Blocked toilet

[rocketmanbkk]

7.30 am phone buzzes, I'm up so answer it, blocked toilet, local to me.

Ok, it's £45 first hour then £20 per half

All ok, get to job 10.30, nice house, need to take boots off, flush toilet, water rises to rim. Plunge 3/4 times & clears, custard looks at me & raises eyebrows. Wait a min & flush again, all lovely. 5 min job.

Get downstairs & he asks how much, I said just £45 as agreed earlier, raises eyebrows. Gets his wallet, oh, I've only got £20.

Well you owe me £25 then, drop it to my house later, I trust you.

You haven't been here long.

Here we go...

It's £45 mate, if I was her an hour it would still be £45.

Right, right, how about £25

No, it's £45.

He gets the money.

What do you do? Discount it & maybe you get another job one day?

I need a minimum charge, like everyone

Not letting it get me down but does annoy me.

Anyway, no work now until Monday.

Cheers all

 

[Phil]

I never unblock a toilet for this exact reason while a customer is tea spooning me, I make an excuse that I'm bringing more stuff in and that they should leave me to it as it will be unpleasent.

Let them see your plunger is they want to see the magic tool but ultimately work alone.
Normally it clears after 5 mins but I hang around flushing, disinfecting and then go down after half an hour so they feel they have their moneys worth.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Yeah, he was shoulder to shoulder, you know what I mean.

Well, his house is all refurbished & new as they just moved in so I guess I wasn't good enough to call to do that, but toilet unblock, yep!!!

 

[clarky101]

Maybes knock a bit off if your only there 10 mins.....customers don't like paying full amount for a short job like that....if it was me I'd have settled at 30 on the hope of more jobs....

 

[rpm]

You have to make it clear your £45 covers the traveling costs and up to the first hour there regardless.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Told him clear £45 first hour then £20 per half hour thereafter.

I don't want to start telling everyone that includes travel, fuel, insurances, maintaining van & tools.

I think I'll stick to my guns on charging.

I could've said its a fixed £80 fee for the job. Then his eyebrows would've hit the ceiling!

 

[Phil]

I suppose it should be £80 minimum (wait for Lame to say £130) to unblock a toilet, after all you are dealing with nastys, if its a simple on your way job round the corner then okay £45/50 as long and its just a simple bucket down or plunge.

 

[rpm]

Told him clear £45 first hour then £20 per half hour thereafter.

I don't want to start telling everyone that includes travel, fuel, insurances, maintaining van & tools.

I think I'll stick to my guns on charging.

I could've said its a fixed £80 fee for the job. Then his eyebrows would've hit the ceiling!

I didn`t say all that did I ? Keep it short and simple for them to understand.
£xx covers me getting to you and up to the first hour there.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I suppose it should be £80 minimum (wait for Lame to say £130) to unblock a toilet, after all you are dealing with nastys, if its a simple on your way job round the corner then okay £45/50 as long and its just a simple bucket down or plunge.

I agree, for the time I was there, this time 2yrs ago I would've buckled & charged a tenner & not earned a living but do favours for people I don't know who were earning more than me, driving better cars etc.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I didn`t say all that did I ? Keep it short and simple for them to understand.
£xx covers me getting to you and up to the first hour there.

You didn't but it could start going like that, I'm ain't gonna start even saying this covers my travel costs as it was a half mile drive!

I'm just giving costs & being polite.

I had a chap last year, had a small garden that needed strumming. Went to look, poor old chap, told him £60 strim & put in green bin. Too expensive. He gets someone else in, gives them £240! Wtf.

Had the same with another chap, I trim hedge every over month, £40. Last year when I returned from holiday I drove past & noticed it was trimmed, phoned him, chap charged him £240 for hours work.

But when I say a stupid price I'm the blooming devil rip off person!

Really annoyed me those 2 jobs. I still trim the hedge in season as he's a nice chap but he knows not to pay another now!!