Why Do Some Plumbers Charge So Much?

brightontraveller

Plumbers when young can be bribed with jaffa cakes fizzy drinks tea coffee the odd cake but as they grow eating the grease from the u bend drinking the pee from the loo, heighten there senses sniffing the toilet, building there muscles pulling baths out when they have gorged themselves silly there starts a transformation for some they will gather in classrooms in colleges etc they will slowly immerse themselves with paper until there exams have finished then emerge like a butterfly from a chrysalis to a “gas fitter “ these often are very bitter no longer do they long for cakes pee or grease now it’s the chink of silver that drives them…

This although common in many trades is not often bettered for its remarkable transformation

HUMBUG

the_r_sole wrote: »

all well and good, but would you pay someone with 50 years experience or someone that has just got a ticket last week the same, also, can they not charge for travel to the job, or someone might work quicker but have a higher hourly rate, someone might take more care and attention and take much longer some may be one man show others might have higher overheads etc etc etc.
Your hypothetical situations are nonsense, it is very difficult to draw direct comparisons in situations like this unless you can approach a trade with an exact specification of the job....
The best thing to deal with this is to try and understand what the situation is which your thread title implies, but it's clear that you've just come for a rant about something you don't understand properly.

Wrong ! I am not having a rant , I am saying what I think is an honest approach to any tradespeople who are not being greedy (that'll be the day). No I wouldn't pay someone who is a novice to do a complicated job and it is very unlikely that the person with 50 years experience would actually do the job. They would direct/check that their people do the work correctly and probably charge more for that privilege (although I've never seen that experienced person ever do an actual quality check for work done on my premises). So don't you think hiring a company with FMB or CIPHE , etc etc seems to suggest that every employee is qualified to some higher level of expertise? That you are paying extra for a quality person to come out and fix your issue? Again, this is is all a big con because you will invariably get someone who is not at that expected level (but you will never know that you are paying over the odds).

HUMBUG

ceredigion wrote: »

It is a market economy, with in a capitalist society.
Out of interest what do you do for a living

I am retired and living on 6k a year.

System

HUMBUG wrote: »

Wrong ! I am not having a rant , I am saying what I think is an honest approach to any tradespeople who are not being greedy (that'll be the day). No I wouldn't pay someone who is a novice to do a complicated job and it is very unlikely that the person with 50 years experience would actually do the job. They would direct/check that their people do the work correctly and probably charge more for that privilege (although I've never seen that experienced person ever do an actual quality check for work done on my premises). So don't you think hiring a company with FMB or CIPHE , etc etc seems to suggest that every employee is qualified to some higher level of expertise? That you are paying extra for a quality person to come out and fix your issue? Again, this is is all a big con because you will invariably get someone who is not at that expected level (but you will never know that you are paying over the odds).

I'm afraid you are having a rant, you asked a question, got the answer which you didn't like and then started making up very specific hypothetical situations to try and prove that you're right and no one else is!
Surprising that you've made it all the way to retirement age and not understood how trades that have to visit your home work.

trailingspouse

I really don't understand these 'tradespeople rip you off' threads.

I'm renovating a house. I have had lots of trades people through the doors giving me lots of estimates for lots of different types of work - plastering, plumbing, electrics, full kitchen re-fit, full bathroom re-fit, asbestos removal, roofing, painting and decorating. You name it, I've had a tradesperson in to give me a quote.

I always try to get three quotes for every job. I go for the person that has quoted a reasonable price (not necessarily the cheapest) and who I feel I can work with. I have to feel I can 'do business' with them.

I'm very clear about what I want, I'm not afraid to ask stupid questions if I think they need asking, if the job is complicated I even write down everything we've discussed so there's no misunderstanding (either from them not knowing what I want, or from me thinking I've said something when in fact I haven't).

As a result I now have 'preferred' trades for certain things - I always use the same electrician, the same plasterer and the same plumber, they know what I want, they know I won't stand for second best, and they know I pay quickly.

Fair's fair.

missprice

trailingspouse wrote: »

I really don't understand these 'tradespeople rip you off' threads.

As a result I now have 'preferred' trades for certain things - I always use the same electrician, the same plasterer and the same plumber, they know what I want, they know I won't stand for second best, and they know I pay quickly.

Fair's fair.

And of course your willing to wait if they are busy, or pay a premium if you want it done yesterday?
I do believe that some tradespersons will rip people off, usually called cowboys.
I also believe that if they did a fantastic job in the first place they would in return get more business. Because employers would make sure the company name was handed around. I do with companies that do a fab job.
I have put a few names up on this site and others, praising them highly.
But the downside of doing a great job means they can often be busy when you need them.

trailingspouse

Well, I plan ahead (currently getting quotes for work to be done in January and February), so don't often need someone in a hurry.

My lecky and my plumber organise themselves so that if they are working on a big job, they have one day a week 'off' so they can do smaller jobs for other people. So I also know if I need them for a quick job I won't have too long to wait.

Next time you have a trades person in your house, get them talking about how hard it is for them to get money out of some people. I always pay within a week of getting the invoice (assuming I'm happy with the work), and my trades people know this now - it's amazing how a full diary can suddenly have a space in it when they know they don't have to worry about getting paid.

rustyboy21

You also have to factor in the type of business they offer and how they are set up.


Many Plumbers/GCH engineers are one off installers. They have a clapped out old van, work for themselves from home and have very little overheads. Whereas There are some, who have showrooms/offices, with business rates involved, staffing, PLI, electric/gas bills, a fleet of vans etc. They also have to pay VAT, which the smaller ones may get away with paying, via some creative accounting.


As everyone else has said, get a number of quotes, get the 'feel' of who you are dealing with and take it from there. There are 1000's of engineers out there, classing them all as the same is wrong and a little unfair. Circumstances dictate the price.

cyclonebri1

Ruski wrote: »

Just to put this in perspective: I've just been called out to tripping electrics and no central heating.


Diagnosed a blown fuse, loose wiring, low pressure in system.


They're now toasty and warm with hot water and all for the completely rip-off sum of TEN of your whole English Pounds.


Don't tar all plumbers with the same brush please.


HTH


Russ

Russ, methinks you may be the exception that proves the rule, and that's with respect to you sir

southcoastrgi

maybe you should look at the charges of the largest plumbing co in the country, yes they are really busy all the time & are currently advertising for 5 heating engineers

prices here