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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,291
Registered: ‎06-15-2015

Re: Skilled Trades now want a diagnostic fee....


@gertrudecloset wrote:

 

 

 


 

 

I don't think doctors get $275.00 per fifteen minutes of time.  Plus I want to pay by the job, not how many hours you work.

 

 

 

@gertrudecloset 

 

I agree. One of my good friends works for a GM Car dealership as a Maintenance Technician. He gets paid "by the job", but each job is built around the factory set time(minutes/hours) to perform all specific work done on a vehicle.

 

Over the years many of my friends did the same work at other brand dealerships. They all liked working on Factory Warranty vehicles. That was because each job was allowed more time to complete, which was set by each manufacturer.

 

They sometimes could complete 2 jobs in the time allotted for one warranty repair. Doing so many of the same jobs, such as recalls, allowed them to do each job quicker and move on to a 2nd one. While their "job" was set by minutes/ hours, they are paid by jobs done, not by hours worked on each vehicle.

 

My wife just left to take 1 of our vehicles to this friend. It's regular maintenance and he gets paid by the job. He however generally completes this in under "allowed time", and throws in a few things not listed as "regular maintenance".

 

Hard to explain, but I did my best.

 

 

hckynut  🇺🇸


 

hckynut(john)
Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,562
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Skilled Trades now want a diagnostic fee....


@drizzellla wrote:

We went on vacation in December. When we returned the heater was running but there was no heat.

 

So we called the HVAC company that we had bought an annual maintenance contract. Even with the maintenance contract we had to pay $100 to have someone walk through the door. The first words out of his mouth as he walked in the door was that we needed a new heater. And he gave us a dollar amount for the new heater and air conditioning.

 

We said thanks but just fix the heater. It was a minor part (less than $20) but he made his boss come to our house and give us a hard sell for a new heater.

 

Then my husband was looking at our service contract. It stated if we did not have their recommended service done that our maintenance contract would be voided. 

 

Please carefully read contracts.


 

@drizzellla 

 

My furnace went out a couple months ago.  The guy came out and determined that the pilot light was out.  It was a 30 second fix.  

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,291
Registered: ‎06-15-2015

Re: Skilled Trades now want a diagnostic fee....


@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@drizzellla wrote:

We went on vacation in December. When we returned the heater was running but there was no heat.

 

So we called the HVAC company that we had bought an annual maintenance contract. Even with the maintenance contract we had to pay $100 to have someone walk through the door. The first words out of his mouth as he walked in the door was that we needed a new heater. And he gave us a dollar amount for the new heater and air conditioning.

 

We said thanks but just fix the heater. It was a minor part (less than $20) but he made his boss come to our house and give us a hard sell for a new heater.

 

Then my husband was looking at our service contract. It stated if we did not have their recommended service done that our maintenance contract would be voided. 

 

Please carefully read contracts.


 

@drizzellla 

 

My furnace went out a couple months ago.  The guy came out and determined that the pilot light was out.  It was a 30 second fix.  

 

 

 

@Tinkrbl44 

 

Those kind of fixes are good for both the customer and the skilled technician.  Seems like a lot of $$$ for a simple job, but, all things considered!

 

 

hckynut  🇺🇸

 

 


 

hckynut(john)
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,776
Registered: ‎02-13-2021

Re: Skilled Trades now want a diagnostic fee....


@Spurt wrote:

It must be different due to location and competition (competition is brutal here)....most skilled traders (plumbers, A/C/Heating, foundation repair, window replacement, appliance repair, roof repair etc etc) in my area advertise on TV and most even offer FREE estimates and even give a $25 Gift Card to entice potential customers (gift cards are for a grocery store, or Amazon or it's a Visa gift card)..................


Consider yourself lucky @Spurt .  Someone mentioned being lucky enough to even get some to call you back.  That's another problem.  Some advertise one thing on their website and tell you something different on the phone or when they show up.  I'd love to have the incentive of a $25.00 gift card for choosing a reliable, licensed contractor.  I won't hire any other.

 

Home Improvement Contractors overall get a bad rap for taking advantage of people.  I try to find people who have been in their respective businesses for a while and stick with them so long as their licensures are still valid and no complaints against them via the agency that gives them permits.





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