 37deg. Turns out the 3port valve won't go back to just hot water so had to stick a new one on. Materials paid for but got abit awkward on labour so I took a hit.
When will I learn!

thats strange .... 3 port usually fail to hw only or stuck in the middle

 

[kris]

I do mates rates for mates because if i cant do a favour for a friend then im not really a friend. But we do need to draw a line on friend and aqaintences . I never charge close family because at the end of the day we all help each other out but that cant be one sided. Example. My brothers wifes a hairdresser and i get free haircuts everytime so when they needed there kitchen fitted i obliged ,,,,

 

[Leo21]

I just try not to rip my friends of.












As much.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

thats strange .... 3 port usually fail to hw only or stuck in the middle

Had that exact same problem twice in my own house, heating stuck on for hours. Id change the 3 port but the thought of getting my tools out at home is enough to put me off, im still recovering from changing the boiler 3 years ago.

 

[zeebeedee]

Mother in Law. "Simple" tap change. Pampas basin.

Never again.

Thats because your rusty sitting in an office pen pushing all day ;-)

 

[Ray Stafford]

Thats because your rusty sitting in an office pen pushing all day ;-)

"Rusty" implies that at some point in history I had some talent for plumbing. This is sadly far from the truth.

 

[zeebeedee]

"Rusty" implies that at some point in history I had some talent for plumbing. This is sadly far from the truth.

Hats off to you then ray, I assumed you would have come from a plumbing background, can't have been easy building such a successful merchants with no plumbing experience

 

[Neil K]

Had that exact same problem twice in my own house, heating stuck on for hours. Id change the 3 port but the thought of getting my tools out at home is enough to put me off, im still recovering from changing the boiler 3 years ago.

Here here. Never any interest the minute I get home.

 

[PlumbersMate]

Here here. Never any interest the minute I get home.

First ever plumbing job was siphon in my own house, and then my mother in laws. Nearly quit there and then on mother in laws, no ISO valve on feed to WC, and didn't know which valve to turn off in airing cupboard, so done it live while missus held float valve arm in closed position lol in my defence I had been at college about 2 weeks. Thank god for the flexi on the WC feed