When doing emergency call outs, make up a “call out” invoice and have the customer understand and sign it before you start your investigations. Then invoice for any agreed work separately. It’s a ball ache but better than getting stung. Doesn’t matter what trade you’re in, some people think you do investigation work for free!
DO NOT TAKE IT ON THE CHIN !!! This customer needs to pay you for two reasons. 1. You carried out a call-out irrespective of the outcome and 2. Customers cannot go through life thinking they can get away with it You will get the whole amount back - if you take her to the small claims court and win, they will award you the £65 plus the claim costs ! DO IT, CH&P ..... AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE !!!
Totally agree, they didn’t pay him to fix it , they paid him to turn up which he did Unfortunately there are some customers who think nothing of pulling underhanded stunts like this on honest tradesmen They probably bragged about it to their like minded friends too Wankers
Enjoyed your bathroom video. You clearly take a lot of pride in your workmanship. Great job. I retired from the heating & plumbing last year after fifty years self employed. All the very best to you for the future
This is the reason I never leave a house without cleared funds. I've had 3 customers who didn't want to pay on completion and I said to them I won't leave the house without payment and it worked. Another one recently tried not to pay and I had to undo my work. If there's nothing wrong with the work there's no reason why they shouldn't pay.
@@markjarvis9780 I do exactly that. I make it very clear to customers beforehand that payment will be due on completion of the job so it’s not a surprise but I’ve never been able to get my head around waiting for payment. Almost no other service would wait for payment but for some reason for tradies it’s just accepted that that’s the way it is. It’s mad 😂
@@danlfc4life89 I agree buddy. I don’t invoice hoping that I will be paid, it’s a deposit on the day I start, it’s stage payment’s if it’s a few weeks work and the final payment is on the day I complete the job. I am more than happy to email a receipt straight away once I have been paid. I carry out the work that I have agreed and go over and above what’s required. I don’t go to Tesco and pay them once I’ve sampled the food they want paying now and so do I.
Hi buddy. Good video. I got stung £2000 a while back. A chap lived 2 doors from me. Long story but I did it to help out and didn’t get an agreement in place. Took to small claims but they used a barrister so I needed legal advice so it just ended up costing me and them money. I gave in as the case was adjourned etc. the time it takes to fill out forms, statement etc is not worth it. People comment on small claims but if you havnt been there it’s not clear cut. If solicitors get involved then the costa spiral. Debt collection have no power. My advice for call out is get them to sign an agreement before work starts and use a card reader for immediately paying before you leave. If regular customers I don’t bother etc New customers I always get 35% deposit prior to starting, materials on day 1 then interim every Friday or earlier if the invoice goes over a set rate. Always get payment before i leave on say a bathroom and definitely if it’s a new customer. If you wait for payment there will be a shed load of people looking , mates, DIY, and some will disagree with your work even if it’s perfect. You will get problems then with bad customers trying it on It’s only a minority but I don’t mess about until they are regular customers. I’d re invoice for say £50. But don’t loose sleep over it. 👍
I've had two in the last year from bathroom fit. Done absolute class job, at the end didn't get a payment. You've done a cracking job mate. I never use to take deposit but I make sure I do now at least 50% (Especially if your supplying and fitting). If they don't like it then they can find someone else. Bugger what everyone else says about you taking a deposit. You've got Bill's and running cost to pay for and never mind if you've got kids. Head up and carry on. Look after yourself first mate 👊🏽💯
Hello mate, appreciate that. For scheduled work - like quoted work I always take 50% 3 days before the start of the job, but as the non paying job was just a call out I'm not overly bothered about taking deposit on that 😊
And 100% agree with the deposit taking. Gives you a bit of a heads up on if a customer is gonna pay for anything, if they don't want to pay deposit who's to say they will pay the end invoice haha
@@Clxyton_ should look into getting contactless card reader, I'm sure Toolstation have an offer on Sumup Comtactless card payment machine for £15. I have that for small jobs, no excuse not to pay soon as job is done, they can have a recipe there and then. It's mostly people who ask for invoice you wanna look out for 😂! Keep up good work matey ✌🏽
@@Clxyton_ I completely understand where you are coming from for asking for a deposit. In an ideal world this should always be done or put in some kind of escrow type fund that neither party can access without the authority of both sides. All work I've ever had done or will ever have done I'd never give a deposit unless it was a large well established company. Too many horror stories of people being diddled put of vast sums of money by things not being completed or just not turning up and running away with the money. To me, them asking for a deposit is a red flag. Its largely down to trust and unfortunately in this day and age its hard to prove. I always go by the feedback (I tend to use mybuilder.com for any home improvements and so far I've chosen fantastic workmen who never asked for a desposit). As soon as the work was done and inspected, I paid them straight via bank transfer, no muss, no fuss. It's just a shame not everyone can be the same, world would be a much nicer place!
@@samanthabarry8969 My local double glazing company would not take a deposit ( even though l offered ) for a 4k job , they said it was too complicated if things went wrong. However I had to sign a contract that said i would pay in full ( if satisfied with the work ) after 30 days. I thought that this was good and fair policy . ( I did have to chase them to start the work as they were very busy ) but it was a pleasure doing business with them and their top tradesmen
I’ve been in (small) business as a plumber since 1994. I have always charged time and material and accepted only cash or check. On jobs that take me more than one day, I charge each day before I leave. Some people don’t like this, but if they don’t want to pay by my rules, there’s always somebody else who will take a chance with them - somebody else the customer can try to not pay.
You do nice work. On the non paying customer, register a claim through the ‘small court process’ it is definitely worth the small hassle and the customer if they have any smarts will not want a CCJ recorded against them. Probably 50:50 chance of success and you do not need legal representation. Just document everything clearly including what the customer asked you to do and has said since (screenshots of texts) etc.
When I go to a home or office while talking about their plumbing issue or proposed work I'm interviewing them to see if they make a good customer. Listening to what people say is a good glue to how their mind works. Follow your instinct, if it does not feel right don't do it. Also except for plumbing fittings and pipes I give the customer a list of the parts that they have to supply. For a bathroom suite that's everything you can see. That way they are using their time to purchase the items and they are responsible for having it delivered. They then can not say after work is finished (a few of the things I've been told), it does not look like the picture in the brochure or it's not the right colour white or I've seen it for sale cheaper at a different shop or the shower is not very powerful or the shower is too powerful or I don't like the bath plughole or my (disabled) daughter can't press the flush button because of her shaking hands. And if the part they bought goes wrong the guarantee is with who they bought it from, not you. And tell you don't have a Waste Carriers License so will leave the rubbish with them to dispose of.
I agree. After years of making very little mark up on gear I supply vs the hassle of what you mention, I no longer supply anything other than the basic plumbing materials. Just not enough insensitive getting involved
Also take photographs work as you go. Any change to the job specification make sure u keep an audit trail. So if the customer agrees that extra work is needed to say level a sub floor prior to tile. Immediately text the customer to confirm there happy with the extra fees and work schedule. I’d it goes to court you have evidence etc. 👍
Small claims court and you'll get it all back plus your fee... A registerd letter informing her of your intent to pursue it through the court will get them moving..
Sorry to hear about the non paying customer, I have begun to realise over the years some people have absolutely no intention of paying, when you go knock on a door you sometimes just get a feeling about a job and the customer instantly that there's a chance they aren't going to pay, they should make a programme called rogue customers and get Matt Alright going round banging on there door chasing money, take care mate
I enjoyed watching the bathroom refurb, tidy work mate. As a tradesman I've had a few awkward payers so clicked on this out of curiosity to hear about yours. The specifics are always important, case by case. As you weren't able to fully complete the fix I can understand her perspective. Irrespective of time spent fault-finding it's the outcome that matters. Now in your defence did she then offer you the opportunity to replace the immersion timer and have the ability to bill for your time through to successful outcome?
You could always take the payment over the phone / online before you go out. It's something a few companies do. Not sure it's for everyone. You can send a SMS with links for them to pay once cleared then you go ect. The less tech minded ones might not be able to do it.
Im a 53 year old plumber and i can tell a problem customer within seconds of a phone call conversation.You learn a lot about people in this game.Go with your gut feeling bud.
I agree ive been In the construction industry for 40 years I kind of pride myself now on being able to pick out problem customers just from the initial phone call 1 or 2 still slip through but there's ways with dealing with them
Same here John. When i go to look at a job, i can tell within seconds of meeting the owner if my time has been wasted or not. Doesn't happen often fortunately but when i get the feeling, i make my excuses and walk away.
When the call starts with " how much for X,Y,Z" then to me alarm bells start ringing, 100% go to small claims court, dont let these people get away with it.
I’ve had customers say i phoned 3 people and only I turned up.I tell them they have weighed up the job and you on the phone and don’t want to get involved with you or your job
When you did all the resettings, take before and after photos that will prove everything you did as a reference including a timestamp. If there is a conflict you can then show the owner and remove any doubt. Always cover your tracks.
Worked with a guy once who was a bit rough round the edges. Said he did a job for a solicitor who ended up not paying. He got serious with the guy and said 'listen, you wanna pay me that money, as I don't settle my differences by sending letters.' So, after he told me I reached straight into my wallet and paid him back the fiver he leant me for lunch the day before 😂
Dealing with private customers can be a nightmare when it comes to payment. I have been lucky having self employed for 38 years and was only stung once. One advantage I found is that I never needed to advertise. All my private and commercial customers have been referrals , word of mouth. Coming from a rural town of 20 thousand I can easily make a few enquiries if I have a bad feeling before I get involved. A customer that moves from one tradesman to another probably never paid the last guy. Good luck.
Same here, I was always self employed and I made sure that the customer paid for any materials then if they refused to pay it was only my time but because they hunted me for the job most customers were legit but I’d done extensions for contractors and the customer refused to pay them and they had to go to court for their money
Hello mate. I used to work for Kingspan and they would make the customer pay before turning up. Maybe thats an idea for you the next time. I used to make customers pay half upfront for bigger jobs to cover all the materials, if they won't pay then atleast you haven't lost any money on materials you fitted in their house. I've never not had a customer pay. So I don't what that is like. Thanks for sharing
@@Clxyton_ I've never really done call out jobs, mainly planned works. I have done it for mates on the cheap but they always pay. Im assuming with new customers calling from a phone book you have no idea who you are dealing with. So I think in the future if I get the same thing, I'll say to new customers to pay the call-out fee upfront. Any extra work can be calculated later on. We can all learn from each other ;)
Send them the invoice again by email, a text, a WhatsApp copy, post a copy of it and hand deliver a copy also. Heading at the top saying Without Prejudice final attempt for payment prior to court proceedings. Most of the time they’ll pay up. If not, then download and fill in small claim court form, again on receipt of that they usually pay up. If not, after showing attempts to have invoice cleared, you’ll most likely win in court. I’ve had it a lot. It’s unbelievable how so many customers don’t feel they should pay. Follow those steps mate, they’ll pay up. They won’t want to attend court and if they don’t attend and you do, it gets ruled in your favour.
Used grips on kitchen tap, which could damage the finish on tap. No tile trim on edge of vertical tiles on wall but already grouted. Huge white silicone around base of toilet. Why not use clear and less of it? Didn’t seal pipes sticking through wall for shower. Water will get into wall.
This is a situation that most self employed people in the construction industry has encountered (customers having no intentions of paying for anything they can get you to do) It’s long overdue to provide a TV program (Rogue customers) If you asked any tradesmen you meet at the builder merchants they will have a story to tell. I hope you don’t let them get away with not paying. Good luck and keep up your good work.
It's easy to put in a small claim for non payment of goods or a service. The claim amount would also include the fee you pay when completing the online form, so in your case it would be £90. Believe you me the non-payer will have second thoughts when the court claim arrives on their doormat. Don't let them get away with it.
Even if the court agrees in your favour, the court cannot force the customer to pay. You then have to pay for a debt collection agency to get involved. It could end up costing thousands and at the end of the day, the non paying customer may be skint anyway and offer £10 a week towards all the thousands you have already laid out. Then if they start missing payments, are you going to start bankruptcy proceedings against them. To bankrupt someone will also cost you hundreds if not thousands of pounds. Is it worth all the hassle for £65?
Doesn't matter if you was there two minutes or an hour, the charge is the charge. People think they can treat tradesman how they like. Makes me laugh when people expect me to pass on my trade discount onto them for buying bathroom stuff, I run a business, I'm a business man not a charity.
For small call out jobs mate you should get yourself a card reader, and bill them straight away. People will always try it on sometimes and I think a £65 call out is very fair.👍
Got one now bud, and yeah, a lot of people are used to handyman prices near me at the moment, like £30 call out which is ridiculous and making time served plumbers look like rip off merchants
@@richardjones3112 do you get paid per hour??? Your time has value, if you spent time looking, investigating or even just waiting, it has value and you should get recompensed.
If you didn’t fix the problem then I wouldn’t pay either! If you took your car to the garage to be repaired, drove it around the corner and it broke down again would you pay??
I make a visit, ALWAYS do a free written estimate, and if they agree to the work then I hold them to that. If there are e.g. travel costs outside my area, I agree with the customer first. I've only been stung a few times, in early days, and if anyone defaults, argues, or delays payments NEVER DO ANY WORK FOR THEM AGAIN - and tell all your tradesmen mates. Fortunately I live / work in a small town, so words, good or bad, get around quickly. (In recent years all my customers were on personal recommendations from other nice customers.)
Legally she should have given you chance to put it right before refusing payment. I tend to find a letter saying payment or I’ll take he to small claims normally works. Big question is if it’s worth risking your reputation over it.
As a small biz owner also. It could be helpful to explain to the client upfront of the standard cost as a service cost or trip charge. Whether you could fix it or not. If they aren’t ok with this. Do not do the work. On large projects I require 1/2 down on materials delivered and project start. Final half on project completed with an allowance of holding 10% on a punch list on a walk thru of the job. I have walked away from jobs if had a gut feeling the client could be hard to deal with. Or charged them extra for hassle. It is a process to handle clients but learn from your mistakes. You do good work. Well done. Good luck to you in the future.
I know it's the injustice rather than the money, been there a couple of times myself in the past so I get it. Best advice? Draw a line under it and move on. Clearly just one of those customers who you won't ever have to work for again. There are three types, the ones who want it done yesterday, the ones who want it cheap and the ones who demand perfection. fortunately they're usually the same person! Good luck
With the no pay customer, as she didnt let you go back and fix it , you only have her word there was ever still a problem. Most customers are absolute diamonds and appreciate the hard work that goes into our jobs but one or two will always try it on.
He didn't say if she refused access to repair and he didn't say he had attempted to return to site to repair. What he did say was the fault was unrepaired.
I have my customers pay by what time period I'm completing on a job. I usually break my job into thirds and it also depends on the job. One third pay before I start... And yes, I highly recommend the small claims court.
Elo mate. Yes take it on the chin. Get payment before you leave via card on these small jobs. Make sure you send T&Cs with costings via email before you go and make sure the customer accepts them. Keep up the good work.
I echo what NWD said - I use to stress over the phone the call out charge, plus materials and that it was payable before you leave. You can always leave a receipt and then email a proper invoice later.
If you have a PayPal account or Izettle app you can send out a call out payment link and you get a notification when it's paid. This pre payment is very common these days and ensures that 1 the customer will be there when you arrive and 2 you get paid whatever. 3 you don't have the awkward moment when they ask 'do I owe you anything'? You can refund if you can't make it or decide to waiver it as it leads to a larger job etc.
Always keep clean and tidy when doing a bathroom your customers will base their whole opinion on you from your appearance and work ethics.. grouting should be done prior to appliances being fitted and silicone one of the very last things to keep it looking fresh and free from dust particles. Filling the bath before siliconeing allows the silicone to set in the sagged position otherwise when the bath is filled at a later date the water weight will sag the bath down and over time the silicone will tear from the bath 👍
I work in construction so get where your head is at, but most customers would be upset with how things played out. You are billing for your time, your customer is expecting value i.e. your experience applied to fixing her problem. The problem wasn’t fixed and the right thing to do is take it on the chin with some grace sometimes.
Depends on your T&C, if you guarantee your best efforts within the bounds of feasible requirements, that is a pragmatic and acceptable way to operate at any scale, but if you operate on a “No Cure No Pay ” basis that becomes exponentially expensive.
As a Method of payment immidiatly after the job is finished, and while you are still on site, Get a credit card machine, and get payment there and then.
No no no, let one do it and they will all try it as you’ll have the reputation of not getting your money. Send a final letter and if they still don’t pay pass it on to debt recovery. This is all assuming the customer was aware of your call out charge and agreed to it before you visited.
Charge a few before you go out and let them know if you don't/can't fix it you get that money back. So you will have your going out fee money paid up front regardless.
Your time is valuable, even if you stop by on your way home and its 3 minutes it has VALUE. If he doesn't want to pay up, put on a builders lien and put him on the 'bad customer list' and make sure everyone knows not to give him free service.
www.toolstation.com/rothenberger-plasticut-pro/p81400?store=JC&mkwid=_dm&pcrid=558571386879&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAubmPBhCyARIsAJWNpiNsf7e6rnsL9mSU4mOGWgZzH9MeUGZtniOEAiCiCPxSc5l6z2zQDA0aAn7MEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds There you go mate, personally I don't really like bathroom refurbs but it pays the bills 😂
I have done a full renovation for 18 k (without tax )as a plumber and the contracter wanted to pay a 1000 a month got and agency on it whent up to 20 k and now there paying me 3 k a month
If I was owed £5 from a customer I'd prefer to outlay the money to recover than let them get away with it. That customers learned nothing other than they can get away with it again.
Get away with what exactly? He didn't fix it? So..your washing machine breaks ,guy tips up says its fixed and leaves. You'd paid him 65 quid at the time..would you be happy to pay 65 quid again on the off chance he fixes it second time? End of the day woman wanted job done, he said himself it wasn't fixed. So why would she pay??
Little tip, save yourself a world of pain by getting flat metro tiles. Those bevelled types are a pain to work with, corners and edges never look nice no matter what, and they are a pain in the arse to grout. And, the flat ones look way way way better especially with grey grout. Over the years iv'e done 1000's of metres of bevelled metros but no more. Always tell client to get the flat ones or run!
@@Clxyton_ I understand, my clients also supply all materials but if there is anything i don't like working with, Metro tiles for example, i always persuade them to change them to something that looks better or easier to work with. My clients always trust me and go with my advice to flat ones all the way! Next time give them a try and thank me later. Cheers mate.
Did you offer to return and replace the timer , think my thought process would be I’m happy to return and replace the timer at a discounted cost to meet in the middle with the customer.
Like others say that's why i always carry my Sumup payment machine with a little receipt machine, even if they pay 20 % and pay the other on completion with invoice
During the early days of my electric car charging business I was faced with a couple of none payers. Violence is never the answer, however it's a question that usually resolves said payment issues. Remind yourself that these people are in esscence stealing money from your family and children.
I hate it when you agree a time and they can’t even be bothered to be there. 20 mins, I give them 5 mins, I’ve got bigger jobs and better customers that pay better and on time ( most of them 😬) Nice video mate 👍😎
why should she pay for it when you didnt fix it? she agreed to pay you to come and fix it - ridiculous id be embarressed trying to take payment for a failure
If you informed her of the call out charge beforehand and can prove it, apply for a CCJ. Unless she is a complete scumbag, she won't want one of those in her name. You can also add the application costs involved. Takes no time at all. Unfortunately, the 'complete scumbags' are the reason I stopped working as an electrician some years ago. I only do commercial project work now.
put a ccj against them, may not get a result but it will mess with their credit rating. On call outs take a deposit before you start and get them to sign a call out contract.
The non-paying customer issue is a disagreement as to why you were there I think. If she asked you to quote for fixing the problem and you quoted a job price for that and didn’t fix it then fair enough. If you quoted an inspection fault finding charge then you did what you said and the charge is reasonable so I don’t see a problem with it. The discrepancy appears to be that the customer thought they were paying you to fix the problem not to inspect the issue and diagnose the fault and fix it if you could so it depends what the understanding was as to what the contract was. If you feel you weren’t clear, take it on the chin and learn for all future jobs to say this is a standard visit charge regardless of the outcome. If it can be fixed, fix it plus parts else at least the fault has been diagnosed and a way forward has been established and the customer knows where they stand.
@@paul_my_plumbs_uk those off the shelf card readers cream you on charges 1%+ . if you get a proper merchant account with Barclaycard or someone it's only a fraction of a percent you pay in fees and you get paid the next day at 8am. I happily sacrifice a few pence on a little job if it helps cashflow.
Have been caught out a few times in my thirty plus years in trade not only by employer but also by clients. Infuriating when this happens and a very difficult situation to work out. Have called to non paying customers and threatened them with persuader baseball bat in van, gone down the court case route and left monies owed behind. I find you really have to take as much money as you can out of job before you finish and if they complain just don’t finish or start.
Always fill bath at least half way before silicone and make sure you support all corners of the bath or you will have call backs mate. Keep up the good work
Sorry to hear abt the non paying customer, this has happened to me before, so since then i got myself a sum up card payment machine, and all the call outs an small jobs i get payment there an then, the card machine has worked out well for me
It is very simple. Draw up a standard contract that lists what exactly you charge for and when payment is expected. I never get work done without a contract that protects you the tradesman and me the customer…e.g any costs to buy materials will be owned by me if you the tradesman default/no show. If the tradesman isn’t interested, I find another. You should do something similar, you are running a business.
TBH I wouldn’t be happy paying £65 for effectively nothing. I work SEmployed in the house maintenance business and would always tell the customer my prices for a call out. Let it go and move on.
If you could design the channel more as running projects, so people learn from you, I will stay subscribed. Think if you are aiming to share your work experience of passion for skills. You will quickly find that videos in which you show how to do things will attract significantly more people.
Tip for siliconing bath, do upright tiled corners first and tool off and let it cure ( remember fresh silicone does stick to cured silicone) then silicone around bath and tool off and you'll find that the corners are nice and neat and professional looking and without that wet finger bodging corner bit that we've all done🤭🤫😁. I'm definitely with you on the tap flexi's, i unboxed a basin tap today and to my horror it came with copper tails😱😱 couldn't be asked to mess about and of course I hastily deposited them straight into the scrap bag and got a set of flexi's from the van 😀 😉 .
Decent video fella. With regards to the faulty timer get the customer to claim that money back from them dye to a faulty unit. You cannot be held responsible for a product you have no idea of its history especially if its a k own fault by the manufacturer. Horstmann are pony controls anyways. I'd take her to small claims court out of principle . These people think they have all the power as to whether they pay people or not. I had one customer who refused to pay because she said I was earning more money than her partner & he was a joiner ! Go figure! Just an observation on the bathroom floor make sure once it's done to protect it. As you had all the tools all over it & gluing fittings ! It's like cleaning your car then throwing dust all over it !! Bear in mind it's worth using swept bends on waste pipe as basins baths etc are always getting blocked with hair & you'll be the one coming back to unblock them! Also I always use an anti vac bottle trap on basins as it's silent when you empty a basin & if your connecting it into a soil stack it's stops the possibility of the trap being sucked out & smell coming back into the room. As others have commented especially on lesser quality baths support the ends or even better fix a batten all around where the bath is going to sit in. Then fill the bath up & silicone it. Then again after it's tiled so you have a 2 stage water protection & no movement . It's the small things that make for a better finish & above all no call backs . Remember customers also use social media & check up on who they're using & watch videos of work tradesmen do. With regards to payment always make the customer aware of your payment terms. Once in the estimate & again when you are close to finishing off . Take a 50% deposit so it takes care of your materials & some of your labour. Explain to customers what they're paying for. If they become a little off about paying some up front thats a red flag 🚩 use your gut feeling with customers some may of been ripped off before, so end up painting everyone with the same brush!! Elderly customers don't normally use bank transfer as they don't understand the technology. So it's either a chq or cash. Luckily you can pay chq's in using your phone now, but still takes 3days to clear!! Stay firm as to payment from customers & keep a dialogue of everything so there is a paper trail should they question anything. Pictures with your phone helps. At the very end of the job get them to sign a handover form that they're happy with all you've done. Makes you more professional & also stops them from complaining afterwards & not paying. All part of the journey sadly!!
Got knocked for £200 worth of turf small job but add labour quoting time and everything else it was devastating i would use collection services just to make them pay even though you wouldnt get the full amount just to teach them a lesson
When doing emergency call outs, make up a “call out” invoice and have the customer understand and sign it before you start your investigations. Then invoice for any agreed work separately. It’s a ball ache but better than getting stung.
Doesn’t matter what trade you’re in, some people think you do investigation work for free!
DO NOT TAKE IT ON THE CHIN !!! This customer needs to pay you for two reasons. 1. You carried out a call-out irrespective of the outcome and 2. Customers cannot go through life thinking they can get away with it
You will get the whole amount back - if you take her to the small claims court and win, they will award you the £65 plus the claim costs ! DO IT, CH&P ..... AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE !!!
Totally agree, they didn’t pay him to fix it , they paid him to turn up which he did
Unfortunately there are some customers who think nothing of pulling underhanded stunts like this on honest tradesmen
They probably bragged about it to their like minded friends too
Wankers
Enjoyed your bathroom video. You clearly take a lot of pride in your workmanship. Great job. I retired from the heating & plumbing last year after fifty years self employed. All the very best to you for the future
This is the reason I never leave a house without cleared funds. I've had 3 customers who didn't want to pay on completion and I said to them I won't leave the house without payment and it worked. Another one recently tried not to pay and I had to undo my work. If there's nothing wrong with the work there's no reason why they shouldn't pay.
I would drag you out of the house
I don’t think you can be expected to be paid before you leave the customers house 🤣🤣
@@markjarvis9780 I do exactly that. I make it very clear to customers beforehand that payment will be due on completion of the job so it’s not a surprise but I’ve never been able to get my head around waiting for payment. Almost no other service would wait for payment but for some reason for tradies it’s just accepted that that’s the way it is. It’s mad 😂
@@danlfc4life89 I agree buddy. I don’t invoice hoping that I will be paid, it’s a deposit on the day I start, it’s stage payment’s if it’s a few weeks work and the final payment is on the day I complete the job. I am more than happy to email a receipt straight away once I have been paid. I carry out the work that I have agreed and go over and above what’s required. I don’t go to Tesco and pay them once I’ve sampled the food they want paying now and so do I.
Hi buddy. Good video.
I got stung £2000 a while back. A chap lived 2 doors from me. Long story but I did it to help out and didn’t get an agreement in place. Took to small claims but they used a barrister so I needed legal advice so it just ended up costing me and them money.
I gave in as the case was adjourned etc.
the time it takes to fill out forms, statement etc is not worth it.
People comment on small claims but if you havnt been there it’s not clear cut.
If solicitors get involved then the costa spiral.
Debt collection have no power.
My advice for call out is get them to sign an agreement before work starts and use a card reader for immediately paying before you leave.
If regular customers I don’t bother etc
New customers I always get 35% deposit prior to starting, materials on day 1 then interim every Friday or earlier if the invoice goes over a set rate.
Always get payment before i leave on say a bathroom and definitely if it’s a new customer.
If you wait for payment there will be a shed load of people looking , mates, DIY, and some will disagree with your work even if it’s perfect.
You will get problems then with bad customers trying it on
It’s only a minority but I don’t mess about until they are regular customers.
I’d re invoice for say £50. But don’t loose sleep over it.
👍
I've had two in the last year from bathroom fit. Done absolute class job, at the end didn't get a payment. You've done a cracking job mate. I never use to take deposit but I make sure I do now at least 50% (Especially if your supplying and fitting). If they don't like it then they can find someone else. Bugger what everyone else says about you taking a deposit. You've got Bill's and running cost to pay for and never mind if you've got kids. Head up and carry on. Look after yourself first mate 👊🏽💯
Hello mate, appreciate that. For scheduled work - like quoted work I always take 50% 3 days before the start of the job, but as the non paying job was just a call out I'm not overly bothered about taking deposit on that 😊
And 100% agree with the deposit taking. Gives you a bit of a heads up on if a customer is gonna pay for anything, if they don't want to pay deposit who's to say they will pay the end invoice haha
@@Clxyton_ should look into getting contactless card reader, I'm sure Toolstation have an offer on Sumup Comtactless card payment machine for £15. I have that for small jobs, no excuse not to pay soon as job is done, they can have a recipe there and then. It's mostly people who ask for invoice you wanna look out for 😂! Keep up good work matey ✌🏽
@@Clxyton_ I completely understand where you are coming from for asking for a deposit. In an ideal world this should always be done or put in some kind of escrow type fund that neither party can access without the authority of both sides. All work I've ever had done or will ever have done I'd never give a deposit unless it was a large well established company. Too many horror stories of people being diddled put of vast sums of money by things not being completed or just not turning up and running away with the money. To me, them asking for a deposit is a red flag. Its largely down to trust and unfortunately in this day and age its hard to prove. I always go by the feedback (I tend to use mybuilder.com for any home improvements and so far I've chosen fantastic workmen who never asked for a desposit). As soon as the work was done and inspected, I paid them straight via bank transfer, no muss, no fuss. It's just a shame not everyone can be the same, world would be a much nicer place!
@@samanthabarry8969
My local double glazing company would not take a deposit ( even though l offered ) for a 4k job , they said it was too complicated if things went wrong. However I had to sign a contract that said i would pay in full ( if satisfied with the work ) after 30 days. I thought that this was good and fair policy . ( I did have to chase them to start the work as they were very busy ) but it was a pleasure doing business with them and their top tradesmen
I’ve been in (small) business as a plumber since 1994. I have always charged time and material and accepted only cash or check. On jobs that take me more than one day, I charge each day before I leave. Some people don’t like this, but if they don’t want to pay by my rules, there’s always somebody else who will take a chance with them - somebody else the customer can try to not pay.
You do nice work. On the non paying customer, register a claim through the ‘small court process’ it is definitely worth the small hassle and the customer if they have any smarts will not want a CCJ recorded against them. Probably 50:50 chance of success and you do not need legal representation. Just document everything clearly including what the customer asked you to do and has said since (screenshots of texts) etc.
When I go to a home or office while talking about their plumbing issue or proposed work I'm interviewing them to see if they make a good customer. Listening to what people say is a good glue to how their mind works. Follow your instinct, if it does not feel right don't do it. Also except for plumbing fittings and pipes I give the customer a list of the parts that they have to supply. For a bathroom suite that's everything you can see. That way they are using their time to purchase the items and they are responsible for having it delivered. They then can not say after work is finished (a few of the things I've been told), it does not look like the picture in the brochure or it's not the right colour white or I've seen it for sale cheaper at a different shop or the shower is not very powerful or the shower is too powerful or I don't like the bath plughole or my (disabled) daughter can't press the flush button because of her shaking hands. And if the part they bought goes wrong the guarantee is with who they bought it from, not you. And tell you don't have a Waste Carriers License so will leave the rubbish with them to dispose of.
I agree. After years of making very little mark up on gear I supply vs the hassle of what you mention, I no longer supply anything other than the basic plumbing materials.
Just not enough insensitive getting involved
Would either of you guys recommend me getting into plumbing? Or learning how to become a handy man?
Also take photographs work as you go. Any change to the job specification make sure u keep an audit trail. So if the customer agrees that extra work is needed to say level a sub floor prior to tile.
Immediately text the customer to confirm there happy with the extra fees and work schedule.
I’d it goes to court you have evidence etc.
👍
Agree terms and expectations up front in writing, to avoid disputes afterwards.
Small claims court and you'll get it all back plus your fee...
A registerd letter informing her of your intent to pursue it through the court will get them moving..
Sorry to hear about the non paying customer, I have begun to realise over the years some people have absolutely no intention of paying, when you go knock on a door you sometimes just get a feeling about a job and the customer instantly that there's a chance they aren't going to pay, they should make a programme called rogue customers and get Matt Alright going round banging on there door chasing money, take care mate
Completely know what you mean bud, found out they got another engineer out before me and didn't pay them either.
Just subbed to your channel mate 👍
@@Clxyton_ Thanks mate, I really appreciate this
always trust your gut.
@@Clxyton_ where are you based?
I enjoyed watching the bathroom refurb, tidy work mate. As a tradesman I've had a few awkward payers so clicked on this out of curiosity to hear about yours. The specifics are always important, case by case. As you weren't able to fully complete the fix I can understand her perspective. Irrespective of time spent fault-finding it's the outcome that matters. Now in your defence did she then offer you the opportunity to replace the immersion timer and have the ability to bill for your time through to successful outcome?
Shocking to hear about the non paying customer mate! Great work as usual 🙌
First one I've had but won't be the last
You could always take the payment over the phone / online before you go out. It's something a few companies do. Not sure it's for everyone.
You can send a SMS with links for them to pay once cleared then you go ect. The less tech minded ones might not be able to do it.
Im a 53 year old plumber and i can tell a problem customer within seconds of a phone call conversation.You learn a lot about people in this game.Go with your gut feeling bud.
I agree ive been In the construction industry for 40 years I kind of pride myself now on being able to pick out problem customers just from the initial phone call 1 or 2 still slip through but there's ways with dealing with them
Same here John. When i go to look at a job, i can tell within seconds of meeting the owner if my time has been wasted or not. Doesn't happen often fortunately but when i get the feeling, i make my excuses and walk away.
When the call starts with " how much for X,Y,Z" then to me alarm bells start ringing,
100% go to small claims court, dont let these people get away with it.
I’ve had customers say i phoned 3 people and only I turned up.I tell them they have weighed up the job and you on the phone and don’t want to get involved with you or your job
When you did all the resettings, take before and after photos that will prove everything you did as a reference including a timestamp. If there is a conflict you can then show the owner and remove any doubt. Always cover your tracks.
Google maps timeliness is great to prove how long you have assigned to their job
Worked with a guy once who was a bit rough round the edges. Said he did a job for a solicitor who ended up not paying. He got serious with the guy and said 'listen, you wanna pay me that money, as I don't settle my differences by sending letters.' So, after he told me I reached straight into my wallet and paid him back the fiver he leant me for lunch the day before 😂
Brilliant 🤣
Dealing with private customers can be a nightmare when it comes to payment. I have been lucky having self employed for 38 years and was only stung once. One advantage I found is that I never needed to advertise. All my private and commercial customers have been referrals , word of mouth. Coming from a rural town of 20 thousand I can easily make a few enquiries if I have a bad feeling before I get involved. A customer that moves from one tradesman to another probably never paid the last guy.
Good luck.
Same here, I was always self employed and I made sure that the customer paid for any materials then if they refused to pay it was only my time but because they hunted me for the job most customers were legit but I’d done extensions for contractors and the customer refused to pay them and they had to go to court for their money
Bad paying customers think plumbers don't talk to other plumbers at the trade counter
Hello mate. I used to work for Kingspan and they would make the customer pay before turning up. Maybe thats an idea for you the next time. I used to make customers pay half upfront for bigger jobs to cover all the materials, if they won't pay then atleast you haven't lost any money on materials you fitted in their house.
I've never not had a customer pay. So I don't what that is like. Thanks for sharing
That's what I do for bigger jobs, 50% upfront to cover materials then the rest on completion 😊
@@Clxyton_ I've never really done call out jobs, mainly planned works. I have done it for mates on the cheap but they always pay. Im assuming with new customers calling from a phone book you have no idea who you are dealing with. So I think in the future if I get the same thing, I'll say to new customers to pay the call-out fee upfront. Any extra work can be calculated later on.
We can all learn from each other ;)
I like the results of your work, shame you are not nearer Norfolk
Send them the invoice again by email, a text, a WhatsApp copy, post a copy of it and hand deliver a copy also. Heading at the top saying Without Prejudice final attempt for payment prior to court proceedings. Most of the time they’ll pay up. If not, then download and fill in small claim court form, again on receipt of that they usually pay up. If not, after showing attempts to have invoice cleared, you’ll most likely win in court. I’ve had it a lot. It’s unbelievable how so many customers don’t feel they should pay.
Follow those steps mate, they’ll pay up. They won’t want to attend court and if they don’t attend and you do, it gets ruled in your favour.
Used grips on kitchen tap, which could damage the finish on tap.
No tile trim on edge of vertical tiles on wall but already grouted.
Huge white silicone around base of toilet. Why not use clear and less of it?
Didn’t seal pipes sticking through wall for shower. Water will get into wall.
Bet your wife loves you
This is a situation that most self employed people in the construction industry has encountered (customers having no intentions of paying for anything they can get you to do) It’s long overdue to provide a TV program (Rogue customers) If you asked any tradesmen you meet at the builder merchants they will have a story to tell. I hope you don’t let them get away with not paying. Good luck and keep up your good work.
It's easy to put in a small claim for non payment of goods or a service. The claim amount would also include the fee you pay when completing the online form, so in your case it would be £90. Believe you me the non-payer will have second thoughts when the court claim arrives on their doormat. Don't let them get away with it.
Even if the court agrees in your favour, the court cannot force the customer to pay. You then have to pay for a debt collection agency to get involved. It could end up costing thousands and at the end of the day, the non paying customer may be skint anyway and offer £10 a week towards all the thousands you have already laid out. Then if they start missing payments, are you going to start bankruptcy proceedings against them. To bankrupt someone will also cost you hundreds if not thousands of pounds. Is it worth all the hassle for £65?
Doesn't matter if you was there two minutes or an hour, the charge is the charge. People think they can treat tradesman how they like. Makes me laugh when people expect me to pass on my trade discount onto them for buying bathroom stuff, I run a business, I'm a business man not a charity.
For small call out jobs mate you should get yourself a card reader, and bill them straight away. People will always try it on sometimes and I think a £65 call out is very fair.👍
Got one now bud, and yeah, a lot of people are used to handyman prices near me at the moment, like £30 call out which is ridiculous and making time served plumbers look like rip off merchants
Change it from callout charge to diagnosis fee and clearly state what you will do for them for that price.
But it wasn’t fixed.Am I missing something or what?If I can’t fix something how can I charge?
@@richardjones3112 time spent = money due
@@richardjones3112 do you get paid per hour???
Your time has value, if you spent time looking, investigating or even just waiting, it has value and you should get recompensed.
If you didn’t fix the problem then I wouldn’t pay either! If you took your car to the garage to be repaired, drove it around the corner and it broke down again would you pay??
I make a visit, ALWAYS do a free written estimate, and if they agree to the work then I hold them to that. If there are e.g. travel costs outside my area, I agree with the customer first. I've only been stung a few times, in early days, and if anyone defaults, argues, or delays payments NEVER DO ANY WORK FOR THEM AGAIN - and tell all your tradesmen mates. Fortunately I live / work in a small town, so words, good or bad, get around quickly. (In recent years all my customers were on personal recommendations from other nice customers.)
Legally she should have given you chance to put it right before refusing payment. I tend to find a letter saying payment or I’ll take he to small claims normally works.
Big question is if it’s worth risking your reputation over it.
As a small biz owner also. It could be helpful to explain to the client upfront of the standard cost as a service cost or trip charge. Whether you could fix it or not. If they aren’t ok with this. Do not do the work.
On large projects I require 1/2 down on materials delivered and project start. Final half on project completed with an allowance of holding 10% on a punch list on a walk thru of the job.
I have walked away from jobs if had a gut feeling the client could be hard to deal with. Or charged them extra for hassle.
It is a process to handle clients but learn from your mistakes. You do good work. Well done. Good luck to you in the future.
I know it's the injustice rather than the money, been there a couple of times myself in the past so I get it. Best advice? Draw a line under it and move on. Clearly just one of those customers who you won't ever have to work for again. There are three types, the ones who want it done yesterday, the ones who want it cheap and the ones who demand perfection. fortunately they're usually the same person! Good luck
Thanks mate, yeah to be honest I don't feel it's worth the hassle all that stress for £65, not really worth it, just a lesson for next time
There should be a board up in merchants so you can warn other tradesmen of non payers.
With the no pay customer, as she didnt let you go back and fix it , you only have her word there was ever still a problem.
Most customers are absolute diamonds and appreciate the hard work that goes into our jobs but one or two will always try it on.
He didn't say if she refused access to repair and he didn't say he had attempted to return to site to repair.
What he did say was the fault was unrepaired.
Always tell them before hand there will be a callout charge.
I have my customers pay by what time period I'm completing on a job. I usually break my job into thirds and it also depends on the job. One third pay before I start... And yes, I highly recommend the small claims court.
FIRST rule of being a tradesman, do a mental clinical assessment of the person who should be paying prior to work.
Elo mate. Yes take it on the chin. Get payment before you leave via card on these small jobs. Make sure you send T&Cs with costings via email before you go and make sure the customer accepts them. Keep up the good work.
I do for the bigger jobs or planned works but not for call out, just one of them I guess
I echo what NWD said - I use to stress over the phone the call out charge, plus materials and that it was payable before you leave. You can always leave a receipt and then email a proper invoice later.
If you have a PayPal account or Izettle app you can send out a call out payment link and you get a notification when it's paid.
This pre payment is very common these days and ensures that 1 the customer will be there when you arrive and 2 you get paid whatever. 3 you don't have the awkward moment when they ask 'do I owe you anything'?
You can refund if you can't make it or decide to waiver it as it leads to a larger job etc.
Always keep clean and tidy when doing a bathroom your customers will base their whole opinion on you from your appearance and work ethics.. grouting should be done prior to appliances being fitted and silicone one of the very last things to keep it looking fresh and free from dust particles. Filling the bath before siliconeing allows the silicone to set in the sagged position otherwise when the bath is filled at a later date the water weight will sag the bath down and over time the silicone will tear from the bath 👍
Jeeney mac wtf u talkin bout what u look like doesn't matter ffs he should have got paid end of!
I mean, my nan says I’m handsome so idc
@@Clxyton_ your gorgeous m8 lol
Quality work well done good to.see someone take pride.
Thanks mate!
When tooling off your silicone spray it first with water, much better finish and less mess
I work in construction so get where your head is at, but most customers would be upset with how things played out. You are billing for your time, your customer is expecting value i.e. your experience applied to fixing her problem. The problem wasn’t fixed and the right thing to do is take it on the chin with some grace sometimes.
Depends on your T&C, if you guarantee your best efforts within the bounds of feasible requirements, that is a pragmatic and acceptable way to operate at any scale, but if you operate on a “No Cure No Pay ” basis that becomes exponentially expensive.
How long did it take youto do the whole job?
As a Method of payment immidiatly after the job is finished, and while you are still on site, Get a credit card machine, and get payment there and then.
Non payment court and a chargeback on the property invest for the future...
Call Guido and Rocko to help the owner find his checkbook
I’m currently going through the process off trying to get my money for a boiler I fitted 3months ago
Your first clue was the customer made you wait 20 mins.
try getting some soft jaw water pump pliers or use a towel over your grips, will stop from starching the finish on the kitchen tap
No no no, let one do it and they will all try it as you’ll have the reputation of not getting your money.
Send a final letter and if they still don’t pay pass it on to debt recovery. This is all assuming the customer was aware of your call out charge and agreed to it before you visited.
Charge a few before you go out and let them know if you don't/can't fix it you get that money back. So you will have your going out fee money paid up front regardless.
Just send them an email and tell them your debt collection agency will be dealing with this now.
Your time is valuable, even if you stop by on your way home and its 3 minutes it has VALUE. If he doesn't want to pay up, put on a builders lien and put him on the 'bad customer list' and make sure everyone knows not to give him free service.
Hi mate, do you have a link to the pipe cutters? Enjoying your videos! Can’t wait to qualify and start bathroom refurbs
www.toolstation.com/rothenberger-plasticut-pro/p81400?store=JC&mkwid=_dm&pcrid=558571386879&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAubmPBhCyARIsAJWNpiNsf7e6rnsL9mSU4mOGWgZzH9MeUGZtniOEAiCiCPxSc5l6z2zQDA0aAn7MEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
There you go mate, personally I don't really like bathroom refurbs but it pays the bills 😂
Sneak into the lassies house and burst all pipes. Wait for a call then say “ah you need me now………” 😂😂😂😂
I have done a full renovation for 18 k (without tax )as a plumber and the contracter wanted to pay a 1000 a month got and agency on it whent up to 20 k and now there paying me 3 k a month
If I was owed £5 from a customer I'd prefer to outlay the money to recover than let them get away with it. That customers learned nothing other than they can get away with it again.
Get away with what exactly?
He didn't fix it?
So..your washing machine breaks ,guy tips up says its fixed and leaves. You'd paid him 65 quid at the time..would you be happy to pay 65 quid again on the off chance he fixes it second time?
End of the day woman wanted job done, he said himself it wasn't fixed. So why would she pay??
Little tip, save yourself a world of pain by getting flat metro tiles. Those bevelled types are a pain to work with, corners and edges never look nice no matter what, and they are a pain in the arse to grout. And, the flat ones look way way way better especially with grey grout. Over the years iv'e done 1000's of metres of bevelled metros but no more. Always tell client to get the flat ones or run!
Customer got all the tiles and suite 😊
@@Clxyton_ I understand, my clients also supply all materials but if there is anything i don't like working with, Metro tiles for example, i always persuade them to change them to something that looks better or easier to work with. My clients always trust me and go with my advice to flat ones all the way! Next time give them a try and thank me later. Cheers mate.
Thanks mate! I will do! Must admit I don't like the bevelled edges haha
Actually think you're too cheap pal. Plus your work is absolutely textbook 👌
Prices range massively over the country mate, I think £65 for a call out is about average where I live
And thank you 😊
I don’t leave without full payment by card . Everyone has one . 👍🏻
Did you offer to return and replace the timer , think my thought process would be I’m happy to return and replace the timer at a discounted cost to meet in the middle with the customer.
I didn't get a chance, I got a call to say she's spoken to the manufacturer and they're replacing it that day
Get yourself a washboy if your doing your own tiling mate makes grouting alot neater
Never even heard of them before, good shout mate! Thank you
not right I know, but wait 6 months and brick their windows? revenge is a meal best served cold.
😂😂😂
Like others say that's why i always carry my Sumup payment machine with a little receipt machine, even if they pay 20 % and pay the other on completion with invoice
During the early days of my electric car charging business I was faced with a couple of none payers.
Violence is never the answer, however it's a question that usually resolves said payment issues.
Remind yourself that these people are in esscence stealing money from your family and children.
Hate people like this. I’ve started using a Sumup for those type of jobs. Pay on completion no hassle. 1.6% standard transaction fee no lost income.
I hate it when you agree a time and they can’t even be bothered to be there. 20 mins, I give them 5 mins, I’ve got bigger jobs and better customers that pay better and on time ( most of them 😬) Nice video mate 👍😎
why should she pay for it when you didnt fix it? she agreed to pay you to come and fix it - ridiculous
id be embarressed trying to take payment for a failure
She agreed to pay for my time to look at the issues with the immersion heater. 👍
I’d be embarrassed to impose my problems on someone else kind enough to try to help out and then screw them.
If you informed her of the call out charge beforehand and can prove it, apply for a CCJ. Unless she is a complete scumbag, she won't want one of those in her name. You can also add the application costs involved. Takes no time at all.
Unfortunately, the 'complete scumbags' are the reason I stopped working as an electrician some years ago. I only do commercial project work now.
I don't know any plumbers now, that don't carry an credit card machine , that require payment before they leave.
put a ccj against them, may not get a result but it will mess with their credit rating. On call outs take a deposit before you start and get them to sign a call out contract.
Great work every thing looks top notch. Sucks that they didn’t pay but keep trying to collect…Was the client self employed with there own business
Buy a card reader cheap as chips get paid before you leave. Increase your price to 80. Key thing is why did timer reset itself. That's the question
Can i ask what you lay under tile when cutting with the angle grinder pls?
Just foam matting buddy, the ones you can interlock to make a foam floor type thing
Cheers, good luck
CASH ON COMPLETION OF THE JOB. THANK YOU
The non-paying customer issue is a disagreement as to why you were there I think.
If she asked you to quote for fixing the problem and you quoted a job price for that and didn’t fix it then fair enough.
If you quoted an inspection fault finding charge then you did what you said and the charge is reasonable so I don’t see a problem with it.
The discrepancy appears to be that the customer thought they were paying you to fix the problem not to inspect the issue and diagnose the fault and fix it if you could so it depends what the understanding was as to what the contract was.
If you feel you weren’t clear, take it on the chin and learn for all future jobs to say this is a standard visit charge regardless of the outcome. If it can be fixed, fix it plus parts else at least the fault has been diagnosed and a way forward has been established and the customer knows where they stand.
I use a card machine and an invoicing app to ping them instant invoices to their phone before I leave. Everybody pays on the day no messing
I've got a Zettle card reader now after this issue and use payment links for the bigger jobs. Send an invoice through email on all occasions
I'm looking at BACS payments or something whereby someone don't want a cut of my hard earnr
@@paul_my_plumbs_uk those off the shelf card readers cream you on charges 1%+ . if you get a proper merchant account with Barclaycard or someone it's only a fraction of a percent you pay in fees and you get paid the next day at 8am. I happily sacrifice a few pence on a little job if it helps cashflow.
Expanding foam down the drain pipe or soil stack would do the trick
Easy Tiger your being to kind ! A bag of drywall into the external inspection chamber is the correct method here🤦♂️💪👌👍😂👏
Yeah . Turn water off in the street then fill water box with Instacrete.
Remind me to never piss you three off 😂😂😂😂😂
Payment on completion pal before u walk out the door I never walk away and leave an invoice been self employed to long and leant that lesson
Thin tile at the top of the wall is poor, the first tile from the bath should be narrower to balance out the width of the two top and bottom tiles
Have been caught out a few times in my thirty plus years in trade not only by employer but also by clients. Infuriating when this happens and a very difficult situation to work out. Have called to non paying customers and threatened them with persuader baseball bat in van, gone down the court case route and left monies owed behind. I find you really have to take as much money as you can out of job before you finish and if they complain just don’t finish or start.
I get the customer to pay up front for the materials,and agree to stage payments as the work progresses.If they object,I tell them to look elsewhere.
There needs to be a way trades can mark households that are bad payers
if there was a product fault,admitted via customer why not flag up the supplier,as they are at fault
Always fill bath at least half way before silicone and make sure you support all corners of the bath or you will have call backs mate. Keep up the good work
Don’t the bath feet support the corners as well as the whole bath
@@LC-qi5ff no
@@carlholroyd1462 how do you support the corners?
Normally we fix 2*1 to the wall for the bath edge to sit on. Be surprised how much a bath moves
3x2 timber around the bath and frame constructed on front of bath before bath panel went on
It would of looked a lot better if you would have finished the tiling with trim,it looks really unfinished,just an idea for the future 👍🏻
All finished properly now mate, was there yesterday finishing off 😊
Sorry to hear abt the non paying customer, this has happened to me before, so since then i got myself a sum up card payment machine, and all the call outs an small jobs i get payment there an then, the card machine has worked out well for me
Too right they didn’t pay, u didn’t fix it lol
Exactly, any dickhead could go on a call out and say “ I don’t know how to fix it “ 🤣
It is very simple. Draw up a standard contract that lists what exactly you charge for and when payment is expected. I never get work done without a contract that protects you the tradesman and me the customer…e.g any costs to buy materials will be owned by me if you the tradesman default/no show. If the tradesman isn’t interested, I find another. You should do something similar, you are running a business.
TBH I wouldn’t be happy paying £65 for effectively nothing. I work SEmployed in the house maintenance business and would always tell the customer my prices for a call out. Let it go and move on.
Agree with everyone do not let it go. Even if you use debt recovery and only get £25, that customer has to learn
If you could design the channel more as running projects, so people learn from you, I will stay subscribed. Think if you are aiming to share your work experience of passion for skills. You will quickly find that videos in which you show how to do things will attract significantly more people.
So more like tutorial types?
the finish is in the bathroom is top.
Smash your work up pal take the loss
@Mick G I mean when you've done work and they refuse to pay
Tip for siliconing bath, do upright tiled corners first and tool off and let it cure ( remember fresh silicone does stick to cured silicone) then silicone around bath and tool off and you'll find that the corners are nice and neat and professional looking and without that wet finger bodging corner bit that we've all done🤭🤫😁. I'm definitely with you on the tap flexi's, i unboxed a basin tap today and to my horror it came with copper tails😱😱 couldn't be asked to mess about and of course I hastily deposited them straight into the scrap bag and got a set of flexi's from the van 😀 😉 .
Thanks mate! Will certainly use that advice next time! And yeah I think I've just got lazy 🤣
Decent video fella.
With regards to the faulty timer get the customer to claim that money back from them dye to a faulty unit.
You cannot be held responsible for a product you have no idea of its history especially if its a k own fault by the manufacturer. Horstmann are pony controls anyways.
I'd take her to small claims court out of principle . These people think they have all the power as to whether they pay people or not. I had one customer who refused to pay because she said I was earning more money than her partner & he was a joiner ! Go figure!
Just an observation on the bathroom floor make sure once it's done to protect it. As you had all the tools all over it & gluing fittings ! It's like cleaning your car then throwing dust all over it !!
Bear in mind it's worth using swept bends on waste pipe as basins baths etc are always getting blocked with hair & you'll be the one coming back to unblock them! Also I always use an anti vac bottle trap on basins as it's silent when you empty a basin & if your connecting it into a soil stack it's stops the possibility of the trap being sucked out & smell coming back into the room.
As others have commented especially on lesser quality baths support the ends or even better fix a batten all around where the bath is going to sit in. Then fill the bath up & silicone it. Then again after it's tiled so you have a 2 stage water protection & no movement .
It's the small things that make for a better finish & above all no call backs .
Remember customers also use social media & check up on who they're using & watch videos of work tradesmen do.
With regards to payment always make the customer aware of your payment terms. Once in the estimate & again when you are close to finishing off . Take a 50% deposit so it takes care of your materials & some of your labour.
Explain to customers what they're paying for. If they become a little off about paying some up front thats a red flag 🚩 use your gut feeling with customers some may of been ripped off before, so end up painting everyone with the same brush!! Elderly customers don't normally use bank transfer as they don't understand the technology. So it's either a chq or cash. Luckily you can pay chq's in using your phone now, but still takes 3days to clear!! Stay firm as to payment from customers & keep a dialogue of everything so there is a paper trail should they question anything. Pictures with your phone helps.
At the very end of the job get them to sign a handover form that they're happy with all you've done. Makes you more professional & also stops them from complaining afterwards & not paying. All part of the journey sadly!!
Very good and underrated comment.
Thanks!
Horrible conts some customers take them to the small claims! Good luck nice job
Got knocked for £200 worth of turf
small job but add labour
quoting time and everything else it was devastating
i would use collection services just to make them pay even though you wouldnt get the full amount just to teach them a lesson
Look at it another way…
£65 is a small price to pay knowing that she would/could never call you again….