never buying anything ever again.

[sardine]

I ordered a bit of mirror 3mm glass 600 x 450, and had to be rescusitated after I was invoiced for £17 ! I thought a few quid !

That knackered half the profit on a picture frame I restored.

Later the same day I took a look at some shop fitting waste ive got my eye on behind top shop, and came away with a full length mirror 450 x 1660 for nothing.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[Kent]

if your doing something on a low budget or for profit always ask how much before you agree. £17 doesn't sound extortionate to me for a mirror glass cutting and supplied, thing is retail prices of mirrors don't portray true one off cost that because they are made 1000s at a time with optimised materials, machinery and cheap labour. Think everyone gets caught out guessing instead of asking before they go ahead

 

[AndyStobbs]

Seems right enough to me. I don't think I have ever bought mirror glass but I don't find that price expensive.

 

[sardine]

The same firm made me double glazed porthole units for £10 each.

Its the first mirror glass I've ever bought, I've learnt a lesson. Im setting up a glass cutting board covered with felt, and getting one of the oil filled diamond cutters they use. Old mirrors are cheaper than buying new glass.

 

[lexi]

Some of these places take the pi$$ with glass prices. Most glass is cheap.......then marked up.
You are right Sardine.......it is lying around lots of places.

 

[Turbo]

You need to be careful cutting old glass as it hardens with age and it can be difficult to get a cut to break properly. But if the old glass was free you've nothing to lose by trying!

 

[Wedg1e]

You need to be careful cutting old glass as it hardens with age and it can be difficult to get a cut to break properly. But if the old glass was free you've nothing to lose by trying!

Oh, that brings back memories...
My dad was trying to cut some old glass to make a new pane for the greenhouse door, but as you say, every time he scored it, it shattered into a million pieces. Eventually he got so fed up he threw the glass cutter down in disgust, whereupon it bounced off the board he'd been resting on and went through the remaining pane in the greenhouse door!

 

[graffian]

You need to be careful cutting old glass as it hardens with age and it can be difficult to get a cut to break properly. But if the old glass was free you've nothing to lose by trying!

I had trouble cutting old glass, so I left a sheet next to the CH boiler, after a week it cut cleanly with a carbide scribe.
to start with it was hard to break and wouldn't follow a score, after it had been hot it broke really easily and followed the score.

 

[Turbo]

My dad was trying to cut some old glass to make a new pane for the greenhouse door, but as you say, every time he scored it, it shattered into a million pieces.

Would you believe that's how I learned about the problems cutting old glass. My dad eventually gave in & bought new glass already cut to size in the local hardware shop.

If you buy a greenhouse now you'll not have that problem as they're all sheeted with perspex!

 

[AndyStobbs]

The same firm made me double glazed porthole units for £10 each.

Its the first mirror glass I've ever bought, I've learnt a lesson. Im setting up a glass cutting board covered with felt, and getting one of the oil filled diamond cutters they use. Old mirrors are cheaper than buying new glass.

By the time you've got it all set up, you'll want £17 to make a piece for a customer - should someone approach you.

 

[Kent]

Some of these places take the pi$$ with glass prices. Most glass is cheap.......then marked up.
You are right Sardine.......it is lying around lots of places.

Its hard to make a living selling items at £17 each, especially when you yourself have to buy stock in. Its a business and £17 less the vat, less the tax, less the material cost, less the heating, tooling, insurance, professional fees, advertising, rates etc then a wage (if there is one still in it)

 

[lexi]

Yeah..........sell more then. If you expect customer to pay for low volume high profit.?I used to buy tons of glass from glaziers for broken skylight panes. I looked at what they were charging eventually.
Bought the glass, cut it and realized the profit was unbelievable..........still is mostly. People think glass is expensive..........plane glass is cheap like bottles.

 

[Kent]

Yeah..........sell more then. If you expect customer to pay for low volume high profit.?I used to buy tons of glass from glaziers for broken skylight panes. I looked at what they were charging eventually.
Bought the glass, cut it and realized the profit was unbelievable..........still is mostly. People think glass is expensive..........plane glass is cheap like bottles.

And turn away clients who want one off bits of mirror glass rather than break your production I suppose?. Your getting gross and net profit all muddled up here. If the lad cutting it gets say £8 PH if the premises cost £x a day etc. Sorry but most small glass shops willing to take on little one offs shut down over the last 20 yrs for a reason. You remember when most of the now long gone hardware / ironmongers did this, the plumber, etc? Good profit I think not in little jobs and I owned a window and conservatory business for many years and saw the small glass shops close and most of the medium ones if they didn't further expand, its a great shame but everyone needs to make a living

Mirror glass is more expensive than std float by a fair degree as is picture glass etc., etc. We are not talking state owned companies

 

[lexi]

"Your" getting your spelling muddled up Mr Businessman. Small glass shops closed...........why?
It was nothing to do with German double glazing systems and the giant hot glue gun. Plus every Tom Dick and Harry "doing double glazing"?

You'll be trying to justify Everest prices next. Mr Double Glazing eh? Did you supply in any of those Housing estates?

Why is it a great shame that small glass shops closed? Things change. Who wants single pane sash windows with sprigs and Linseed Oil putty?
I was ripping out Crittall windows when there was no money for scrap in them..........by the hundreds in those "housing estates.

Muddled up pricing and profits eh?
Did you sell double glazing? I have many mates who did and also a few who got their BS accreditation on window manufacture. If you did then you will know one of the first rules in business. Yeah? What is it? The price is what the customer or the market will pay. It starts at the top and if it can be had, then so be it. You have never sold Windows at the top price......you know? the one that you thought you would try?
Come on Clark, that's what you guys were famous for

 

[Kent]

Did I sell double glazing? Only a few million pounds worth a year.

 

[lexi]

Along with verbosity and tedium you made comedy sketches too.

 

[Kent]

Nope it was questioned I answered. I only wish I drew a few million a year!

 

[brightspark]

Did I sell double glazing? Only a few million pounds worth a year.

your the guy that has to be booted out of the house that cant take no for an answer then

 

[sardine]

Cup of tea with turbo laxative usually does it .

 

[Kent]

your the guy that has to be booted out of the house that cant take no for an answer then

Nobody ever "booted" me out when I was out selling, I had a looney try and attack me physically once when I was out selling early days if that counts. Hey, people have always poked fun at the double glazing salesman but I am proud of were I started and were I got back when the trade was prosperous. Always thought of writing a book about my time in that trade because many might find it both enlightening and amusing, I might have to heavily edit things though as some of what I lived through people just wouldn't honestly believe.
Yes, I met some sorts