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Had my first....oh can you just do this

keefo

Active member
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449
Location
Perth
On Tuesday in one of my jobs i had my first 'can i just do this whilst your here' it was the mirrors in the en suite and main bathroom, also give the shower screen a quick squeegee! They were moving out so i said i usually charge for the mirrors but I'll do it, when she asked for the shower screen to be done my face must have told a story as she said I'll pay you. Anyway i charged accordingly.

 
"Can you just wipe that bit there for me?"

"What? The facias?"

"Yeah"

"No"

"Oh"

 
put up a fair few washing lines in my time but lately I've been inundated by the locked out! "Scuse me mate, I've only gone and locked meself out, would you mind..."

Even if I did mind I could never turn round and say "nah sorry mate your screwed, see ya"

Although their reaction to that could be mildly amusing /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
It's defo a staple part of the job, today's 'canyoujuster' was to get some broken tiles out the gutter...

We are our customers heroes!

 
put up a fair few washing lines in my time but lately I've been inundated by the locked out! "Scuse me mate, I've only gone and locked meself out, would you mind..."Even if I did mind I could never turn round and say "nah sorry mate your screwed, see ya"

Although their reaction to that could be mildly amusing /emoticons/biggrin.png
Careful with that one mate, it might not be thier house.

 
Careful with that one mate, it might not be thier house.
That's a good point actually and one to bare in mind. In most cases I've recognised them from working in their road every month but then again there has been one or two who I haven't recognised!

Hopefully I haven't unwittingly assisted in any burglarys! :whistle:

 
I actuAlly became a locksmith on a similar reason.

"Gotmlocked out the other day, cost me £160 to get a locksmith, he was only here 5 minutes too!"

"Oh really, interesting...."

Ive picked the locks on quite a few customers, one chaps been locked out threee times :rolleyes:

 
One customer keeps handing me a scouring pad and bottle of flash from her kitchen "can you just scrub that black mark off the door, and that one, and that one" as she continues pointing out marks. Always asks me to clean the inside kitchen window as well. Anyone else I'd probably say something but she is clearly not playing with a full deck.

 
I actuAlly became a locksmith on a similar reason.
"Gotmlocked out the other day, cost me £160 to get a locksmith, he was only here 5 minutes too!"

"Oh really, interesting...."

Ive picked the locks on quite a few customers, one chaps been locked out threee times :rolleyes:
Hi Paul, they do earn a fair crust don't they! I considered getting in to it a few years back but got scared by the prospect of 24 hour call outs /emoticons/tongue.png

What made you change career if you don't mind me asking?

 
Hi Paul, they do earn a fair crust don't they! I considered getting in to it a few years back but got scared by the prospect of 24 hour call outs /emoticons/tongue.pngWhat made you change career if you don't mind me asking?
Change to locksmithing or change to window cleaning?

I was looking for something else to do that was "easier" than window cleaning as it was becoming quite stale for me, i stumbled into locksmithing and loved picking locks for fun and collecting them.

I stopped and switched to full time window cleaning because of what you said, i dont like working nights. I couldnt get it all together working for myself and became quite anxious about it all. When will i get a call? Where will it be? What lock will it be? Maybe it will be a pain in the ass?

So i worked for a company which was great as i had them as back up and i could always ring them if i got stuck about what to do. But i had to do a week nights and the. A week days plus over time, covering one saturday and one sunday a month, as in the whole 24 hours! Crazy. Too much work not enough pay, can earn more window cleaning and at normal hours and look after my wife who is on dialysis, i take her after work three nights a week, im here right now in fact, when i was locksmithing, i could rarely do it, and once she had to have an operation, i was able to take her but then called on a job and i was gutted to leave her at the hospital alone as im always there for her.

Thats the reasons, i love the locksmithing though, maybe again in the future, but doubt it. Theres something cool about walking up to someones door picking the lock and opening the door.

 
Change to locksmithing or change to window cleaning?
I was looking for something else to do that was "easier" than window cleaning as it was becoming quite stale for me, i stumbled into locksmithing and loved picking locks for fun and collecting them.

I stopped and switched to full time window cleaning because of what you said, i dont like working nights. I couldnt get it all together working for myself and became quite anxious about it all. When will i get a call? Where will it be? What lock will it be? Maybe it will be a pain in the ass?

So i worked for a company which was great as i had them as back up and i could always ring them if i got stuck about what to do. But i had to do a week nights and the. A week days plus over time, covering one saturday and one sunday a month, as in the whole 24 hours! Crazy. Too much work not enough pay, can earn more window cleaning and at normal hours and look after my wife who is on dialysis, i take her after work three nights a week, im here right now in fact, when i was locksmithing, i could rarely do it, and once she had to have an operation, i was able to take her but then called on a job and i was gutted to leave her at the hospital alone as im always there for her.

Thats the reasons, i love the locksmithing though, maybe again in the future, but doubt it. Theres something cool about walking up to someones door picking the lock and opening the door.
yeah sorry I meant change to window cleaning. So you were a windie before a locksmith then!

I completely understand why you would give it up, for the reasons you've given regarding your wife, cant be easy to have to leave her side for a call out so working normal hours is understandable indeed!

Crikey! Didn't realise quite how many hours you work as a locksmith! Tough!

 
My mate used to earn a fortune as a locksmith..stupid hours though as he was a 1 man band and offered 24hr call out

Not worth earning it if you can't spend it

 
I can imagine the satisfaction of picking a lock though, and it would be interesting to learn how but that's as far as I'd go with it I think /emoticons/tongue.png

 
Paul has some good vids..picking lock 1 handed and with feet

Don't give him your address :rofl:

 
I can imagine the satisfaction of picking a lock though, and it would be interesting to learn how but that's as far as I'd go with it I think /emoticons/tongue.png
U can learn on lock picking forums, i can make lock picks out of anything, in fact my lock pick making tools and experience is what got me into dog earing my squeegees, i saw waggas video and because i was used to making little metal picks i found it easy (not thats its hard i know)

 
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