Shocking low price for combi swap

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Shocking low price for combi swap

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bassmonster

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hey all,

someone i know has just had a boiler install for absolute peanuts that will make you feel sick if you know the price...

am i allowed to say how much?

(done by gas safe engineer including power flush...)
 
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Do you think it makes a difference if you provide a quote on the spot or saying something like "I'm going to have to work everything out and call you later".?
 
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Ermintrude said:
Can do 4 combis in two days. Flushed aswell, mag and rf stat.. Me and mate double up on first one, one stays one leaves and drains and hangs next . By end of day 1, 2 combis on running with cleaner. End of day 2 4 boilers running all drained and flushed . Standard swaps no vertical flues no extras. Can go 105 to duotec in 45mins and isar to logic in about the same.

Cheapest boiler swap £1350. Average £1500.


None look like that abortion.
Click to expand...

Your some man for one man big guy ;)
 
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bassmonster said:
Do you think it makes a difference if you provide a quote on the spot or saying something like "I'm going to have to work everything out and call you later".?
Click to expand...

I think its good to drop a ball park figure. A) it take's the edge off the whole quote process as the customer is often anxious when it comes to cost B) it shows you do it enough that you know what things cost roughly and your confident in talking about your pricing which is something I struggled with for a long time if I'm honest.
 
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ha if I told people how I did it I wouldn't be able to do it.
Put it this way, my quotes are usually 2 - 3 pages long, printed on 180 gsm paper, then all supplementary paperwork, brochures etc. I spend around 30 - 60 minutes with a customer when quoting for a boiler. I do not email quotes, I post my quotes in a fine recycled A4 paper envelope. I take them to the post office and post them first class so they have the big gold '1st' sticker on, not stamps. Then the customer knows you actually went to the post office to post it. I wait three days before posting, even though the quote is done and packaged that night.

I never, ever give a figure at the survey. Not even a rough estimate, even though I generally know the exact price within a few minutes +/- control preferences etc. I tell them directly that I am not cheap, I won't be the cheapest. I tell them that I am the best with upmost confidence and show them pictures of my immaculate installs on the purposefully utilitarian looking iPad.

I have a pair of trousers and a work top I wear only for quoting. Not immaculately clean though; clean but just the right amount of wear to show that i'm actually a workman too.

I spend a great deal of time thinking about every aspect of my business and how I can make people view it. My overall idea is pitching myself as the reassuringly expensive option. I can really talk the talk too, which does help I think. I worked in sales before becoming a heating engineer.
 
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LPC said:
ha if I told people how I did it I wouldn't be able to do it.
Put it this way, my quotes are usually 2 - 3 pages long, printed on 180 gsm paper, then all supplementary paperwork, brochures etc. I spend around 30 - 60 minutes with a customer when quoting for a boiler. I do not email quotes, I post my quotes in a fine recycled A4 paper envelope. I take them to the post office and post them first class so they have the big gold '1st' sticker on, not stamps. Then the customer knows you actually went to the post office to post it. I wait three days before posting, even though the quote is done and packaged that night.

I never, ever give a figure at the survey. Not even a rough estimate, even though I generally know the exact price within a few minutes +/- control preferences etc. I tell them directly that I am not cheap, I won't be the cheapest. I tell them that I am the best with upmost confidence and show them pictures of my immaculate installs on the purposefully utilitarian looking iPad.

I have a pair of trousers and a work top I wear only for quoting. Not immaculately clean though; clean but just the right amount of wear to show that i'm actually a workman too.

I spend a great deal of time thinking about every aspect of my business and how I can make people view it. My overall idea is pitching myself as the reassuringly expensive option. I can really talk the talk too, which does help I think. I worked in sales before becoming a heating engineer.
Click to expand...

How on earth do you find the time to write out 3 pages per quote? Cutting and pasting?

In fact where do you even find enough material to fill 3 pages?
 
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TBServices said:
Just lost a conversion from OV to combi. My price was £2600, bloke said my quote was much more comprehensive but a little bit high. Guess which he went with? Yep, that's right, the guy who's price was £1800.

Idiot. How can we win when this is what we're up against? Stupid plumbers are stupid punters.
Click to expand...
I prefer stupid punters deserve stupid plumbers - the gooden's will change more to fix it afterwards. :D
 
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Ermintrude said:
Can do 4 combis in two days. Flushed aswell, mag and rf stat.. Me and mate double up on first one, one stays one leaves and drains and hangs next . By end of day 1, 2 combis on running with cleaner. End of day 2 4 boilers running all drained and flushed . Standard swaps no vertical flues no extras. Can go 105 to duotec in 45mins and isar to logic in about the same.

Cheapest boiler swap £1350. Average £1500.


None look like that abortion.
Click to expand...
Clean through the new boiler, interesting way !!!
 
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TBServices said:
How on earth do you find the time to write out 3 pages per quote? Cutting and pasting?

In fact where do you even find enough material to fill 3 pages?
Click to expand...
Well yeah a lot of it obviously is the same for each quote. There's a lot involved with installing a boiler, we forget that. Tell them about it, why not? I include a works schedule, information about British Standards that will be adhered to, warranty information, cost breakdowns etc etc. They're paying a lot of money, let them know the why it's so much.
I also include printouts about the controls , Magnaclean, powerflushing etc. I include a Vaillant/Worcester brochure with the page marked which has the information about 'their' boiler.

Presentation is everything in every regard. I very often find that a lot of installers forget about actual presentation of the installation itself and how much the customer doesn't even know it's an issue. That's why I take photos of notable installations I do and show them to the customer as an example of my work. This is one that a lot of people seem to like; note the chaos in the first picture. This on purpose to make the final picture seem even 'cleaner'.

http://i.*********/dQa8bqv.jpg

Ones like this are good because you can highlight things like painting the wall first (which I always do) and straight pipes. People love dem straight pipes. It's like hoovering, don't underestimate how much the customer can only quantify what they know (straight pipes, hoovering) as opposed to things they know nothing about (gas, boilers).
 
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Always. Old boilers dead! Mag on return and u already done a cold flush. Mains flush gets most of grot out before u open return onto boiler but mag and chemicals do rest . Been doing it for a while. Some times will dose up system week before and drop it while it's hot, dost stems like this but lots of bbu have elson or primatics so it's a no go!

Plus if it's a floor stander or bbu most of the crud is in the lowest point on primary circ (old boiler)
 
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Agree. No problem, chemical cleaner holding everything in suspension so it won't stick, magnaclean protecting boiler, get it nice and hot and flush system out with boiler isolated first, then blast boiler through.
 
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LPC said:
Well yeah a lot of it obviously is the same for each quote. There's a lot involved with installing a boiler, we forget that. Tell them about it, why not? I include a works schedule, information about British Standards that will be adhered to, warranty information, cost breakdowns etc etc. They're paying a lot of money, let them know the why it's so much.
I also include printouts about the controls , Magnaclean, powerflushing etc. I include a Vaillant/Worcester brochure with the page marked which has the information about 'their' boiler.

Presentation is everything in every regard. I very often find that a lot of installers forget about actual presentation of the installation itself and how much the customer doesn't even know it's an issue. That's why I take photos of notable installations I do and show them to the customer as an example of my work. This is one that a lot of people seem to like; note the chaos in the first picture. This on purpose to make the final picture seem even 'cleaner'.

http://i.*********/dQa8bqv.jpg

Ones like this are good because you can highlight things like painting the wall first (which I always do) and straight pipes. People love dem straight pipes. It's like hoovering, don't underestimate how much the customer can only quantify what they know (straight pipes, hoovering) as opposed to things they know nothing about (gas, boilers).
Click to expand...

I wouldn't employ you, you've nicked the drawers.

serious question, do you ask them what colour paint they'd like?
 
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If it's in a kitchen and the wall is painted bright pink then yes i'll ask them if they have any of the bright pink paint and do it in that to match. But otherwise no, I do it white which makes it very easy for the customer to do it in whatever colour they would like at a later stage.
 
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Ermintrude said:
Always. Old boilers dead! Mag on return and u already done a cold flush. Mains flush gets most of grot out before u open return onto boiler but mag and chemicals do rest . Been doing it for a while. Some times will dose up system week before and drop it while it's hot, dost stems like this but lots of bbu have elson or primatics so it's a no go!

Plus if it's a floor stander or bbu most of the crud is in the lowest point on primary circ (old boiler)
Click to expand...
Had an interesting talk with the guy from Altecnic Ltd at ECO Build, all types of magnetic filters / separators (& most have been tested) will only remove around 60 - 65% on first pass. Meaning a hell of a lot of crap goes through the boiler before it is captured. Think I will stick to flushing with with old or no boiler in place but hay each to there own.
 
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chris watkins said:
Had an interesting talk with the guy from Altecnic Ltd at ECO Build, all types of magnetic filters / separators (& most have been tested) will only remove around 60 - 65% on first pass. Meaning a hell of a lot of crap goes through the boiler before it is captured. Think I will stick to flushing with with old or no boiler in place but hay each to there own.
Click to expand...

Mistake 1: Talking to the Altecnic rep.

Mistake 2: Believing a word he said.

:)

JK
 
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Ray Stafford said:
I didn't say their products were all rubbish. Just that their reps should not necessarily be believed. Particularly at a show.

I have done a few trade shows, and by the 3rd afternoon, you will say just about anything! :)
Click to expand...
Well this was the second, so may be OK. Who said anything about believing everything ?

You know me Ray I will talk to anyone, even plumbing supply company MD's. :wink_smile:
 
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If Itold people how I did it I wouldn't be able to do it.
Put it this way, my quotes are usually 2 - 3 pages long, printed on 180 gsm paper, then all supplementary paperwork, brochures etc. I spend around 30 - 60 minutes with a customer when quoting for a boiler. I do not email quotes, I post my quotes in a fine recycled A4 paper envelope. I take them to the post office and post them first class so they have the big gold '1st' sticker on, not stamps. Then the customer knows you actually went to the post office to post it. I wait three days before posting, even though the quote is done and packaged that night.

I never, ever give a figure at the survey. Not even a rough estimate, even though I generally know the exact price within a few minutes +/- control preferences etc. I tell them directly that I am not cheap, I won't be the cheapest. I tell them that I am the best with upmost confidence and show them pictures of my immaculate installs on the purposefully utilitarian looking iPad.

I have a pair of trousers and a work top I wear only for quoting. Not immaculately clean though; clean but just the right amount of wear to show that i'm actually a workman too.

I spend a great deal of time thinking about every aspect of my business and how I can make people view it. My overall idea is pitching myself as the reassuringly expensive option. I can really talk the talk too, which does help I think. I worked in sales before becoming a heating engineer.



Can you book me in for a boiler swap please - you had me at 'put it this way'!

Seriously though, I think I need to improve my sales patter. I price quite afew but its unusual that I get bathroom installs - probably 10%. Hardly worth bothering to put the time into pricing up
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
LPC said:
Well yeah a lot of it obviously is the same for each quote. There's a lot involved with installing a boiler, we forget that. Tell them about it, why not? I include a works schedule, information about British Standards that will be adhered to, warranty information, cost breakdowns etc etc. They're paying a lot of money, let them know the why it's so much.
I also include printouts about the controls , Magnaclean, powerflushing etc. I include a Vaillant/Worcester brochure with the page marked which has the information about 'their' boiler.

Presentation is everything in every regard. I very often find that a lot of installers forget about actual presentation of the installation itself and how much the customer doesn't even know it's an issue. That's why I take photos of notable installations I do and show them to the customer as an example of my work. This is one that a lot of people seem to like; note the chaos in the first picture. This on purpose to make the final picture seem even 'cleaner'.

http://i.*********/dQa8bqv.jpg

Ones like this are good because you can highlight things like painting the wall first (which I always do) and straight pipes. People love dem straight pipes. It's like hoovering, don't underestimate how much the customer can only quantify what they know (straight pipes, hoovering) as opposed to things they know nothing about (gas, boilers).
Click to expand...
Where you based? High end area?
 
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