Gas Piping

Weezbo · May 2005

That would qualify for the thread "What you dont want to hear at two in the morning " :))

Jim_47 · May 2005

Friends, Relatives, and Neighbors

I have seen several stories from guys here about working for Friends, Relatives, and Neighbors. Here is my little memory. Of about 6 years ago.
A brother called me because the appliance guy wanted a gas shutoff behind the stove before he would install the new stove. I was called to put in the shutoff. Upon my arrival and inspection, (on a saturday) I saw what I was up against. Now before my brother purchased this house he did have a home inspection and this was not even listed.
In the basement on the 1" black Iron gas pipe from the hot air furnace someone had removed a plug in a tee and had take off to run the stove hook-up.
(5), Five, yes I mean 5
five foot flex hoses (a total of 25 feet) all interconnected running across the basement ceiling and poking up thru a hole in the floor to supply the old gas stove. BTW no shutoff for this mess. Not a single hanger or strap in the mess either.
I told him It would all have to come down and black Iron pipe installed to replace it.
After some discussion, and being told by the Homeowner/brother that black iron was over kill since there is little pressure in that gas pipe, I scheduled the job for the following THursday.
My helper and I arrived on a snowy thursday morning and shut down the gas service to rip out the mess. after running (cut thread, hangers etc) over 40 feet of pipe and fittings we left 6 hours later. 6 hours plus materials and a helper. I handed my brother's wife an invoice for $240.00 for parts and a helper.
she stared at the invoice, blinked her eyes alot and finaly said she would give it to my brother. He hit the ceiling when he saw the price. I explained the bill, I also explained how I did not charge for MY labor but just parts and the helpers labor.
That is the basis of my policy now for not working for "Friends, Relatives, and Neighbors" without an estimate signed by the Friend, Relative, or Neighbor AND THEIR SPOUSE!

clammy · May 2005

similar learning curve

I,ve ran into alot of the same everybodies time and skills are more precious then yours .I started a program i call get somebody else to work for free but not me and it works after they deal with some one else who they have to pay and get the 1/2 a@@ job they wanted and either it doesn't work or there unhappy with the quality they are soon more then will to pay the piper espically when it's service work but with friends and ect you have to always realize they want a deal on another note i do not do any jobs for any neighbors any more burned to much stll have one who owes me for a buderus ,domestics install 3 winters ago and another who didn't like a a/c install price oh well the later got what he paid for peace clammy motto for the day live and learn

Empire_2 · May 2005

Doing the job correctly

You did what you had to do. The only problem is that you were not appreciated. The price you gave your Bro. was a gift!!!!!!!. Let him go elswhere and see what it cost. This is what you get when you try to be nice, do a favor and price it out of the goodness of your heart.
Well, excuse me but, I have to go and put a water tank in for my Father out-law, and I hope that since I was there at the duplex on Sunday night, (at no charge,12:30am) that he doesen't flip when I give him the bill. I have other paying customers...................

Weezbo · May 2005

As we all know ,\"Never a good deed goes unpunished.\"

it only get better with time my friends...the best lens to view this with is a"gift from God allowing us to grow in his service " to look at it any other way will just about ensure one that the work is being preformed by/for a bunch of ingrates. which is what too often crosses my mind....

bigugh_4 · May 2005

compassionate service ?

A plumber here said he was in the business of plumbing to eat and take care of his family. He'd do anthing else asked of him for free, except plumbing & heating. P & H was his bread and butter! (period) He shovel snow, paint, do windows & dishes but P & H costs usual charges! Not a bad idea!

Rich_18 · May 2005

$

Being a plumber ,sometimes I can't solve every problem often I just dont charge if I cant/dont solve the problem.BUT I often try hard to solve these problems which means man hours. I would think that I am entitled to some money! Service call charge? something? Whats anyone's view?

jim lockard · May 2005

A workman

is worthy of his wage no question. J.Lockard

Steve Paul · May 2005

Working for free or cheap

Why is it that perfect strangers are eager to pay you to perform your craft and earn a decent living for your emediate family? But relatives, friends and nieghbors expect you to do them a "Favor" and work on the cheap and lose money for your family. Dan Said (I am parphrasing)

Never work for your relatives, friends, nieghbors, church or synagauge"
STEVE PAUL

Jon_2 · May 2005

In-lawa

> I have seen several stories from guys here

> about working for Friends, Relatives, and

> Neighbors. Here is my little memory. Of about 6

> years ago. A brother called me because the

> appliance guy wanted a gas shutoff behind the

> stove before he would install the new stove. I

> was called to put in the shutoff. Upon my arrival

> and inspection, (on a saturday) I saw what I was

> up against. Now before my brother purchased this

> house he did have a home inspection and this was

> not even listed. In the basement on the 1" black

> Iron gas pipe from the hot air furnace someone

> had removed a plug in a tee and had take off to

> run the stove hook-up. (5), Five, yes I mean

> 5 five foot flex hoses (a total of 25 feet) all

> interconnected running across the basement

> ceiling and poking up thru a hole in the floor to

> supply the old gas stove. BTW no shutoff for this

> mess. Not a single hanger or strap in the mess

> either. I told him It would all have to come

> down and black Iron pipe installed to replace

> it. After some discussion, and being told by the

> Homeowner/brother that black iron was over kill

> since there is little pressure in that gas pipe,

> I scheduled the job for the following

> THursday. My helper and I arrived on a snowy

> thursday morning and shut down the gas service to

> rip out the mess. after running (cut thread,

> hangers etc) over 40 feet of pipe and fittings we

> left 6 hours later. 6 hours plus materials and a

> helper. I handed my brother's wife an invoice

> for $240.00 for parts and a helper. she stared

> at the invoice, blinked her eyes alot and finaly

> said she would give it to my brother. He hit the

> ceiling when he saw the price. I explained the

> bill, I also explained how I did not charge for

> MY labor but just parts and the helpers labor.

> That is the basis of my policy now for not

> working for "Friends, Relatives, and Neighbors"

> without an estimate signed by the Friend,

> Relative, or Neighbor AND THEIR SPOUSE!

Rich_18 · May 2005

$

Actually I wasn't talking about friends/family I was talking in general about how to handle charging for man hours on a job that you worked hard on but didnt solve the problem.Like when you tried but had to hand it over to say another trade ie. plumber to burner man or plumber to rotorooter. Should you chaulk it up to experiance? how many times are you going to do that?

jeff_51 · May 2005

what we do

is charge a show up fee to look at and price the job. If it goes into diagnostic work we charge by the quarter hr in that case whether it goes to a differant trade or not. As long as our diagnostic is right, we charge, If we are proven to be wrong later on, we refund the cust there money.

Plumdog_2 · May 2005

How about this one: We were going to call a Plumber, but they are so expensive that we thought we'd call you instead.
Sorry too busy keeping head above water maybe when things get better.

HeatJockey · May 2005

family

I believe that Dan's original quote was directed to me.

I once got a carpenter to do some emergency work for my sister, passed the bill on without mark-up ($234.00), and she complained that it was too expensive and wanted me to go back and get a lower price. It took 2 years and a "writing off bill/ please don't call me to work" letter to get paid.

I will not do significant work in her house without her getting an estimate from another company. 7 years later, she still doesn't have AC.

Empire_2 · May 2005

UPDATE!!!

> I believe that Dan's original quote was directed

> to me.

>

> I once got a carpenter to do some

> emergency work for my sister, passed the bill on

> without mark-up ($234.00), and she complained

> that it was too expensive and wanted me to go

> back and get a lower price. It took 2 years and

> a "writing off bill/ please don't call me to

> work" letter to get paid.

>

> I will not do

> significant work in her house without her getting

> an estimate from another company. 7 years later,

> she still doesn't have AC.

Empire_2 · May 2005

UPDATE!!!

Installed the 40 gal tank for father-outlaw and He paid cost on everything which came to $340.00. That being said, he left $500 on the table and at the same time He asked me what I wanted,.I said $560.00 total... I not only had my master plumber in to do the work, but we could not even drain the tank due to blockage on the drain cock. a two MAN JOB. Seeing that water @ 60* weighs 8.34 lbs, man was I Miffed. NEVER AGAIN!!! Dont forget that I was out there Sunday @ 12:30 am to shut off the main to stop the flood,..Didn't even charge him. Man, Am I stupid or what? Don't answer that...

pauly_2 · May 2005

I agree

Blackoakbob · May 2005

This may not be \"relative\" but..

decades ago when I started on my own, a good customer, who operated a cafe, recommended me to HIS brother who owned a bar/dancehall. Well, after checking out the 50's vintage, foul smelling beer cooler, the repairs and a thorough cleaning I gave him a bill of $49.00 for 1 1/2 hours and parts. He was furious! He said " I can get the other guy in town to work all day for a case of beer!" I told him my kids don't drink beer, to pay me and to never call me again. He paid and that was that. It's best to tell whomever you work for what you charge and if it will be cash or check! Best Regards,

Blackoakbob · May 2005

Sorry, my post is out of order......

I didn't mean to step on anyone. Best regards,

Weezbo · May 2005

SHhhh..The time you took only cost him an hour and a half

The renta drunk woulda took all day

which if he did the math....he shoulda paid you more *~/:)

Boiler Guy · May 2005

The ones that REALLY BURN me ......

Are the "friends" of regular accounts who call wanting "deals" because of their association with someone from my account. Of course these calls are usually after hours, after price shopping, after whining to "their friend" about the cost..... The kicker is "but you have the Company truck, the parts and I'll pay you cash, etc, just do me a favour pleeeeeze"!!

After explaining; I have no authorization to use the Company truck, stock and parts - especially w/o a work order they persist by saying "well no one will ever know", I come totally unglued!!!! These selfish people cannot see themselves in your shoes. I am sure their employer would be pleased if they did the same thing they are asking you to do.

I had one fellow actually go so far as to ask our contract be cancelled because I refused to help his friend out at night. Billing was to be "looked after" by my corporate client. I was fortunate enough to receive a call from the client asking why we failed to "provide service". Once the truth was known the offending party was looking for a new employer, just as I would have been, had I been sucked into this scheme.

That said, our Company has a policy. We are permitted to help immediate family at cost, only in an emergency. Advise the office of what you did and any parts used. Pay for those parts @ Company cost by cheque or payroll deduction. Case Closed! Get caught doing side work using Company property or without authorization.... YOU WILL be on the bus the next morning! FACT

Gas Piping

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