What to do in this situation? To charge or not to chage

[Stanios]

I've started out on my own recently, still cant make up my mind what to do when in the course of doing a job I turn a stopcock that starts leaking or a gate valve that seizes etc.
" It was fine before you got here" sort of thing.

Do I charge to replace them or do it for free?
What do you guys do?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Depends how bad if its a quick 10 mins its free if your cutting into pipe etc its extra

Some customers don't like it tho

 

[Stanios]

Thats what Im worried about. I'd rather keep a customer than earn few extra bob

 

[Paulplumb]

Thats what Im worried about. I'd rather keep a customer than earn few extra bob

I wouldn't worry about charging them. Customers are a fickle lot.Just because you look after them it doesn't mean you are guaranteed to get all of their work. It is a fact of life that stop taps can leak when turned. if a tweak of the packing nut or a bit of ptfe doesn't work then I would have no hesitation in charging for a replacement. If customers are going to argue about that they're not the type you want to retain. I try not to turn old gate valves though as you're asking for trouble

 

[SimonG]

'No responsibility for soundness/watertightness of existing pipework and fittings'

Covers a multitude. Gland nuts weeping then its a quick tighten or repack for free with a 'stop tap was leaking, tightened it but if it causes any problems I can swap it out for £xx'.

 

[JCplumb]

I've taken to warning customers before I touch the stop-tap or valve.
Something like ''old or cheap valves can leak/seize when used, if this happens it'll be £xx to replace it''
If it's just a little dribble from the gland then it only takes a few minutes to re-pack, in that case I probably wouldn't charge.

 

[tomplumb83]

I replaced for free if I've caused the fault

 

[Stanios]

Is this irony or what? Literally just had a job to went to the gate valve, half motion i remember this thread and left it, drained whole tank, done the swap. ******* cold didn't work after fill. The gate valve packed up! Plucked up the courage to ask for 50 quid for my troubles.. Thats two hours f£cking with the wetvac trying to get an airlock out before I realised it was the soden gate valve

 

[AlexGas]

... or just turn it off in the street.

 

[gassafe]

It's their plumbing... If it leaks when I touch it I would charge accordingly to replace!

If it's old dodgy gate valves then experience will tell you to bung etc... It's a bad job if we're expected to take it all on the chin!!!

 

[Stanios]

Just learned the hard way about them gate valves. If its such a common fault why are they even put in to begin with?

 

[turnpin]

Just learned the hard way about them gate valves. If its such a common fault why are they even put in to begin with?

In the old day's you could give 'em a bit of wellie but with all this cheap tut out there now you have to tread carefully my friend some good advice above as usual......regards Turnpin:8:

 

[Phil]

Sometimes the simple act of turning the water off can cause leaks, cheap tat only held together by water pressure.

 

[thereisawizza]

Every job I do now, drain loft tanks and fit levers if the access is good; explain to cust they'll never have a problem for 20-odd years! Like the others say, if you have a cust who baulks at a £4 part, you don't want them as a cust

 

[Best]

Keep your estimate up to cover the potential cost of replacing gatevalves on any jobs that are fairly big (over a few hours labour jobs)
On very small jobs (say, an hour) like tap washers or fitting new taps, just warn the customer that any valve that breaks is extra charge.
And try to just avoid touching any valves by bunging tanks or working live where safe.
Simple.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Sound advice from Best, pretty much same as I do
Also, if possible, get the householder to turn the stop tap off
Only takes a minute or 2 to repack the gland if needed, usually......