Pricing Question

dubsgirl

Hi All

I'm hoping someone on here may be able to advise.

We have a Glow Worm Si18 and it had no pressure so called out a plumbing & heating company. He called and re-pressurised the system - twisted a valve in the hot press €65 - no problem all happy

However put the heating on again hours after he left and same problem so he called back to the house. On a closer inspection said we need a couple of new parts - parts cost €100 & labour €100
So €200 for the job
I have queried what the €65 we paid is for then? As it did not fix the heating at all...
Its basically being treated like a brand new job to cost €200 and not taking into account that we have already paid €65 for nothing?

Now if this is regular practise just let me know, to be honest I'm confused whether I'm arguing over nothing but it just doesn't feel right to me

Thanks All!

mistress_gi

I would shop around if you are unsure of the price quoted. However it is hard to find a good plumber, so if you trust him and have good history with him maybe bight the bullet and get it done.

scudo2

An experienced plumber would have said €250
And because you've already paid €65, I'll do it for €200.

Everybody's happy.

dubsgirl

scudo2 wrote: »

An experienced plumber would have said €250
And because you've already paid €65, I'll do it for €200.

Everybody's happy.

That is so true!!!

DGOBS

lol, I would have certainly refunded you initial callout fee, as I would have been red faced to have not at least checked things like your safety release valve and expansion etc on initial callout.

dubsgirl

DGOBS wrote: »

lol, I would have certainly refunded you initial callout fee, as I would have been red faced to have not at least checked things like your safety release valve and expansion etc on initial callout.

Thanks Dgobs! Any chance your in Wicklow - on principle I don't want to give them the job now

DGOBS

No sorry.

jimf

scudo2 wrote: »

An experienced plumber would have said €250
And because you've already paid €65, I'll do it for €200.

Everybody's happy.

omg scudo have ye cork boys any shame

like your thinking though :P

gifted

There's a position going in the department of finance scudo lol lol

dubsgirl

So if I get someone else to do this job, can I ask for a refund of the €65 that I paid for nothing? They say they were paid for their time regardless of the fact they did not fix it!

Is there anywhere I can go to complain? Any plumber ombudsmen?

gdavis

too much of that carry on going on,gives good tradesmen a bad name, lads after a quick buck,no pride in their work and cant do basic checks to make sure job is complete,does my head in

richieburke01

gdavis wrote: »

too much of that carry on going on,gives good tradesmen a bad name, lads after a quick buck,no pride in their work and cant do basic checks to make sure job is complete,does my head in

The company in question should of found the fault then discuss options

jimf

dubsgirl wrote: »

So if I get someone else to do this job, can I ask for a refund of the €65 that I paid for nothing? They say they were paid for their time regardless of the fact they did not fix it!

Is there anywhere I can go to complain? Any plumber ombudsmen?

I would love to be able to charge a customer for a no fix

thank god I don't have many call backs not blowing my own trumpet but if I had a call back for the same issue there is no way id expect the customer to pay again and imho the best way to avoid this is do it right the first time we have to remember word of mouth is the best free advertising available to us

scudo2

On a serious note :
I have lost money on a job, I would sooner do that than get the reputation of been in the rip off corner.
I still believe MOST long term tradesmen are good and honest to the best of there abilitys .

dubsgirl

dubsgirl wrote: »

Thanks Dgobs! Any chance your in Wicklow - on principle I don't want to give them the job now

This I would agree with.

In British gas there was a saying "give good service and you'll be lucky if your customer tells one person, give bad service and your guaranteed your customer will tell at least 10 people"

So spread the word so that next time they don't charge if they don't fix.



Personally I don't charge customers for my lack of ability/training, if I could charge for all the things I'm really bad at I'd be very very rich;)

Wearb

scudo2 wrote: »

On a serious note :
I have lost money on a job, I would sooner do that than get the reputation of been in the rip off corner.
I still believe MOST long term tradesmen are good and honest to the best of there abilitys .

Just found out you can't like a post twice

shane 007

gary71 wrote: »

In British gas there was a saying "give good service and you'll be lucky if your customer tells one person, give bad service and your guaranteed your customer will tell at least 10 people"

One back for Gary, you tea leaf! British Gas my eye. Grrrr....

scudo2

shane 007 wrote: »

One back for Gary, you tea leaf! British Gas my eye. Grrrr....

To all those who perfer British gas service, can you feck off home for a better service and bring Garry !

Egass13

scudo2 wrote: »

To all those who perfer British gas service, can you feck off home for a better service and bring Garry !

Go on home you British gas engineers go on home , have ye got no fecking boilers of your own ...

I am just here till ye culchies learn that working pressure isn't something you get when your behind on your services.;)

Egass13

gary71 wrote: »

I am just here till ye culchies learn that working pressure isn't something you get when your behind on your services.;)

Yeah , bleeeedin culchies .. Thank god I'm from Dublin ,

DGOBS

Working pressure, what's that?

shane 007

Egass13 wrote: »

Yeah , bleeeedin culchies .. Thank god I'm from Dublin ,

Red hair.... Tallaght..... Muscles from Brussels..... Howaya accent..... Doesn't have the natural urge to get the train to go shopping in Dublin on December 8th....

Hmmm.... It's all adding up now.....

scudo2

DGOBS wrote: »

Working pressure, what's that?

Its what Ideal pumps on a Friday does to you.

You've a short memory Tony.
Did you ever get it checked out ?

I'm sure there's somesort of a UK specialist here with a good memory.

DGOBS

.???? Errr, not of good with cryptic. UK?

A broken pump housing isn't pressure, just a pain in the backside and was trying to avoid a large extra cost to a customer.

Everyone has a short term memory, and a long term memory?

MadDog76

The same thing happened to us .............. came back from holidays to find the boiler wasn't working so rang a plumber (we'd used him before), he came round and turned the valve in the hotpress for a few seconds and it did the trick!! He also showed me how to do it myself if it ever happened again.
When I asked him what the damage was he said "don't be silly, sure I didn't fix anything, sometimes the pressure just drops if the bolier hasn't been used for a while ............. if it happens again in the next few days it's a bigger problem ............ THEN I'll fix it ............ AND charge you!!".
And he left with a smile ............ needless to say he's always the first plumber we call and recommend to people, he's done loads of work for friends and family of ours and they've always been delighted.
Sounds like you got a "quick buck" plumber unfortunately ............... I would get a second opinion and give your money to a decent lad if need be ...........