any boiler serviced for £29.99

[johnnyplumb]

this advert is in our local paper

any boiler service for £29.99 + vat
times are hard, as we all know, but he must be desperate.

it's people like this, that are driving prices down imo

 

[Barry98]

View attachment 6993

This was finished today took 2 days, orignal boiler in kitchen below, run new 28mm gas and fit new Worcester combi. Pipes straight, clipped, no runs on solder. Quick does not mean rough.

Isnt tha mounted on combustible material ? Lol

 

[Halesowen1]

Supalux sheet, but its not needed. Most manufacturers now specify its OK.

 

[Halesowen1]

i dont have a problem with competition and pricing if your doing a proper job. but this is how i see it.
1. if your prices are low custs will always want that low price.
2. low prices might mean more work but it also means you have to work 2 , 3 , 4 times harder than a guy who's doing 1 service at 2 ,3,4 times the price
3. charging low prices means you will prob mean working life will be a lot longer. i aint working past 60 yrs old less if possible.
4.you'll drive yourself into the ground.
5. why spend all those years training to charge peanuts.
6. i might be a plumber and gas engineer but i'm also a business man not a charity and the name of the game is to make money. i have kids wife mortgage etc. profit isnt a dirty word.
i charge £60.00 an hour labour even more out of hours and look to make a min £600 clear on a straight swap boiler change with powerflushing charged extra. i might not get loads of boilers swaps but i get enough to be comfortable and do plenty repairs and servicing.

i aint the busiest in the world in these hard times but im doing alright but when this slump does eventually end my prices will be same bar inflationary pressures. so my custs wont be expecting cheap prices. i get a lot of repeat business and recommendations.

I think if your confident in your own abilities then charge what you want

This maybe why you aint busy, if you charge less or advertise at a lower price you will get more work. Then you can charge £40 per hour but be working 40 hours a week instead of 10 or 20. Just a thought.

 

[julesverne]

This maybe why you aint busy, if you charge less or advertise at a lower price you will get more work. Then you can charge £40 per hour but be working 40 hours a week instead of 10 or 20. Just a thought.

.

with the greatest of respect i dont think you have understood the point i am trying to make.

whats the point of being busy if your making peanuts or just surviving. i would say i'm doing on average 30 hours a week plumbing excluding all the other crap we have to do.

and just to clear things up it was in no way intended at anyone directly just my thoughts . i do a fair bit out of hours work so i can on a bad week work 10-20 in week and still clear a decent whack.

example last saturday hebden bridge flooded. cust calls wanted all gas checking as meter had been under 8 ft of water in the cellar. checked everything out all ok after checking water heater, cooker,meter etc( didnt really expect any problems) then property either side asked to me do same whilst i was there. i told em all price all custs happy as insurance were paying 5 hours later 600 quid richer.

 

[cdodds2004]

i charge what i want to charge, and i think my customers are happy. im not the cheapest and probaly not the best, but im curtious, prompt and genuine, i have only been on my own coming up 2 years and my work is building up slowly but surely! word of mouth is quite simply the best form of advertising as these people want you first and worry about your price second!

 

[ndsmith]

.

with the greatest of respect i dont think you have understood the point i am trying to make.

whats the point of being busy if your making peanuts or just surviving. i would say i'm doing on average 30 hours a week plumbing excluding all the other crap we have to do.

and just to clear things up it was in no way intended at anyone directly just my thoughts . i do a fair bit out of hours work so i can on a bad week work 10-20 in week and still clear a decent whack.

example last saturday hebden bridge flooded. cust calls wanted all gas checking as meter had been under 8 ft of water in the cellar. checked everything out all ok after checking water heater, cooker,meter etc( didnt really expect any problems) then property either side asked to me do same whilst i was there. i told em all price all custs happy as insurance were paying 5 hours later 600 quid richer.

Is that your normal charge or was it higher as insurance company will be paying?

 

[hammers4spanner]

This £30 pound service is suddenly become more common , seen it advertised a few more times in my town now , think this post must be having an effect!

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm! Halesowen seems to have what appears to be a good fair trade attitude towards customers, we need more of it in this country. It is not all about the gas fitter, there are other people to consider in a contract. You can't moan about bankers and then take the same attitudes yourself

 

[Anders0n]

This was finished today took 2 days, orignal boiler in kitchen below, run new 28mm gas and fit new Worcester combi. Pipes straight, clipped, no runs on solder. Quick does not mean rough.

Great to see someone else who takes pride in their work, 99% of installations I see whether new or old have been tossed in.

 

[LPC]

I'm doing boiler services at the moment for £30. Takes me on average 40 mins to do a full service, bit longer if it's a back boiler or an older boiler. Worked for a guy for 5 years (who has been a gas engineer over 30 years, and was one of the first Corgi reg engineers in the country) who charges £45 for a service and has done for as long as I can remember. I've started out on my own and £30 seemed like a good price to get me some work.

Way I see it, £30 for less than an hours work, i'm pretty happy. Lots of heating engineers in my town, i've got to get started somewhere. And a £30 service is working wonders.

 

[Halesowen1]

Good on you, nobody on here can tell anybody what to charge, the ones who are moan ing are worried they may have to work for a living soon.

 

[jase158]

I bet its easier to do a service then to fix a toilet, yet to turn around and say £80 to fix a flush valve, most customers would be puzzled why it is that expensive, yet £80 for a boiler service and people aint that bothered.

 

[topdog]

good installation and good on you,
A lot of People would give there right arm for £30 per hour,
If your happy that's all that matters.
Good luck and hope you get loads more installs,
topdog
Trainee gas engineer
doing work portfolio at the moment.

 

[johnnyplumb]

Good on you, nobody on here can tell anybody what to charge, the ones who are moan ing are worried they may have to work for a living soon.

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

 

[jase158]

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

Excellent point, There should be a standard price all over the country for servicing, will never happen, but there should be.

 

[EPH]

The irony of somebody earning the same money in 40 hours as someone else does in 30 then trying to give them business advice is not lost on me.

 

[Orry Clayton]

Excellent point, There should be a standard price all over the country for servicing, will never happen, but there should be.

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

 

[tamz]

The way some people (customers) look on it is say you do a job that takes half an hour plus a fivers worth of parts and ask for say £55. They compare that to how much they make in a day, say £80, and think they have just been shafted by another plumber or gas man who is pulling in what must be 100k a year at those prices.
They have no comprehension of what your actual costs and profit for that job may be and there is no point trying to justify it.
The low prices advertised are usually just a foot in the door exorcise. The £29 service is a sales ploy that may cost them 2 grand for a boiler if they (and they will) play it by the book but poeple are gullible.
Just take the rate you need or want. You are running a business not a charity and need to make a profit.

 

[tamz]

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

Really! Is that why all the big players are within a few quid of each other with their prices.

 

[Orry Clayton]

Really! Is that why all the big players are within a few quid of each other with their prices.

Funny, I was just on a few of there websites and noticed the same thing.

 

[REDSAW]

Sadly there are law's against price fixing.

i have said this before.. there is no law about charging the going rate.....
unless you have a business the size of barclays bank.!!!!
i find it hard to believe you and the other 100,000 plumbers taken to court over it!!!!!!!

show me a solicitor doing £30 an hour and i will show you 100 doing £90-120 an hour, its the going rate and every trade should stick to the 'value' or if not, promote a special offer to gain custom only to pick it up on extended services rendered.

i like people working for nothing as eventually they will get out of the business due to going bust or 'theres no money in it' ethos. when there gone, leaves more for the rest charging the appropriate rates.

 

[Orry Clayton]

That was in response to: "there should be a standard price".

Also, I couldn't agree with you more; I'd also like to see a solicitor doing £30 per hour.

 

[Backboiler]

Is that your normal charge or was it higher as insurance company will be paying?

Saturday, desperate and out of hours if you read it properly

 

[Halesowen1]

For most self employed people, being work shy is not an issue, it's a fair price for the job most tradesmen want,
this forum is full of people moaning that there's no work and that prices of jobs are falling.
it's the people who do servicing for £30, that are causing prices to fall, if everyone charged say £80 for a service, then thats what the customer would have to pay.

cost cutting only benefits the customers

I am not in the game for ripping my customers off, never have been and never will be. If you think £80 is a fair price for something that can more than likely be done in 30 mins then you go ahead and charge it, £160 per hour. All I am saying is that I am more than happy earning less that and be full week in week out. The only people who want to see a standard price of £80 per service are the ones who aint doing much and need to charge double just to get a decent wage, I much prefer to earn my money fairly and dont have to drag the job out for an hour or longer just to justify the high price.
Cost cutting doesnt only benefit the customer, if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.
You say the forum is full of moaners going on about no work and low prices, well I have a plan for you lot, lower your prices, get an advert showing in your local rag your NEW low prices and you WILL get work. But be carefull not to show these on here as they will rip the **** out of you for doing it, doing what?? using initiative and getting work.

 

[julesverne]

if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.

playing the devils advocate please consider this:
40 services x 29.99 = 1199.60
15 services x 80.00 = 1200.00

who do you think will retire sooner and live longer just a thought :yesnod:
customers perceive cost and value for money on the service they receive and this doesnt relate just to your plumbing skills but also tidyess, presentation, customer service, puncuality etc. all these skills (and they are skills) are just as important in a business so why shouldnt a plumber charge a premium if they possess these skills. although at £80.00 for a service i would expect my car washing aswell ;0)

 

[southcoastboile]

I am not in the game for ripping my customers off, never have been and never will be. If you think £80 is a fair price for something that can more than likely be done in 30 mins then you go ahead and charge it, £160 per hour. All I am saying is that I am more than happy earning less that and be full week in week out. The only people who want to see a standard price of £80 per service are the ones who aint doing much and need to charge double just to get a decent wage, I much prefer to earn my money fairly and dont have to drag the job out for an hour or longer just to justify the high price.
Cost cutting doesnt only benefit the customer, if that guy is doing 40 services a week now at least £29 a go and all the extra work on top, I would say he is benefiting a great deal, £1200 plus per week, every week.
You say the forum is full of moaners going on about no work and low prices, well I have a plan for you lot, lower your prices, get an advert showing in your local rag your NEW low prices and you WILL get work. But be carefull not to show these on here as they will rip the **** out of you for doing it, doing what?? using initiative and getting work.

Theres no way you can do a thorugh boiler service in 30 mins

 

[tamz]

You can fit an outside tap in that time tho:tounge_smile:

 

[Halesowen1]

playing the devils advocate please consider this:
40 services x 29.99 = 1199.60
15 services x 80.00 = 1200.00

who do you think will retire sooner and live longer just a thought :yesnod:
customers perceive cost and value for money on the service they receive and this doesnt relate just to your plumbing skills but also tidyess, presentation, customer service, puncuality etc. all these skills (and they are skills) are just as important in a business so why shouldnt a plumber charge a premium if they possess these skills. although at £80.00 for a service i would expect my car washing aswell ;0)

But if one of these £30 a service guy lands on your plot, you suddenly look very overpriced and lose work, then he is still doing 40 and you do 5 at £80. Plus servicing is hardly going to tire anybody out is it??

 

[hammers4spanner]

Theres no way you can do a thorugh boiler service in 30 mins

new boiler analyse 30 mins?

 

[anz]

new boiler analyse 30 mins?

Who's going to do the rest?

Gas Rate
Gas Pressures
Cleaning Condensate Trap
Checking for leaks (yes, taking off cover and having a look)
etc....