Selling scrap metal after plumbing job

stephendevlin

sullzz wrote: »

Sounds like your calling me a rip off to me .
Also read your other posts plenty of rip off refferences in them too.
Whats your problem anyway , did someone take a cylinder on you , or have you just got something against plumbers , or mabey just me

That was a question and not an accusation, still didnt imply that you were stealing!

mrcheez

sullzz wrote: »

A couple of things here ..... you dont haggle with the scrap yard , if you used them before you would know this , its a fixed price ,

apparently not. I was given several different quotes for my copper from different places I rang. So seems price is not fixed, and the dealer was more than willing to haggle.

RoundyMooney

Sense of entitlement among some trades is still out there, sadly.

The amount of people who've told me how hard it is to get tradespeople (who aren't moonlighting down the welfare office, and pricing out the good guys) would back that up.

It's pretty effing simple-if disposal is an element of the job, price it in. This tall tale that one customer's copper is recompense for another one's old jacks is bollocks.

sullzz

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Sense of entitlement among some trades is still out there, sadly.

The amount of people who've told me how hard it is to get tradespeople (who aren't moonlighting down the welfare office, and pricing out the good guys) would back that up.

It's pretty effing simple-if disposal is an element of the job, price it in. This tall tale that one customer's copper is recompense for another one's old jacks is bollocks.

Calm down now

RoundyMooney

Perfectly calm, thanks.

I'm actually quite happy to read from the replies here that people are wise to this kind of thing by now.

sullzz

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Perfectly calm, thanks.

I'm actually quite happy to read from the replies here that people are wise to this kind of thing by now.

Yeah we are just like the mafia being exposed :rolleyes:

JohnnieK

I've no problem with customers keeping the scrap, but they also have to keep the rubble, packaging and all the other crap that's involved with the job too.

RoundyMooney

JohnnieK wrote: »

I've no problem with customers keeping the scrap, but they also have to keep the rubble, packaging and all the other crap that's involved with the job too.

Or just build it into the price and scope before the job starts.

JohnnieK

The options are given beforehand.

And most would say they are not paying extra for rubbish removal.

RoundyMooney

JohnnieK wrote: »

The options are given beforehand.

And most would say they are not paying extra for rubbish removal.

Then the copper scrap is also theirs to keep in that case IMO, not the tradesman's to weigh in for extra coin.

Tbh, for most run of the mill work, I'm guessing that there wouldn't be much anyway.

JohnnieK

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Then the copper scrap is also theirs to keep in that case IMO, not the tradesman's to weigh in for extra coin.

Tbh, for most run of the mill work, I'm guessing that there wouldn't be much anyway.

There wouldn't be a major amount, and to be honest most customers tell me to take the cylinder so I would take the rubbish too.

Mr.Fred

JohnnieK wrote: »

I've no problem with customers keeping the scrap, but they also have to keep the rubble, packaging and all the other crap that's involved with the job too.

Never heard such nonsense. If you didn't remove rubble or unwanted materials from a job you did for me you wouldn't be paid end of never mind getting to keep some scrap copper.

I always laugh at plumbers hanging onto copper like Fagin.. If the customer chooses to keep the suite or the copper that's up to him. If the trades man can't price a job properly without incl his secret stash of swag then that's the trades mans problem.

A tradesman with that attitude won't last long.

JohnnieK

Mr.Fred wrote: »

Never heard such nonsense. If you didn't remove rubble or unwanted materials from a job you did for me you wouldn't be paid end of never mind getting to keep some scrap copper.

I always laugh at plumbers hanging onto copper like Fagin.. If the customer chooses to keep the suite or the copper that's up to him. If the trades man can't price a job properly without incl his secret stash of swag then that's the trades mans problem.

A tradesman with that attitude won't last long.

Prices are given with rubbish removal state on the quote, If they choose to shave money of the quote by removing this, then the rubbish is there's.

Mr.Fred

Copper clearly isn't rubbish..

I see plenty of scrap copper in my trade I don't assume I have entitlement to any of it.

if you take on a job you clean up after yourself if the customer want's to remove any items be it wood stones dirt or whatever then that's up to them.

You wouldn't be complaining if they removed a load of blocks from your scrap pile.

JohnnieK

Mr.Fred wrote: »

Copper clearly isn't rubbish..

I see plenty of scrap copper in my trade I don't assume I have entitlement to any of it.

if you take on a job you clean up after yourself if the customer want's to remove any items be it would stones dirt or whatever then that's up to them.

You wouldn't be complaining if they removed a load of blocks from your scrap pile.

They can keep there scrap if they want, I don't care. If I have to get a tonne bag or skip then it will be factored into the price. I have had customers tell me to take the skip off the price, I can tell you now that I will not cover that expense and they can keep and deal with the rubbish. If they want to give me the scrap I will take it, enough said on the matter.

Tails142

If you were being upfront and honest about it you would just say when pricing the job that the job will cost 50 quid less if you take away the old cylinder.

Do you pay income tax on the money you make off selling the cylinder and other copper?

JohnnieK

Tails142 wrote: »

If you were being upfront and honest about it you would just say when pricing the job that the job will cost 50 quid less if you take away the old cylinder.

Do you pay income tax on the money you make off selling the cylinder and other copper?

It's all on the quote.

Does anyone?

mrcheez

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Sense of entitlement among some trades is still out there, sadly.

It's the first I've heard of it actually. In any trade, ever.

And if the plumber had any problem with me requesting to keep my metal, he'd be one customer short in a split second.

QBE

I am new to this site and just read this post.

I wouldn't bother judging these kind of customers. I'd just finish the work and get paid for it. However I would stay away from working for them again. Outside the fitters the only others I know that take the scrap are the penurious type.

If your working for a client like this. Experience tells me. Your in for further grief from them and most likely payment issues.

ID AVOID AT ALL COSTS. YOU CAN NEARLY SNIFF THESE KIND OF CLIENTS OUT ON THE INITIAL CONSULTATION , ASSESSMENT AND QUOTATION OF THE JOB.

I personally wouldn't take on a job without a contract with a detail contract/estimate. I think removal of all waste materials . sums up the scrap copper.

What next. A discount at the end for using the place of works electric supply? its pathetic. No wonder there is the amount of incompetent work and standards (especially) in the domestic end of the area. Penny pinching on the clients behalf and the incompetent bargain priced service.

hiluxman

i think QBE is on the ball,its like in my trade i prefer to supply the parts myself, as i pay trade and sell them a retail, its a little sweetner for doing the job, if the customer supplys the parts themselves i loose out a little bit and in general this type of customer is a hassley person to deal with due to the fact they have a slight bit of knowlege and think they know it all and that your only trying to cod them out of something.
its the same with the scrap parts left over at the end, I collect them and when i have enough ill way the scrap in

sullzz

mrcheez wrote: »

he'd be one customer short in a split second.

Lucky him , a bullet dodged I say

QBE

hiluxman wrote: »

i think QBE is on the ball,its like in my trade i prefer to supply the parts myself, as i pay trade and sell them a retail, its a little sweetner for doing the job, if the customer supplys the parts themselves i loose out a little bit and in general this type of customer is a hassley person to deal with due to the fact they have a slight bit of knowlege and think they know it all and that your only trying to cod them out of something.
its the same with the scrap parts left over at the end, I collect them and when i have enough ill way the scrap in

Its to bloody messy. Taking on contracts (even small change overs) without supplying the whole package. Call myself ole stock. If you wish. But Ill take responsibility and guarantee all services and materials supplied. but only on work I am supplying the whole package. I would avoid jobs outside this criteria. I would prefer to go hungry.

The scrap over the years. I use to put it in the stores and cash it in at xmas and divide among the apprentices. I am entering self employment now and If I have apprentices ill do the same.

QBE

sorry for adding to the tread. But thought id just ad this. As its amazing how profitable scrap can be.

I have a 15 year old son and For the last 18 mths of so. I have been bringing home. Used / faulty and replaced boilers & burners. I have a work shop in my garden. With fully functional system for testing oil burners and gas boilers. I take them apart with him. Find the faults. Remove workable parts. Like oil burner pumps , fans , circuit boards ect list them and stock them.

The young lad puts them on a website and sells them. What started out to be a learning curve for him. Has ended up in a nice bit of pocket money for him.

QBE

QBE wrote: »

sorry for adding to the tread. But thought id just ad this. As its amazing how profitable scrap can be.

I have a 15 year old son and For the last 18 mths of so. I have been bringing home. Used / faulty and replaced boilers & burners. I have a work shop in my garden. With fully functional system for testing oil burners and gas boilers. I take them apart with him. Find the faults. Remove workable parts. Like oil burner pumps , fans , circuit boards ect list them and stock them.

The young lad puts them on a website and sells them. What started out to be a learning curve for him. Has ended up in a nice bit of pocket money for him.

British gas did that for a few years till they were prosecuted after a incident.

As for the scrap issue, I wouldn't argue and I wouldn't come back, I detest pettiness.

QBE

gary71 wrote: »

British gas did that for a few years till they were prosecuted after a incident.

gary71 give it a break. he is not fitting them (experience tech should be and doing the safety check procedures. ). Gas heating probably one safest of safest heating boilers in the world and the oil burners should also be fitted by QBE (qualified by experience)

Domestic heating systems and boilers are not rocket science. Especially if a 15 year old schoolboy is more advanced than what is on offer.

.jacksparrow.

QBE wrote: »

gary71 give it a break. he is not fitting them (experience tech should be and doing the safety check procedures. ). Gas heating probably one safest heating in the world and the burners should also be fitted by QBE (qualified by experience)

Domestic heating systems and boilers are not rocket science. Especially if a 15 year old schoolboy is more advanced than what is on offer.

Do you mean domestic gas boilers?

Or industrial gas burners?

QBE

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Do you mean domestic gas boilers?

Or industrial gas burners?

sorry domestic boilers.


The young lad is quite good at the domestic oil burners is well. I have been teaching him with the domestic apliances. Smaller scale and then bring him up to the larger scale in time.

sullzz

QBE wrote: »

gas heating probably one safest of safest heating boilers in the world /quote]

But can be left as one of the most dangerous if worked on by an inexperienced or incompetent worker .

QBE

QBE wrote: »

gary71 give it a break. .

In what respect?

Taking parts off boilers isn't new and hasn't worked out well for some, which isn't widely known hence my post, as suppler you have some responsibility if there is a incident(god forbid). The problem BG had was manly to do with PCB's.

I had many years of removing and fitting secondhand parts for British Gas, so my experiences would be different to yours.

As for gas safety we're only as good as our last job, be it a 15 year old schoolboy or a grumpy old gas fitter who's still learning.