Useless heating service people rant!

[keithski122]

I did everything that is not recommended in choosing my builder, I got his number from the chap that did my plans.His price was £27k(no vat) compared to the £40 ish k from others.Found no signs of him online but was at the same school as me a few years before.I went to see one previous customer who gave him five stars.No contract, no receipts, cash every few weeks, given bank numbers for suppliers to pay direct.However both him and the chap who worked with him turned up every day on time, clean and tidy site, did everything I asked for, the building control guy said his work was top notch and every one whos seen the work says what a good job he did including my neighbour who does quaility control for a big building company.

 

[jimbo84]

Or cocked up the wiring

When we moved into our current house whoever had installed the heating had made a mess of the wiring, wasn't done in any of the usual plans and they'd managed to do it so that you could only have hot water with the central heating on previous owners obviously weren't bothered by it as they hadn't sorted it in 7 years. Reterminated everything properly and works ok now.

 

[gaz1]

just so you know

https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/purpose-of-gate-valve-on-hot-water-tank.22657/

 

[northwest]

I will also counter it a bit with the fact there are some awful customers out there and there are quite a few tradesmen who are a bit "gun shy" now. If anyone asks me to do a job of work and concludes with: "if you do a good job of that there is plenty more for you to do" or similar, the translation is: "I want you to do this for free and in return I will get my mates to use you". Likelihood is I am probably too busy to take the job on.

 

[dyno-tron]

just so you know

https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/purpose-of-gate-valve-on-hot-water-tank.22657/

Thanks for the link, that confirms what I assumed. The only further problem from last night was some kettling, but that was solved by turning the boiler temp down. HW plenty hot enough, CH now working :-)

 

[dyno-tron]

Looks like there are a lot of chancers in the building trades now. Just a thought, maybe the good ones are keeping their heads down incase they are overwhelmed with work they have no hope of getting round to doing!

 

[earthman]

I do as much as I can myself which is nearly everything. It’s not so much because I want or need to, it’s because at least I’ll know it’s done properly.

Same here, I only work part time anyhow so couldn't afford to pay for any of these cowboys in the first place. Lol

 

[gaz1]

Thanks for the link, that confirms what I assumed. The only further problem from last night was some kettling, but that was solved by turning the boiler temp down. HW plenty hot enough, CH now working :-)

with most things if the hw is calling for heat it should but i prefer hot water fast and normally dont fit that bypass valve ( all plumbers are different though)

to have that bypass in when the central heating and hot water is calling for heat is stupid as it will always go the path of least resistance

i also prefer non trv on bathroom rad all rest have them on

for stairs id do away with top valve and fit a trv on it downstairs rad will shut off the upstairs rad as heat always rises
but make sure it has no trv on bathroom rad

normally 2 visits to rads is required to properly set them most plumbers set them at 1/4 turn to equal rads out more so that first rad

ive always hated first rad fitted with a non prv valve on them the system never works properly that way

most boilers have a bypass valve on them but council cheap bought ones dont and also goes for the cheap bought boilers as well

 

[dobbslc]

I do everything myself,if I can. The ONLY time I have given in was last year with the replacement garden path. Guess what I am doing in the Spring? I cannot bring myself to talk about it as I lose it for a little while. Absolute tosser.

Same here with the above wall footings^

I don't normally let this stuff go but it was doing my head in and my wife too.
He also didn't think to tell me that he hadn't broken through the clay layer while digging my new soakaway as his machine wasn't big enough, first I knew was constant flooding all last winter! When I called him he confessed that it was still solid clay when he installed the soakaway crates.
I've since found it's a very deep clay bed that we can't get through so have installed a pumping system instead.
It would have saved me lots of time, money, aggravation and stress if he had said something when he was on the bloody job!!!

 

[gaz1]

When I called him he confessed that it was still solid clay when he installed the soakaway crates.
I've since found it's a very deep clay bed that we can't get through so have installed a pumping system instead.
It would have saved me lots of time, money, aggravation and stress if he had said something when he was on the bloody job!!!

I cant see why not to be honest at work today freezing and snow the person living there must be freezing central heating on full belt and a loverly 2" gap in the door frame fitted a piece of wood off cut just to block off the hole across the door top and one down the side fit some screws on inside of the door and suggested she fit a single cover or single duvet over the door

at least it would warm up the place a good bit

ive interfered often with some jobs some times a suggestion and leave it in your hands is better than saying nothing

the one thing that really bugs me the most happens to be bookworms in most trades they think they know but when it comes to practice they know nothing

I hate them the most within council planning they really should employ ex builders that did good work know the job and its work arounds some stuff are so stupid what they demand you fit more on putting more and more weight and strain upon many buildings out there

 

[Munkul]

f anyone asks me to do a job of work and concludes with: "if you do a good job of that there is plenty more for you to do" or similar, the translation is: "I want you to do this for free and in return I will get my mates to use you".

That's a shame... up here in my neck of the woods it seems, ""if you do a good job of that there is plenty more for you to do" means "if you do a good job of that there is plenty more for you to do"

 

[Olderisbetter]

I am shocked how the lack off thought in some trades is allowed to go on, just sorted a gas warm blown air heating system that British gas and a specialist failed to diagnose unless you consider a £6,000 and £10,000 quote to be a fix, a thermocouple and a fuse needed to be replaced the best excuse i have ever got from a trades person yet is "it had two faults so it was a goner" £20 for parts and a drink for my mate to come out and do it as he is gas safe.

 

[brightspark]

I will also counter it a bit with the fact there are some awful customers out there and there are quite a few tradesmen who are a bit "gun shy" now. If anyone asks me to do a job of work and concludes with: "if you do a good job of that there is plenty more for you to do" or similar, the translation is: "I want you to do this for free and in return I will get my mates to use you". Likelihood is I am probably too busy to take the job on.

ive heard that crap many times do this job for me cheap and il get you loads of work .instantly i put the price up for them and tell em i dont want anymore work . its called dangle the carrot but not for me it aint