Had to look at a job today a customer got a "cheap" price to do a disabled shower room he latexed it Friday and never came back so a call to me for a lay only all latexed sheet on site easy I thought this is what happens when you get a cheap bloke from the ads in local paper, this is the drain for the shower After 2 hours we finally get near the drain
after attacking the latex with a chisel attachment in hammer drill and 2 bags of rapid 45 and 9 hours of work we finally got there
Best bit was the latex had completely blocked the drain so had to use customers metal coat hanger to slowly scratch away and unblock it was NOT IMPRESSED and seriously considered walking away,
That's the problem I had i couldnt leave it like it it was the only toilet / shower room, and had to be back working but it didnt come cheap for them i think they learnt there lessons for going cheap, its just a shame there are people around that think cheap sounds good and :knob that do the job
I'm to soft to not walk away but when it comes to putting other peoples work right no way am I sorting there crap on the cheap so my day work got doubled but I did give them a free bag of rapid 45 as I do have a bit of a heart,
personal i agree. You go with a cheap installer and you deserve to get a cheap job. Its nice to help people out and im sure most will i appreciate i do try and help people out. For instance i have not earned a penny off this forum since it was started a couple of years ago but i put in at least 40hrs a week of my time and i also pay for all the hosting etc out of my own pocket. The new forum has cost me well into 4 figures ££££ which has all come out of my own pocket. ANYWAY back onto topic, the customer skimpt on money and got themselves in this mess. They had already taken up your time quoting on the job etc and did not care to repay yourself for your time spent so far and awarding you with the job. So why should you now help them out for cheap they had blown you out a few days earlier.
I didn't realize he'd quoted for the job in the first place... By the way you do a very good job even if anybody else thinks differently... and when i get to your place at some point i will bring a few bits up with me
personal i agree. You go with a cheap installer and you deserve to get a cheap job. Its nice to help people out and im sure most will i appreciate i do try and help people out. For instance i have not earned a penny off this forum since it was started a couple of years ago but i put in at least 40hrs a week of my time and i also pay for all the hosting etc out of my own pocket. The new forum has cost me well into 4 figures ££££ which has all come out of my own pocket. I think there is a thread about donating money somewhere, I'm all for it if you want access to trade area you pay, how many people reading trade section pay for some kind of membership somewhere that gives them advice ?
Matt just a sugestion buy why do you not put a donations section on the forum so any member that uses it on a regular basis can help with the running costs if they wish to do so. :?: :?:
I've fixed a few jobs and haven't charged as much as I could have. Because of that I have some customers won't go past me now and are very quick to recommend me. In my opinion they've already learned the hazards of going cheap and don't need to feel worse than they already do but are very grateful to the person who fixes it. Just my experience in the matter.
don't get me wrong I don't always charge like I did today but the latex was 12mm thick on the lip of the drain the drain had been filled up with latex and there was now very minimum fall in the floor I had to chisel up around 3-4 sq.metres of 5-12 mm thick latex then remake the correct falls with rapid 45 skim over with feather finish then lay the sheet,
I`ve had the exact opposite people have went somewhere thinking they have got a great deal only to hear through the grape vine that it has turned out to be a total disaster. Then the sad thing is the customer is to embaressed to come back to you and say I made a mistake what can we do,but on the flip side there friends have said "told you, you shouldnt have went there you should have used who has done your work before"
It is rewarding seeing a happy grateful customer after fixing what has been a nightmare for them. Most customers think if they get in a tradesman who is meant to be a pro to do a job, it should be all ok. Why shouldnt they. We all know this is not the case. It's also not always you get what you pay for. It's down to the individual who is doing the job.
