Phone Call Today

[uksparks]

Me: Hello, how can I help?

Them: I need you to replace my board

Me: ok, so you want a new consumer unit, no problem.

Them: I have the board, I just need you to fit it.

Me: o....k, I would not usually fit a board for someone supplied by the customer unless a specific type that I usually fit

Them: why?

Me: because it might be a heat of crap, what make did you buy?

Them: it's LAP...

Me: not a chance I am fitting that. Who advised you do buy a new board anyway?

Them: I'm a Part P approved electrician but I can't do it my self?

Me: if you are Part P Approved them what you are saying is you are registered with a body who has given you the Part P status andon that basis there's no reason you can't do it yourself.

Them: I am part p but dont have my 17th...

Me: right o, well if you want me to do it I need to supply it for you as I'm not fitting LAP.

Them: bye then

 

[Rockingit]

Always good to know that there's people out there more messed up than us! Jeez, talk about someone not having the first clue. You should have taken their name and run it through the register, see what came out.

 

[dean.diy]

Priceless. This should be shown to those select committees by the feller on here who goes up to the Houses of Parliament .

 

[Guest77]

Me: Hello, how can I help?

Them: I need you to replace my board

Me: ok, so you want a new consumer unit, no problem.

Them: I have the board, I just need you to fit it.

Me: o....k, I would not usually fit a board for someone supplied by the customer unless a specific type that I usually fit

Them: why?

Me: because it might be a heat of crap, what make did you buy?

Them: it's LAP...

Me: not a chance I am fitting that. Who advised you do buy a new board anyway?

Them: I'm a Part P approved electrician but I can't do it my self?

Me: if you are Part P Approved them what you are saying is you are registered with a body who has given you the Part P status andon that basis there's no reason you can't do it yourself.

Them: I am part p but dont have my 17th...

Me: right o, well if you want me to do it I need to supply it for you as I'm not fitting LAP.

Them: bye then

I agree with you, I would insist on supplying the kit as well, and how can a partP enthusiast not be 17th? I thought these 17 day courses were pat testing and 17th all thrown in together lol

 

[valleybilly]

He's probably only B/C rated under part P registration & so cannot fit new curcuits/boards etc & for good reasons . Product knowledge aside ' atleast he is sticking to his limits under which he is signed up for and should be applauded for it unlike most diy'ers.

 

[Englishman]

Me: Hello, how can I help?

Them: I need you to replace my board

Me: ok, so you want a new consumer unit, no problem.

Them: I have the board, I just need you to fit it.

Me: o....k, I would not usually fit a board for someone supplied by the customer unless a specific type that I usually fit

Them: why?

Me: because it might be a heat of crap, what make did you buy?

Them: it's LAP...

Me: not a chance I am fitting that. Who advised you do buy a new board anyway?

Them: I'm a Part P approved electrician but I can't do it my self?

Me: if you are Part P Approved them what you are saying is you are registered with a body who has given you the Part P status andon that basis there's no reason you can't do it yourself.

Them: I am part p but dont have my 17th...

Me: right o, well if you want me to do it I need to supply it for you as I'm not fitting LAP.

Them: bye then

Well he took your advice and found a Schneider one but couldn't get Schneider breakers, he's in a right mess now thanks to you.

 

[telectrix]

come on, uk, own up. it was more than 10 minutes drive is why you refused the job. :74:

 

[Guest55]

folk must be inundated with work to turn down a profitable job just cos you dont like a particular brand of product that the customer has bought.

i wouldnt let such frivolous preferences get in the way of good business.

 

[tazz]

Bet it was Dingledong...phoning you up, for revenge ....!!

 

[trev]

I have to agree with Biff here Tom. You've turned down a job just because you don't like what the gadgie is supplying, that's like a decorator turning down a job because he doesn't like the wallpaper.

 

[Guest55]

just to add , nearly all the top 10 CU brands are almost certainly produced by the same 2 or 3 manufacturers in the far east.

a mute point that has escaped the OP........

;-)

 

[telectrix]

and best of it is, you don't have to guarantee materials.

 

[Guest55]

and best of it is, you don't have to guarantee materials.

or pay for them out of your own pocket.......

 

[trev]

I've been to look at a job this afternoon where I was presented with a Proteus CU. I told the couple my concerns about it and that they should take it back, pay a few quid more but get an infinitely better one but they're adamant they want this piece of crap installed.
There's about £800 worth of graft there. Maybe I should pedal them and let one of my competitors pick this up + all the inevitable spin offs.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

LAP is produced for Screwfix by Sylvania or something like that. I have used several of their products, sockets, switches, fused connection units, cooker outlets etc... but wasn't aware of the DBs. Seems good quality. What's the issue?

Also, I have had very good experiences with British General (also bought from Screwfix) and some members on here agree and some think it's rubbish.

Surely all this stuff has to meet British Standards so why all the brand snobbery? I've had more trouble recently with MK (once the creme de la creme).

 

[uksparks]

It wasn't too far to drive, probably 15 mins...

i i have a lot of work on at the moment, he was also not the type of customer I prefere to do business with.

i like some lap stuff, I don't think there consumer units are very good, I did give him a few options but he was admitent about using that board.

calle stupid for turning it down but I'm stacked out at the moment and didn't need the business.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

It wasn't too far to drive, probably 15 mins...

i i have a lot of work on at the moment, he was also not the type of customer I prefere to do business with.

i like some lap stuff, I don't think there consumer units are very good, I did give him a few options but he was admitent about using that board.

calle stupid for turning it down but I'm stacked out at the moment and didn't need the business.

It's often stated in 'starting up on my own' threads about how important it is to be able to 'sniff out' potentially problematic customers. It sounds to me like you smelled a bad on. Hairy muff and good on you.

 

[uksparks]

You will probably find that he will use it for a part P assessment in the near future should I have done it for him

 

[rapparee]

You will probably find that he will use it for a part P assessment in the near future should I have done it for him

You're just right. I had a fella one time who wanted me to change his cu, he had taken it upon himself to price a cu £30 but couldnt understand that i would also have to get mcbs/rcds. He wanted to know how much i was an hour and how many hours it would take to replace the board, the concept of taking time to identify circuits was beyond him (all circuits were piggy backed off four rewirable fuses) i got the feeling every £ was a prisoner with this fella so i bluffed my way out of it and let somebody else do it.

 

[edexlab]

I've had a similar call to this but the whole thing smelt to me of someone wanting to watch a competent person do the job as a learning experience, so they could then go out and do this kind of work themselves!