On 15 Oct 2015 at 1:58pm Two sides to every story wrote:
Maybe they got the vibe you're a whinging, moaning drama queen.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 2:05pm Zebedee wrote:
You wouldn't by any chance be an 'unreliable plumber'?
On 15 Oct 2015 at 2:16pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
Yes, I've had similar experiences. They'll happily install a boiler for you, but if it goes wrong or needs a service, phone calls are rarely returned. I've always tried to support local traders, but ended up switching to British Gas, who came when they said they were going to and did the job properly. I'll try Andy when my British Gas contract runs out.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 3:14pm Rookie wrote:
I've known Andy Steadman since primary school days. Top bloke. He's done a few jobs for me and all excellent.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 3:59pm Celine wrote:
I too have had problems with Lewes plumbers. Reluctantly I now use one from Brighton.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 5:12pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
As I seem to have been sarcastically dragged into this I feel must offer some rediress
Let me relay a typical phone conversation I get almost every day
Phone: ring ring
Me: hello (name)
Caller, always a woman: hello is that the plumber ?
Me: it is what can I do for you?
Caller: oh, please can you call around we've got no hot water
Me: ((after getting details) ok I can pop around later this afternoon today and have a look
Caller: I'm not going to be around then
Me: how about tomorrow?
Caller: tomorrow's not good either. I'm around Friday though not between 8 and 12 or 1.30 to 5 and obviously I'll be out for the school run
Me (deep sigh) ok I don't coming Saturday morning
Caller: I've got yoga in the morning then my nieces birthday to go to
I should be home by 7
Me: that's going to be a little late to start getting involved in your hot water problems. How about Monday?
Caller: oh we can't possibly go without hot water that long I'll try some else
On 15 Oct 2015 at 5:24pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
Or how about this one
Caller: my boiler has stopped working. How much will it cost to fix ?
Me: hold on a minuet while I fire up my crystal ball…
On 15 Oct 2015 at 5:25pm Davey and Son wrote:
Where's my post?
On 15 Oct 2015 at 6:28pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I use two local plumbers, one for the boiler and one for things like replacing taps. Both very reliable, reasonable and accommodating.
I think the OP may have been unlucky.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 6:52pm Jo wrote:
Builders and roofers are the same.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 7:00pm Jude wrote:
We use Derek Wills. Very reliable, honest and prompt response.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 7:53pm Zebedee wrote:
No idea who you are 'reliable plumber' but that's not anything like the call I had with any of the plumbers I contacted. If you are reliable i guess using your real name should not be a problem. What do you think?
On 15 Oct 2015 at 8:06pm uckfield baz wrote:
stop going on its done and dusted
On 15 Oct 2015 at 8:21pm Reliable Plumber wrote:
My real name? On here ?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
(Walks away shaking his head)
Maybe you should post yours
On 15 Oct 2015 at 9:26pm woody_2 wrote:
It depends on how much they've got on, which doesn't necessarily relate to now good they are as most people by cheap & then regret it. Andy is good, did a lot in Lewes, grew & took on a few dodgy plumber subbies who let him down - a familiar story. Shrank back onto the tools & great, depending on how much is subbed out - again a familiar story of most of the bigger (i.e. more than 1 man) plumbers in town. Brian Beckingham is great but semi-retired & moved out of Lewes - a great loss. I'd have to agree - most plumbers are used to dealing with sh*t, which in their eyes is most of us !
On 15 Oct 2015 at 10:05pm Chap wrote:
Precisely my experience recently. Used a firm from Brighton - they were good so it clearly isn't impossible to be customer-friendly, despite many firms in Lewes giving that impression.
On 15 Oct 2015 at 10:27pm painter wrote:
Hope Andy added on agro money as you sound like a nob. Can we have your real name to blacklist? Treat trades with respect and you'll find it reciprocated. Simple really
On 16 Oct 2015 at 9:05am Zebedee wrote:
Painter. What, treat people who don't turn up and don't get in touch with respect? What planet are you on?
BTW. I usually pay a day rate... as it saves hassle and the people I use are trustworthy and we get on. Thankfully I am sorted for a decorator.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 7:44pm Leaky Len wrote:
While we're on the subject, what is an average plumbers rate?
I've been quoted anything from 200 to 450 per day
On 16 Oct 2015 at 8:14pm Peevesy wrote:
As a builder I was sickened to find the plumber we use on site swearing at the newspaper. Not only would he swear at the paper but he would scratch himself around the bottom and bite. He is a Lewes plumber although he may originally be from Kingston, before it was posh mind, so he could be a borderline Lewesian. I'm sure my granddad wouldn't have known his granddad or at least would have avoided him if he also scratched and swore. Anyway regardless of whether he is actually a 'Lewes' plumber. He was a git so we binned him off and hired a bloke from Hailsham. He nicked everything. Some you win some you Lewes, as they say in Crowborough
On 16 Oct 2015 at 8:32pm Zebedee wrote:
These are the 'normal' rates (discerned in the last year whilst developing two properties):
Electrician and Plumber: £200 a day (always, oddly).
Chippy, tiler, roofer, plasterer, builder etc: £130 to £160 a day
Decorators: £100-£130
Labourer: £60-£100 (usually dependant upon age)
VAT: Best avoided by private individuals who can't claim it back
Cash rates are negotiable
Hope this helps.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 8:33pm Peevesy wrote:
I won't get out of bed for less than 180 a day mush.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 8:34pm painter wrote:
The heading to your thread indicates how you view tradesmen in general. That shows a lack of respect methinks. We can tell an awkward customer within seconds on the phone.Maybe they didn't show for their enjoyment at knowing you are waiting and seething away at home
On 17 Oct 2015 at 5:29am HMRC wrote:
@ Zebedee,If your builder is not Vat reg then he cant be very busy and therefor not very good I might suggest
On 17 Oct 2015 at 7:12am Peevesy wrote:
There's the building industry and then there's everyone else. Without the building industry there isn't anything. No hospitals, schools, houses, factories, nurseries, shops, roads even. It wouldn't be much fun visiting Rome to see the giant field where Rome wasn't because the builders got fed up with the public slating them and packed it in. It's soft handed envy mainly that leads to this sort of sniping. Recommendation and reputation is the only way to choose a tradesman and being below the VAT threshold doesn't indicate a lack of quality in the slightest . At £82000 turnover the one man band who isn't chasing the dollar is well below that and he doesn't have to be a criminal to be so. No wonder there is regular contempt between tradesman and people that pretend to work.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 7:12am Zebedee wrote:
Painter. You have no idea. I am a ex-tradesman myself, and numbers of people have worked for me for years, always returning when asked, always reliable, always enjoyable to work with.
HMRC. People work in different ways. Some builders prefer a day rate and the developer to organise the job and materials.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 7:18am Peevesy wrote:
What was your trade sir?
On 17 Oct 2015 at 9:18am Davey and son wrote:
Why 5 thumbs down? Have you looked on the net and seen how good for Lewes Mr. Davey was? Do any of you even remember their shop and their small workforce? Dead right about the soft handed pen pushing DFL's . Cue more thumbs down.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 11:56am Reliable Plumber wrote:
I remember them, just. Can't see how any of their workforce is still alive. Tell me, what relavence does mentioning them on this thread have? Or is it just another 'I'm more Lewes than you' thing?
I bet you worked down the foundry or the cement works.
Or both :-/
On 17 Oct 2015 at 4:12pm I'm alive wrote:
And possibly my mentor from Davey's is too. No names but he was an excellent plumber. Drove a green Hillman imp ( new @ the time) smoked small cigars and was always singing a few lines from " Fly me to the moon " and " Moonlight and roses " . 2 govenors, one in the office and one out on the road in a knackered Anglia Van. Happy Days; and I moved on to a bigger firm and spent a few decades as a plumber after finishing my apprenticeship. The relevance is they are part of Old Lewes, I never lived in the town but hold Davey's, Bonfire, The Rainbow, and other Lewes things in high esteem.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 4:54pm Oh Well wrote:
All very nostalgic but what's it got to do with the current bandits?
On 17 Oct 2015 at 5:51pm painter wrote:
Zebedee: Your plumber never returned. Was he not content?
On 17 Oct 2015 at 6:16pm I'm alive wrote:
Well things ain't what they used to be are they ? That's the relevance.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 8:13pm Zebedee wrote:
@painter. Andy Steadman has returned. The others never turned up!
@peevesy. Isn't it obvious? I was a plumber and heating engineer! :-)
On 17 Oct 2015 at 8:18pm painter wrote:
You are full of shi'ite
On 17 Oct 2015 at 8:50pm Zebedee wrote:
@ Painter. The sentiment is entirely mutual I can assure you. It's a shame you aren't able to read well well enough to comprehend the situation (or sadder still, perhaps you just don't have the capacity).
On 17 Oct 2015 at 8:53pm Glazier wrote:
Painter, you've ingested too much lead based paint.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 9:45pm painter wrote:
Is your reluctance to disclose your trade down to the reason that you do not want to be outed as a fraud Zeber-Zebedee?
On 18 Oct 2015 at 2:41pm Zebedee wrote:
Ah I see, its that you can't read painter! If you read upwards you'll see I said quite clearly what I used to do.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 10:14pm painter wrote:
I took that as irony. So you were a heating engineer who is seeking a heating engineer.
Okay. Not very good then?
On 19 Oct 2015 at 3:03pm Zebedee wrote:
Gawd. You take the cake 'painter'!
I am an 'ex'-heating and plumbing engineer (as is made plain above) and as such am not able to certify pressurised hot water installations.