Just a couple of extra sockets...

[timo1]

Bit of positive news really. The last few jobs I have done have started with the customer asking me to add a couple of sockets and what they actually mean is far from it! A couple have turned into 4 of 5 days work, rewiring of lighting circuits, new consumer units and an extension to wire through word of mouth. I'm happy to do small bits of work and happy to call round to have a look but sometimes think is it worth it for a couple of sockets? Just goes to show...

 

[trev]

I completely agree mate, you can never tell what a job is likely to involve once till you get there to survey it. What I hate though is when you give a price and get the go ahead, once you get there you get "Oh while you're here can you just .....", fine if they expect to pay for the extras but a lot don't.

 

[Rockingit]

I had a job a couple of years back that started like that... a few extra bits here and there ended up in virtually an entire rewire, but because she kept on adding stuff as we went it ended up being nearly three times as long as a rewire would have been and twice the price!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I went to a place to see about adding some extra sockets & ended up completely rewiring the place, fitting a complete new central heating system and upgrading the kid's computer.

 

[StuSpiers]

I went to a place to see about adding some extra sockets & ended up completely rewiring the place, fitting a complete new central heating system and upgrading the kid's computer.
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You didn't cut the grass and wash the car then?

Tut Tut missed an opportunity there!

 

[Geordie Spark]

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You didn't cut the grass and wash the car then?

Tut Tut missed an opportunity there!

I'll be sure to remember that for the next time !!

 

[Adam W]

I stumbled across a forum the other day where a load of Australian housewives were moaning about plumbers and electricians never turning up when they say they will, particularly for 'small' jobs. One of the complaints was that these are the basics - all the secretary needs to do is enter the job into the job screen on their computer and the details are sent to the tradesman's sat nav which tells him where to go, yet they can't even get this right!

When you hear about these 'couple of extra sockets' jobs (should be a days work at most) turning into a couple of weeks for a rewire with bells and whistles, it makes you wonder how anyone can plan ahead at all.

 

[Geordie Spark]

I stumbled across a forum the other day where a load of Australian housewives were moaning about plumbers and electricians never turning up when they say they will, particularly for 'small' jobs. One of the complaints was that these are the basics - all the secretary needs to do is enter the job into the job screen on their computer and the details are sent to the tradesman's sat nav which tells him where to go, yet they can't even get this right!

When you hear about these 'couple of extra sockets' jobs (should be a days work at most) turning into a couple of weeks for a rewire with bells and whistles, it makes you wonder how anyone can plan ahead at all.

I never planned ahead - well, not too far anyway - and that way I was never disappointed.

 

[Adam W]

Generally speaking I don't either, but surely you must be able to plan your working week, especially if you're a one man band domestic electrician?
My plan for the rest of this week is to turn up for work tomorrow at 8, go home at 16:15, then the same on Friday. I don't think I'd like the idea of going to do 'a couple of extra sockets' then maybe being back next week, or maybe going home after a couple of hours to sit by the phone for the next week.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Generally speaking I don't either, but surely you must be able to plan your working week, especially if you're a one man band domestic electrician?
My plan for the rest of this week is to turn up for work tomorrow at 8, go home at 16:15, then the same on Friday. I don't think I'd like the idea of going to do 'a couple of extra sockets' then maybe being back next week, or maybe going home after a couple of hours to sit by the phone for the next week.

Well now since I'm retired I don't plan very much at all, but when I was working I was lucky to be able to plan much more than a week ahead, so tended to grab what I could whenever I could.

 

[Guitarist]

The job I'm on now was just to go and price for a new CU, and that has turned into a massive and very awkward rewire job. Hard to plan ahead when this happens, but I'm sure I would have lost the job if I hadn't been able to start within the week.
The favourite trick of the "clever" customer is to pay you, then as you are about to leave they ask you just to have a "quick look" at something, as you are already there. If they are "really clever", they will ask you in a subtle way what job you are going to next, then if you say "oh, I've finished for the day now", there is no excuse for not having a "quick look".

 

[Geordie Spark]

The job I'm on now was just to go and price for a new CU, and that has turned into a massive and very awkward rewire job. Hard to plan ahead when this happens, but I'm sure I would have lost the job if I hadn't been able to start within the week.
The favourite trick of the "clever" customer is to pay you, then as you are about to leave they ask you just to have a "quick look" at something, as you are already there. If they are "really clever", they will ask you in a subtle way what job you are going to next, then if you say "oh, I've finished for the day now", there is no excuse for not having a "quick look".

It looks like you've picked-up some of my old customers !!

 

[telectrix]

you can plan as much as you want, but then when a valued client rings and says " can you come tomorrow and do dah, de , dah.. de .d ah, coz the next day the carpet fitters are in", you just got to shuffle jobs round. i have a regular client who invariably rings up with " i need you here today and it's got to be done by yesterday". i call him the yesterday man.

 

[telectrix]

anyway, since the heart attack scare (which was only a mild one, just a warning), i now only plan ahead to the next beer.

 

[Geordie Spark]

anyway, since the heart attack scare (which was only a mild one, just a warning), i now only plan ahead to the next beer.

Good lad !! :8: