need a plumber - problem with shower

EliteHeat

Canucklehead wrote: »

Hi


I also noticed the fatal phrase 'so I don't get ripped off'. Instant turn off.;)


Corgi Guy.

Yep and the always popular "I'm getting 23 quotes in, so let me just cross you off this list - who are you again?"

And the up and coming internet forum anti-etiquette "Tradesmen are being layed off left right and centre at the moment, so I am pressing hard for a good deal - hee hee"

mummytofour

Check a trade for a good local plumber.

guineapig

Our local council has a list of "Police checked" tradesmen of all kinds, the deal is joe public ring up and say " I need a Plumber to sort out my leaking shower" they tell you a Plumber from your area will call you within a day or two ( yeah, I know this is the bit that's not so good, if it's all done with phone call's you would think they could get around to calling the same day, but hey ho,)
The plumber( or whatever type of tradesmen) will call and ask you about the job an arrange a time to call to your house, when they come they give you a quote, then you decide if you want to proceed.
I think the tradesmen pays a commision of about 5% ( not public knowledge that bit)to the Council and I think that is what funds the system.
They are less likely to rip you off though, as they get "genuine" customers through the scheme and you get an approved tradesmen who has to have all the right qualification AND you can give feed back to the council.........
This system may be around in a similar form in other places, it might be worth asking.

totalsolutions

Hi Milliemonster.
I have something similar, built in shower controls. But dont fret, you/dad can fix it. Is there a cover that can be removed, also the taps have a removable cap to access a securing screw to remove the knob?

When my installer finished and we were using it there was a leak behind the tiles, he left a fixing nut loose.. If you need to remove a tile then so be it, its only a cover! Once exposed it easy to remove the unit and clean. A plumber cannot work through fixed tiling... he will soon take out a tile.

milliemonster

EliteHeat wrote: »

What is interesting is the comment that even the OP does not earn that sort of money. The clear implication being that being able to fix the shower is a task suitable for some kind of menial low life who is hell bent on ripping the general public off, for what is basically going to be a few minutes work with a hammer and possibly a bigger hammer.

It really doesn't matter though. You can talk until you are blue in the face about all of the costs associated with running your own business, but since you are likely to be talking to an office bod, they will not have any idea of what you are talking about.

Remember that they probably get paid:-

• If they turn up or not
• If they are well or sick
• If they are there or are on holiday, at the dentists etc
• If they do the job well or badly or not at all
• If they decide to talk for hours about big brother, corrie etc etc
• If they are on a training course learning about that important new excel gizmo, telephone techniques or diversity training etc etc

Whereas you, you poor sap, have to compete for every job, get paid nothing if you don't work, get ripped off by rogue householders and are perpetually suspected of if not actually, then surely wanting, to go through the house owners underwear draw - especially if it's a lady.

So, you cannot win and I would suggest that for the sake of your blood pressure, that you give up trying.

I'm a nurse actually

milliemonster

Ok, money issues aside, we have bitten the bullet and phoned our local plumbers today to get someone EXPERT to come and have a look, one genuinely nice guy arranged to come at 4pm today to give us a free quote, then he rung at 3 to say he can't come now as there has been a family emergency so can't now come for a WEEK

Next one - on holiday til next week
Next one - no answer on phone or mobile
Next one - as above
Last one - 'it'll cost you a lot of money to come and see you where you live' he is 5 miles away.

Credit crunch? obviously not affecting our local plumbers

EliteHeat

Watch out for the nice ones! btw, family emergencies are very rare events and the more cynical might say that he was just not interested in fixing your shower, some, not me though, I believe him.

Try 2 & 3 again, they are obviously busy and its easier to get a busy person to do something than someone whose doing sod all.

Inertia and all that apparently.

baldelectrician

milliemonster wrote: »

erm excuse me but I have to pay for my car to go to work, I have to pay to insure it, tax it, put fuel in it, pay tax on the fuel I use and the time it takes me to go to work and come home isn't classed as work time and I don't get paid for that either but I don't get paid £40 odd an hour!, like I said I am OBVIOUSLY in the wrong job!

You only have to go to work, stay there most of the day and leave at a fixed time
I can be at upto 8 jobs in a day, not all chargable as some are free estimates.

capita_guy

milliemonster wrote: »

Ok, money issues aside, we have bitten the bullet and phoned our local plumbers today to get someone EXPERT to come and have a look, one genuinely nice guy arranged to come at 4pm today to give us a free quote, then he rung at 3 to say he can't come now as there has been a family emergency so can't now come for a WEEK

Next one - on holiday til next week
Next one - no answer on phone or mobile
Next one - as above
Last one - 'it'll cost you a lot of money to come and see you where you live' he is 5 miles away.

Credit crunch? obviously not affecting our local plumbers

Credit Crunch not affecting GOOD Plumbers so beware if one offers to come round asap. Have you taken the handle off yet? Nothing should fly out at you just doing that. Look to see if there are coloured units behind that and then re post with results.
As in Nursing there are differing rates of pay and not all the best earn top money. Please do not assume you will be ripped off otherwise you will scare off the decent guys and be left with the cowboy.

bestyman

milliemonster wrote: »

Ok, money issues aside, we have bitten the bullet and phoned our local plumbers today to get someone EXPERT to come and have a look, one genuinely nice guy arranged to come at 4pm today to give us a free quote, then he rung at 3 to say he can't come now as there has been a family emergency so can't now come for a WEEK

Next one - on holiday til next week
Next one - no answer on phone or mobile
Next one - as above
Last one - 'it'll cost you a lot of money to come and see you where you live' he is 5 miles away.

Credit crunch? obviously not affecting our local plumbers

How often do you go to work for free? The credit crunch would affect us ( plumbers) if we spent all day driving the van around all day diagnosing things for free.

Tell me, if you had an ill dog would you expect the vet to come out and diagnose its illness for free?

I think this may be where you are going wrong with the plumbers, try paying them, you may find they are more eager to turn up .