RE: Advice to DIY'ers

[oz-plumber]

Hi Fellas,

One thing I can't fathom is why you guys are so helpful to DIY'ers.

I'm not against helping the odd person out with incidental plumbing and heating problems, but as for giving people advice on plumbing, sewer, and heating installations, I feel it goes against yourselves.

Fair enough people come on for advice on things and even query work that has been done ( eg Shaun - boiler install)
which was fantastic - by the way!, but as for advising diy'ers on how to plumb bathrooms and the so on, I don't think it's right.

Because people come on and say things are 'tight' at the moment and they want to do a bathroom renovation themselves to save some money, well, why are they spending excess cash on renovations.
If things were tight, they could not afford to go and blow money on a bathroom renovation.

I'm not saying to tell these people to go forth and fornicate, but give them as little, and clouded, advice as possible, so that they feel that they cannot take on the work they should be employing a plumber to do.

Just food for thought.

 

[village idiot]

You may be right Oz, but with the amount of ''FREE'' videos on Utube, it is a no brainer not to 'help' those who feel they have the capability to take on their projects themselves. If we do not help them, some numpty on U-tube will help them.

The only advice I will not give is advice that is Gas related. But for those DIYers who want to make a mess of their projects, we will make good the mess at a price.
If the Forum gives the advice that it gives, then peeps feel more confident to use Forum members for their projects. Shuan is a good example

 

[Scott_D]

It seems very rare that anyone from the forum gets any work though.

 

[village idiot]

It seems very rare that anyone from the forum gets any work though.

I will like to think that they do get work but just don't broadcast it.
After what happened to Shaun, chances are more will post their jobs on here for Forum members to do. If you notice, I have always said that I'd rather they post their jobs for Us to do rather than give it out to Joe Public, then come and ask us if what has been done is right or how they can resolve it?

 

[Masood]

It's a complex question Oz, with a lot of historical and cultural aspects to it.

Britain has always had a strong DIY culture. It's dying out - the current generation of young adults, 1st time house buyers are largely clueless. But historically people took great pride in "doing up" their own homes, trusting bigger and more complex jobs to professionals.

Over the past few decades professionals gained a reputation for being "closed", a bit dishonest, disrespectful - the image of rip-off tradesmen in scruffy workwear, turning up late or not at all, refusing to detail what the problem was, preying on peoples' fear - is based at least partly in fact. That is changing a bit. We still have an image problem and a credibility problem but things are improving.

I feel that by being open with basic stuff, allowing people to make informed decisions, we present ourselves better and have more credibility when we draw the line and say "this is beyond you". The DIYer, if given enough information, may well see that his ambition exceeds his ability and call in a pro but if we refuse to provide any information at all, he may make dangerous or costly mistakes. Of course by helping him we may lead him to making a botched attempt at something, which as VI points out, leads to work for a pro anyway...

 

[Masood]

It seems very rare that anyone from the forum gets any work though.

More than you might think. I've had a few little jobs which gained me a customer, which then led to bigger jobs, recommendations, etc.

 

[village idiot]

I nearly got a job? Well, I turned it down and reminded the customer that her first point of action is to get the boiler installers to make good the faults they had left. Thankfully, she took the advice and went down that route.
But in my case,you have to ask yourself: 'How many people will be brave enough to give a job to a tradesman who goes by the name of Village Idiot'? Hardly any, me thinks. But, I'm not complaining. My mum must have her reasons for giving me the name

 

[Centralheatking]

Helping the DIY brigade is important for a few reasons.
1. There are advertisers who pay good money to be on UKPF and ultimately support it so we can all enjoy a free forum - so I regard helping DIY as paying back
2. Some of their questions achieve answers that I would not have known - so I learn
3. Helping can only enhance UKPF as the best forum Centralheatking

 

[Dotty]

Helping the DIY brigade is important for a few reasons.
1. There are advertisers who pay good money to be on UKPF and ultimately support it so we can all enjoy a free forum - so I regard helping DIY as paying back
2. Some of their questions achieve answers that I would not have known - so I learn
3. Helping can only enhance UKPF as the best forum Centralheatking

Now this really IS post of the year!

 

[Leo21]

Helping the DIY brigade is important for a few reasons.
1. There are advertisers who pay good money to be on UKPF and ultimately support it so we can all enjoy a free forum - so I regard helping DIY as paying back
2. Some of their questions achieve answers that I would not have known - so I learn
3. Helping can only enhance UKPF as the best forum Centralheatking

Well said, but! Information does need some limiting. We don't want all our hard earned secrets given away.

 

[diamondgas]

Personally I don't come on here looking for work although some has come my way! I get paid with gratitude when I help someone freely, maybe a dying currency these days but one I value greatly.

Greed just makes you fat! ... headed usually!!

 

[Leo21]

Does anyone else know of a site where you can get good info and advise? Like this site perhaps, but different trade obviously. I can't imagine getting free advise of a washing machine repair man, aerial chap and so on. I'm sure there are loads of things I could do if only I had someone to tell me how to do it. That's about 90% of the trade, so I will give advise. But not much.
Mainly don't touch it your not qualified.

 

[SimonG]

Ive seen forums giving advice on all sorts

Plasma tvs
Cars
Medical
Consumer law
Legal issues

To be honest the list is endless.

 

[Toxic Ted]

his ambition exceeds his ability TE]

Famous quote from Stonor on Rossi.....

 

[Best]

It's a hard one to decide what is the right thing to do. I tend to be too helpful to most people, but I wouldn't give all that I know to a rival plumber. I will give him a little help if they are decent & more if they are a mate & help me when I need it.
My thoughts on helping the public are this, -
If a DIY person wants to do a job that might be well within their ability, then I usually will advise them & maybe even supply them parts.
If it is a tap washer replacement, or a ballvalve repair/replace type job, then I am happy to tell them how to go about it if they fancy doing it themselves, - no matter if they are poor or rich.
If they are rich & miserable & for example, want to save £50 spending hours trying to replace a radiator by themselves, - I tend to be very unhelpful & remind them that it would be quicker & cheaper for me to do it. I have learnt there are some very greedy people who earn serious money but want to have as high a lifestyle as possible, but at the expense of tradesmen.

 

[Ermintrude]

I give gas advise to them all but unhelpful bloke deletes them

 

[SimonG]

Natural selection springs to mind.

 

[oz-plumber]

I give gas advise to them all but unhelpful bloke deletes them

Disgraceful........Name and Shame!

 

[oz-plumber]

Hi Fellas,

The replies are a lot more pleasant than I expected.

I thought I was going to cop a bagging!!

It was good to see some points of view from different people.

I'm not against giving advice to people, but some of the advice given out, I feel, exceeds what Joe Public is capable of or should be privy to free of charge.

Oz

 

[village idiot]

Believe you me, there's too much information out there if you're prepared to TROLL the net.

Mario's Plumbing - YouTube