Undercut by the builder down the pub!

[Gavin John Hyde]

Had a phonecall about an hour ago asking if I could connect a new freestanding cooker up. The lady lives in a apartment building on the same development as me.
Call went like..
Lady: Hi, we have just bought a new cooker from Argos and need somebody to disconnect our old one and wire in the new one.
Me: I can help with that, where abouts are you? (thinking it will be a quick easy job i can fit in)
Lady: We are just along the road from you and wondered how much you would charge to come out later today to do it?
Me: As you are literally a 1 minute walk away I will charge you £20 (lower than normal as its on my doorstep and I am very confident the electrics in that fancy building are okay)
Lady: oh that is a bit high, can you go lower? as our friend who is a builder said he would do it for a tenner, hes down the pub at the moment and said he would pop in if needed after the football!
Me: its a Sunday and I am not a charity, by all means use your builder friend who could be drunk when he wires it in... sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Bye.

I thought it was bare faced cheek on the womans part to expect me to come out on a sunday and connect a cooker for a tenner! Only considered it to begin with as my coffee would still be warm when i got back its that close.
Worse still i am undercut by a less than sober builder down the pub!
World gets crazier by the day!

 

[Wonderwall]

£20 was too cheap anyway.
If she had someone willing to come out on a Sunday, why did she even bother phoning you?

 

[peterhyper]

Better off without customers like this ..........

£20 , when you pay tax and NI its only £14.20

That's assuming he doesn't pay tax at the 40% rate.

I really have no interest in working for people like that, and even if it was down the road I wouldn't do it for £20 especially on a Sunday.

How many experienced/qualified/registered electricians would go out on a Sunday to do that for £20 (apart from Gavin)?

 

[sparkdog]

£55 minimum on a week day.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Better off without customers like this ..........

£20 , when you pay tax and NI its only £14.20

Yeah right...That £20 would be straight in the sky rocket.

 

[Octopus]

That's assuming he doesn't pay tax at the 40% rate

Nobody SE should declare over the 40%

 

[telectrix]

of course the builder will bring his £950 MFT to check the Zs etc. and prove the circuit sound before connecting the new cooker.????>????

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I only said £20 as the flat the job was in is literally 20 paces out from my front door across the road and I have done work in same building so know what would have been there on arrival. Have testing kit at home and hand tools without having to go fetch them from storage, so nice and quick. Normally It would be £50

 

[Toneyz]

of course the builder will bring his £950 MFT to check the Zs etc. and prove the circuit sound before connecting the new cooker.????>????

How many beers have you had Tel to think that would happen?

 

[Wilko]

£20 was too cheap anyway.
If she had someone willing to come out on a Sunday, why did she even bother phoning you?

Ha ha - good question, my bet is there is no "builder for a tenner" and she's planning to kick hubby into action.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Ha ha - good question, my bet is there is no "builder for a tenner" and she's planning to kick hubby into action.

Unlikely. Shes in a relationship with another woman! Asked a friend who lives in same building about her and told she is 100% gay.

 

[7029 dave]

of course the builder will bring his £950 MFT to check the Zs etc. and prove the circuit sound before connecting the new cooker.????>????

course he will.?

 

[peterhyper]

Yeah right...That £20 would be straight in the sky rocket.

Even if you intended to defraud the HMRC of their well deserved taxes, the customer would probably pay by cheque and want an invoice.

Last time I did someone local a favour (not as low as £20 and not on a Sunday), they wanted the invoice before making payment via bank transfer and I even had to chase that up!

 

[telectrix]

what are invoices? job fixed, cash in arse pocket... next.

 

[peterhyper]

what are invoices? job fixed, cash in arse pocket... next.

 

[Squid]

I only said £20 as the flat the job was in is literally 20 paces out from my front door across the road and I have done work in same building so know what would have been there on arrival. Have testing kit at home and hand tools without having to go fetch them from storage, so nice and quick. Normally It would be £50

Builder mate just called me as he went to do a job for a client, he said "stuff the £20" when he saw the client......