Just got laughed at down the phone!!!!

[ukpablo]

Just had a call for a quote for fitting a new shower and new CU.
Bear in mind im getting married tomorrow, he asked for a ball park figure without me even visiting to check bonding etc etc!!!!
Said roughly that a new CU would be around 350 - 400 including supply of Crabtree board, new tails & testing of all ccts, cert etc but price would depend on running new bonding etc if req!

He started laughing, told me a new board from screwfix was 79 quid and that i was a bit pricey..............this was a reccomendation and it peed me off a lil.
Considering i havent even seen the job or what is involved!!!!!! GRRRRRRR!

maybe i should do everything for free eh!

I told him to phone around and get back to me if he wants a quote and that if i was reccomended than it must be because i do a good job at a fair price!

I even stayed polite in conversation too!

 

[Amp David]

They're idiots! If you sent them off to buy everything you needed, people would soon see how expensive jobs can be, on the materials alone.

Would love to go into a place i#ve quoted for after they have had Roy Rogers in to do the job for next to nowt and have a good look at it.

 

[telectrix]

that's what happens when wholesalers start selling to joe public. aks him if he can fit a new boiler, he can pick one up for £400. but to have it fitted professionally would cost him another £6 or £7 hundred

 

[J@mes]

Ask him if the £700 multifunction test meter which could stop his house burning down is included in the £79.99 board he's buying?

 

[telectrix]

and congrats. on getting married. hope the day goes well for you both

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Congrats for your wedding, tell mr .... to stick it up his jacksy.

 

[telectrix]

he's probably thinking on the lines----- Board £79. half days labour to fit, about £60-£70. not realising that the testing (which takes as long again), test meters, PL Insurance, NICEIC or whatever membership, training costs all have to be paid for somehow.

 

[Shock Doctor]

Forget the muppet and enjoy your wedding mate. After hes had a ring around he'll realise thats a fair price and youve been recommended what else do these people want! I think your brave for giving a rough price over the phone once you tell punters that they think its set in stone. I had a nice gentle man the other week who said if it went 1 penny over the price on the estimate ( I presume he doesnt know what estimate means ) then hes not paying. In that case I said Im not starting ( you just know when your gonna have nothing but problems with some people ). Thankfully its been an ok month so I didnt lose any sleep over it, Im not normally in that good a position.

 

[Bigboy247]

What people do not understand is the £2000 + that I spend in insurance and ,calibration/ membership and training every year before I make a penny.But then someone comes along and does the job for £200 with no paperwork no insurance and no tests god knows if its going to burn the house down in a day or two.Never heard anyone getting in trouble for it in court so why do I bother. Think I will get a job as a painter lot less hassel.Might even earn more money.Where I live there is a large number of Eastern Eurpeans moved in and will do anything for £35 a day and rewires for a third of the price I can do it for how can I even get close to there prices given I only use good CU`s and don`t cut corners never will ,never had.People then phone you up and say well they have quoted (X) at half the price I charge and I have always been cheap.Well just say don`t phone me when your house wiring is fXXXXXD.

 

[sythai]

Had the same a couple of weeks ago, went round to price up CU upgrade, all in £360.. MK board, water bond, test, cert etc.

Then out comes matey with the screfix cataloge...arrgghh, same scenerio. Luckily had lots on so told that was my price and would only be happy supplying the materials.

Ended up doing the job for my original price, but took about about twice as long because he stood there watching me all morning, "why are you doing that/this etc.... nearly blew my top!!" Definately crossing that one off my repeat customers list...

 

[rocker]

Sy if I get a lurker I always say 'Okay what I am going to do now is very dangerous and my insurance insists you leave the room'.

Have been called out to jobs I've quoted on but been undercut and consequently the job has been messed up.... I usually do the work at an inflated price. If I had someone this brazenly penny pinching, though, I'd love to go out there, suck my teeth, shake my head and say 'well, they've really made one hell of a mess of this. And I'm busy, so stick it up your bum' oooooh satisfaction.

 

[DurhamSparky]

i always take a scew fix cat with me and im honest about prices and i tell them that all my prices include mark up to cover cost etc which is cheaper than them driving to screwfix any way! and i go in to depth about testing and certificates and how if its not fitted by a registered spark your house insurance will be more or less void if a fire happened any where on electrical system..! normally does the trick.

 

[nickblake]

board £59.95 screw fix volex board
tails set £10.00
labour £180.00
bond to water £65.00
notification £3.50
lables £3.50

£321.95

so thats with out trying to find faults or anything else that may crop up

had a company up here do a mains board change for £100.00 and took them an hour ye right loved to have seen one

oh forgot me smiling £1000

 

[telectrix]

that's a sensible breakdown , Nick. but bit concerned about the smiling, esp. if it's on camera

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I also don't think customers realise that when you (The sparky) supply the materials you have to stand the cost if a breaker goes down, you have to act on the recalls, if they supply they can go whistle when it melts