Domestic plumbing checks

[Alert]

Hi,

I was thinking about doing a groupon deal in my area offering a complete inspection of the owners property from gravity systems to pumped and pressurised systems.

Whilst doing day to day maintenance you notice storage tanks full of debris/insects, unvented cylinders that have never been serviced, corrosive fittings plumbing that doesn't conform to regs etc etc. your average person wouldnt realise these things.

The deal itself wouldn't generate a lot of cash but it's the end result of getting new customers on board, right now all or work comes from contractors so thought this may be a good way to quickly build our private customers up ?

Any of you guys ever done something like this or used groupon for other types of deals ?

Cheers

 

[Chalked]

All for generating work, but sometimes..... If it ain't broken, don't fix it.unk:

 

[Alert]

Yea if it ain't broke do not fix it but there's many things that go unseen and need attention that the homeowner will not realise, it's kind of like and advisory you would get when you book your car in for a service.

 

[hammers4spanner]

I don't think many customers would bother about advisory works so to speak of .
I do a lot of work like this now and if its not leaking and generally working then customers are not fussed.

 

[kris]

Agree with wots been said, servicing boilers Yeh but folks don't seem to worry about servicing there systems which I think they should ,

 

[REDSAW]

dont bother, it will bancrupt you!
unless you have half dozen vans on road and control the numbers.

 

[Millsy 82]

What are you going to do lift floorboards etc? I think it's asking for trouble as I can just hear them now "you did a full inspection and now I've got a leak under my floor! Why didn't you tell me about it"

 

[Alert]

Cheers for input guys, I shall speak to the boss, yea milsey it would all be written down all visible components are to be checked etc.

I partly got the idea from the bpec book there's different pages on recommended inspections and procedures etc

Will update if we go ahead with it

 

[REDSAW]

dont forget, groupon will actually control hoy many and how much you will charge. do some research!
some on here from 3 years ago, guy nearly went to the wall offering £35 boiler services..

 

[R.Oak]

How long do you expect one house check to take?

 

[jtsplumbing]

Do you expect people to pay for this ? They will just think your trying to con them, Its bad enough when they have to pay for anything, you could leave yourself open for all sorts of claims, after an inspection how long B4 a fault shows up ? all you will get is it was ok until you disturbed it, don't you think this would have been done long ago if there was any money in doing it

 

[Alert]

Do you expect people to pay for this ? They will just think your trying to con them, Its bad enough when they have to pay for anything, you could leave yourself open for all sorts of claims, after an inspection how long B4 a fault shows up ? all you will get is it was ok until you disturbed it, don't you think this would have been done long ago if there was any money in doing it

Claims lol no there will be disclaimers and it would've been set out what is checked and to what extent... whether someone will pay a small fee or it is a free offer I need to decided, no idea until we put it out there...and "don't you think this would have been done a long time ago if there was any money in doing it" firstly I hate that negative expresion and secondly it is not about the money but more building a private client base which will later generate money as I previously said

 

[REDSAW]

Claims lol no there will be disclaimers and it would've been set out what is checked and to what extent... whether someone will pay a small fee or it is a free offer I need to decided, no idea until we put it out there...and "don't you think this would have been done a long time ago if there was any money in doing it" firstly I hate that negative expresion and secondly it is not about the money but more building a private client base which will later generate money as I previously said ��

so, your doing it anyway!

 

[Stanios]

All of us do these kind of inspections subconsciously when we are in customer's house and there has been a fair few times when I've pointed out a disaster waiting to happen to the customer - last one was an open ended overflow in the middle of the loft on a cold water tank, tell them the implications I leave and never hear from them again!

 

[Alert]

lol you right Staniois, I also had a main stopcock not closing off when I advised our client they never bothered. it's a similar principle to having car serviced and advisories being given not everyone will get them done and some will.

That's crazy with the overflow though lol

 

[jtsplumbing]

Claims lol no there will be disclaimers and it would've been set out what is checked and to what extent... whether someone will pay a small fee or it is a free offer I need to decided, no idea until we put it out there...and "don't you think this would have been done a long time ago if there was any money in doing it" firstly I hate that negative expresion and secondly it is not about the money but more building a private client base which will later generate money as I previously said ��

Regardless of you charging or not , you will have to cover yourself with so much red tape, the amount of property's you will need to visit and the time spent on each you will never get any sort of return, how long do expect to wait B4 any one calls you ? 1 week ? 1 year ? 10 years ? Just because you do this service does not mean that you will get the work !

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

I can't see it working IMHO.
Most people only want a plumber when something breaks or they want to have some voluntary work done, bathroom, move rad etc.
I cannot see them having someone come in to 'pick faults'. which is how it will be seen.

 

[Howsie]

You're not building a customer base until they've paid you for something.

 

[mfgs]

Its a risk that may not pay off, but you never know until you try it. If you can afford to take a hit on the time you spend doing the inspections at a discounted rate, then why not? Could be the best thing you ever did, could be the worst.

 

[Alert]

Thanks for the positive comment buddy, yea now thinking of simply advertising a free home check incorporating, tanks, cylinders associated, heating. It's simply generating leads to quote for work and the majority that request a check may be willing to have some paid work if needed.

Thanks all for the input has made me realise this is most probably a service that people won't pay for so will advertise elsewhere as a free systems check.

 

[Howsie]

Free is always good. At least you're having a dialogue with your customer.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Free check ! good so you spend your time running around peoples homes, telling them what is wrong, then hope you get some work from it ? Well if what your going to charge for any remedial work is higher than there own plumber your not going to get the job, As soon as you offer something for free it put peoples guard up, They think your on the make, How meny people do you know that offer something for free, without finding something they want to charge you for ! I think you are going to waste a lot of time & money and get nothing back in return.

 

[mfgs]

Thanks for the positive comment buddy, yea now thinking of simply advertising a free home check incorporating, tanks, cylinders associated, heating. It's simply generating leads to quote for work and the majority that request a check may be willing to have some paid work if needed.

Thanks all for the input has made me realise this is most probably a service that people won't pay for so will advertise elsewhere as a free systems check.

I don't think advertising a free check will do any good, unless offered along side a service they are paying for. Offer the check for a low fee and advertise it a x% discount. People will naturally be wary of anything that's free, especially when afterwards you will be telling them they need bits doing. They then wont be as trusting. They will be thinking you were only there to find faults to make money, which is the case, you just don't want them to know that.

 

[rpm]

Could lead to more people coming here asking how to fix things.

 

[armyash]

I really wouldn't bother, I think like others have said you'll be wasting your time and leaving yourself open to a world of problems.

Not knocking you though at least your willing to try something new. I think you would be better off putting an offer out for something - what ever, doesn't matter. Then when you go out to do the job then offer to look round and check for potential problems etc.

I go out to pre planned insurance jobs to carry out repairs, I offer to look round when on site so it's not costing anything and customers still say no don't bother. Some say yeah sure but a lot of them don't. If they are saying no to me while I'm already there for your own sake I wouldn't put too much time and effort in.