I’m 17, went against the social norm of going to university and I’m now a 1st year plumbing apprentice!!😎

Nightmare story: I was dispatched to a residential service call that the home owner called 2 other service plumbing companies. The stars must have aligned because all 3 service trucks (with company logos) pulled up in the same driveway at the exact same time. We all got out looked at each outer, had a laugh and all took off. Home owner standing on the doorstep confused. no way was he paying 3 company service fees, let alone the service call.

We had a customer give us a call to locate a slab leak. We located it for $89 and he said that he was going to dig it and call us back when it was ready. We gave him a price of $1200 just to silver solder the leak. A week passed and he didn't call us back until the 2nd week. We went back and found out that he hired his neighbor to try and fix the leak. Well his neighbor broke 2 other copper lines trying to fix the leak... price doubled and he paid it lol

I am a handy man / maintenance technician 3 years experience. I have to call plumbers all the the time for jobs that are above what I feel I comfortable trying to fix. And 2 times for small jobs that I turned into bigger jobs.

Thank you Roger. If you can't afford the person to make the repair. Let them try it themselves if not ask a neighbor. See how that goes. Good stuff Roger. Thank you.

I recently bought a small plumbing company. Oh boy, do we get a good deal of grumbling about the service fee! I almost got rid of it but I’m glad we’ve kept it. I used to try to sell these customers about the value of our services and our costs but now I tell my phone team say something like “Hey, this is how we work. We try to be the best, not the cheapest. We know there are other plumbing companies that don’t charge a service fee. No hard feelings if you try them!” …because the customers who complain about the service fee are more of than not the customers who refuse to pay after work is performed, try to get refunds, haggle after agreeing, etc. The service fee is a filter for customers who value skilled tradespeople vs. customers who are price-comparing you with handymen.

Our water heaters have gone from 500ish to almost 800 in the last year...

My HAVC company charges a minimum 1 hour service charge

I'm a plumber but not a master. Everyone had to start somewhere. Don't shot the new guys down those kids are the future of the trade but if you scare them away of course they go to tech school.

I charge a diagnostic fee basically a service fee if I get the job I wave that fee no one goes to there job for the first hour and work for free if I rode around all day giving prices and not making money I'd be broke

Training is something most people don't understand. I started working as a laborer with our family masonry company during high school summers. Kept working there my whole career and finally bought the company. Every time I was learning something new production slowed as I was taught the correct way to build fireboxes for fireplaces, straight corners,etc. People need to understand that we still got paid hourly even if we slowed the job down.

Man I loved that Red Green Show clip so much, there was a lot of nostalgia in that. Thank you for that one Roger! As always keep up the amazing videos and hard work!

I ran a plumbing company in Indiana Roger and totally agree with everything you said in that video from the service fee to the flat rate price

Our motto at our plumbing shop is “Good plumbing ain’t cheap and cheap plumbing ain’t good” and that really speaks for itself in the field

Hey, if you want an opinion from a lawyer you might get a 10 minute consultation on the phone for free. A doctor might talk on the phone but an office visit will be $100. In both cases people line up at your door. Anyone in the service business must go to the site of the work, which takes time.

I won't work for a company that doesn't charge a service fee. What the trip charge does is weed out the nonsense customers. If someone is willing to pay just for you to come to their home, they are serious about getting work done. With that being said I only charge the service fee if they don't go through with the job.

Companies that don't charge a fee are the most expensive. Not because they're neccesarily unskilled at HVAC/plumbing etc. But rather because they're extremely skilled at sales 😉

Men don't work for free, but often the service fee is included in the job itself. Time is money, if not hired for the job, as you said, they were wasting his time. So if hired, the estimate time is included in the cost.

I’m a central vacuum guy, the PVC pipe we use is now annoying to get and way more expensive than it was. Wholesale prices this year, are what retail was a couple years ago!!

I don't mind paying a service fee, but don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

Shhhh we call them trip charges and diagnostic fees around here 😂

One time, I showed one of my plumbers why we charge a service fee on certain distances. One time we went to 9 calls, all to just give an estimate and have the customer say, they would call within a few days. But before we arrived, majority wanted us to start the job right away before seeing or giving the price first. That day we gave alot of free estimates all around the city. My plumber still got paid. I didn't make mo ey there, I lost money and gas. That day I had a clinic to go plumb. This is one of the reasons why we charge a small fee, depending on location and distance.

I agree with you Roger. You pay for quality and experience. I always get work from other companies that claim they are the best. I want to move to Texas and come work for you.

It amazes me that people aren't willing to go and read reviews beforehand. If they have a good review, a tad bit more expensive as well, it's probably worth it.

One plumber quoted me £60 call out and for the first hour. Fair enough. He changed the collar at the back of the lav with 30 mins to spare so oh I said "right I've you for another half an hour so please remove this rad and cap the pipes" "Oh no, it doesn't work like that. 60 quid per job. I want 60 for the lav and £60 for the rad." Cheeky, cheeky tw4t. Did my a fave atch, cuz that inspired me to become a DIY plumber.

I have been a professional handyman for years now. There are certain things I leave to the plumbers. There are certain things my insurance company will not cover if things go wrong. That is how I usually determine what I can and cannot do. I typically charge a flat fee for installing sinks, garbage disposals, dishwashers and toilets unless there is additional work required.

It's called a service charge, but it should be called an esimate charge. And I think it's only fair to waive it if you get the job and that's since a paid estimate is solely to vet your customers. The hourly charge is setup to cover salary, overhead and profits. If the hrly rate doesn't cover all of that then you're not running your business right. It's not much different than a lawyer, architect or accountant that charge hourly rates but don't charge for estimates. The jobs are usually longer for those so for shorter plumbing jobs, i can see charging an estimate fee.

yes this has been the stress us plumbing contractors need to go through and just by increasing the price due to material inflation we losing contracts or customers think we are scamming because it's "too expensive".

I do HVAC and in my early inexperienced days I charged by the hour. Once I got darn good at knowing how long a project will take and how much materials will cost, I switched to flat rate. If I charged by the hour on some jobs, I'd go broke.

I recently had a customer that complained about the service fee after pricing was given and approved, and work was completed. As I explained to the customer, he was informed of the service fee over the phone as well as when pricing for repairs were given. We do not waive the service fee, we are a flat rate company, and if he had called a “hourly” company they would have charged either a service fee or the first hour just to come out. He ended up paying everything, smh.

Red Green is a legend! Service fees for a quality service is worthwhile. I expect that if you're charging a fee you're going to show up on time and provide a quality analysis and clear quote so I can chase down funding for the entire repair/project. Things that grind my gears is unclear quotes, poor communication, lack of professionalism and not showing up on time. I'm responsible for maintaining government facilities and we pay good money to our contractors, on time, in budget and efficient use of taxpayer money is our goal. I understand if we start a repair and find something else too that we couldn't quote for that. This is where clear and professional communication is key. I can chase down additional money but need the supporting documents and images to justify to my approving officials the unexpected increase of cost if it goes over the approved already repair amount.

85.00 to show up at my house. Do they expect me to bring the job to them? It’s ridiculously expensive and unjustified.

This entire vid depends on where you are located. Where I am 90% of plumbing companies only take the high paying work and refuse to do anything involving residential and the very few that do will lie to you, give you the runaround and drag you through the mud for as much money as possible for even easy jobs. Best thing is contacting the citys licensed plumbers that work for the city and having them do it then try getting most of it written as a tax write off if you're state allows it. Or a low budget handyman and make them sign a contract beforehand so if they screw stuff up ur no longer liable.

Hello Roger, I am 15 and I am thinking about doing something related to Plumbing or something in that trade. These videos have been interesting and teach me things.

I like asking this question: How many years has the tech, and company been business……instead of pricing; b/c at her have an experienced sub. Just my experience and what have learned from 25+ yrs in trades(yes, know some don’t send out most experienced, but usually the work that is done by someone less experienced will get cheek). Great vid roger!

Costs time and money to get the plumber to your door...

Roger if I run to the supply house I can't charge the customer for the time I'm not at their house. I don't know anybody who does time and materials who would charge for time at The Parts House that seems very crooked

Thanks for all the videos, just put in my application at my local union 286, wish me luck!

I agree with Roger... paying a higher service fee will normally give you a better all round service repair plumber that will do the job in a timely manner compared to a handyman

DoD Civilian Plumber and Plumber in the Guard…I do side jobs as a “handyman”…that handyman comment hit me hard!! 🤣🤣 but I’m 100% sure I’m just as good if not better than a lot of the local plumbers. I just don’t have the equipment for big jobs. Mainly take on toilets, faucet/showers, water heaters and garbage disposals until I retire and get my LLC

The only problem I see with this is that it has always been told to me that when you need major work on your house you should always get 3 estimates. Whether that is roofing, siding, windows, or plumbing, Who wants to pay 3 service fees to get a fair price for the plumbing work. It's unfair to the homeowner in a sense. When I got 3 bids to remodel my bathroom, none of those companies that came out to look at the job charged a service fee. I can understand where you are coming from but on my end it's seems unfair not to be able to get 3 estimates without paying a fortune for them.

From the Foundation to the last roofing tile, i rather do it my self (all plumbing, electrical, framing, carpentry, tile, appliances, doors, windows, cabinets ect.) 😏

Thanks for putting this out to the public to see

I agree with the service fee time and experience are involved as well as overhead expenses plus like you said they can pay the service fee if they want to shop around or deduct the service if you except the bid

Or you run into truck stock low and management says you're not aloud to get truck stock yet.

Our school took time and money to get, our business took time and money to get started. Our licensing, bonding, van stock , tools , business takes time and money to keep running. Employees need money to feed there kids and roofs over there heads. My time costs fuel, insurance, labor just to get to your door whos working for free not me. Even to look at something you may want done by me or some other person showing up getting me to your door can't be free you dont see the pizza guy at your door bringing you pizza not wanting money same token for service providers...

I'm a one man, part time locksmith shop...it takes a lot of money to transport my vehicle, equipment, and knowledge to the customer...and having keys in stock isn't cheap.

We charge 80.00 to arrive, view the problem, give the options towards the problem, completely waive the initial service charge/80.00, if the customer proceeds within one of the provided options. So in reality, it's a complete free estimate. Phcc-Service owner formula that's 2nd to none. Fair to customers, fair to owners. Charging to arrive, along with charging towards task chosen by customer isnt nessesary.

I don't mind paying a service charge but the problem is in plumbing industry just like any industry you got crooks . I had one plumber come in saying I needed a whole new water tank because the pilot system was out quoted me in the thousands ..I had to pay his service charge which was $250.00(NYC price) . So I called another plumber and he was able to fix the pilot all together for $650. Now it could be the skill level or that the first plumber just wanted to rip me off. Too many of that in the industry.

Then allow the service fee to go towards the labor cost when the person chooses you to fix their plumbing. That will prevent shopping around.

What's ur thought s on steel PVC make adapter to female PVC adapter I usually go PVC make too brass female is that correct

You can say that all you want I'm a handyman and it ticks me off when I'm a quarter of an inch off or hair That might be most handymans but that's not me

My father ran a plumbing company for 10 yrs and charged 85 an hour time/material...but added 10 percent to pay himself and Moore's supply off because back in the late 70's and 80's you had a month to pay off credit charge there

suppose a plumber is licensed insured, in bus for 20 yrs., how do you know if the price is fair or the plumber is taking you for a ride.. ?

Did somebody seriously ask this question? Why not rephrase it as "Why do plumbers want to be paid for their work?" This is dumb.

My friend pay $350 for replacing a leaking gas valve it took 25 minutes to do the job

I charge the service fee to show up quick repairs included for a small charge and I deduct the service fee from an install customers knowing this on the front end are very amenable to these terms and those who are not agreeable fall into the category of you are not my customer

I definitely would pay to have it done right and as soon as possible.

Totally agree with you 👍🏾💯

because they can't eat gratefulness?

I applied for college a few days ago for Pipeline welding so that I can become a plumber at Local 248.

"Go do what they actually learned" Why would you say something so controversial yet so brave?🐱‍👤

The financial safety a service charge gives should never be ignored.

Hi Roger! How much do you start people off at your company if they have no experience?

I'm all for service fees, the reason is the same as you gave, cost of labour and cost of lost revenue shouldn't be sunk. This has also been a sore point for me regarding things in your van. So let's say you send a guy out on a job with a poorly stocked van, he needs 3 parts, the customer sure as hell isn't paying him for driving 20 minutes to the big box store, 20 minutes to shop and 20 minutes to return. Now you're looking at 1hr labour costs and lost revenue, what we ended up doing is was hire this kid who became our 'go-get' guy (actually a 70 year old dude who hated retirement). Something missing, call him he goes and gets it to you while you work on the next part. Sure an extra employee but there were 14 of us usually on 14 different jobs and according to my boss, worth every penny.

Lol went to university, got a degree, and now I'm a plumbing apprentice.

You get what you pay for...

That makes a lotta sense

True

I would like a good company that doesn't charge a service fee.

I am new to service and I'm starting off on my own do you recommend not to give prices over the phone?

Charges up the alley !!!

And almost everytime that job is a big pain.. so is going to cost

I will charge a service fee but if I get the job I put the fee towards the bill.

handymen to plumbers is like engineers to framers

Service fee has to be of value. Meaning when we charge a service fee its because we are solving a problem through clear diagnosis processes with a solution we are not guessing, we are not cheap and we are not the most affordable, we are the most confident (not cocky confident- humans want to feel confidence there never going to know all your competence - a trades person should be humble never to think they have reached there full competence- you never will). The tone we use and the aptitude we show on the phone, text and email closes the deal. Deliver more than you promise- the last impression is the lasting impression. Practice all the above the service charge will rarely be questioned, in fact you will get thats fair. Lastly not everyone is a customer (that's an old BS unfounded business myth). Validate your customer its an art form of communication.

I'd prefer the best plumbing company. You get what you pay for, products or service. You buy cheap you'll be spending more money soon

Plumber's crack isn't cheap.

Oh i know i know

$85.00 service fee only to tell me everything's OK?

I loved working for my local but list is so long for carpenters I wanna swap trades local 9144 woot lol

Because they don’t how to charge it a truck/fuel charge.

Service fees? Cause it is a sh*tty job.

An electrician came in to flip a switch…we later got a bill for $75.

You should subtract the service fee from the bill if they decide to use you

I told folks my truck makes a 100 bucks just to show up. If you have 10 grand worth of tools and stuff on your truck, you have to charge for that. I'm not a plumber but can do those repairs. Mostly when I do other things like install cabinets or flooring.

Let’s go Brandon

Service fee for rich people

How hard is it really to join pipes

You're all criminals taking advantage of those who can't do