Is it possible to find a plumber that doesn't have a >£75+VAT call out charge?!?!

[MascaraOHara]

FFS.

I just want someone to come and tell me why I have no hot water in my shower and how much it will be to fix.. it seems that t6o get this information I have to part with a minimum of £75+VAT.

even the one that advertised no call-ou charge.. said well we don't charge for call out (as in we don't charge for getting there) but we do charge £79.50+VAT to take an initial look. WHAT?!?!

Sorry am ranting.

This is normal.

The no call-out fee generally only applies when you are actually requesting them to carry out the work, as then they are assured of earing money from the visit.

If you just want a diagnostic visit/quote then they will charge. Otherwise people will get them in to find out what the problem is free of charge then call in some local odd-job fella to carry out the work at a lower rate.

So there's no way I can find out if I can afford the work without paying £75 for the pleasure? and it's impossible to get more than one quote for a price unless I pay £75+quid?!?!?

I work for a firm of plumbers. our charge is £60.50 and covers the initial call out and the 1st hour.

Why do you want someone to travel all the way to your house and work for nothing?

You can get as many quotes as you like. Howver to find out what is wrong you will be charged. You can then take that info to any plumber and say my xx is broken how much to fix and they will probably quote over the phone.

I don't expect someone to travel to my house and work for nothing but I would like to know if I can afford the work before I shell out an initial £70-odd quid.

islandofsodor: it's not work for nothing, though. If you want some building work done, it's common to get several builders out to have a look and provide a quote. They don't charge to have a look. Ditto gardeners, decorators... just about every line of business EXCEPT plumbers!!

Or solicitors....

Hmm, solicitors my mum used recently gave her the first 20 mins free before giving a "quote" based on how long they thought it would take to sort out.

Oh yes that's true, it is only plumbers.

Plumbers will also do that if it is a major job like a new boiler or something. But often by the time you have found out what is wrong it is a simple little thing to just put it right, sometimes it can take a while trying out different things to find out what the problem is.

With building work you say, give me a quote for building a...converting a.... or whatever. They come, take measurements etc, quote done.

With this sort of job the client wants to find out what the problemn is, this can often only be found out after quite a bit of work. You could have 4 of these type of jobs a day and end up earning nothing that day if you went out free to everyone each time.

Actually, with regards to builders. If you find one you really, really trust ot can often work out cheaper to let them do the job and charge it on a day rate. That way they just charge for exactly what they have done, whereas a quote has lots of contingency built in, in case things go worn.

Its a risk, but one I took on my garage conversion, it was a firm we know very very well though.

Our heating broke down one Saturday night in March just as I was getting labour twinges. We phoned virtually every plumber in the yellow pages especially those that said '24hour call-out' and none of them could come out until Monday at the earliest. My labour stopped and I had my dd 6 days later on the Friday.

Can't believe plumbers can get away with saying they're available 24hours when they clearly not. OK, my rant over - sorry for hijacking!

DH worked as a plumber for a while (before going back to computers and the City). He once had a customer ring him up for a quote because she needed X number of quotes before she could get her costs reimbursed by insurance. Now why would he go out and waste his time for possibly earning £40-£80 for a little job? He doesn't charge for call-outs but is wary of going out if it sounds like a "difficult" client. A boiler change would be worth it but just to tighten a nut for a leaky tap?

Just to clarify - he did take on small jobs too, just wouldn't do quotes for them.

Natasha, plumbers are people, often with families. You were obviously unlucky that weekend but the plumber may have had something else on/wife gone out and no babysitter, just been out on a job all day, got in and totally knackered etc etc.

My Dad used to work Christmas day!

We called about 40 plumbers! I realise that plumbers have lives too but if they're not available 24 hours they shouldn't state it in their adverts. That's all I meant...