What do I do here (poo content)
Discussion
Our loo drain has blocked. It did it a while ago, and we had itnjetted for a cost of £160.
The guy who came recommended a CCTV survey over about one metre, as he thought a tree root might have broken the drain.
W months later, it blocked again, to what might be considered ‘a bit of a problem’, as on no way of flushing the loo, plus ‘backwash’ (the politest way I can put it).
Long story short, it’s easiest to read what I have sent to the firm (slightly redacted). Opinions welcome (even if they are s
tty). Note there was no quote, no hourly charge. I’m obviously going to pay, but am not happy.
?
I will obviously pay this invoice, but I will be paying under protest for the following reasons:
1) I do not understand how £160 for (less than) one hours work jetting can also translate into an additional £325 for a CCTV survey done within the same hour, even taking into account depreciation of equipment/cleaning etc. I completely acknowledge that there would be an additional cost, but an additional >100% is unreasonable given it was done in the same timeframe and did not require an extra visit.
2) This is the second time I’ve had to specifically request an invoice (first time was end of October). Insisting on payment on receipt as per invoice is not reasonable when I have had to remind you to send an invoice. I’m actually having to chase you for the *second* time so I can pay?
3) On attendance, I was told I would get a quote for any further remedial works within the week. Again, I had to remind you to do this, and it still hasn’t happened. I was told (when chasing up where the invoice was) that I would get a call that day (both about the invoice and the quote) which didn’t happen.
The guy who came recommended a CCTV survey over about one metre, as he thought a tree root might have broken the drain.
W months later, it blocked again, to what might be considered ‘a bit of a problem’, as on no way of flushing the loo, plus ‘backwash’ (the politest way I can put it).
Long story short, it’s easiest to read what I have sent to the firm (slightly redacted). Opinions welcome (even if they are s
tty). Note there was no quote, no hourly charge. I’m obviously going to pay, but am not happy.?
I will obviously pay this invoice, but I will be paying under protest for the following reasons:
1) I do not understand how £160 for (less than) one hours work jetting can also translate into an additional £325 for a CCTV survey done within the same hour, even taking into account depreciation of equipment/cleaning etc. I completely acknowledge that there would be an additional cost, but an additional >100% is unreasonable given it was done in the same timeframe and did not require an extra visit.
2) This is the second time I’ve had to specifically request an invoice (first time was end of October). Insisting on payment on receipt as per invoice is not reasonable when I have had to remind you to send an invoice. I’m actually having to chase you for the *second* time so I can pay?
3) On attendance, I was told I would get a quote for any further remedial works within the week. Again, I had to remind you to do this, and it still hasn’t happened. I was told (when chasing up where the invoice was) that I would get a call that day (both about the invoice and the quote) which didn’t happen.
Edited by ChevronB19 on Thursday 12th December 07:46
Not much I can usefully suggest but these 'national' firms are franchises and well known exorbitantly high charges.
But for next time contact RF Angus in Carlisle - I've been using them for years and Steve is a lovely chap and extremely experienced and reasonable.
...check it's not a lateral drain as it may be UU's responsibility and if it's damaged by tree roots or other extraneous cause it may be something your insurers can assist with.
But for next time contact RF Angus in Carlisle - I've been using them for years and Steve is a lovely chap and extremely experienced and reasonable.
...check it's not a lateral drain as it may be UU's responsibility and if it's damaged by tree roots or other extraneous cause it may be something your insurers can assist with.
I had a similar issue recently and rang round to find an actual local guy that turned up an hour later, jetted the ~8m drain run between manholes for 80 quid cash (gave him a ton because that's insane pricing) and he was covered in st at the end of it. He said if it needed a CCTV survey in the future he'd come back and do it for a ton. As per previous poster, anything that's national/franchise is worth avoiding.
t at the end of it. He said if it needed a CCTV survey in the future he'd come back and do it for a ton. As per previous poster, anything that's national/franchise is worth avoiding. ChevronB19 said:
1) I do not understand how £160 for (less than) one hours work jetting can also translate into an additional £325 for a CCTV survey done within the same hour, even taking into account depreciation of equipment/cleaning etc. I completely acknowledge that there would be an additional cost, but an additional >100% is unreasonable given it was done in the same timeframe and did not require an extra visit.
It's not an additional 100%, it's a charge for a different procedure. Perhaps (complete guess here) the company charges £100 for jetting and £200 for CCTV, rather than a simple hourly rate to be on site regardless of what they're doing. Also, when I had my business (different trade) a while back, we used to charge in half day blocks, so you'd pay for half a day whether it took four hours or four minutes (our logic being given the nature of what we did, it was highly unlikely we could do two separate jobs in the same half day so we'd book the whole lot out). This would be on the quotation.And, finally (sorry), it's not for you to understand why the company bills as it does, you don't know the cost of their equipment, maintenance schedules, staffing costs etc etc, it's up to them what they charge, not up to you to decide what you think's reasonable. As you say 'you do not understand'. Hopefully next time you need work doing you'll get fully itemised quotations.
Antony Moxey said:
It's not an additional 100%, it's a charge for a different procedure. Perhaps (complete guess here) the company charges £100 for jetting and £200 for CCTV, rather than a simple hourly rate to be on site regardless of what they're doing. Also, when I had my business (different trade) a while back, we used to charge in half day blocks, so you'd pay for half a day whether it took four hours or four minutes (our logic being given the nature of what we did, it was highly unlikely we could do two separate jobs in the same half day so we'd book the whole lot out). This would be on the quotation.
And, finally (sorry), it's not for you to understand why the company bills as it does, you don't know the cost of their equipment, maintenance schedules, staffing costs etc etc, it's up to them what they charge, not up to you to decide what you think's reasonable. As you say 'you do not understand'. Hopefully next time you need work doing you'll get fully itemised quotations.
Exactly this, I just had a call out fee for £60 and they needed to return the following day, £570 was the total bill because he needed to use 'specialist' equipment.And, finally (sorry), it's not for you to understand why the company bills as it does, you don't know the cost of their equipment, maintenance schedules, staffing costs etc etc, it's up to them what they charge, not up to you to decide what you think's reasonable. As you say 'you do not understand'. Hopefully next time you need work doing you'll get fully itemised quotations.
One metre of cast iron soil pipe.
As above, how they choose their pricing system is entirely up to them as is your option to agree to have them do the work at those prices.
Why not just get yourself a set of rods for <£20 and do it yourself - it's not a pleasant job but easy enough to sort on the couple times we've had a blocked drain.
Why not just get yourself a set of rods for <£20 and do it yourself - it's not a pleasant job but easy enough to sort on the couple times we've had a blocked drain.
OP if I am being honest the sums you are being asked to pay do not seem massively out of the going rate!
Yes we have the poster with someone who will do it for £200 cash but you have employed a large well known company.
Also stop chasing the invoice, that's on them! I would also like to be charged and pay in a timely manner but if they are in capable of doing that then I would just let them be.
Yes we have the poster with someone who will do it for £200 cash but you have employed a large well known company.
Also stop chasing the invoice, that's on them! I would also like to be charged and pay in a timely manner but if they are in capable of doing that then I would just let them be.
My lad works for Anglian Water. Some of the gear he has is epic. If he turns up and it’s homeowners responsibility, he’ll advise as much.
If they’re nice people, he’ll help them out for a cup of tea and a biccie. If they’re aholes, they soon find out it can be an expensive day out.
Clearing a blockage is easy ( With the right expensive equipment) So pricing need to take into account contractor investment.
There’s always going to be shysters, so be nice to the man from your supplier, you never know…
If they’re nice people, he’ll help them out for a cup of tea and a biccie. If they’re a
holes, they soon find out it can be an expensive day out.Clearing a blockage is easy ( With the right expensive equipment) So pricing need to take into account contractor investment.
There’s always going to be shysters, so be nice to the man from your supplier, you never know…
Could someone do a sanity check on this? Doesn’t seem too unreasonable other than costs for concrete/pea gravel etc.
RE: Remedial Works
We recommend replacing the pipework from the toilet and moving inspection chamber in line with the new drain coming
from SVP to elevate bends in pipework plus the installation of new gully line.
We estimate these works to take 1 day to complete.
The cost based on this is:
2 Engineers Labour: £840
New Flat Running Inspection Chamber & Pipe Work: £225
Pea Gravel/Stone/Concrete: £175
Plant Hire: £350
Waste Removal: £175
TOTAL COSTS: £1,765 + VAT
RE: Remedial Works
We recommend replacing the pipework from the toilet and moving inspection chamber in line with the new drain coming
from SVP to elevate bends in pipework plus the installation of new gully line.
We estimate these works to take 1 day to complete.
The cost based on this is:
2 Engineers Labour: £840
New Flat Running Inspection Chamber & Pipe Work: £225
Pea Gravel/Stone/Concrete: £175
Plant Hire: £350
Waste Removal: £175
TOTAL COSTS: £1,765 + VAT
Aluminati said:
My lad works for Anglian Water. Some of the gear he has is epic. If he turns up and it’s homeowners responsibility, he’ll advise as much.
If they’re nice people, he’ll help them out for a cup of tea and a biccie. If they’re aholes, they soon find out it can be an expensive day out.
Clearing a blockage is easy ( With the right expensive equipment) So pricing need to take into account contractor investment.
There’s always going to be shysters, so be nice to the man from your supplier, you never know…
Yeah, I think we've had exactly this experience. Had a blockage in what we thought (perhaps more like hoped?!) was a shared sewer but when the water guy came out he advised it was actually entirely ours. I was making him a brew at the time, and had the charm dial turned upto 11, and I am sure this helped him take the route of just clearing the blockage anyway and heading off without charging us. Perhaps if it had been a more major issue involving repairs etc then it'd be a different story but he was clearly content to exercise discretion in this instance and I am positive it was influenced by how we were with him. I treat everyone with respect of course, but particularly so if I've got something to gain from it! It's why tradesmen eat better biscuits than we do ourselves, but I do sometimes get the leftovers.If they’re nice people, he’ll help them out for a cup of tea and a biccie. If they’re a
holes, they soon find out it can be an expensive day out.Clearing a blockage is easy ( With the right expensive equipment) So pricing need to take into account contractor investment.
There’s always going to be shysters, so be nice to the man from your supplier, you never know…
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