Is everyone having bad jan - feb

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by corky2904, Feb 6, 2008.

  1. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    Shortage of Bathroom fits though and I'm quoting as low as I can.

    That's a downward spiral and no way to grow your business.

    Quality, Style, Elegance, Sophistication, Sparkling, Clean and Modern is what customers want - NOT cheap and nasty.
     
  2. mr_penetrator

    mr_penetrator New Member

    Bit harsh skipper, all of the keywords you mention can still be supplied even if you have to cut your day rate.
    I agree it's no way to grow the business and my prices will fluctuate with demand. When I say I've dropped prices, I'm not talking much but it's better to win a job and earn something than sit at home.

    Cheap doesn't have to be nasty, in fact I don't think price always reflects quality, take Wickes for instance, they fit bathrooms if needed at silly prices for very poor workmanship (in most cases)
     
  3. Jimthecob

    Jimthecob New Member

    Evening all,I am really lucky I am booked up until the end of March,people round here are screeming out for tradesmen and the prices dont seem to bother em they are happy to wait for you and also think nothing of paying a deposit.In the past when I have been slack I got some leaflets printed and went to up market village shops you get the landlord,shopworker,and sometimes the shopper.It really worked for me.My local ares are Wilmslow,Alderley Edge,Prestbury,Macclesfield.These punters have got loadsamoney!!!! cheers muckers.
     
  4. takethemoneyandrun

    takethemoneyandrun New Member

    No! I'm mowed out! Booked till march/apr. Then again I value my life/sanity/joints. I no longer work more than 30 hours a week........................................
    And the punters are still gagging for me....................................................
     
  5. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    If trade is tough it means you are either new (fair enough you have to build your business) In a depressed area ( move) or just not very good - well seek to improve all aspects of your business then.

    You may think this blunt or harsh - that's business -it's not for suckers. Get real, look hard at how you operate, be honest and work hard to improve.

    Price is NOT the key factor in most large domestic jobs.

    Reliability, Reputation, Appearance, Honesty, Punctuality, Cleanliness and above all a stunning job well executed are what people really want.
     
  6. Clarts

    Clarts New Member

    Price is NOT the key factor in most large domestic
    jobs.

    Reliability, Reputation, Appearance, Honesty,
    Punctuality, Cleanliness and above all a stunning job
    well executed are what people really want.


    Thats a very bold statement.
     
  7. corky2904

    corky2904 New Member

    your right captain leaky, im into my second year self employed, last year i advertised generously for about 6 months and got a lot of reccomendations so the need to advertise reduced, i always do a good job, be polite, turn up smart, and i always ensure the customer is 100% happy, i will return to a job within one day, sometimes the same day if there is a problem and rectify it free of charge, and because of this i belive that is why im getting good feedback, however it seems that the need for plumbers for the last three weeks has been non existant, and what im asking is this- Is this the norm for this time of year/ am i panicking for nothing? if so when will it pick up again? are my advertising strategies wrong or in need of improvment, should i take a look at the cowboys domain? that being the yellow pages??
     
  8. arfurrrr

    arfurrrr New Member

    corky , choose a posh street , do a leaflet drop . following week at night and armed with stop cock tap , turn 1 off . the one with the best car , biggest house . pray you get call next day or park up a few door up .
     
  9. HOTDOG ø

    HOTDOG ø Active Member

    It's just market forces - there are far far too many short course plumbers all chasing the easy jobs. Many of these short course plumbers not only have limited experience in plumbing, they have very limited experience in being self employed and running a business. It's not easy!

    Plumbing work has always been seasonal with heating work busy in the winter and bathrooms busy in the spring & summer. Skilled plumbers know this and have the skills to tackle varied work in season.

    Even a skilled plumber starting out being self employed can expect to find things tough during the first two or three years - that is normal for any new business venture.

    I see experienced plumbers and plumbing companies absolutely bombarded with work and absolutely flat out all the time and in the same area an abundance of newbies wondering where the work is.

    Getting work is NOT about price ( it is a factor true but NOT the be all and end all)

    Customers want the RIGHT PRODUCT delivered ON TIME to a HIGH STANDARD at the RIGHT PRICE....and that is how their thought processes work.

    So if you are finding it tough then budget for advertising, develop your sales and marketing skills and when you have a job do it really really well, and in a few years you too will be swamped with work.

    Sadly there are far to many newbie plumbers and many will fail, but a few will succeed - those who have good business skills as well as good plumbing skills.
     
  10. mr_penetrator

    mr_penetrator New Member

    Looking at last years diary compared to this year things are pretty much the same and picked up at the end of Feb for me.

    Hotdog, agree with every aspect of your post. Even being new to the trade I've been in business since 89 and know how to market my trade/products, my advertising budget is reasonable but generally effective.

    I'd be the first to admit that my plumbing experience isn't exactly vast compared to a lot of you guys but I am very conscientious and won't take on what I can't do and have some very good friends in the trade for back up, a few are passing me work under their banner. I'm also getting mostly reccomendations now so my work ethics must be at a standard appreciated by the paying public.

    I seem to be getting 2-3 calls a day for minor work, just seems that bathrooms are at a premium round here at the moment. I won't panic yet, this time last year I was just starting out self employed and spent the majority of my time posting flyers.

    Leaky, sound advice as always squire
     
  11. tightenit

    tightenit New Member

    Jobbing plumbers tend to keep steady.Everyone needs a leak fixed or pan installed. 10 - 12 jobs a week - sorted. I've noticed over the past ten years or so that customers want a 'package' ie an inclusive show where they can pay with finance and someone else finds the tiler, sparky etc. People will pay for that service - but only if they have the money.
    It is nonsense to suggest that the economy is doing anything other than falling flat on it's face. Sure there are still places where money is changing hands but for most of us in dreary little places time's are tough and getting tougher.
    Walk past your local pubs midweek and look at how their trade has dropped, or your local shops even.It's the same tenner flying between tills.
    Best to face up to a very difficult year or two ahead, and watch out for cheap vans, tools and workshop clearouts as folk go bust.Happened in the 70's, 80's and 90's so here we go, here we go, here we go!!!!
     
  12. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    I could do with some new cheap vans!

    Ah! So nice to finish early on a Friday...but I have still got prospective customers to visit, letters to do, wages to pay. :(

    Musn't grumble, it could be worse :)
     
  13. v12man

    v12man New Member

    Ah! Captn

    I am not the only one sat at home on this lovely Friday afternoon then! Last job of the week cancelled because BG have run out of radiators? Yeah right, perhaps they should open a SFix account!!

    So I had to pop down to the specilaist exhaust shop and order some nice new ss tailpipes for the
    Jag.

    Plumbers cannot be seen driving around in tattered vans at the weekend, its not right!!
     
  14. bathroom boy

    bathroom boy New Member

    Iv'e just had 3 jobs confirmed and a strong possible for April, what a difference a few days make, funny old game this and as soon as I get stuck into a bathroom you can bet the phone will not stop ringing for small jobs, if I could line up all the small jobs I turn down I would have steady work for ever.
     
  15. v12man

    v12man New Member

    Don't get too excited mate!

    I have heard that theres going to a drought in the summer, and we will all be out of jobs as there will be no water!
     
  16. bathroom boy

    bathroom boy New Member

    I bought a dozen garden taps last year and only fitted one due to the poor summer, I don't believe any of this global warming rubbish.
     
  17. v12man

    v12man New Member

    We spend most of the summer fitting solar panels, so I am not complaining!!!!
     
  18. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    I have heard that theres going to a drought in the summer, and we will all be out of jobs as there will be no water!

    We'll all be fitting air-con then :)
     
  19. v12man

    v12man New Member

    Now thats where you have got it wrong! It will be so hot that air con won't work,and we will all have to live underground!
     
  20. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    ...digging holes then
     

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