The British workman.........
22 March 2006, 04:00 PM
#1
The British workman.........
Not all bad, I know, BUT:
Got called to wife's school, where the seat on the staff WC was coming off.
It's a back to the wall pan with hidden cistern, and local plumber had said it needed expensive new parts, and the pan removed to refit the seat as you can't get at the nut underneath to tighten it, once the pan is against the wall. Stupid design!
Workman 1, whoever installed the pan, put it in place, after fitting the seat, then tightened the seat an extra turn with the screwdriver top of the plastic screw, and sheared it off.
Rather than admit what he'd done, and/or get the proper parts, he attempted to "glue" the seat hinge in place by gobbing silicone in the hole and under the hinge plate
Needless to say, it lasted just long enough for the school to be responsible for any problems
Workman 2, as detailed above, was all set to remove the pan etc to fit a new part.....with the associated costs, of course.
I looked at it, walked to the local hardware shop, bought an M4 spring toggle, and a repair washer, removed the toggle, passed the screw through the fitting, replaced toggle, passed toggle into toilet pan hole, and tightened it.
Total time was less than 15 minutes, INCLUDING walking to the hardware shop and back, and total cost was 21p, of which 1p for the repair washer.
Who wants to bet that BOTH workmen were CORGI registered?
Alcazar
Got called to wife's school, where the seat on the staff WC was coming off.
It's a back to the wall pan with hidden cistern, and local plumber had said it needed expensive new parts, and the pan removed to refit the seat as you can't get at the nut underneath to tighten it, once the pan is against the wall. Stupid design!
Workman 1, whoever installed the pan, put it in place, after fitting the seat, then tightened the seat an extra turn with the screwdriver top of the plastic screw, and sheared it off.
Rather than admit what he'd done, and/or get the proper parts, he attempted to "glue" the seat hinge in place by gobbing silicone in the hole and under the hinge plate
Needless to say, it lasted just long enough for the school to be responsible for any problems
Workman 2, as detailed above, was all set to remove the pan etc to fit a new part.....with the associated costs, of course.
I looked at it, walked to the local hardware shop, bought an M4 spring toggle, and a repair washer, removed the toggle, passed the screw through the fitting, replaced toggle, passed toggle into toilet pan hole, and tightened it.
Total time was less than 15 minutes, INCLUDING walking to the hardware shop and back, and total cost was 21p, of which 1p for the repair washer.
Who wants to bet that BOTH workmen were CORGI registered?
Alcazar
22 March 2006, 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by davegtt
Thought Plumbers have to be corgi registered too?
22 March 2006, 04:44 PM
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Lack of Ingenuity ? Effect lots of people !
And the way to cover up for it is to charge lots and buy lots of new parts !
Richard
And the way to cover up for it is to charge lots and buy lots of new parts !
Richard
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22 March 2006, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by rsarjantson
Lack of Ingenuity ? Effect lots of people !
And the way to cover up for it is to charge lots and buy lots of new parts !
Richard
And the way to cover up for it is to charge lots and buy lots of new parts !
Richard
If they can rip people off they will. It's called living in the UK.
22 March 2006, 08:08 PM
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We've got a barn conversion going near us, and every morning, 5 builders, with cup of tea and *** in hand, stand and look at the hole, by the barn, for at least half an hour 
22 March 2006, 09:32 PM
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What? Sounds like you didn't do a proper job at all.
Nowhere do you mention sucking air through your teeth, suggesting "It's gonna cost you" or requesting that the kettle be put on.
Amatuer
Nowhere do you mention sucking air through your teeth, suggesting "It's gonna cost you" or requesting that the kettle be put on.
Amatuer
22 March 2006, 10:43 PM
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Funnily enough, I've been moaning about this recently. The mother-in-law is having a new kitchen fitted. She was quoted 3 days to do the job, they started on 3rd December and it's still not even close to being finished.
Similarly a mate is having an big extension done. He's wondering what British law makes it illegal for more than one type of workman to be on site at any given moment.
Similarly a mate is having an big extension done. He's wondering what British law makes it illegal for more than one type of workman to be on site at any given moment.
22 March 2006, 10:47 PM
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Originally Posted by NotoriousREV
Similarly a mate is having an big extension done. He's wondering what British law makes it illegal for more than one type of workman to be on site at any given moment.
22 March 2006, 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by RON
I'm working at a job at themoment, today we had one plumber, one electricain, two blokes outside rendering, and me putting insualtion down on the floors and helping the plumber lay his pipework......
22 March 2006, 11:33 PM
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Ahh but do you have liability insurance, and are you on the council's list of approved contractors? if not, they'll have to get a crack squad in to rip the whole thing out for 'health and safety reasons'
23 March 2006, 01:13 PM
#21
Originally Posted by TopBanana
Ahh but do you have liability insurance, and are you on the council's list of approved contractors? if not, they'll have to get a crack squad in to rip the whole thing out for 'health and safety reasons'
Alcazar
23 March 2006, 06:33 PM
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I've got to say all you have done is a DIY bodge, you will find that within a week you will have rust stains all around the seat from urine attacking the toggle bolt.
Workman 2 was doing the repair correctly and the cost would reflect that.
All IMHO of course.
Mog
Workman 2 was doing the repair correctly and the cost would reflect that.
All IMHO of course.
Mog
23 March 2006, 09:18 PM
#23
Originally Posted by Mog
I've got to say all you have done is a DIY bodge, you will find that within a week you will have rust stains all around the seat from urine attacking the toggle bolt.
Workman 2 was doing the repair correctly and the cost would reflect that.
All IMHO of course.
Mog
Workman 2 was doing the repair correctly and the cost would reflect that.
All IMHO of course.
Mog
Ever heard of stainless steel, mate?
I even removed the ORIGINAL ordinary steel washer, that was under the OE plastic bolt, and replaced it with a stainless one.
Who's the bodger here?
Oh, and my repair cost the school 21p. A "proper" plumber repair?
Alcazar
24 March 2006, 12:17 AM
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alcazar, Don't want to upset you, but we try to build a rep thats good. We're chased hard by companies that employ foriegn workers. Problem is they don't always provide the correct insurance. Infact their insurance isn't worth the paper its written on. (if its written at all)
I try to pay the highest rate possible. My reasoning being the better their paid the harder they'll work, hence the less stress putting right **** ups by idiot's.
Some people don't adhere to this, I know that and enjoy taking work off them.
I'm sorry to hear you've had encounters with companies that haven't played fairly. I can only assume that your changing of the metal washers won't cause a reaction later on......
British run, correctly managed companies will do the best by the customer. fact....
NotoriousREV - Wembley is being built by the worst Aussie firm about. Health and safety is a paper thing to them They have written on their toilet walls "Multxxlex and xcx Killing happily" If the other crowd want to join in on a law suit then fair play.... doubt they'll want to though 
I try to pay the highest rate possible. My reasoning being the better their paid the harder they'll work, hence the less stress putting right **** ups by idiot's.
Some people don't adhere to this, I know that and enjoy taking work off them.
I'm sorry to hear you've had encounters with companies that haven't played fairly. I can only assume that your changing of the metal washers won't cause a reaction later on......
British run, correctly managed companies will do the best by the customer. fact....
NotoriousREV - Wembley is being built by the worst Aussie firm about. Health and safety is a paper thing to them
They have written on their toilet walls "Multxxlex and xcx Killing happily" If the other crowd want to join in on a law suit then fair play.... doubt they'll want to though
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