How to treat your HVAC tech

[Stormin Mormon]

Lets be careful, with the quoted text!

[Stormin Mormon]

Whew. That's better quoted text job.

[Stormin Mormon]

Better off with a good Mormon. We neither drink, nor fornicate.

[Stormin Mormon]

I can't comment on what another tech is thinking. But, that sounds strange. Turning down repeat business? Really strange.

[Red Green]

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in news:hmk0ul $8pc$ [e-mail]:

Uhhh, yuhhhh, maybe later. I strive for progress, not perfection.

[cshenk]

"N8N" wrote

Smile, Nate, I can't tell either but there are several possibles. One, the job is now too small and you live far eough away that it isnt cost effective foir him.

Lets spec that out. If driving time to your location is 1 hour, he has to pay the worker 1 hour wages each way.. It's not applicable in my situation as they are 5-10 mins away, but may be in yours. 'Labor' costs go way up if the person pretty much has to spend all day to get to and from your location.

Second, he may be so good that he's flooded with work. 1 hour at your place for 100$ profit means he can't fit in that 7,000$ profit job he has in the wings. My fencing guy from before now works with clients who go 'oh it's that cheap?' at 10,000 for the same job I am having done and he spec'ed for

3,500$ in 2007. He's good dont get me wrong and I'm happy for him but he's booked solid. He's now got the upperscale folks and I am happy for him.

Third, you *might* have hung over his head a bit too much. I've seen folks advise 'watch them all the time' but in reality, it's pretty irritating to have someone peering over your shoulder. Think about when you are at work and if you want that? If the first impression you give the worker is that you trust them to do well by you, and they will. They also take reall well to comments like: 'I know some things but little of this so do you mind if I learn a little about your trade?'. Hehe I might actually *know* their trade but it makes people feel good in a great way if you approach it from the right angle.

My own tactic is to play 'dumb blonde' who knows just enough if they havent been here before (sadly they catch on pretty quick now) and make them happy to show off the fine details of their work while I smile and go 'wow'. It works at the start and is harmless until they figure out the 'petite lady they were talking to flipped houses from age 5 with her Mom for a living'. After they figure it out, they just laugh and ask me if I have any tips which depending on the item, I may have.

PS: Just so it makes sense, I have medical issues so have to contract out things I know how to do, but sadly no longer can.

[benick]

Homeowners that have to stand over me like I can't be trusted is my biggest turn off...Even more so if they try to tell me how to do it or question every move I make...I have been doing drywall for nearly 30 years and never stolen anything or ripped anyone off and don't need somebody babysitting me and offering how to tips from some stupid DYI show...I just won't do any more work for them...I say I'm "busy"...Same for showing up with a crew and delivery truck with materials and told they aren't ready for me after calling and telling me it's ready to go and get pissed when I charge extra for it...Never again...I'm "busy"...

[Bob F]

That's not the way I heard it. Where do all those babies come from?

Oh! I get it. The GOOD Mormans don't fornicate.

[Red Green]

"benick" wrote in news:kJKdnWGHMqMpIBDWnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Well sometimes they just want to learn what they can. Sometimes the Q's are a result of an opportunity to learn something from someone who knows what they are doing. Yea, one considers it being watched and in reality they are being complimented as a souce of reliable information.

Yea, I know the PITA's too. The DIY show parrots, the "Well we used to do it yadda yadda", the "I think you should yak yak". the "My uncle would do it blah blah.

I rebuild severely trashed foreclosed homes but I don't do HVAC. I have a guy I really trust and visa-versa. When he works on a system I stick with him like glue and I ask questions. I have a reasonable knowledge of physics, math, chemistry, electronics and electrical. He knows that by the things I ask (not question) and is glad to offer up words. In one house where the air handler was in the attic and it was July on the North/South Carolina border and 98 at noon, I stuck with him up there in the attic. When he fired up the mapp gas on top of that he looked at me and snickered.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sounds like you place value on your time, and skills. I can understand that.

[Stormin Mormon]

I can believe that. Ain't it awful? Gonna take care of yourself. Pay your bills honestly.

[Stormin Mormon]

Fornicate: To have sex with someone other than one's spouse.

(You and your spouse can have as much whoopee as you want. But, only with your spouse.)

I don't think you "get it" at all.

[benick]

Maybe they are trying to learn a few tricks but when you're working on stilts or staging it can become a real distraction and dangerous especially if it's a one or 2 room job and you're using setting type compound...I have no time to chat if you know what I mean...Hanging around for a bit is one thing but all day is quite different....When they bring in a chair and flop down I know it's gonna be a LONG day and more than likely the LAST time I do work for them...LOL...

[Red Green]

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in news:hmkkg0 $tts$ [e-mail]:

All I can say is there weren't many mormons at the '69 Woodstock. Everybody was f'n and f'd up.

[The Daring Dufas]

Oh yea, reproduction by cloning. Explains a lot. ROTFLMAO

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

I'm glad to show someone who is interested what's going on and explain how their equipment works and what can go wrong. It helps them better maintain it and to know when to call in a service tech. I had one little old gal crawl under her house with me because she wanted to know how her furnace worked.

TDD

[Cindy Hamilton]

I usually fulfill that function. I'm expert in handing him things, and holding the flashlight.

For carpentry projects, I can also cut lumber to a specified length.

Cindy

[N8N]

I'm gonna go with too much work, can't imagine any other explanation. I wasn't even there for the A/C install, SWMBO had more time off work than I did so she took the day off and I got home just as he was finishing taping up the ductwork.

Now maybe *she* was hovering... I dunno. She gets pissed off at me when she's "helping" me do stuff because I give short answers because I'd rather get the job done, then explain anything she doesn't understand later over a beer instead of while I'm balancing on joists in the attic or similar...

nate

[HeyBub]

[...]

Don't forget to ask: "Would you come back after regular working hours and do the job for half the quoted price?"

[Stormin Mormon]

Aparently, you don't know the law of chasity.