Hello everyone,
The topic of heating is very relevant for us right now, and I’m getting a bit frustrated. The contractors seem to have little experience and mostly just sell the top sellers of their own brands. For that, they charge about an 80% markup plus installation fees. What I really want to know is… who buys the equipment online? So far, I haven’t found a single heating professional who will install units that weren’t purchased from them. I suspect that heating contractors get their equipment directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler. But if there are some shops online, there must be a market for it.
As I said, I’m just curious. Of course, some people might install their heating systems themselves, but that can’t be very common.
so long, ck
The topic of heating is very relevant for us right now, and I’m getting a bit frustrated. The contractors seem to have little experience and mostly just sell the top sellers of their own brands. For that, they charge about an 80% markup plus installation fees. What I really want to know is… who buys the equipment online? So far, I haven’t found a single heating professional who will install units that weren’t purchased from them. I suspect that heating contractors get their equipment directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler. But if there are some shops online, there must be a market for it.
As I said, I’m just curious. Of course, some people might install their heating systems themselves, but that can’t be very common.
so long, ck
C
Christian K.29 Jan 2019 16:51Thank you for the responses. If I understand correctly, it is possible to purchase and install the heating system independently. It doesn’t seem too difficult, and I’ve even heard of cases where the heating technician had to read the user manual first because they were unfamiliar with the brand. I need to look into this further. Additionally, I plan to have a certified energy consultant handle the design of the underfloor heating system and so on, and the heating technician will implement that design. I will then connect the heating system myself. In this case, I won’t have any warranty, but the design will be done by someone else anyway.
Regarding the concerns... at BMW, I can bring my own oil and, for example, before the service, I can fill the windshield washer fluid myself and have the wiper blades replaced by the technician.
Regarding the concerns... at BMW, I can bring my own oil and, for example, before the service, I can fill the windshield washer fluid myself and have the wiper blades replaced by the technician.
What does skill have to do with it? If the exact same oil costs 8€ per liter bottle, you can only guess what the dealer’s markup is for a barrel. If the invoice then shows 35€, I feel like I’m being taken advantage of.
And this is a bad habit that treats customers as if they are naive. Whether it’s oil, heating, or plumbing, there is a service that should be fairly compensated. There are costs for planning, ordering materials, transport, handling, and warranty. That’s all fine; it’s not about getting the lowest price from a shady online store. But this doesn’t justify price doubling, which is something frequently experienced in these trades. In the past, people said both parties should feel like they made a good deal. That seems to have gone out of style. Depending on the market situation, one side runs a bidding marathon trying to push suppliers down to the last dollar or euro, while the other side tries to hold on without emotion because competitors’ books are full. Eventually, the market shifts, and then neither side is happy anymore.
And this is a bad habit that treats customers as if they are naive. Whether it’s oil, heating, or plumbing, there is a service that should be fairly compensated. There are costs for planning, ordering materials, transport, handling, and warranty. That’s all fine; it’s not about getting the lowest price from a shady online store. But this doesn’t justify price doubling, which is something frequently experienced in these trades. In the past, people said both parties should feel like they made a good deal. That seems to have gone out of style. Depending on the market situation, one side runs a bidding marathon trying to push suppliers down to the last dollar or euro, while the other side tries to hold on without emotion because competitors’ books are full. Eventually, the market shifts, and then neither side is happy anymore.
User0815 schrieb:
I also bought the heat pump online, plan to install and connect it myself, and a heating technician friend will review the work. The commissioning will then be carried out by someone appointed by the manufacturer.That’s fine, but I can’t expect a tradesperson to install my cheaply bought equipment for free or at a very low cost. They have to make a living, and that’s not possible by charging only for labor. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s oil or heating.
seat88 schrieb:
They want to make a living too, and that simply can’t be done just by calculating labor costs. Yes, but why not? If a branded workshop charges an hourly rate of 100€ and passes on all material costs with a small handling fee, why shouldn’t they be able to make a living from that?
If that really isn’t enough, then the hourly rate is simply too low. The total amount ends up being the same; one time I’m satisfied, the other time I feel cheated.
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