I'm reviewing the invoice I got from a plumber to run some pipe out to my shop and put in a drain.

He charged me $3/ft for 4" PVC when I can go down to Lowes and buy it retail for $.96/ft. There was a similar mark up on the other materials.

I understand that it's his business, and he can charge whatever he wants to charge, but this just seems obscene.

Is there a standard rate out there, or does everyone just kind of do what they want?

I also have when his guy arrived and when he left on camera (thank you Ring doorbell), and he overbilled for me on the labor by 1.5 hours.

Needless to say, I won't be using him again.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I'm reviewing the invoice I got from a plumber to run some pipe out to my shop and put in a drain.

He charged me $3/ft for 4" PVC when I can go down to Lowes and buy it retail for $.96/ft. There was a similar mark up on the other materials.

I understand that it's his business, and he can charge whatever he wants to charge, but this just seems obscene.

Is there a standard rate out there, or does everyone just kind of do what they want?

I also have when his guy arrived and when he left on camera (thank you Ring doorbell), and he overbilled for me on the labor by 1.5 hours.

Needless to say, I won't be using him again.

Well, for a small job, you’d have to mark the material up a fair bit to cover the cost of procuring it. (Here on the ranch I tend to stock a lot of materials as if one isn’t careful you can spend more time collecting the materials than doing the job.). However, that 1.5 hours that is in excess of the time he was at your place ought to be plenty of time to collect what he needed. Sounds a bit like double dipping...

quote:

I understand that it's his business, and he can charge whatever he wants to charge, but this just seems obscene.

How much are we talking here? $5 $50 $500 $5000 in parts?
Worrying about a $3 piece of pipe seems stupid to me.

$500 and change for materials that I could have probably bought myself for around $200.

And the pipe in question was 30 feet. $90 vs. $30.

It adds up quick.

Just looked at my price book from the plumbing shop that I do most of my business with. My cost on 4" PVC is $24.43 for 10' and I am suggested to charge to 32.58 per 10'. I find it hard to believe you can buy it for $.96. I think your comparing different types of PVC.

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
Just looked at my price book from the plumbing shop that I do most of my business with. My cost on 4" PVC is $24.43 for 10' and I am suggested to charge to 32.58 per 10'. I find it hard to believe you can buy it for $.96. I think your comparing different types of PVC.

Wow. You're getting raped on prices out there.

This is what he used.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charl...PVC-DWV-Pipe/3133049

This is what he used.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charl...PVC-DWV-Pipe/3133049[/QUOTE]

That cell core pipe is junk and cheaper than regular Schedule 40 solid core.

I try not to up-charge more than 20% on material. Some outfits use 45%, and the biggest outfits, it ranges from double to four-times cost (for small items).

As far as his time, does he bill shop to shop or for time on site?

I know some folks who standard was to double the cost of the parts. Of course that was 25-30 years ago, it might have gone up. lol

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
As far as his time, does he bill shop to shop or for time on site?

The other three days he was here it was time on site.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
Just looked at my price book from the plumbing shop that I do most of my business with. My cost on 4" PVC is $24.43 for 10' and I am suggested to charge to 32.58 per 10'. I find it hard to believe you can buy it for $.96. I think your comparing different types of PVC.

Wow. You're getting raped on prices out there.

This is what he used.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Charl...PVC-DWV-Pipe/3133049

That's foam core pipe different and cheaper then regular schedule 40 PVC pipe. It's lighter and non pressure rated.


As far as price what it negotiated set price with contract before the work was started or a T&M type job.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:
As far as price what it negotiated set price with contract before the work was started or a T&M type job.

It was just a get the job done and send me a bill kind of thing.

Lesson learned I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
The pipe you said he used, and the link that you gave, comes out to $2.56 a foot ... not 96 cents a foot.

$9.60 for a 10 ft piece of pipe comes out to $2.56/ft?

Must be that new math.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I'm reviewing the invoice I got from a plumber to run some pipe out to my shop and put in a drain.

He charged me $3/ft for 4" PVC when I can go down to Lowes and buy it retail for $.96/ft. There was a similar mark up on the other materials.

I understand that it's his business, and he can charge whatever he wants to charge, but this just seems obscene.

Is there a standard rate out there, or does everyone just kind of do what they want?

I also have when his guy arrived and when he left on camera (thank you Ring doorbell), and he overbilled for me on the labor by 1.5 hours.

Needless to say, I won't be using him again.

Well, for a small job, you’d have to mark the material up a fair bit to cover the cost of procuring it. (Here on the ranch I tend to stock a lot of materials as if one isn’t careful you can spend more time collecting the materials than doing the job.). However, that 1.5 hours that is in excess of the time he was at your place ought to be plenty of time to collect what he needed. Sounds a bit like double dipping...

Not enough info to make that statement.

I'm in a similar business fixing yachts, and there are days where I spend 10 hours out in the field and literally have worked on 5 different boats and 5 billable hours. If it's a very small job, and 10 foot of pipe I could see $3 a foot for procurement etc. If he procured 400' of pipe then $2 a foot would be more reasonable. Perhaps he used a better more expensive brand of pipe. BUT, how much is his time worth to pick up all this crap, load it in his truck, drive it to your property at $100 an hour. I charge my customers hourly to pick up parts or even grocery shop.

Again if it was a small job, but spread over 3 different visits, then the extra time to account for drive time, etc. is justifiable. If his shop is 30 minutes away, then the extra time is justifiable. 30 minutes of drive time PER visit is pretty reasonable.....he still has to get to another job when he leaves your little job.

Here the engine manufacturers dealers charge the mechanics $130 an hour from the time they leave the shop, till the time they get back, plus any running around for parts etc, plus $3 a mile.

Thank the Lord the owners I work for NEVER question the bill and most of the time tip on top of it.......I wouldn't have the patience for this nickel and diming.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
The pipe you said he used, and the link that you gave, comes out to $2.56 a foot ... not 96 cents a foot.

$9.60 for a 10 ft piece of pipe comes out to $2.56/ft?

Must be that new math.

NO, the pipe that you linked to at $0.96 a foot is JUNK that no decent plumber would ever use. The proper grade of pvc pipe that a professional (and anyone with brains) would use is $2.56 a foot at LOWE's.

Billable hours is always a grey area, lets say he worked on the project 6.5 hours and it's towards the end of the day not enough time to start a new project and nothing to fill in that's quick and easy, I cant blame him for charging 8 especially if he has to travel back and forth to the shop. lots of factors come into play.

People who expect them to only charge for the exact time they are there are not seeing the whole picture.

I'm in the cabinet making business and nobody sees the shop clean up that is involved in the process, I charge customers for that and delivery.

quote:

NO, the pipe that you linked to at $0.96 a foot is JUNK that no decent plumber would ever use. The proper grade of pvc pipe that a professional (and anyone with brains) would use is $2.56 a foot at LOWE's.

This. There's a difference in materials and any good plumber won't use crap materials. One of my best friends is a licensed master plumber and has done work on my home. He told me he only uses quality materials and guarantees his work.

Don't bother trying to tell Gustofer about quality materials though. In another thread about quality tools he made it quite clear he is too cheap to purchase quality items when the cheap stuff works just fine.

quote:

Maybe you posted the incorrect link ... the one in your post shows $25.56 for a 10 feet piece.

I think they know where you're at, and when you click on the link you're seeing the price at your local store. I'm seeing $13.21 on my end.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
The pipe you said he used, and the link that you gave, comes out to $2.56 a foot ... not 96 cents a foot.

$9.60 for a 10 ft piece of pipe comes out to $2.56/ft?

Must be that new math.

When you hit that link it says $9.60? When I hit it, it says $25.69, not available at Lowe’s Paso Robles, not available for delivery.