Testing whilst quoting?

[NMJones]

Little discussion with my boss regarding when quoting for say an extra socket to be installed. My idea was test the existing circuit on quotation to confirm existing circuit is a complete ring and do the Zs at the socket I’m coming off.

His reply was just quote job, do the job then test afterward and any issues ie incomplete ring tell customer a certificate can’t be issued until rectified and make note on invoice. Surely not right!!

Interested for others take on it. He said you can’t go around testing everyone house before doing a simply extra socket job

 

[Nigel]

Agree with your boss.

Ridiculous concept.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Somewhere in the middle for me: quote for work to be done stating that if any remedial work found during initial testing is chargeable and consent required before new work starts.

 

[NMJones]

Thank for your reply. What if after the install your Zs doesn’t meet BS7671 for argument sake? I understood that a minor works cert would always needed to be issued after such a work

 

[l4urence]

Agree with your boss.

Ridiculous concept.

Bear with me a sec @essex I agree with you for a large company (with a boss) but for a sole trader I'm with the OP. This sudden change can just upset the customer, put mildly. I always say on the quote that it's subject to testing and point that out at the time - this might need extra work. Even separate the two and go in for testing as a paid single event to validate the quote. If I can and the customer is happy to pay, I would test there and then. They can then choose.
Anyway, it's my birthday today and I'm not working or coming on here to talk about work - but I appear to have blown that out of the water already! -------s.

 

[l4urence]

How cool - the forum removes my expletive! Damn it then!

 

[Cid]

Customer may think you're just trying extort money so you may end up losing out to a cowboy.
Best thing to do is give them a number of options - mixture the above perhaps.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Thank for your reply. What if after the install your Zs doesn’t meet BS7671 for argument sake? I understood that a minor works cert would always needed to be issued after such a work

If its anything like i have seen of late on a lot of properties Zs has gone out the window if there is a 30mA Rcd then anything under 1667 is okay. not saying i condone it but it encourages the cowboys to just not bother or make up numbers and not test anyway

 

[NMJones]

Doing the end to end test is a very quick and easy test in my eyes. If the job is done and tested afterwards and no end to end reading, sorting that problem properly and maintaining a ring could be a lengthy job and cost the client a fortune for just an extra socket.

I suppose your point about pointing this out before the job and agreeing is a very valid point. Also agree to test before hand for a price is also a good idea. Too many cowboys will just do the job regardless of any tests or certs.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

In an ideal world, you would test the circuit, check and perhaps confirm by testing the installation earthing and bonding are adequate.
Then quote to do the work.
At the very least, I would plug in a Martindale or Socket & See tester.

 

[Midwest]

I went to do a quote once, supply to summerhouse, which could only be spurred off ground RFC.

Said to customer I’ll just check RFC while I’m here. No continuity on r1. So I said that needs rectifying before we do the summerhouse. Even whipped off a few faceplates while I was there, see if I could find it quickly (didn’t). Spent about an hour there, all free. Sent over quote, and said fault finding would be on hourly rate.

Rang me up, thanks for the quote he said, but we had another electrician round, and he said there was nothing wrong with the RFC AND (wife bumping her gums in the background) his quote was cheaper.

I asked what tests he did, ‘just said it was fine’.

I therefore decided after that, they’d get a quote for the work, with my t&c’s stating;
‘any additional work costs quoted assume that the existing installation is in adequate condition and complies with minimum current regulations. Any works found required to bring the necessary parts of the existing installation up to standard will be at additional cost’.

I’m not giving my time up for free.

 

[Diver233]

Difficult one, but in my opinion telling the customer (better showing the customer) if something is wrong before you start is the most professional way.
Just looked at a fire system job, brief link one fire panel in the night club below (perfect system) to the main building one (bad system from the early 80s panel, wiring from 70s).
I could have said yes easy to do £250, but anything wrong will be extra.
I know to do that job to current standards the old system will need changing at a cost around £3000. Would it be fair to get the job on the £250 price knowing it’s going to cost £3k, customer is going to be fuming.
So I spent an hour there and quoted accordingly for the correct job.
Now I know that another company in my town who will happily just bodge that in without any fault monitoring etc for the £250.
Sometimes I think you need to take the moral high ground and be upfront.
But that’s just my opinion.

 

[DefyG]

Rang me up, thanks for the quote he said, but we had another electrician round, and he said there was nothing wrong with the RFC AND (wife bumping her gums in the background) his quote was cheaper.

I asked what tests he did, ‘just said it was fine’.

probably not even certificated or notified per Part P!

 

[bigspark17]

Doing the end to end test is a very quick and easy test in my eyes. If the job is done and tested afterwards and no end to end reading, sorting that problem properly and maintaining a ring could be a lengthy job and cost the client a fortune for just an extra socket.

I suppose your point about pointing this out before the job and agreeing is a very valid point. Also agree to test before hand for a price is also a good idea. Too many cowboys will just do the job regardless of any tests or certs.

Sounds good but in practice is impossible, just isnt enough hours in the day, and you may not get the job anyway mate. I agree with your boss.

 

[NMJones]

Thanks everyone for your input. What would the outcome be if you installed the socket and they reject remedial works to correct existing circuit for issue of a minor works?