Silly jobs

[hammers4spanner]

What do you guys do on some jobs where you get that phone call of i have a problem with my shower can you look at it?

Job today had someone ask this can i come and look usually i charge to do silly bits however was passing through so dived in .

Was an old mixer that needed a prv on cold and new temp spindle however he kept me there for 30 mins.

Right i thought stick £40 on today and book it in for monday , both agreed to that then 30 mins later he rings and wants me booked in end of March.

Felt like i diddled myself here and should charge no matter what when its door to door

What you guys do?

 

[Best]

I guess you need to do something I also don't do, - quote a minimum call out charge for certain jobs.
I just wasted most of my day trying to sort out an electric shower. Can't really charge

 

[cr0ft]

Tend to avoid repairs completely to be honest when it comes to taps/showers. Just not worth the hassle or time involved in finding parts etc.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Think I'm just going to say in future 50 quid no matter what .

All this can you come have a look nonsense just aint worth the bother

 

[cr0ft]

TBH if I do do them I get the customer to tell me what's going wrong with it and to email over a photo or two of the shower. Then I send it over to Shower Doctor and they tell me what parts I need.

Saves a visit, saves the customer a charge so they only have to pay once.

I put a decent markup on any parts sold too (20-30%) so it's fairly profitable. Still takes a bit of admin time though.

 

[plumben]

I tell everyone ill come look at a job FOC until I have to get my tools out or if they want details on the actual fault, if they then want to keep me talking for ages ill have a quick chat then say I've got another job to go to sorry so I'm not there for hours on end, I work with a fella who will do a 10minute job then talk for 40 minutes but only charge peanuts and can't see what the problem is

 

[WaterTight]

If you're gas safe, do some electrics, oil, bit of carpentry, building, tiling, whistle and bells, time-served, relaxed, know lots of trades, then this stuff is a waste of your time. I'd resent it too.

But this kind of stuff is my bread and butter and so I look at everything, for free, in a timely fashion and just accept there are a percentgage (no more than 1 out of 5) that are non-starters or a waste of a visit once they get a price later. Then I just quote for new as much as poss, mark up parts on repairs enough so you still make money overall and it works ok.

 

[oz-plumber]

What do you guys do on some jobs where you get that phone call of i have a problem with my shower can you look at it


Felt like i diddled myself here and should charge no matter what when its door to door

What you guys do?

Why not charge or everything you do.

Companies with employees will not send someone out without a fee involved.
They wouldn't be around long if they offered free 'appraisal' services.

You've told the person what's wrong - I bet you never hear from him again.

He / she values your expertize much more than you do yourself.

Keep a memory of the 'ripped off' feeling - and don't let it happen next time

 

[jonnyswamp]

You have to charge for your time, or you won't last and your family will go hungry
I had 2 yesterday, both happy to pay £40 as they had a bit of advice as well
I do sometimes relax it for OAP's though, especially the ones that are still left around my way that I've known all my life
It's usually these that insist on paying though