Your Opinions Please Guys. Grief

[hillhead]

I don't get them rates but the N Ireland rates are crap anyway!
You need more out there Graham,If your doing a great job he should be willing to up the money,is he winning the work because of your rates or is he creaming off you??

 

[Dan]

Totally agree mate (I have no kids, still a sucker for a bit of skiing or a festival or two though!)

 

[mikethetile]

he sounds a bit of a bully to me

 

[Graham Bright]

Where he moves pipes he fills those gaps with bonding. I have told him that bonding is not strong enough but its only normally about half a m2 around water pipes etc.

I have also had a coupld of jobs where the client has painted walls and I have had to spend ages either removing it or scoring the walls.

 

[Scott]

I havent had time t read all the responses but heres mine.

Finish what you started and crack on with your own work. Then tel him your new rate, after all your that much more experienced now and can demand more money. He clearly hasnt got anyone else and from the sounds of it these are top dollar jobs he is doing so the price he has on these could be huge. He is obviously happy with your work if not the speed.

At the end of the day he is probably making more per metre than you are.

 

[Pebbs]

Graham,

Like Dan, I read what you wrote a few times over, to put everything in order before I say anything.

Ok here goes....

Firstly I dont believe he should be saying anything to you about the speed that you work as you are being paid for the m2 and your not on a day rate. Everyone works at diff rates, I have one lad whose work is outstanding, but he gets gyp of the others because he takes his time about. What they dont realise is that this lad never gives me any problems with snagging works, and I have never had to pull him on anything hes ever done for me. Next time plumber boy says anything, one simple thing to say, quality not quantity.

Secondly stop worrying yourself about how long your taking to do the works. Your going to beat yourself up over doing something right? Push that thought right out of your mind.

Now Im going to tackle the money.... I was shocked to see the rate hes paying you, and horrified when I read that he makes you wait for him to get paid. Sorry but this is a no no. Plumber boy should make arrangements that his guys get paid every two weeks. I would never ever dream of making anyone of my lads wait till I get paid. I work to a tight budget, and my priority is that all my lads get paid fortnightly. Even if that means I pay myself late that particular month, they get paid without question. I would never dream of pocketing the money of the last job and make them wait.

I really feel you should speak with him tomorrow, go down the cafe for a cuppa, and explain that firstly, the work recently has been a lot more complicated than you anticipated, and for all the extra cutting etc, you should be getting a much better rate than he is paying right now. You seriously think plumber boy is charging the client the same for ceramics as marble and stone....I think not! If hes underpriced the job, how is that your problem? he submitted the price to the client, if he messed up, let him take the knock not expect his team to. If he doesnt see it your way and stands his ground, then you tell him that you will finish of the works in the room your working in and will leave on Friday as you dont want to fall out about it. And for gawds sake make sure you tell him you want your money on Friday as fair is fair. Be make sure to tell him though you dont want to go elsewhere for work, but you cant work for these rates.

I just read your post again, and Im a bit fuming now....how dare he tell you that you cant have time of to spend them with your kids...the selfish piece of work. Go let him sulk, he should have made arrangements for cover.

Keep a cool head, and stand your ground, and dont be bullied.

Good luck hun, and let us know how you get on

Lynn

 

[Andy Allen]

can you not quote each job you do for him.

you look at the job tell him how much you want to do it, he adds on 10% or what ever for himself, submits the quote to the customer if he gets the job everyones happy.

personally i dont work for plumbers i work with plumbers, they quote there side of the work to the client and i quote my side of the work to the client if the quotes are excepted then me and the plumber will work the job in together, clients are happy because they have a skilled plumber, a skilled tiler and we allso have a plasterer, and electricain we can call on when needed.

and most importantly when our side of the job is finished the client pays us direct.

 

[Graham Bright]

Guys, these have been great responses and I really appreciate it.

I am going to sit down with him tomorrow, explain my position. Explain I will honour my price and time for the room I have yet to do then tell him things need to be different going forward. I will calculate a pricing structure before hand and also request that I see each job before accepting it. I will also suggest day rates again and a better way of getting paid.

I will let you know how i get on.

Thanks again. Really great.

 

[Richard Edwards]

Read most but not all of the posts as there is a lot to take in.

This in summary, is what I would do. Talk to him - your plumber who is your client afterall. Tell him that in order to move forward, agree a price per job. That way he knows what he will be charged by you, and when you have finished the job, he gets your invoice and terms of payment is agreed.

Tell him the standard of his prep work required otherwise, reject it and tell him to put it right.

Finally, tel him a month or so in advance, when you are planning a few days off.

Then start working hard to spread your work around and do not become exposed to this large client. if he goes bang, your exposed - I would aim to do not more than 20% on turnover with one trade client.

In haste

Richard

 

[lcjohno]

Some good advice above, i would just sit down with him and explain that stone jobs etc cost more. If he knows and really likes what your doing he'll just add it on to his price so he can pay you more.
Dont just walk away from the work he's giving you until you have talked, you just both need to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

I do alot of work for a kitchen company and the guy knows that if its a natural stone job it needs pricing direct with me, or if its over a certain m2 there may be more costs. I do get the odd job which takes me a bit to long and i prob lose out on a bit. I dont mean lose money but might not get what i want, but generally i make enough so in my eyes its swings and round abouts. If i added up a years worth of work from him and the days its taken its well worth it.

Good luck sorting it out.

 

[heavytrevy]

In your first post you mention that uve been averaging 60 bux a day doing bathrooms ?
So 3 meters a day?

Even tho your working for a very low meterage rate it seems your plumber is giving you plenty of volume ?

How much prep and rectification work are you doing?
Have you set any standards for the plumber ?
level ? plumb ? wall and floor deviations?

Trev