Answers For Advice on plumbers and decorators

You will hear a woman, who has just moved into the area, talking to a neighbour about problems she is having in her house.

WOMAN: Oh, hi Ruth. How are you?

MAN: I'm sorry to bother you, Alastair, but I've been having some problems.

WOMAN: Oh. Come on in ... What's happened?

MAN: Basically, I had a leak from one of the pipes in the bathroom and water started coming through downstairs and the kitchen ceiling's badly stained. I've got the leak fixed temporarily but I wasn't happy with the plumber and I wanted to ask your advice.

WOMAN: Of course ... Well, the first thing I'd say is make sure you choose a local company ... that way if things go wrong you're close by and it just makes things easier.

MAN: Let me write this down ... Right. Yes. The plumber who fixed things yesterday was from quite far away but I chose him because his advert said he did emergency repairs.

WOMAN: Well, fair enough ... you needed something in a hurry. 1But another piece of advice I'd give is try to avoid calling anybody on weekends. That'll really bump up the prices. Leave it till Monday, if you can.

MAN: Well, yes ... I think I can do that because the temporary fix should hold. And obviously I'll need the ceiling plastered and eventually re-decorated.

WOMAN: Yes, sure.

MAN: So who would you recommend? Is there a directory?

WOMAN: Well, there's quite a good website covering this sort of work. 2It's www.plasdeco.com. Is that with a K? a C, P-L-A-S-D-E-C-O dot com.

MAN: Got it. Well I'll try and have a look at that.

WOMAN: Yes, it gives price and quality comparisons.

MAN: Oh, that'll be useful, but I find personal recommendations really helpful as well ... you know, you can find out whether you can rely on the company.

WOMAN: Well, I know a couple of reasonable plumbers and also some plasterers.

MAN: Great.

WOMAN: There's a company called Peake's Plumbing ... now they're a father and son team. 3They're really friendly and they tell you information you need in a clear way ... you know, so they really understand what the problem is.

MAN: Right, well that's good to know. Are they reliable?

WOMAN: 4Well, that's a down side - every single time I've used them they arrive late. And friends have said the same thing.

MAN: But is the work good quality?

WOMAN: Absolutely ... Another one is John Damerol Plumbing Services - he's very good.

MAN: How do you spell the surname?

WOMAN: D-A-M-E-R-O-L.

MAN: Right ... got that. And does he do high quality work?

WOMAN: Well, it's fine, you know, but I wouldn't say that was his main point. 5Basically he comes out cheaper ... you know ... than other people.

MAN: I sense there's a 'but' ... is he unreliable?

WOMAN: 6Oh ... he comes when he says he's coming BUT he's not very courteous and he has the tendency to be messy ... you know so you have quite a bit of clearing up to do.

MAN: Hmmm ... OK.

WOMAN: So it's up to you ... they're both good workers and they won't cheat you.

MAN: Right. And you said you knew some plasterers?

WOMAN: Yes a company called Simonson Plasterers did our living room last year ... we chose them because we wanted some fancy work on the ceiling - around the lights.

MAN: 7So they can do a variety of designs?

WOMAN: You've got it. 8But it comes at a premium because they are more expensive ... you know ...

MAN: ... than the others ...

WOMAN: Yes ... Or you could go for a one-man firm called H.L. Plastering ... Harry Lester - he's fine - very reliable, if all you want is a simple job ...

MAN: 9Do either of them do painting for you if you want ... ? After the plastering's dried out of course.

WOMAN: That's what I was going to say. 10But I should explain that Harry's quite old now and so he avoids doing jobs which involve tall ladders ... you know.

MAN: But my kitchen isn't too bad for that ... I'd have to ask him if he's prepared to do it.

WOMAN: Yeah sure.

MAN: So I'll start by looking at the website.

WOMAN: All those companies are on there ... with their phone numbers etc ...

MAN: Thanks ever so much ...