I can see why you are so bitter

Straightforward pricing is back with a vengeance, as readers galore share their opinions on this practice.

Back in 2014, Edward provided a fine rant about what plumbing companies were charging.

Well, Robin waited until Valentine’s Day to show Edward’s comment some love (and by love we mean scorn), with the following rebuttal:

No new parts for a toilet or faucet install? Even if our customers supply the faucet or toilet we always install new supply lines (not the cheap ones that come with the product), foam gaskets, etc. If our guys installed a toilet without changing out old supply lines they would be going back on their own time to fix it.

Do you run your own business or just work for someone else? If you have only ever just been an employee, I can see where you think these numbers are out to lunch — but what you are forgetting is how much it costs to keep an employee in a van and have high quality, well maintained equipment for the technicians to use. If you are looking at those rates purely from the point of “what you get paid” then I can see why you are so bitter but you need a reality check.

So, Contractor Nation? Does Robin have a point here or is Edward on to something? Obviously, as Robin suggests, the perspective may be skewed depending on which side of the employment equation you’re on, but this has suddenly become a combustible debate worth continuing, so feel free to throw your two cents in.