What is it with plumbers.

[poynton phil]

I'm thinking about doing my own plumbing work from now on, as I have just lost a tiling job due to 2 plumbers that I recommended for a job not putting a estimate in when they said they would, and TBH I'm absolutly fuming with them, because I aint got a lot of work on at the moment.

Just means I will have to get a bigger van and a few more tools.

 

[stusgsx]

It's no good relying on others. I always price the whole job including everything and then just book the plumber in when I need him on a day rate if I'm not doing it myself

 

[AliGage]

If it's basic bathroom fitting, you won't need a bigger van fella. I brought a couple of these from screwfix.

Stanley 24" Tool Tote & Organizer | NoLinksToThis

Two of them hold my blow torch, solder and compression fittings, and all other essentials to do your own plumbing and piping.

£30.00 is a pretty good price as well. But the tray top comes away so once my torch, flux, solder etc is in the room, i can carry the try in seperately to have fittings to had.

 

[Martino]

Can only every rely on yourself...I learnt this with a brick layer in the past...lost the job because of it too!...not good!

 

[bod]

yeah plumbings a doddle , sod the building regs its only a shower on a openvented system what could possibly go wrong

 

[AliGage]

yeah plumbings a doddle , sod the building regs its only a shower on a openvented system what could possibly go wrong

Happen to of been taught by my Father and another plumber. Both in excess of 25 years experience.

That being said i have plumber contacts, i won't touch anything i can't do. But business is business, in the same way plumbers, builders etc offer to "tile" for their customers.
But generally bathrooms have supplies for all that is being installed already there. So slight adjustments to bring a basin over, or if the wc fills on the opposite side isn't really rocket science.

 

[bod]

well having just sacked the last tiller for making a job look like crazy paving im thankfull for phoning dave and getting andy carrols number who is currently redoing said job and ive also lined him up to do 6 shower suites in a hotel we look after i guess im more interested in the quality rather then the quantity

 

[AliGage]

Fair play. Similarly, i don't like having to go back and remove/replace tiles to get to pipework that is leaking left by a plumber with similar qualities to the guy you say you've just let go.
Hence the reason that although made about tiling and wanted tiling as my trade, i also learnt the aspects of plumbing and joinery so i can ensure work is carried out correctly. Because i've done it.

 

[bod]

I think it's just finding the right person who you can rely on and has a similar mentality to your own

 

[Rookery]

I like to contentrate on just the tiling. I'm fortunate to know a guy who does any plumbing for me. Yes it costs but he's reliable and his work and attitude is to a good standard.

 

[poynton phil]

TBH I would prefer to spend my time tiling, but I have done a bit of plumbing in the past, and as Aligage say's, you dont touch anything that you aint sure about.

The 2 guys in question are both good plumbers, its just that they didn't do there estimates this time, and one of them I work with a lot, its just miffed me that they never even said anything to me, before the customer dropped this on me.

 

[afright]

Just started working for a bathroom company get on the job no shower tray fitted walls need skimming(had to skim the walls myself) pipe to be chased across the floor,Ive tiled the walls got to go back to finish to tray and lay floor they wanted me there last week,popping back to the job today to see if plumber has finished.If I was stacked out with work would have walked.

 

[Plumbing Tiler]

It is a unfortunate situation to find yourself in, I have lost several jobs due to a very unreliable Electrician "friend" taking weeks to come and look at jobs and then weeks to actually produce quotes, so I had to stop using him and offering the "one stop shop" to my Customers, to be honest it hasn't really affected the amount of jobs I win, which I was very concerned about initially, so now I just tell them to arrange their own Electrician and offer them some numbers of local tradesmen if required. Obviously you do lose the ability to "work with" them and this can cost you time-wise sometimes but I feel it is better to swallow a small time loss on a job rather than let the Customer down, although as I live in a small town it has so far been the same guys I see on most of my jobs so we have built up a good understanding and working relationship.
It can be very difficult to find other trades with the same standards and work ethic as yourself but I am very fortunate to have a reliable Carpenter, two Plasterers and a Gas Plumber that I can call on but unfortunately I couldn't find a good enough Tiler locally hence taking that on myself.

 

[snoopy101]

sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth.

 

[AliGage]

Too true, and with so many "multi-traders" out there, i don't like the idea of other peoples vans with signage outside my customers house. Sure fire way to lose potential trade etc. It is a bit dog eat dog at the moment.

Even if there's something in the quote i'll need to get a trade in for i try to budget an approximate costing in so i can deliver a quote promptly.

 

[Bubblecraft]

This is exactly why I do everything myself. I even state this fact on my home page of my website:

"...We understand the hassle of contacting different Tradesmen to carry out a simple job such as a bathroom or kitchen. Plumbers, Tilers, Electricians, Joiners to list but a few. Most of these Tradesmen also have standard call out charges which can shoot way over your budget let alone trying to get them all booked at the same time. With us, you have one point of contact to deal with for all your needs & without the silly prices..."