Discuss Don't do much work for Jo public, now i know why! in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Guy phoned me and asked how much to put up 2 lights, 1 in kitchen and 1 outside.

I asked is it taking down the old and fitting new? Yes he said. £40.00 says i. After 30 seconds of umming and aring he said yes that's not to bad so i went round today.

Kitchen light 20 mins, no problem. Where's the outside light got to go? He shouts to wife "where do you want this outside light fitted"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She says, somewhere on this wall. Complete wiring job and a bitch to do, so i told them the £40.00 is now out of the window, it was supposed to be just changing lights!

Oh, silence.

Well i will work out a price for you and get back to you (probably wont) £20.00 for kitchen light, rather have stayed at home!
 
Today, Fone call from the customer.

'Why is this armoured cable clipped on the outside of the house?'
Its the customers father.
I discussed possible routes for the cable to go in , supplying new Range cooker, under the floor impossible as it's solid. From above impossible as its a tiled floor in a bathroom (two weeks ago this)
anyway, now im told that I was told that the floor in the bathroom is coming up, and that I was told this before we AGREED the cable route on the exterior of the house.....
So I'll cheerfully change the cable for the new consumer unit i've mounted in the kitchen and run it internally, as long as I'm paid for both .
Why on earth would she agree the route in the first place, if she knew the bathroom floor was coming up? (she remembers telling me!! Liar)
Gutted because I did a few 'whilst you are here jobs' as you do.
You can never ever trust 'em can you ?
 
Today, Fone call from the customer.

'Why is this armoured cable clipped on the outside of the house?'
Its the customers father.
I discussed possible routes for the cable to go in , supplying new Range cooker, under the floor impossible as it's solid. From above impossible as its a tiled floor in a bathroom (two weeks ago this)
anyway, now im told that I was told that the floor in the bathroom is coming up, and that I was told this before we AGREED the cable route on the exterior of the house.....
So I'll cheerfully change the cable for the new consumer unit i've mounted in the kitchen and run it internally, as long as I'm paid for both .
Why on earth would she agree the route in the first place, if she knew the bathroom floor was coming up? (she remembers telling me!! Liar)
Gutted because I did a few 'whilst you are here jobs' as you do.
You can never ever trust 'em can you ?
caus their thick....simple as...lol....
 
Her words to me, 'there are loads of tv/telephone cables and pipes on the outside of the house, you wont notice it' she's dead right, you can't , till know it all dad comes along.

I'll walk tomoro, I'll get paid as its being done via a trust through solicitors. CBA with people like this.
 
Today, Fone call from the customer.

'Why is this armoured cable clipped on the outside of the house?'
Its the customers father.
I discussed possible routes for the cable to go in , supplying new Range cooker, under the floor impossible as it's solid. From above impossible as its a tiled floor in a bathroom (two weeks ago this)
anyway, now im told that I was told that the floor in the bathroom is coming up, and that I was told this before we AGREED the cable route on the exterior of the house.....
So I'll cheerfully change the cable for the new consumer unit i've mounted in the kitchen and run it internally, as long as I'm paid for both .
Why on earth would she agree the route in the first place, if she knew the bathroom floor was coming up? (she remembers telling me!! Liar)
Gutted because I did a few 'whilst you are here jobs' as you do.
You can never ever trust 'em can you ?


OOOOH!!!.....wait 'till E54 sees this one!:83:
 
I get phone calls from all sorts of people.

I tell them my hourly rate and that I'm slow...that usually does the trick.

However, there are those why like a slow hand !

replace why with who
 
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This is exactly why I now send them an email confirming all they want and how we have agreed it is to be done or use a minor works contract. I know that sounds ---- BUT it has helped in the past. In the "know it all" Daddy example above I can then print off the contract or email and gift wrap it for him. This saves a lot of grief at times and any arguements about how it was done or the "don't you remember I asked for that?" trick! :83:
 
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we had it a while back over some FCUs....installed, tested...alls good...then she gets home and says `why are they there?`....uur...caus thats where you wanted em love....oh no no no...they cant go there......now, as it was, we moved em for her...but i stood facing her as she gave it large about how she never agreed to them being installed where we had......i could see the bull dribbling down her chin as she said it....lol...
 
This is exactly why I now send them an email confirming all they want and how we have agreed it is to be done or use a minor works contract. I know that sounds ---- BUT it has helped in the past. In the "know it all" Daddy example above I can then print off the contract or email and gift wrap it for him. This saves a lot of grief at times and any arguements about how it was done or the "don't you remember I asked for that?" trick! :83:

I use email as much as possible now for that very reason, had a builder trying it on with a load of extras, saying they were in the original quote, so I pulled it up on my iPhone (what a tool) said there's your email with your list and my price, 'oh yeah I remember now, so how much for these other bits then?'
 
we had it a while back over some FCUs....installed, tested...alls good...then she gets home and says `why are they there?`....uur...caus thats where you wanted em love....oh no no no...they cant go there......now, as it was, we moved em for her...but i stood facing her as she gave it large about how she never agreed to them being installed where we had......i could see the bull dribbling down her chin as she said it....lol...

I'm actually in the habit of giving the client my pencil and telling them to mark on the wall where they want things to go (with guidance where needed, obviously). Absolutely no arguments that way! And on any job other than a simple call-out I always produce a written estimate with an itemised scope of work.
 
Yep, ...and you would be dead right too!! lol!! I wonder what circumstance excuses were going to see/hear this time!!!

That's nothing..... you should see the state of that earth rod..... ;)
 
I had one tell me last night that I had the wrong day to visit them for a quote!!

Until I brought up the email and then it was all "oh yea I remember now!!"

I email or text everything now. Sad, but it works.
 
Yep, ...and you would be dead right too!! lol!! I wonder what circumstance excuses were going to see/hear this time!!!
Had to 1st fix for another CU in an extension last week, no choice. Six extra circuits and no available inside route.
 

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