struggling for work

[SimonG]

i quoted £100,punter said he got a quote for £40.!!!

I would have laughed and walked away! Was probably looking to haggle. I never believe what a customer tells me, not calling them liars, just economical with the truth.

 

[Blake]

i quoted £100,punter said he got a quote for £40.!!!

That's a joke, I would not even start the van up for that.

 

[leelister6]

Bloke looking for quotes on Sheffield forum for a new boiler. He just posted that "the best quote for boiler supply and fit is £850, can anyone beat that" Hope he like what he gets for that price..... Thinkin Ravenheat!

 

[Barry98]

thinking he needs a slap to wake him up

 

[GQuigley67]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

 

[SimonG]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

Can't help on that one, I don't touch gas. If its just based on connecting a copper pipe and two visits I'd be looking for around the £100. I don't get any work off of joiners (except when they've done it themselves and made a horlicks of it and had to go and fix) but if its the customer maybe do some sort of deal, but, will you get next years service if its not been done in 3 years? All to be chucked into the equation.

 

[Barry98]

simon you dont do gas are you intending to ?

 

[SimonG]

simon you dont do gas are you intending to ?

Thats a definite no. Quite rural round here, quite a few gas guys, couple of really good ones and then the ones who should have their tools taken off em. Do oil, all the wet stuff, tiling, unvented and wanting to move into renewables (MCS willing )

 

[benfisher]

i was working today for 2 1/2 hours removing a kitchen sink, and altering a bit of gas pipework(all i done was cut off 200mm and put on a straight coupling) because gas cooker is moving and I have to return tomorrow to connect up kitchen sink because joiners haven't finished doing the units.. much would you all charge ? if its the joiner thats paying me then I'm thinking of doing it a bit cheaper to try and get more work out of him also trying to get a service out of customer boiler hasnt been serviced in 3 year lol

I had a similar job to do for a local builer, kichen guy fluffed up the worktop so he just wanted me to disconnected sink and hob the go back and reconnect, quoted him 1hr to disconnect and 1hr to reconnect (£90 all up) haven't heard back from him

 

[GQuigley67]

well I finished the job today, had to use some materials so materials probably came to about £15 max and I charged £90, 2 visits at around 4 hours all in(alot of rsing about trying to turn off water) If I charged my normal rate it would of been dearer

 

[buckley plumb]

im in stoke mate and the past month has been very quiet tomany trades in this area

ant

 

[SafeGasInstall]

any on from post code GL65 in here ? much work around ? what a lovely villages round there , thinking to immigrate again and the wife loves it too !

 

[villa_tom]

I have worked in the GL postcode when I worked in social housing. What where you doing round that way?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

day out with wife ,did not see any social housing staff ! had a wonderful lunch in a pub called greedy goose

lovely area to honest GL65 I am talking about ,was in art gallery two couples bout some art 5k a each

so must be a lot of rich round there

 

[mak]

im in stoke mate and the past month has been very quiet tomany trades in this area

ant

tell me about it ,are you working for yourself /subbing or company

 

[gaspastemania]

I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

read my other post some one willing to pay me to train him and he is dooing a portfolio for gas

 

[gaspastemania]

Well thats just ridiculous , are these people aware that there are other trades and not just plumbing / heating . I have been plumbing for a number of years and erned last year what i was earning 12 years ago . Training centers will never admit that plumbing is struggling as market is flooded as it will effect there profits . A friend of mine left a 26,000 p/a job to become a plumber now he is in debt and always looking for work ,,,,,,stupidity and gullible !

 

[villa_tom]

I dont think its a case of being quiet just because there is not much money being spent but also a case of everyman and his dog wants to re train as a plumber . i recently done my combustion course and there was about 8 guys doing plumbing in the training center on top of that at least one customer per week telling me that they have son retraining as a plumber from being an accountant as no money in accountancy etc. I can go in the merchants and they will say they have had 10 new business start up this month. There is a flood of plumbers on the market and not enough work . IMO the bubble has burst big time !!!

Spot on! I think the work is still out there but theres just more people taking a piece of it and there is just not enough to go round. I can't for the life of me see the fascination that these people have with our trade, its not like its a 9-5 job. I think if they came out with a bloke for a few weeks before signing up to these courses then they may have a change of heart. they would soon see that there is alot of working weekends and evenings and see how dirty the job can be at times, and get them lugging big rads down 10 flights of stairs because the lift don't work. let them see how rsey customers can be and how much rubbish you have to put up with. I think they would soon change their mind and try plastering etc etc.

The problem is the training centres though, they will always take people money and promise them 50k per year once qualified and tell them they will be finsihed by 2 everyday and have the life of a preiership footballer. But this will never change, as long as there are people willing to part with cash then the training centres will gladly take it and fill their heads with false hopes and dreams.

 

[leelister6]

When I did my A.C.S. there were blokes that didn't have an ounce of practical knowledge and were expecting to be able to fit full systems by the end of the course (Paid for by govt!). When the instructor explained that it was a gas safety course and not a plumbing and heating course, 2 of em didn't bother turning up after day 2. Can't understand why they don't have some sort of minimum requirement for practical ability. Spent half an hour with a bloke showing him how to solder a joint and it just weren't sinking in that it doesn't have to glow red to get it to run! The solder was bouncing all over so I just let him get on with it........He passed God help us!!

 

[benfisher]

........He passed God help us!!

God help us indeed. I went to sort out a boiler that had been install by one of these numpties, clearly just filled out the gas cert without doing any tests. gas cert said 30kw, it was an Ideal Isar 24HE!, 21Mb at the meter but only 15Mb at the boiler and the best bit was he's noted the gas fire and carried out all the test but failed to notice it was an electric fire
I spoke to our local GSR inspector about the job and he said "They are fully aware of work carried out by these guys is bad but they prefer to have them on the GSR where they can keep an eye on them rather than working illegally"

SCARY!!

 

[leelister6]

It's goddam scary that these people are even allowed to take the course, let alone pass! The centre where I did mine failed 4 blokes while I was there (Mind you, one of em flooded one of the bays when he disconnected the M.C.W. feed to a combi instead of the gas!) but they did pass some right tools as well!

 

[desrob]

When I did my A.C.S. there were blokes that didn't have an ounce of practical knowledge and were expecting to be able to fit full systems by the end of the course (Paid for by govt!). When the instructor explained that it was a gas safety course and not a plumbing and heating course, 2 of em didn't bother turning up after day 2. Can't understand why they don't have some sort of minimum requirement for practical ability. Spent half an hour with a bloke showing him how to solder a joint and it just weren't sinking in that it doesn't have to glow red to get it to run! The solder was bouncing all over so I just let him get on with it........He passed God help us!!

there was no soldering on my acs,not to say other places don't ,do it,just wondering what course it was,that the punter who could not solder was on and what did he pass.

 

[leelister6]

there was no soldering on my acs,not to say other places don't ,do it,just wondering what course it was,that the punter who could not solder was on and what did he pass.

One element of the exam was to remove a meter and repair a section of pipe and this bloke hadn't even seen a blowtorch so i tried to show him at lunchtime. He passed the A.C.S.(Plagued my life out during written exam, asking questions and nearly got me thrown out when I asked him politely to go away!) Dunno if he's gas safe tho

 

[scubajohn]

i agree i no for sure imagrants will do plumbing and gas work for peanuts