Do you have a minimum charge no matter what?

[armyash]

Hi guys,

Do you have a minimum charge for even the smallest of jobs? As you are running a business can you afford to say oh just give me £10.00?

What i'm saying is if you charge £30ph (or whatever) would you still charge that for changing a tap washer that is straight forward and easy to get to?

I understand if it's a 90 year old woman who doesn't have much then the odd freebie for little things is ok but some people find it hard to believe that a tap repair should be more than a five the way they act.

I don't know what I would charge for a tap washer but if you do too many jobs at a cut price then before you know it that will be the rates always expected.

 

[LPC]

£20 cash is my default for all the silly 2 min jobs.

 

[rpm]

Leaving the 90 year old woman (or man) aside yes you must have a minimum charge, it is too easy to become a "busy fool" and over a year you have to cover for the odd foc return visit to make money.

I have a between X & Y system of pricing when I estimate (I never quote) then the customer know`s X = easy and Y covers problems unforseen, the problem is as we all know there are people who will do these £5 - 10 jobs.

 

[village idiot]

My minimum charge is £40 (if I get my hands out of my pockets). If I attend to quote, I will not charge. But if I have to remove bath panels etc to detect the source of a leak and quote for what repairs will be needed, then I will charge the minimum £40 or else I detect the problem quote for it and they get someone, tell them the exact problem and get a cheaper quote as he/she is doing what they want. As for tap washers, I try not to bother with them except my arm is twisted

 

[Masood]

I have a minimum charge of £65 for up to an hour's work. For good, regular customers I will occasionally charge a nominal amount like £25 or even a freebie if it's 5 minutes work.

They know it's a little goodwill gesture and don't expect it every time. Most of the time when I say it's a freebie they try and insist on giving me something. So it's a nice, mutually respectful process.

 

[oz-plumber]

Ash,

There are many plumbers who make a descent living out of changing tap washers and doing menial plumbing repairs.
Don't under estimate your abilities.
If the customer called you to do a repair then charge accordingly.

If you get a reputation of being cheap, it will haunt you for ever.
You're not going to win every job, so don't expect
You're not going to be every customers favorite plumber either.

You should set yourself a minimum charge out rate for any job.

If you employed someone, you would have to pay their wages and whatever else.
You would not go to a job because you could do it for less than you would have to pay an employee to do it.

Use that as a basis to work out your minimum charge out rate

 

[Masood]

Absolutely, Oz.

If we don't respect ourselves customers never will. But equally, no harm in showing a little appreciation by letting loyal customers know they are not just a cash cow for us, like merchants knocking a bit extra off or sending out a packet of biccies...

 

[rocketmanbkk]

£40 usually but depends on custard.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

£20 cash is my default for all the silly 2 min jobs.

This is pretty much the same here.

 

[mfgs]

My minimum charge is £60 and covers the first hour of work. I don't do discounted prices really, if I want to do a good customer a favour then I will do it for free.