To fit (not supply) 3 radiators & perhaps some pipe cutting? Are we being stung?

JustAnotherSaver

For the record - 3 radiators have already been purchased. The valves have also already been purchased.

Job list:

* Fit 3 radiators & new valves
* draining system (i imagine) (& therefore re-filling system) & adding inhibitor.

* 2 of the rads are size-for-size ... by that i mean they're the exact same dimensions as the ones they're replacing, other than they are double-double instead of double-single.

* The 3rd rad is smaller in width (900mm instead of 950mm) but is a double-double instead of double-single. As such i don't know if any chopping of (10mm) copper pipe may be needed & re-positioning of the pipe work to make it fit.

* The rads are all going in the same locations that the old ones were. It's not a case of putting it on a new wall or anything.


Fair price for this?

I was in touch with a guy today who said "day rate .... £200" he followed it up with saying but he'd need to add inhibitor too. I've seen the price of this stuff in B&Q ... it's not that expensive.

I just think £200 is a bit dear.

Draining the system would take no time for someone who knows what they're doing. Same with re-filling & adding inhibitor (in the towel rad i guess - that's how i did it).

Fitting the 2 size-for-size should be straight forward & renewing the valves.

Even if he has to chop the pipe work for the different sized one, surely we're not talking any more than a mornings work here?


We recently had a guy out who SUPPLIED 2 rads - both bigger & more expensive than the ones to be fitted now...
...he also DID have to chop the pipe work for one of them, lift the floorboards (floorboards are now up anyway) & i'm sure he only charged about £250 & he was done by 12pm.


I think we're being stung. I just want to know what's a fair realistic price.

Owain_Moneysaver

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

Draining the system would take no time for someone who knows what they're doing.

It might do. The plumber will have to assume that it might actually take some time to drain the system and estimate his price accordingly.

After refilling and repressurising (if required) to do the job properly he'll have to rebalance the system and that can be quite a slow job depending on how many radiators there are and how well the pipework has been sized.

southcoastrgi

Sounds a fair enough price to me if you think it's too dear why aren't you using the guy you recently had out ?

JustAnotherSaver

I'm only basing his pricing on what this other guy charged for the work he carried out which (in my opinion) was more.

Ok this guy has to hang an additional rad - 3 instead of 2, but the key here is the rads are already purchased. So after this he's pretty much only doing what the first guy did anyway - hanging rads & connecting them up, just not supplying. Without going on to the sellers website, the rads from the first guy would've cost approx £100 anyway.

So if it seems like i'm being unrealistic - that's just an explanation as to why.


As for why we didn't get the first guy out - we tried to. He even said he was coming back out to do them & just never turned up. Didn't get back in touch. I don't know if he's fallen ill or whatever but he's not come back out when he said he would.

Having a lot of work carried out at the moment & the boss on the job right now said he had a plumber contact & that's how we got put in touch with this second guy.


If it's realistic then it's realistic, i'm just explaining why i thought it wasn't.

Oh & we don't live in the centre of London either

phill99

Homeowners are very good at telling tradesmen what to do and how long it will take,


The system can take 10 minutes or an hour to drain down. If you are going from 21 radiators to 22s, the pipework will need adjusting. Then it will need refilling, balancing and bleeding. And then there may be air locks to deal with which could take ages to purge.


What he has given you is a fixed price whether it takes 4 hours or 8. So a days labour is fair. You have 3 choices: accept his price, get another quote or do it yourself.


You are right. You are being unrealistic

JustAnotherSaver

I know what my options are.

I also don't seem to understand the reaction of people online though. Maybe you can help?

I come simply to check if it's fair or not. If it is then it is, if it's not then i look elsewhere. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yet some people online appear to get irritated by this simple questioning & some even seem to get an attitude over it.

And for what?

Because someone is just looking to find something out?

The feedback is that the price is fair ... so fair enough. No complaint. I didn't know (which is why i came here) & now i do know. So no problem.

I just don't get why some people seem to respond the way they do.

If i'd have come here saying this guy is taking the piddle, he's a robbing such-&-such then ok, but i didn't.

How dare people ask questions i guess??


* for the record phil - the above isn't directed at you specifically. It's just me generally speaking.

enrm6

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I know what my options are.

I also don't seem to understand the reaction of people online though. Maybe you can help?

I come simply to check if it's fair or not. If it is then it is, if it's not then i look elsewhere. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yet some people online appear to get irritated by this simple questioning & some even seem to get an attitude over it.

And for what?

Because someone is just looking to find something out?

The feedback is that the price is fair ... so fair enough. No complaint. I didn't know (which is why i came here) & now i do know. So no problem.

I just don't get why some people seem to respond the way they do.

If i'd have come here saying this guy is taking the piddle, he's a robbing such-&-such then ok, but i didn't.

How dare people ask questions i guess??


* for the record phil - the above isn't directed at you specifically. It's just me generally speaking.

I think if you were taking a neutral stance, as you seem to imply then the above would be true. However you are not. You have stated you believe the quote to be unrealistic.

A number have posters have suggested that perhaps you are the one being unrealistic. People have just reacted to the position you adopted.

mel48rose

I think £200 is a fair price for a professional job. You get what you pay for.

JustAnotherSaver

enrm6 wrote: »

A number have posters have suggested that perhaps you are the one being unrealistic.

Well maybe i am, but i have explained as to why.
Even if i am being unrealistic - is this a problem? Obviously it only stems from the fact that i know SFA about the job which is why i am here.


Anyway, the guy quoted me £200 "day rate".
I was given the bill today. £220.
He did the job over 2 days (his choice) & spent a total of 4-5 hours on it. Most certainly no more than 5 hours.

I wish i only worked 4-5 hours in a day, called it a full days work & picked up £220.