How much is reasonable for a call-out charge these days?

enricoh · 09-06-2018 07:10AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Now if the education policy of this state, and the Hyacinth Bucket notions of so many people, could give as much dignity to the concept of trades, craftsmanship and skilled workmanship as they give to university education our society would benefit enormously from it. Where's pride in workmanship?

I've just finished gutting and renovating my entire house so this is raw. There's a massive dearth of skilled tradespeople in Ireland in 2018 - and no end to the number of chancers, cowboys and arrant buckos. And the tax evasion from tradespeople is unfúcking real. It is the norm. It's all cash in the hand until it gets to a certain level and they say "I better put some of it through the books" and then back to cash in the hand. And you're paying these cúnts cash from your income which is mostly taxed at 50% and they smile and say "Nothing like cold, hard cash". Bring on the bust!

And because we have no culture today of skills being nurtured/sufficient number of skilled tradesmen, you have very few options but to pay him as he wants. We, the Irish consumer, are the ones to suffer. Meanwhile loads of people leave universities with useless degrees but "social status". Crazy.

There's a massive dearth of skilled tradespeople as most young lads don't want to get their hands dirty anymore. Do some crappy business degree n 9-5 office job with 25 days holidays n Job security.
5 years ago if u we're doing up your house lads were desperate for work. If self employed tradesmen looked for something, anything off the dole they were told try Canada or Australia. Not great if uve a few mouths to feed. So they have to make hay while the sun shines

seamus · 09-06-2018 09:15AM

kneemos wrote: »

If a lad drives five or ten minutes from job to job and collects a call out charge for each one it's taking the piss.

Most folk call their local guy so travel is limited.

If you're calling someone out for a five minute job then you're the bigger eejit.

The call out fee usually includes the first hour or so, plus parts.

If they make it to six calls a day, they'd be doing well. It's not like they drive up and stick their hand out the window for money and drive off. Even the simplest jobs are minimum 45 minutes when you factor in the time to get there, unload bits from the van, disassemble, etc etc.

bucketybuck · 09-06-2018 11:20AM

bladespin wrote: »

There does seem to be an opinion that people in service jobs are sat by phones waiting for a call, if it was that simple it would be great, all round.

We have 5 different vans available for breakdowns and if I could take them all off the road I would.

Do people really think its the best use of our company resources to be sending qualified technicians and fully kitted out breakdown vans to your yard because you haven't a clue how machinery works?

If we never got another breakdown call I'd be happy as Larry so damn sure we are the ones who will decide what is a fair price, not you. (the royal "you")

somefeen · 09-06-2018 11:33AM

When I did garden machinery I charged 25 euro for a local call out.
But if I got there and it took a few minutes to sort out with no new parts or anything I didn't charge anymore.
It got me a lot recommendations for bigger jobs, but in retrospect I should have charged more.

corner of hells · 09-06-2018 11:34AM

bucketybuck wrote: »

We have 5 different vans available for breakdowns and if I could take them all off the road I would.

Do people really think its the best use of our company resources to be sending qualified technicians and fully kitted out breakdown vans to your yard because you haven't a clue how machinery works?

If we never got another breakdown call I'd be happy as Larry so damn sure we are the ones who will decide what is a fair price, not you. (the royal "you")

I think the poster you quoted might be of the same mindset of you

Mooooo · 09-06-2018 11:37AM

Vets charged 50, whatever they do then is added . If called out to the same animal or revisit some charge 25 for that

09-06-2018 11:39AM

I work in this industry, a call out from our engineers is 75 plus parts that are used, obviously if he has to return to fit the parts they don't have to pay again...

corner of hells · 09-06-2018 11:43AM

Mooooo wrote: »

Vets charged 50, whatever they do then is added . If called out to the same animal or revisit some charge 25 for that

If a kitten was stuck in a dishwasher drain , would I call a vet or dishwasher fixer man ?

Just asking for friend .

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 11:56AM

greencap wrote: »

got to consider the cost of the callout to the guy.

he's got the cost of the van, the insurance, the petrol, maintenance.
just to be available to come to you. before any business is conducted.

divide all that up by the number of jobs.

If that were the case everyone should be paid to drive to work, they have the same costs.

bladespin · 09-06-2018 12:04PM

Dakota Dan wrote:

If that were the case everyone should be paid to drive to work, they have the same costs.

They are, you factor that in to any job you take.

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 12:06PM

17larsson wrote: »

So if he has four call outs in a day and is travelling for 3 hours of that day he should work 11 hours to get 8 hours pay?
You don't own a business anyway.

It's an economy thing as well. There is loads of good paying work at the moment. Your broken washing might be important to you but unless you can offer equal/more money than he's getting elsewhere the tradesman doesn't particularly care

So if he charges €100 call out he already makes 400 on those four calls before he gets paid for parts or labour.

bucketybuck · 09-06-2018 12:07PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

So if he charges €100 call out he already makes 400 on those four calls before he gets paid for parts or labour.

So?

Don't like it, don't ask him to come out, whats the problem?

09-06-2018 12:14PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

So if he charges €100 call out he already makes 400 on those four calls before he gets paid for parts or labour.

It doesn't work like that - our company take a chunk out of what the engineers get, it's negotiated via length of service to the company, so you can be sure the engineers don't get the whole call out fee...

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 12:14PM

bucketybuck wrote: »

So?

Don't like it, don't ask him to come out, whats the problem?

I never call out a repairman for domestic appliances as one of the inlaws is in the business, any easy fixes I do myself.

Signore Fancy Pants · 09-06-2018 12:17PM

This post has been deleted.

bucketybuck · 09-06-2018 12:25PM

Chewbacca wrote: »

You sound like you hate the job or the clients and will arrogantly and punitively will decide on a "fair price" for being inconvienienced by performing the service you have elected to perform.

Haha, a business assessing it's costs and setting it's own price point is "arrogant and punitive"! You couldn't make it up!

Sorry to burst your bubble but every business does exactly that, so they are all like me. Deal with it.

somefeen · 09-06-2018 12:26PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

If that were the case everyone should be paid to drive to work, they have the same costs.

Most people only drive to work once per day. Then they get a mileage allowance for any travelling they have to as part of their job.

If your not charging for call outs you could potentially spend all day driving around and not make a penny.

Signore Fancy Pants · 09-06-2018 12:42PM

This post has been deleted.

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 01:31PM

somefeen wrote: »

Most people only drive to work once per day. Then they get a mileage allowance for any travelling they have to as part of their job.

If your not charging for call outs you could potentially spend all day driving around and not make a penny.

By all means charge a call out, €25 max not some silly figure.

the_pen_turner · 09-06-2018 01:40PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

By all means charge a call out, €25 max not some silly figure.

25 is the silly figure. unless your across the street from it.

travel time to job
deisil
time doing the work
time back to job
time to replace materials
time lost on other job booked in that day
vat
etc etc

the costs add up very fast

we cannot comment on the price, we dont know the guys overheads and costs.

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 01:44PM

the_pen_turner wrote: »

25 is the silly figure. unless your across the street from it.

travel time to job
deisil
time doing the work
time back to job
time to replace materials
time lost on other job booked in that day
vat
etc etc

the costs add up very fast

we cannot comment on the price, we dont know the guys overheads and costs.

Do you know that the call out charge is before parts and labour? You seem to think that the call out charge is a flat rate fee for every job.

the_pen_turner · 09-06-2018 01:47PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Do you know that the call out charge is before parts and labour? You seem to think that the call out charge is a flat rate fee for every job.

most call out fees include some labour for the first hour
materials on top

in lots of cases a call out fee would be a minium charge but not always

bladespin · 09-06-2018 01:48PM

Dakota Dan wrote:

By all means charge a call out, â‚¬25 max not some silly figure.

Lol â‚¬25 is a 'silly' figure, got to allow at least an hour to cover travel etc, then you'd be looking at â‚¬100 basic, as per the op.

Dakota Dan · 09-06-2018 01:51PM

bladespin wrote: »

Lol â‚¬25 is a 'silly' figure, got to allow at least an hour to cover travel etc, then you'd be looking at â‚¬100 basic, as per the op.

Anyone charging €100 for a call out won't be doing too much travelling.

bladespin · 09-06-2018 01:55PM

Dakota Dan wrote:

Anyone charging â‚¬100 for a call out won't be doing too much travelling.

You'd obviously be surprised.

Yakult · 09-06-2018 01:58PM

Ubbquittious wrote: »

How much is reasonable? Bout 3 fiddy?

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paw patrol · 09-06-2018 02:17PM

Graces7 wrote: »

YOU WIN THE PRIZE!

I just fixed a badly blocked sink myself...small choice out here, Last time a "real" workman was needed ( to connect the new gas cooker )he was demanding E350 ) Cooker only cost E250. Sorted it here.

you connected your gas cooker yourself?

greencap · 09-06-2018 02:27PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

If that were the case everyone should be paid to drive to work, they have the same costs.

Are you suggesting that anyone with an irregular, unpredictable, non-fixed location job does otherwise?

Find me the person who's job is at an unfixed location, at an uncertain time, with no guarantee of workload, who doesn't mention transport costs as part of the wage negotiation.

Monday you're expected in Drogheda.
What's that you say?.....petrol? ....toll charges?.....haw haw haw....why you haven't even done a stitch of work you scrounger.

dr.fuzzenstein · 09-06-2018 02:32PM

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Anyone charging €100 for a call out won't be doing too much travelling.

My plumber is over €100 to call out and that's a fairly average price. The guy who fixed my well was even more and I myself worked as an office technician (printers and copiers) and I cost €130 to call out. The bill for the service on my gas central heating was nightmare inducing. But I gladly pay it. And will I hire some headbanger who does nixers on the cheap? Fcuk no!
The people who call out are not fairies who materialise out of nowhere on a unicorn sleigh, they have to be hired by the company, there has to be a depot, vehicles, tools, training, admin staff, insurance and a million other things.
If people call someone out because the piece of crap, cheapo washing machine they paid €300 is on the fritz, they are not quite clued in as to how this all works.
When I call help there has to be a massive fcuk up that I can't deal with myself.
But when my €200 fridge gives up the ghost it gets booted out the door and I buy a new one.
Unless I can buy a cheap part on the internet and fix it. And I know where I stand with that. If I fcuk up because I'm an idiot, I'm on my own.
I am very happy to pay going rate to proper professionals for the few jobs I can't do.

Agent_47 · 09-06-2018 02:40PM

Today's generation couldn't save themselves €100.
1. They know nothing when it comes to simple electrics or plumbing.
2. They cannot do a simple cost benefit analysis (age of machine versus buying new (free fitment) and estimating the cost of someone calling and doing a repair.

I tore apart a 4 year old washing m/c last year to put new bearings and seal into it, these alone cost £100. My time was free but it took a good day to disassemble and a good day to reassemble. 15 months later and as we speak it is still going strong.

How much is reasonable for a call-out charge these days?

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