Charges?

Neil_Sedaka

Anyone have any dealings recently with the likes of plumbers, electricians, mechanics etc.
What's the hourly rate these days?

LFCFan

depends on how much they want to rip you off by. Electricians and plumbers are the worst. There are a lot of cowboys out there who will try their best to rip you off. You're better off going with one of the more reputable companies.

DSLinAbsentia

Look, I'm still dealing with the pitiful change after handing over a tenner for two pints!

davelerave

Originally posted by LFCFan
depends on how much they want to rip you off by. Electricians and plumbers are the worst. There are a lot of cowboys out there who will try their best to rip you off. You're better off going with one of the more reputable companies.

electrician here-you speakin from experience

seamus

Originally posted by LFCFan
depends on how much they want to rip you off by. Electricians and plumbers are the worst. There are a lot of cowboys out there who will try their best to rip you off. You're better off going with one of the more reputable companies.

While that's true to a point, many companies contract sparkies and plumbers, and take theor own cut of the costs, which makes it much dearer. For example, my brother did contract kitchen fitting for a 'reputable' company, and charged more than €5000 for kitchens with less than €1500 of wood in them and fitted within 3 days.

Best thing is to get one through a friend. People in the industry tend to charge more to people whom they see have the money to pay, (ie if they're fitting in a 6 bedroom gaf in Foxrock, they'll throw €500 on top of the normal price) but if they' re fitting for a friend of a friend, they tend to be less likely to jack up the price at random. Direct relatives will charge you less still, but take far longer to do the job because you're family, and if you're hounding them they can tell you to f*ck off.

If they're small jobs, do it yourself. Paying an electrician to add a few power points into a room, or a plumber to replace some short pipes can work out very expensive, even though they're tiny jobs.

LFCFan

I put up a light fitting yesterday with 3 seperate lights so 3 seperate pairs of live and neutral wires. Bloody thing nearly drove me insane trying to get wires into wee junction thingies etc etc. Nearly worth getting an electrician in to save GP bills in the future.