Jul 12, 2023 | Company News
What plumbing upgrades will add value to your home?
The housing market is currently thriving, with demand having skyrocketed. This has triggered many homeowners to put their house up for sale. A key consideration for many buyers is how well the home’s plumbing system works. This is especially important in old houses which have not yet been modernised. If the home has a poor plumbing and heating system, this can look unappealing for buyers and therefore, the price is likely to be less than its potential. On the other hand, if the plumbing and heating system is up-to-date and in good condition, this can be a huge selling point for buyers and lead to a quick sale.
In this blog post, we go through 4 plumbing upgrades that can increase the value of your home.
1. New taps and showers
It may not be necessary to completely replace your bathrooms or kitchen, however, little touch-up can significantly add value to your home. For example, replacing taps or adding modern shower fixtures can make your bathroom look newer. This can make your bathroom look more appealing, making your asking price more justifiable.
2. Sink upgrades
The kitchen is an area most potential buyers focus on and therefore having up-to-date appliances can benefit you when selling your home. If you have a single sink, you could install a dual sink as this can be more desirable for some people. Or, simply change your dull sink for a new, shiny one.
3. New boiler
Purchasing a new boiler is a huge selling point for many buyers. Most people will not purchase a home with an old boiler as they do not want to be faced with costly issues further down the line or have to spend out on one in a few months.
Although this can be a costly expense, a new boiler can add money to your asking price as well as making it more appealing to buyers.
4. Ensuite bathroom
Most modern homes generally have more than one bathroom, however, some older houses will only have one ‘family’ bathroom. Today, most home buyers require more than one bathroom, more specifically an ensuite, and therefore, adding an additional bathroom is worth investing in. Although this is a more expensive upgrade, according to resi.co.uk, bathrooms have the potential to add 4-5% on your home’s value. This will also allow you to increase the value further by adding steam showers or heated flooring.
Christy Plumbing & Heating offers a highly professional service throughout Bedford and within a 30-mile radius using a team of qualified and experienced plumbers who are available 24 hours a day. We offer a complete range of services including unblocking drains, fitting toilets, taps, and boiler repairs through to complete boiler replacements and bathroom renovations.
If you’re thinking about selling your property and want to add value to your home, call us on 01234 325 620 or email us at info@christyplumbing.co.uk. We have an e-book available for download on our website: https://christyplumbing.co.uk/plumbing/
Jul 5, 2023 | Company News
Just like a car, your heating & hot water system needs to be well maintained in order to
keep it operating at its best. In this blog post we explain what is included in our boiler
services and why they are important. We also explain why yearly boiler services are
recommended.
What’s included?
● A visual check of the boiler and flame, if possible.
● Checks on the flue (we use a flue gas analyser to take accurate readings).
● Checking the operating pressure and/or heat input.
● Checking safety devices.
● Checking case seals form an effective seal.
● The boiler casing will be removed to check all main boiler components (burner,
heat exchanger, main injector, spark/sensor probe.)
● Boiler fired safely to identify any working faults.
● Boiler parts cleaned, if necessary.
● A service report will be provided showing everything your engineer has done and
any recommendation they may have.
Why are they important?
Annual boiler services are important to protect yourself and those who are living in your
house. Fortunately, gas leaks and poisonings are rare, however having a
well-maintained boiler will reduce these odds.
Secondly, having an inefficient boiler will cost you far more in energy bills, in the long
term, than having one repaired or replaced. Having an inefficient boiler is also worse for
the environment.
An annual boiler service is also key as your appliance manufacturer requires a service to
keep your boiler in good, safe working order, maintain its warranty/guarantee and reduce
the risk of costly breakdowns. A common requirement if your appliance is still under
warranty, is that it must be annually serviced. Most companies will not compensate if
servicing has not been completed.
Lastly, having regular servicing can extend the life of your current boiler by potentially
catching any issues early before they develop into anything larger, leading to a larger
bill.
Christy Plumbing & Heating service all types of boilers including, non-condensing
boilers, condensing boilers, open vent, system, combination boilers and gas boilers. Our
team of Gas Safe Registered engineers are highly experienced and fully qualified to
carry out boiler services.
A boiler service should only be carried out by a qualified, Gas Safe Registered engineer.
To arrange a boiler service please contact our helpful and experienced staff and they will
be happy to schedule it in at a time to suit you. You can call us on 01234 325 620 or
email us at info@christyplumbing.co.uk.
We can remind you when your annual boiler service is due or alternatively you can
contact us to book an appointment at a time that suits you.
May 18, 2023 | Did you know
We spend a good deal of time writing estimates or quotes for potential customers.
However, there can be a lot of confusion between the two.
Contrary to what you might think, there is a world of difference between providing a quote and giving an estimate.
For small businesses which provide any kind of service (rather than a set price product as shops do) providing customers with an idea of what they can expect to pay for a particular job is a fact of life.
It can be a time-consuming, thankless job
What’s the difference between an estimate and a quote?
The first thing to understand about quotes and estimates is that they are NOT just two different names for the same thing. Estimates and quotes each have distinct uses, benefits & disadvantages. Knowing these is key to avoiding problems that can cost you time, customer goodwill, and even money.
Let’s look at estimates, first:
What’s an Estimate?
An estimate is basically a ‘guesstimate’ or rough, educated guess based on what a job MAY cost. Often it is supplied either before you know all the details of a particular piece of work (such as during an initial call from a prospective new customer) or during a site visit.
Estimates are your first thoughts on costs and can change drastically when you get further information when unexpected complications crop up during the work or the scope of what you have been asked to do increases.
What’s a Quote?
A quote (or quotation) is an exact price for the job being offered. As such it is fixed and CANNOT be changed once it has been accepted by the customer (unless the customer changes the amount/type of work required or you discover something completely outside of the scope of what was agreed).
Quotes are only issued after an onsite visit or where you are confident that you have established exactly what is needed.
Understandably, quotes give customers peace of mind; safe in the knowledge that they know exactly how much the work will cost before the job begins.
Estimate or Quote? Key Points to remember…
· Estimates are a rough idea of price. They should be used as an initial GUIDE PRICE ONLY.
· Quotes are legally binding and should ONLY be used when you are certain of the costs involved.
For more information please get in touch
Apr 13, 2023 | Did you know
- Have an outside tap where the water is blended so I can clean the mud off our dogs and
make it an enjoyable experience for them.
- Water butts on every downpipe I can muster – as we have a large garden, it means in the
summer I do not have to go far to water the borders.
- To keep my taps and shower working well, I use limescale removal spray every week, in
In my opinion, Viakal is the best.
- A heating control that I can program so it comes on without me having to switch it on and
I can turn it off completely during the summer months. Thermostatic radiator valves on all
radiators so we can turn the heat right down in the spare room when it is not being used.
- A really tall towel radiator in the bathroom – at one time we had 5 adults in the house, and
this meant all the towels could dry easily. And I will not go cheap when it comes to rads – I
love Stelrad and the towel radiator has been in the bathroom now for 10 years and looks as
sturdy and shiny as it did on its first day.
- Our house was built in the 1960s and downstairs there were only ever two small radiators,
so when we re-decorated we bought a much larger horizontal radiator for the lounge and
invested in a Stelrad double vertical radiator for the lounge – and I LOVE it. Heats the
hallway and stairwell easily, please ease those aches and pains if you stand against it!
Mar 15, 2023 | Company News
Crikey this is always a contentious issue. For many many years, we did not ask our customers
to pay a minimum charge. But, with hindsight, this seems ridiculous. We run a business and
we train & employ people; we are not a charity and I’m never sure why customers think that
we should give our time, our knowledge, and skills for free. You wouldn’t ask a doctor to do
the same, or a teacher or a cashier, so why a plumber? And I believe if you value your time and experience at nothing, then that’s how you will be treated – like nothing with little respect and very little loyalty. As a customer, if you pay for something then rightly so you should expect value for money.
Also, I believe that a minimum charge is more transparent. You will get no end of tradesmen
who will come out initially for free, but it isn’t free is it? No, they will just charge you more
on a return visit or a quote.
Our minimum charge is for the first hour, if we can get your issue solved in the first hour
with no parts then that is ALL it will cost you. This includes even if we just diagnose the fault.
However, even when the work is “a two-minute job” a minimum charge will apply. Because it’s
not really a two-minute job – it’s 40 years of experience. If, however, you need further work,
then a subsequent quote will be given. We try where possible to sort general issues out over
the telephone to avoid the call-out, but sometimes this is just not possible.
You will also see that we post useful tips on our Facebook page, again hoping you might
solve the issue yourself and save yourself a few pounds.
So why do we have a minimum charge?
Here, are three reasons why:
REASON 1: TO COVER OVERHEAD COSTS
- As with any profession we have operating/overhead costs.
- Insurance: public liability, vehicle insurance, insurance of tools, employer insurance.
- Tax: road tax, corporate tax, PAYE, national insurance, VAT
- Transportation: vehicle purchase, vehicle maintenance, fuel
- Administration: time spent administering supplier accounts, sending customer communications, costs of stationery, job management software, building an office and all the equipment in it, and importantly having people answering the telephone.
- Tools: purchase and maintenance of tools.
- Training: initial qualifications and ongoing attendance at courses legally required.
- Trades body membership fees: for example, “Gas Safe Register”.
- If we attend a job, spend time getting to and from it, use our skills, tools, training, knowledge, and experience, and don’t make a charge to cover a portion of these overheads we will soon go out of business.
REASON 2: TO PROVIDE CLARITY
We all like to know what we are in for when buying a product or commissioning a service.
However, for us turning up to view a job for the first time and execute it there and then it’s not
usually possible to work from a standard price list. Equally, if diagnostic or investigative work is
required then a set price cannot be provided, but a minimum charge can be advised.
In summary, applying a minimum charge offers clarity and certainty to a customer and ensures
we remain financially viable.
REASON 3: PROVISION OF A SERVICE
All professions providing a service make a charge for that service, mountain guides, doctors,
lawyers, fitness instructors, psychologists, car mechanics, and so on.
This service often comes without a guarantee of results; a lawyer can’t guarantee to win your
case, a doctor can’t guarantee to make you better, a fitness instructor can’t guarantee to get
you fit, a mountain guide can’t guarantee to get you to the top of Everest. They will all try their
best and ask to be paid for the service they provide.
We also provide a service and to stay in business we must charge for that service when it is
provided. Even if the time on site is only 10 minutes.
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