On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge it out at
Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

Bob Neumann wrote:
On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge it
out at Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores. The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 13/12/2010 00:11, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Bob Neumann wrote:
On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge it
out at Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores. The
knowledge& experience& the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.


Yes, but do the customers know that you're also marking up the actual
cost of standard components by 140% relative to the actual price you pay?

Do you tell them that if they pre-ordered the parts they would get them
a damn sight cheaper?

Bob Neumann wrote:
On 13/12/2010 00:11, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Bob Neumann wrote:
On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge
it out at Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores.
The knowledge& experience& the money tied up doesn't come free
idiot.

Yes, but do the customers know that you're also marking up the actual
cost of standard components by 140% relative to the actual price you
pay?
Do you tell them that if they pre-ordered the parts they would get
them a damn sight cheaper?


Why the **** should he tell them?

--
Adam

Bob Neumann wrote:
On 13/12/2010 00:11, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Bob Neumann wrote:
On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge
it out at Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores.
The knowledge& experience & the money tied up doesn't come free
idiot.

Yes, but do the customers know that you're also marking up the actual
cost of standard components by 140% relative to the actual price you
pay?

What has it got to do with them you idiot? If the price for the job is
acceptable to them, end of story. If it isn't they could DIY.

Do Tesco tell you what they pay for bread & milk? Do Homebase tell you they
are making a 500% margin on stuff you buy?

Do you tell them that if they pre-ordered the parts they would get
them a damn sight cheaper?

Why should I? What pillocks like you don't understand, is that if traders
didn't mark up parts, labour rates would have to go up manyfold.

They have the opportunity to buy the materials - assuming they have the
knowledge & experience to know what they need & where to buy it. But they
don't. Are you suggesting that detailed knowledge & years of experience
should be free?

Next time you take your car in for service, try buying the right oil,
filters, plugs, brake pads etc yourself, at the right price.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...

8

Why should I? What pillocks like you don't understand, is that if traders
didn't mark up parts, labour rates would have to go up manyfold.

Rubbish..
if you are quoting rates based on your actual costs there is no difference.
If you aren't then look out for the job where you quote some silly labour
rate and then get there and find they have already got the parts required
for the job.


They have the opportunity to buy the materials - assuming they have the
knowledge & experience to know what they need & where to buy it. But they
don't. Are you suggesting that detailed knowledge & years of experience
should be free?

Next time you take your car in for service, try buying the right oil,
filters, plugs, brake pads etc yourself, at the right price.

My local garage will fit the parts you supply, the labour rates are the same
wherever the parts come from.
Even the main dealer does the same.

dennis@home wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...

8

Why should I? What pillocks like you don't understand, is that if
traders didn't mark up parts, labour rates would have to go up
manyfold.

Rubbish..

Talking out of your arse again Dennis?

if you are quoting rates based on your actual costs there is no
difference.

No business sets its rates only to cover actual costs you idiot. The idea
is to make a profit.


If you aren't then look out for the job where you quote
some silly labour rate and then get there and find they have already
got the parts required for the job.

I don't quote silly labour rates. I don't have to.


They have the opportunity to buy the materials - assuming they have
the knowledge & experience to know what they need & where to buy it.
But they don't. Are you suggesting that detailed knowledge & years
of experience should be free?

Next time you take your car in for service, try buying the right oil,
filters, plugs, brake pads etc yourself, at the right price.

My local garage will fit the parts you supply, the labour rates are
the same wherever the parts come from.
Even the main dealer does the same.

Yeh right.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Bob Neumann wrote:

On 13/12/2010 00:11, The Medway Handyman wrote:
Bob Neumann wrote:
On 12/12/2010 13:27, Jim Newman wrote:
On 12/12/2010 12:23, The Medway Handyman wrote:
As I've mentioned before I buy most stuff online& mainly charge it
out at Homebase prices - 10%.



Cost at Homebase = £138:20.
Cost from Toolstation/TLC/Timber Merchant = £51:03.

Quite a difference!

Indeed, a shameful rip off of customers.

So why do you do it?

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores. The
knowledge& experience& the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.


Yes, but do the customers know that you're also marking up the actual
cost of standard components by 140% relative to the actual price you pay?

He's not, the markup is 59% in the example quoted above. Markups are
always calculated as the added value/total selling price.

Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" wrote:

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores. The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.

And part of the markup is going to be to cover the delivery charge for
the parts. Based on the real, not marginal, cost of running a van.

The cost of running the van is part of the business's many general
overheads, which are already factored into his labour rates. It's not
helpful to account for van mileage on a per-customer basis. Isn't it more
efficient simply to count one's time spent going to get the parts towards
the chargeable hours for the job?

"Ronald Raygun" wrote in message
...
Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" wrote:

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores.
The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.

And part of the markup is going to be to cover the delivery charge for
the parts. Based on the real, not marginal, cost of running a van.

The cost of running the van is part of the business's many general
overheads, which are already factored into his labour rates. It's not
helpful to account for van mileage on a per-customer basis. Isn't it more
efficient simply to count one's time spent going to get the parts towards
the chargeable hours for the job?

Unless its a very specialized part I would deduct any travel time put on the
bill to fetch parts and put it down to incompetence by the trader.
A handyman should be able to do most handyman jobs without going shopping.

On 13/12/10 11:31, dennis@home wrote:


"Ronald Raygun" wrote in message
...
Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" wrote:

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores. The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.

And part of the markup is going to be to cover the delivery charge for
the parts. Based on the real, not marginal, cost of running a van.

The cost of running the van is part of the business's many general
overheads, which are already factored into his labour rates. It's not
helpful to account for van mileage on a per-customer basis. Isn't it more
efficient simply to count one's time spent going to get the parts towards
the chargeable hours for the job?

Unless its a very specialized part I would deduct any travel time put on
the bill to fetch parts and put it down to incompetence by the trader.
A handyman should be able to do most handyman jobs without going shopping.



So you are on everyone's customer blacklist then?

--
Tim Watts

"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 13/12/10 11:31, dennis@home wrote:


"Ronald Raygun" wrote in message
...
Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" wrote:

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY superstores.
The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.

And part of the markup is going to be to cover the delivery charge for
the parts. Based on the real, not marginal, cost of running a van.

The cost of running the van is part of the business's many general
overheads, which are already factored into his labour rates. It's not
helpful to account for van mileage on a per-customer basis. Isn't it
more
efficient simply to count one's time spent going to get the parts
towards
the chargeable hours for the job?

Unless its a very specialized part I would deduct any travel time put on
the bill to fetch parts and put it down to incompetence by the trader.
A handyman should be able to do most handyman jobs without going
shopping.



So you are on everyone's customer blacklist then?

I wouldn't know, I haven't needed a trades person to do anything for over a
decade other than the car servicing.
I do my own building, electrics, decorating, plumbing, gas, and just about
anything else.
The car is a problem as I have an allergic reaction to many of the fluids so
it has to go elsewhere even though I did do body work repairs, engine
rebuilds, etc. in the past.

I guess that if you called in a handyman to hang some pictures and the first
thing he did was to go shopping for some picture hooks and wire you would be
happy to pay for him to go shopping? and pay for his mark up on the parts
too?

dennis@home wrote:
"Ronald Raygun" wrote in message
...
Tim Streater wrote:

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" wrote:

I don't. I supply them with parts at 10% less than DIY
superstores. The
knowledge & experience & the money tied up doesn't come free idiot.

And part of the markup is going to be to cover the delivery charge
for the parts. Based on the real, not marginal, cost of running a
van.

The cost of running the van is part of the business's many general
overheads, which are already factored into his labour rates. It's
not helpful to account for van mileage on a per-customer basis. Isn't it
more efficient simply to count one's time spent going to
get the parts towards the chargeable hours for the job?

Unless its a very specialized part I would deduct any travel time put
on the bill to fetch parts and put it down to incompetence by the
trader.

No you wouldn't - you don't have the balls. You would complain to anyone
you thought would listen.

A handyman should be able to do most handyman jobs without going shopping.

This one does.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk