Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: simon knight on May 27, 2009, 08:35:38 am
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Got a leaking pipe indoors so waiting in for the plumber to arrive.
Had a job booked in for 9 this morning so phoned customer to explain situation.
Her reply: "The window cleaner waiting for the plumber..." and she goes into hysterical laughter ??? ??? ???
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Enjoy your wait. Plumbers are worse than window cleaners.
But if you know where the leak is, it's easy to fix; you just cut a section of pipe off using a pipe cutter and replace it with a piece of plastic pipe and push fittings.
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I don't get it either!!! Maybe we keep customers waiting when we dont turn up on time and it is ironic that we are now being kept waiting by the plumber (another unreliable trade??)
Oh well, It least it made her happy!
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Enjoy your wait. Plumbers are worse than window cleaners.
But if you know where the leak is, it's easy to fix; you just cut a section of pipe off using a pipe cutter and replace it with a piece of plastic pipe and push fittings.
It's under the floorboards somewhere...big damp patch on the kitchen ceiling. I'm a bit of a bodger when it comes to DIY so probably better to wait for the plumber.
Be interesting to see what he charges per hour!
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Enjoy your wait. Plumbers are worse than window cleaners.
But if you know where the leak is, it's easy to fix; you just cut a section of pipe off using a pipe cutter and replace it with a piece of plastic pipe and push fittings.
It's under the floorboards somewhere...big damp patch on the kitchen ceiling. I'm a bit of a bodger when it comes to DIY so probably better to wait for the plumber.
Be interesting to see what he charges per hour!
Probably as lot more than you do!
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Enjoy your wait. Plumbers are worse than window cleaners.
But if you know where the leak is, it's easy to fix; you just cut a section of pipe off using a pipe cutter and replace it with a piece of plastic pipe and push fittings.
It's under the floorboards somewhere...big damp patch on the kitchen ceiling. I'm a bit of a bodger when it comes to DIY so probably better to wait for the plumber.
Be interesting to see what he charges per hour!
Probably as lot more than you do!
Guaranteed mate :(
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Id start getting the floorboards up to save his time and your money.
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I've pulled the carpet up but I was rather hoping he had some kind of gadget that could locate roughly where the leak was coming from rather than have to pull up all the floorboards in my bedroom. Or perhaps he can judge from the damp patch on the kitchen ceiling.
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I've pulled the carpet up but I was rather hoping he had some kind of gadget that could locate roughly where the leak was coming from rather than have to pull up all the floorboards in my bedroom. Or perhaps he can judge from the damp patch on the kitchen ceiling.
if your lucky it is above, may not even be in your bedroom, I will stop there before I give you a headache ;)
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I've pulled the carpet up but I was rather hoping he had some kind of gadget that could locate roughly where the leak was coming from rather than have to pull up all the floorboards in my bedroom. Or perhaps he can judge from the damp patch on the kitchen ceiling.
I had this problem a few months ago in my neighbors house. It was his heating system. It'll be the same problem with you.
Your floor boards will come up; and if it's hard to find; more will come up.
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the leak could be in somewhere else than above the damp patch on the ceiling......
thats just where the water has found its way out!
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Well he was supposed to here at 9 and there's still no sign of him. In the meanwhile the patch is growing :(
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How wide is the patch on the ceiling.
It might be an idea to make a hole in the ceiling to allow the water out (put a bucket underneath it) so the whole ceiling doesnt come down.
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It's probably about 2ft across. It hasn't actually started to drip onto the kitchen floor...yet! If it starts to bow then I will knock a hole through the plaster. In the meanwhile I think it might be a good idea to turn the light off.
Where is that sodding plumber?
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Have you turned the water off at the mains.
It might be your central heating (so turning the mains off will have no effect) but if its mains water supply turn it off to release the pressure from the sytem then the dripping will be less.
Turning the light off will be of no benefit...........BUT turning the electric off at the wall will!!(the mains supply to the house)
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Simon,
Do you know how to drain your hot water system down? If you take the water out of the system, then the leak will stop.
You'll need a peice of garden hose and a screwdriver; it's easy to do; I'll talk you through it if you want me too.
Phone me on (number deleted; spoke to Simon).
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Believe it or not I have no idea how to turn the water off at the mains (and I've only lived here for 23 years) ::)
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He's here! Quite right Tosh...he's got his hose out and is draining off the system ;D
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Watch him, so you know how to do it in future. It's a simple, but good skill to know for future problems.
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Will do Tosh. I'm surprised the mods haven't moved this thread onto non-related issues...must all be asleep today.
Cheers guys.
Simon
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Are you sure you didn't just wet the bed?
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I just love these Plumbing bogs....eh ...I mean ..blogs! :P ;D
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have you wet the bed ;D
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I was two hours later to a customers house than they expected and they moaned, and I said
"I'm not a dentist, I don't make appointments" She didn't laugh. Oops!
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If your bathroom is above your leaking kitchen ceiling I would advise re-sealing your bath/shower tray with silicon as it is probably the main reason your ceiling is leaking. Best advise: switch water off at mains and let a plumber resolve your leaking pipe.
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Tosh
..-. .. -. -.. / .-- .... .- - ;)
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So...
what was it, what was the cause?
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Turns out it was a joint in a pipe leading to the bedroom rad that had become corroded. 3 floorboards up, a quick bit of soldering (or whatever they do to stop leaks) and £80 later (around 1 1/2 hrs work) it was sorted. Except of course the big damp patch downstairs but I can live with it until Mrs K finally nags me enough to repaint.
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Same rate as the slackers on here then ;D
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he took, about £54 per hour on that job.
If you look at it with business sense, say he pay's himself 30p for every pound taken he "earned" £24 total so approx £16 per hour.
The rest went into company funds.. Thats about right for any trades person running a legitimate business properly.
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he took, about £54 per hour on that job.
If you look at it with business sense, say he pay's himself 30p for every pound taken he "earned" £24 total so approx £16 per hour.
The rest went into company funds.. Thats about right for any trades person running a legitimate business properly.
I certainly had no problem with his charge..in fact I was expecting more!
To me with plumbers electricians, plasterers etc they can charge more per hour because the jobs they do tend to be one-offs. With us it's on-going regular work
(in theory).
Also (dare I say it) plumbing and the like is more skilled work. I charge £25ish ph which for what I do is sensible imo. I know a lot on here charge more (and good luck to them) but I feel that the £50ph merchants must be always looking over their shoulders for the undercutter to come along.
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You say you look to take £25/hr but how much to you pay yourself? and how much goes back into the company?
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Company? :o
I reckon of the £25 most will be profit as I'm trad with 99% of my round within a mile radius of my home. Take off 30% in bees wax and I'm left with around £17ph net.
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I find the view of some on here kinda odd when it comes to discussions on business management.
How do GWCS work out that the plumber would want to plough back 66% of his businesses income back into the business?
Lets say for simplicity sake this guy brings in £60,000. Are you seriously suggesting he is going to want to plough back 40K on an annual basis year on year, year after year?
Buggered if I can see it.
I wouldnt want to do that. Id invest some, but not 40K every year. What on? Plumbing magazines?
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It was just an example - i dont know for sure.
Im sure we all have expensive insurance public liability, vehicle etc, vehicle servicing and motoring related costs, equipment replacement or new equipment, advertising (flyers, newspaper, yell etc) fuel, vehicle replacement (over time), training, uniforms, accountant fees, tax, IT (computer, printers, hand held palms), stationary.. yada yada...
then you may want to think about taking staff on, and have to budget for them too.
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I'd guess that if you paid him cash it has gone into his sky, he didn't need to supply any materials for the job so it will just dissapear.