I recently visited a Bungalow, on the drive a rare classic car (30K)
the bungalow had been extended all round and the garage had been converted to a bedroom with ensuite
they wanted a few extra sockets installed, and a couple wiring correctly that were on extension leads, clipped in and painted over
I said I would like to carry out a series of tests firsts ( I neveer take on a job without a basic test)
test a socket in the extended sitting room, and the RCBO refuses to come back to life
he then admitted they had trouble in the past re setting it
off I go, get a replacement and install it and I charged him for one hour plus materials
not my fault
I noticed that in the older part of the house, there was only one socket per room wired in PVC with twisted cores so late 60s early 70s
the consumer unit had been fitted in the front hall, and the supply tails concealed with a plasterboard sheet, on battens, no metal protection, the earth cables came down from the roof ??
I had to cut away a layer of plaster to remove the lid of the CU
the earth electrode was not in evidence, and in the roof I could see right down to the consumer unit, the roof was full of junction boxes
in other words a real bodge, make it look pretty to sell it
I gave him a quite to install addtional socket outlets including making good the plaster and decoration ( yes I am old skool)
a new Consumer unit sited in a more sensible position, and earth electrode and general tidy up of the dodgy bits
he came back to me thanking me for my quote but saying it was much more money than they considered for such a small job ( a weeks work)
Again its that social class thing, he was retired and his pension is more than likely greater than my earnings
but he thinks tradesmen should not be paid much, I did notice a selection of power tools lying around and some poor remedial work done recently
they had only purchased the house about 18 months before, so why did he not have a full survey
oh the value of the house is nearly a million pounds with a 2 acre garden
I guess he was hoping I would come back with a lower quote
I dont even bother these days
on another job where we installed a complete new bathroom as well as new doors, tidied up the wiring, lots of small repairs and a full decoration job, the client said to me !! (He is a spit for Terry Tibbs and is a car dealer)
do you ever look at Barcodes ??
nope says I
Oh he said I scanned the barcode on the bath, and a firm up North can offer it 30 pounds cheaper!!
well I pointed out to him, I let him have the bathroom suite at trade price, and he would not have known what size bath to buy ( a real odd size)
and what about the sink and taps and toilet ?? and delivery from somewhere grim oop North ??
kind of shut his argument up
however all the way through the job, he was constantly moaning about how much tradesman charge
I did point out that we have thousands of pounds worth of specialist tools and 40 odd years of experience, and we had to hump all of that stuff to his job
he owns about 16 houses that he rents out ??
the last one he has decided not to pay me and my mate to decorate, but to do it himself
a text this very day is asking if I can recommend some on to re plaster the house
( its dry lines and he has scraped the tape and finish away, due to not leaving the steamer on long enough as he is such a tightwad)
I happened to be passing the house the other evening and looked in to see the mess he was making
my attitude is that I would rather sit in my garden and read a book than work for little or nothing, and I dont charge very much anyway
Serves him right for trying to negotiate my 1st price 
