Electrician charge for collecting material

GDB2222

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Pat26 said:

My question was if contractors generally charge for the time spent collecting parts, even if they collected wrong parts and didn't complete the repair?

Services must be carried out with due care and skill, if they can't source the correct parts I'd argue they didn't meet this requirement. I wouldn't be paying for the time you are disputing  

Doesn't that rather depend? If the parts aren't actually available, but the tradesman doesn't know until he's been to the supplier, for example.

In fact, he got bulbs that fitted, but "The bulbs were two small for the fitting with the light disappearing into the ceiling". So, that's more of an aesthetic choice, perhaps? 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

GDB2222 said:

Doesn't that rather depend? If the parts aren't actually available, but the tradesman doesn't know until he's been to the supplier, for example.

That's a hypothetical tangent  

GDB2222 said:

In fact, he got bulbs that fitted, but "The bulbs were two small for the fitting with the light disappearing into the ceiling". So, that's more of an aesthetic choice, perhaps? 

Bulbs have a beam angle which is how wide they spread their light, if the bulb is recessed further into the fitting than it should be the beam from the bulb won't spread to the full angle which will affect the lighting of the room.

Of course all lighting is an aesthetic choice but I think it's reasonable to expect to have correctly fitting bulbs (unless for some obscure reason it was agreed prior). 

Jumblebumble

GDB2222 said:

I’m slightly mystified why you need an electrician to replace light bulbs? And employing an electrician to buy you new bulbs is always going to be expensive.  Apart from time, there’s the cost of transport.

 If they buy bulbs that work but you don’t like the look of them, that’s going to be a problem. Likewise if exactly the correct bulbs are hard to source, they may buy what they can get. 

You are assuming that exactly the right bulbs were in stock locally, and the electrician lackadaisically chose the wrong ones. 

There must be a better way to organise this. And, I suspect that you have unfair expectations. 

What?
The OP should pay the Electrician £45.00 per hour for not knowing what they are doing?
(The bulbs were too small for the fitting !) The person who charges £45 per hour should know.
No way would I pay. 
A disabled or old person should be climbing up ladders and  fighting with stuck bulbs?
Someone who can use the time taken to mess about buying bulbs earning £500 will consider paying the electrician's time in sourcing blub excellent value ( assuming the correct bulbs are sourced)

Ergates

Pat26 said:

If the contractor is on labour+parts quote, charging the by the hour is it fair of them to charge me for two hours spent on the road collecting parts? I have no control over road traffic situation any more than they do nor the distance covered to shops. That is if the contractor genuinely spend time collecting parts

As a hypothetical question, it would depend on the specific circumstances.

If, for instance, you'd either previously told them exactly what parts were needed, or they'd been round to give a quote and had seen what parts were needed, then I'd expect them to turn up with the parts.  They'd not need to make a special trip to get them.

If, however, they were working on a job for you, then discovered that they needed additional parts that they couldn't have easily predicted, then them going to get the parts is part of the cost of the job. 

If they look at the job, go and get the parts, then come back and realise they've got the wrong parts - I wouldn't expect to pay them to make a 2nd trip.  That's their mistake.

GDB2222

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

GDB2222 said:

Doesn't that rather depend? If the parts aren't actually available, but the tradesman doesn't know until he's been to the supplier, for example.

That's a hypothetical tangent  

GDB2222 said:

In fact, he got bulbs that fitted, but "The bulbs were two small for the fitting with the light disappearing into the ceiling". So, that's more of an aesthetic choice, perhaps? 

Bulbs have a beam angle which is how wide they spread their light, if the bulb is recessed further into the fitting than it should be the beam from the bulb won't spread to the full angle which will affect the lighting of the room.

Of course all lighting is an aesthetic choice but I think it's reasonable to expect to have correctly fitting bulbs (unless for some obscure reason it was agreed prior). 

I entirely agree that the OP is reasonable in wanting the correct bulbs for their fitting. The issue is whether these need to be ordered in advance, or indeed for a non standard fitting are available at all. 

I'm just pointing out that it may be overoptimistic to assume the correct bulbs are in stock, and then blame the electrician when he comes back with the best he can get. There's a wholly unreasonable assumption running through this entire thread that the electrician didn't try to get the ideal bulbs for the job. 

It strikes me that the whole job could have been managed better, and it's not entirely the electrician's fault.  The OP could get exactly the same issues with a dozen other electricians. If non-stock bulbs are needed, the OP needs to source those then get someone in to fit them.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

GDB2222 said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

GDB2222 said:

Doesn't that rather depend? If the parts aren't actually available, but the tradesman doesn't know until he's been to the supplier, for example.

That's a hypothetical tangent  

GDB2222 said:

In fact, he got bulbs that fitted, but "The bulbs were two small for the fitting with the light disappearing into the ceiling". So, that's more of an aesthetic choice, perhaps? 

Bulbs have a beam angle which is how wide they spread their light, if the bulb is recessed further into the fitting than it should be the beam from the bulb won't spread to the full angle which will affect the lighting of the room.

Of course all lighting is an aesthetic choice but I think it's reasonable to expect to have correctly fitting bulbs (unless for some obscure reason it was agreed prior). 

I entirely agree that the OP is reasonable in wanting the correct bulbs for their fitting. The issue is whether these need to be ordered in advance, or indeed for a non standard fitting are available at all. 

I'm just pointing out that it may be overoptimistic to assume the correct bulbs are in stock, and then blame the electrician when he comes back with the best he can get. There's a wholly unreasonable assumption running through this entire thread that the electrician didn't try to get the ideal bulbs for the job. 

It strikes me that the whole job could have been managed better, and it's not entirely the electrician's fault.  The OP could get exactly the same issues with a dozen other electricians. If non-stock bulbs are needed, the OP needs to source those then get someone in to fit them.

I agree but ultimately if the fittings were unusual the job should either be priced accordingly or walked away from, it  really isn't the consumer's issue if the trader accepts a contract but then can't perform it.