Customer supplied parts...

[JCplumb]

Had a job today to refit 7 radiators on newly plastered walls, no materials needed as the custard had most helpfully bought the necessary TRV's and brackets.
Measure, drill, plug, screw, hang, connect x7 then refill, I was thinking 2-3 hours and home in time for Rachel Riley so estimated £20 per rad...
When will I learn that when a custard buys the parts they are almost always wrong and it will almost always cause me to miss my Rachel?
Aarghhhh!! Going back tomorrow morning to finish off...
*vent over*

 

[woodsy]

I will no longer let them supply for this reason. When you tell them it will be extra because you have to return or stand waiting for them to source the parts they look at you as if you are satan. All frightened to death that you might make a bob or two.

 

[WaterTight]

I'd have allowed most of a day for that. The faster I get, the slower I get, if you know what I mean. When I was a novice I went at the speed of light. Now I more or less know what I'm doing I pootle along like a paddle boat.

 

[Leo21]

I will no longer let them supply for this reason. When you tell them it will be extra because you have to return or stand waiting for them to source the parts they look at you as if you are satan. All frightened to death that you might make a bob or two.

Never a truer word spoken, I commend you for you're I sight.

 

[mountainman]

A hard call really unless you specify the materials.
And even that often goes stit up when the part doesnt work as described and you end up doing battle with the manufacturers for free on the custards behalf.

 

[woodsy]

At least if you have supplied the parts, you should of made a few quid to cover your time / aggravation. Its the curse of the internet and hard times that people are doing this to just get work.

 

[Leo21]

At least if you have supplied the parts, you should of made a few quid to cover your time / aggravation. Its the curse of the internet and hard times that people are doing this to just get work.

Nah! Most of the time it's customers trying to be smart and save a few quid. Loads of people are pleading poverty and just trying to get a deal. You don't re doctorate your house iff your skint.

 

[woodsy]

No meant that it's us as installers that agree to fit their gear due to work being tight but to me, if you only want to earn a wage then you might as well be employed.

 

[mountainman]

might as well be employed.

Buggrall of that about either.

 

[woodsy]

True!!

 

[stani]

I am having a multi fuel inset stove fitted, into a sandstone fireplace, as an engineer I know the pitfalls of letting the customer get all the bits, I have supplied the fire because it's the one I want, I have supplied the fireplace because it's the deisign i want, told the hetas installer that everything else is his to source has he knows what is needed,
He gave me a good price so told him to add £50 for me getting the main bits, everyone happy

 

[woodsy]

Good on you but people like you are rarer than hens teeth.

 

[dontknowitall]

Next time my car goes in I'll ask 'em if I can supply the parts for the service.

Or will the solicitor knock some money off if I supply some A4?

Or will the supermarket throw in a few free beans cos I've spent over £50?

I'm as bad as others being happy to take on jobs where customers supply materials (even though my rate does go up accordingly) but I sometimes wonder how joe public has managed to win this particular battle. It started well before I began plumbing.

 

[woodsy]

Next time my car goes in I'll ask 'em if I can supply the parts for the service.

Or will the solicitor knock some money off if I supply some A4?

Or will the supermarket throw in a few free beans cos I've spent over £50?

I'm as bad as others being happy to take on jobs where customers supply materials (even though my rate does go up accordingly) but I sometimes wonder how joe public has managed to win this particular battle. It started well before I began plumbing.

Totally agree, we must be one of the only industries that allow this to happen and to be honest have only ourselves to blame

 

[Leo21]

Iff custard supplies gear I try to give them an hourly rate and a rough idea of time. But when it's a boiler forget it, I don't bother because they get a real shock when you say £45 per hour plus materials and allow ten hours minimum.

 

[woodsy]

Trouble is with all these ripoff tv shows. They all think you are ripping their leg off for the parts, and insist on prices for everything. Trouble is that if you price on how it should go and something as this thread started goes wrong then they do not want to pay extra and if you price on worst case senario to cover yourself then you are too expensive and back to being a ripoff merchant. Oh the joys of being self-employed.

 

[WaterTight]

Next time my car goes in I'll ask 'em if I can supply the parts for the service.

Or will the solicitor knock some money off if I supply some A4?

Or will the supermarket throw in a few free beans cos I've spent over £50?

I'm as bad as others being happy to take on jobs where customers supply materials (even though my rate does go up accordingly) but I sometimes wonder how joe public has managed to win this particular battle. It started well before I began plumbing.

Well said. I think the problem is - oddly - because the work takes place in their own home. If the mechanic came to your house to look at your problem and you produced some spare parts it genuinely would seem less presumptious than if you did so at their garage. It shouldn't make any difference at all and yet somehow it does.