Tradesman Call Out fees

[Julie-Ann]

Yesterday I had to pay $118 for a tradesman to tighten 4 screws inside my washing machine:eek:. It seems an incredibly high price for such a simple job. And since I had forgotten he was coming and was in my short, pink silk robe you would think he could have given me a discount;).

The cheapest call out fee we have ever had was when my DH was putting up a picture and drilled straight through the gas pipe:eek:. Just as well I knew how to turn off the gas. But is was a Sunday afternoon. We pulled out the local paper and looked up plumbers. The 1st chap was going to charge $100 before he stepped inside the door, we understandably were disturbing his Sunday. The next chap though only charged us $80 to fix the whole thing which took about 40 minutes. He now does all the plumbing work for my kitchen and bathroom renovations.

So have you been charged any nightmare or bargain call out fees by tradesmen?

[Lanne]

Well a pink robe discount seems reasonable.. but

(and excuse me for the unpopular response to follow).... (my washine machine currently needs a guy and i dont want to pay ... so dont get me wrong here)

i think that is perfectly reasonable - and here is why..

He is qualified to do that thing. whether he did a 6 week tafe course or an internal training with the washing machine person or a 4 year electrical apprentiship.. whatever.

Someone trained him. He paid or they did. It cost $

He has a skill you don't, sure we can all turn four screws.. but which screws and water and electricity and ugh.. let the guy do it.

He drove to your house.The van/car costs money. Possibly lots of it.

He needs a wage. He spent 30 mins? doing that. He drove away from your house and to the next one. He was at your house for a period of time (short or long). He could have been longer for the same price probably.

He bought tools that cost money.

He has insurance of some or many types.

He has to do bookwork to process the funds, he also has to pay for a bank account to keep it in, stationary to give you a receipt. He has a computer, software, internet, advertisting... if it isnt a single guy then it is a company who does have all those things and probably has 3 or 4 people per screw turner. None of those people raise income... the guy who knows how to turn the screw does. He feeds all of them and keeps the lights on.


I don't say any of this harshly (things are often read wrong online) I just think.. wow. He sure does cover a lot for the $118.

[Julie-Ann]

Hi Lanne
No offence taken:)
I'm just a scrooge and he got a coffee and a good perve of my legs, which are still in good condition:D. I was hoping for some discount.
Actually he is a lovely chap who I have gotten to know too well because this washing machine keeps breaking down.
I was stunned the plumber was so cheap for a Sunday afternoon. I certainly wouldn't go out on a Sunday for $80.

[Milena]

An unusual tradesman we needed to call was about 4 years ago in our old house. We found a swarm of bees making themselves at home under the front roof. We immediately called a pest control guy. Sure, he could come and have a look, if we had $105 to pay him. It was a Sunday and we needed to drive a little way to find an ATM to get the money, and we certainly could have done other things with the money at the time than have to pay to get rid of some the bees. So we definitely felt it was painful to have to do.

Anyway, the man arrived, checked out the situation then sprayed the swarm of bees with some chemical. After a few minutes, he came and asked for a dustpan and brush which we gave him, and he proceeded to sweep up panfulls of bees off the driveway and into a plastic bag. And then told us it was the second swarm he had done in our suburb that day.

So in the end, we hated having to pay out $105 that we really could have done without paying, but it was worth it given the danger involved. We could even see wax on the wall were the bees had obviously started making combs. Scary. Not exactly a bargain, but in the end probably worth it. But then, dh could have gone to Bunnings and bought an outdoor Mortein spraypack, put a lace curtain over his head, and done it for half the price :)

[Lanne]

I hear you. My 18 month old washing machine is growing mould at the rate of knots under the bowl. I have cleaned it for 12 hours this week. TWELVE... all because the stupid council insist that our machine is fed on tank water because we have a new home. *dont get me started*

A man will have to come and pull it apart so i can clean it out. ... only to use tank water again and probably start it all over again!.

I hear you. I just also get why it is $118