pricing debate!

  • Thread starter Thread starter secret squirrel
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secret squirrel

Two post in 3 days, I'm pushing the boat out....

Basically, after following a few more posts, people have (and always do) discuss price, "am I being ripped off" "that seems expensive" "the parts only cost a fiver" "I'd do it cheaper" etc etc.

SO, forgetting geographical differences:

I go to replace a ball valve in a loft of two houses:

1. there is a loft ladder already in place, there is power in the loft with lighting that illuminates the whole loft, boarding out etc and I can stand upright. Can get at the ball valve easily and there is a working iso valve. The job is 30 minutes from where I live.

2. no loft ladder, no boarding out, no light, no standing room and ball valve is not easily accessable, no iso valve. Again 30 minutes from where I live. Forgetting water regs for the moment (no charge to put on an iso valve.)

Should these 2 customers be charged the same?

(now I'm off to change a ball valve🙄)
 
definately not, if one takes longer than the other to do it will cost more.
unless you have a standard call out charge, where you charge so much for the first hour.
 
it depends really as such each case is different best to work on the
40.00 for first hour then 30.00 after that so
scenario one good deal at 40.00 plus parts
scenarion two not as good but lot harder to do
 
think about it another way

You go for a meal with the missus

You boh have steak

You have your rare and she has hers well done

The bill comes and yours is charged at £12 and hes is £15. When you question it the waiter advises that the well done steak took the chef longer and therefore cost more of his time



With that in mind i would still charge more for the 2nd sceanario but I state the above to 'Open your eyes'
 
Hi. With ballvalves i would not get into debate, if thay require an immediate call out is say £60+parts. If you can do it latter in the day when passing say £40 (when changing bs 1212 ball valves i would rarely take the lot out. Just undo the union on the inside of the cistern and fit new part to existing. I am not the only one doing that am i? Bringing every call out up to current regulations will give you nightmares.
 
Plumbstar tom,

This is my point I was getting at! The job is the same, yet, one customer is being penalised for not having "good/safe/pleasant working enviroment"

I agree with everyone that case 2 should be charged more.

But my issue is this; its very difficult to give a price on most jobs until you get there. So, if you say I'll change it and its going to be £80, the customer says "how much" my mate only paid £40. So, you (may) say ok, I'll do it for £60 then you bump into case 2.....

I tend not to believe all what customers say about price and "other plumbers" for this reason.

OK, if you can be bothered your opinions on the following:

change a stopcock:

1. enter the house, stopcock easily accessable, plenty of movement on the pipe, loads of room to move, area has been cleared of washing, hoover, cat, main stop valve outside is plastic type and works perfectly.

2. enter the house, you have to empty the cupboard under the stairs, very little movement on the pipe, tight space mains stop valve is old type difficult to move, still lets (a little) water by when off

3. as above but mains tap is easy to move and turns the water off beautifully.
 
its all individual to the job

Be honest and pull them over and say this is more work than initially thought and show them that you are not pulling the wool over their eyes. 9 times out of 10 they will agree for you to carry on as you are already their and you can agree price in the same conversation

Im sure that if my tyres need changing and the bolts were rounded and needed drilling I would pay more

You will always get the customers who refuse to budge and sometimes its best to just walk away, takes a lot to do that though and depends how good or bad the weeks been?

So on to my previous post would you accept paying more for a well done steak? its a good example as you actually get less as the juices have all ran out. I have mine blue as i dont like waiting long
 
I would charge no1 more ,mainly coz I probably could not be bothered to do no2,get spoilt with combi's.do not like going in roofs and loft spaces,did one the other week,as had to,they had, had a new roof fitted,the roofers had just let all the rubbish fall into loft space,it was black,as was I, the time I had finished,that with the heat,roof insulation all over,I did job and had to go home and shower and get changed,as I was filthy and no way could I go to another job in another house

imho
 
Why give them a price over the phone then without viewing the problem?
Just tell the client we charge ???? per hour plus parts, we have a minimum 1 call charge which usually should be enough to change a ballvalve.
If it the case that its difficult to access, almost welded on etc it might go to an hour and a half.
Always be up front with the client and don't just drop a higher price on them.
They only want to budget for the job, be as straight as you can
It will pay in the long term
 
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Plumbstar tom,

with regards to the steak definetly big but medium like it a bit pink but not too bloody must be quality meat though...

I have found reading the replies quite interesting and everyone is along the same lines, which, if I am honest I am not surprised about.

I am a little intrigued in why plumbers on this forum do go along the lines (on occasion) of "that sounds a bit expensive for that" or "I'd do it cheaper".

This is not intended as a critism of either the forum or members just an observation.

Pure plumber:
cool website; agree with not giving a price over the phone, could be a "chancer" wanting to compare his/her price to you. How can you price correctly without seeing the job... I agree.
 
I have a set price for changing a part 2 ball valve £100. Though I have heard some locals doing it for £40 I say let them get on with it.
 
i agree too with the how can you price the job without seeing it. which is why what I give over the phone is an estimate. Everyone rings up and asks how much can you fix this for. They can't be expected to advise on the full plumbing/loft layout, so i give an estimate, if it takes longer, i charge more. If it takes a lot less i charge less
 
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