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Things are getting out of hand! This past weekend, -32 and no incoming water. Do you know how many companies willing to crawl under a mobile to replace the heat tape?? Two companies and one independant handyman and this handyman was highly recommended by one of those two companies. The others are either to fat or too lazy to crawl underneath. I can tell you it is not that hard and not as cold underneath as these guys claim. I went under myself and it wasn't that cold. And the rates are out of this world, about $175.00 - weekend/overtime rate, $150.00 for the diagnosis. Then comes the work itself and parts. I don't think its fair to slam the customer for your new truck and fancy big fat ads. What is stopping you from charging more since you have the customer right by the ear???!!! The job was complete in an hour, yes one hour and by someone who knew exactly where to go and what to do. Guess there are too many rookies out there with more flash than anything worth paying for.

So you ONLY found 3 companies that could help you? How disgraceful...

should have become a plumber or an electrician, we are at their mercy.

In -32 weather I would be happy to find anyone who could help out and the fact that it was a weekend is likely why there were only so many available... the rest were enjoying their day off! In terms of rates... I agree that they are steep but not only are you paying for their time but they also need that vehicle to get to your home as well as gas, tools, supplies, etc and they get what's left (which is a lot but it's not a cheap or easy course to get through and upkeep). Just trying to make a living like everyone else.

Either you pay the rate, or wait until the next working day.  
or else.. do to trade school and do it yourself.

Makes me laugh when ever I hear someone complain about this type of service. Bubbles made a good coment about the weekend and the cold and being happy to have someone to help regardless of the cost.  
I have been under many a trailer doing the same thing for a home owner that is too fat and too lazy to do it themselves. Ha ha then there are the ones who know of the possible situation happening and they don't have the common sense to be prepared. Eg. Have a second heat tape installed so that on a cold weekend you don't have to pay 175/ hr plus material to fix the problem. Just unplug the one that is not working and plug in the stand by heat tape. Easy peezy.  
Common sense what a wonderful part of life

Coming from a plumbers girlfriend, that high rate is there on the weekends for a reason, you're calling for them to take time out of their day off in minus 40 weather to do you a service ! Have respect that anyone is willing to help you! They also need to use their materials and their tools so of course you are going to pay.

Whenever I've had a plumbing emergency, most times it seems to happen on a weekend.  
I'm happy if I can find anyone to come out and fix it, you don't realize what an inconvenience no water is until it happens. And I fully expect to be charged extra.  
If city employees get called out on weekends, they get paid time and a half, why should an independent contractor be any different?

Not many people like to pay expenses (unless it's their vacation expenses)and I do not know what a fair price should be but yourself how much would you charge a customer? Remember it is you now so considering it is on YOUR day off and YOU go do the work outside in snow. Besides the time you took for the job you had to leave your house, check and gather tools needed in your truck or maybe you have to go to work station then you drive to the customer's house. Look around and fix, and talk to the customer then gather your tools not leave anything behind, drive back to work business or just back to your house.  
Would you charge your customer $60.00 only for a probably close to 90 taken and away from your day and time.  
I would not do it for less $100.00.  

Yes its expensive, owing a house and maintaining it properly typically is. What gets me is how easy of a job you seem to think it is. If it's easy to climb under and re-tape and not even 'that cold'... why did you not take your plumbing and heating skills to do it yourself? Calling these professionals fat and lazy when you clearly know how it is done, seems to put you within that same category. Sorry. Maybe you have physical ailments restricting you, I have no idea, but please have respect for your fellow man. Especially people who literally work in shit and want to charge accordingly.

Any comment

Like every other line of work, there is a going rate. Plumbing itself can be a difficult and dirty job at times. Every cent is well earned. Due to knowledge and experience.  
 
Like every other critic out there that complains about costs or how lazy plumbers are, try it yourself and see how that works out for you. Trailers aren't as easy as Marie says or she would have to get off her backside and done it herself. It's called a job not a service, every job has a cost. If you don't like the cost of looking after your home, move into an apartment so you don't have to look after repair costs.  
 
Think before you complain about a skilled tradesperson that knows their job, especially if it is a job you don't know what you are talking about or are just too lazy to do yourself.

Instead of calling us plumbers fat and lazy u should maybe use that thing between ur ears called a brain. U live in a trailer in manitoba. Its called a construction heater or even a baseboard. Put better skirting around ur trailer and put of those under where the water service comes in and u wont have a problem. But what would i know, just a fat lazy plumber apparently

every job looks easy when somebody else is doing it, then you think wow I could of did that myself. I think people forget that being in business has a lot of extra costs associated with being in business. A few things to think of the shop they own and heat and pay taxes on, training the people that work for them just take a look at what it costs to safety certify a shop, vehicles, fuel autopac, covering costs for a slow time you still have to pay the people weather they are making money for the business or cleaning there trucks, advertising, everytime someone has a social or a golf tournament they want donations not to mention wages now add on what the employer must pay on top of wages for that worker cpp ei the list goes on Its not always a bed of roses

Lmao ha ha ha you sure opened a can didn't you lmao

Professionals make a nasty job look easy because they have skill. If you could have done the job yourself, you should have. Hopefully, in demand professionals get higher rates than their unskilled counterparts. In the end a professional saves you money, time and aggravation. Far better to have a job completed in an hour and be going again than have an odd-jobber fool around for half a day. Whatever professional you call, you need to know that they have spent significant resources in becoming licensed, whether that be the time spent learning, the money spent on tuition it the effort it took in training to do and re-do until it was correct. I wish you had a last name, we have a standing black list - any customer who does not pay OR is just too much of a pain in the ass to deal with. We would rather stay at home than deal with you! I feel sorry for the plumber that came out. His time off was wasted on a wretch like you - regardless of how much he charged!  

Im sure since she has never replied and cooled down now and is over the price shock, she regrets this post, people complain about the price of everything on here, some people are taking this personal Ive never heard anyone come on and say if you dont like the price of gas open your own gas station.

In this case I think there has been a way to much emphasis placed on this being a job for professionals, and not enough emphasis put on the job, or when the job needed to be done. In the past I have scratched around under a mobile trying to get water unfrozen, or worse still trying to thaw out frozen up sewer pumps and lines. I know that it's not the best place to work, and if I was working as a plumber I likely would be inclines to push the cost of doing the job, with hopes of not doing the job or making it worth while. These types of jobs are a charge what the market will pay job.

People have complained about the price of services ever since the exchange of goods and services was invented.  
 
It's perfectly fine to complain, everyone does it, but it's a little different to expect sympathy for it, especially when you throw in derogatory comments.  
 
You either learn the trade and do it yourself, or you politely fork over the cash.

99sportster said "Any comment "

The OP comes on here, makes a post that get everyone in an uproar, and then vanishes. Well done Marie!  

Are you out there? I feel the need to echo the opinion of the many regarding your thoughts about plumbers. Specifically, how "lazy" they are. Obviously, your uneducated and extremely uninformed opinion has hit a sore note with many. Added to that is your inability to stand by your post with a follow up post. Next time you need the services of a plumber, which I'm sure your trailer will, please remember you are calling a skilled professional and their team of co-workers to complete a job you are incapable of doing.

My final thoughts on this are maybe to a larger audience than just you, sometimes you see people come on this site looking for help with problems such as this, and there are people out there that might get in contact with you and do the job at a completely different price, there is even the chance that it could be an actuall plumber looking for a few extra bucks in their off time.

Sorry but I highly doubt that a plumber or anyone else would come on here and offer you their services after you slammed plumbers their trucks, advertising, job skills AND called them fat or lazy! Just a thought!

Like I said, talking to the larger audience.

don brown said "My final thoughts on this are maybe to a larger audience than just you, sometimes you see people come on this site looking for help with problems such as this, and there are people out there that might get in contact with you and do the job at a completely different price, there is even the chance that it could be an actuall plumber looking for a few extra bucks in their off time. "

No one in ANY trade will be seeking this individual out to work for her. She doesn't want to pay the going rates, and only complains. Even if a company is slow, they wouldn't want to work for this person - trust me.

Not everyone is as silly as me and uses their own name, if this person changed there user name how would anyone know. I guess we could all judge every request for help as a person who is just trying to screw someone out of money, myself I don't really look at requests for help that way, and there are lots of other people who do view things the same way.

don brown said "Not everyone is as silly as me and uses their own name, if this person changed there user name how would anyone know. I guess we could all judge every request for help as a person who is just trying to screw someone out of money, myself I don't really look at requests for help that way, and there are lots of other people who do view things the same way. "

I think there is a large difference in a plea for help and a condescending post blasting all plumbers as fat and lazy and rip-off artists to boot.  
 
I know a few plumbers and they all work hard with a lot of overtime and long hours in sometimes crappy surroundings. Same can be said for many professions, for sure. There's a tone to the OP's post, however, that wasn't kind or diplomatic.  
 
For anyone to blast another profession without walking a few days in their shoes can be looked at as ignorance or a hair trigger effect venting.  
Whether you're a service contractor, in retail, farming, factory worker, etc., those close to the trade or area of work will always see it another way as they have another view of the job.  
 
 
Edited by Kellye, 2016-01-21 08:01:16