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  • Acquiring materials will incur costs, one way or another - even if it's just time spent figuring out what's needed.

    Yes the customer can pay for the materials directly if they must, but did they work out exactly what was needed, did they know where to purchase them from, do they have accounts set up with the wholesalers, will they collect the materials or pay for delivery? Again the list goes on.

    It's also worth pointing out that every job is different and there may be cases where there is no extra added to materials, but it's a case by case thing - I'm simply trying to point out why adding a bit on isn't just some "punter" tax to cheat people out of extra money.

    And FWIW, all this uphill work explaining stuff like this why I don't run a business any more, lol. Feels shit working your arse off when half the world seems to think you’re just trying to rip them off, or just wants to haggle some discount so they feel better about what they’re paying for. It’s exhausting.

  • I'm simply trying to point out why adding a bit on isn't just some "punter" tax to cheat people out of extra money.

    This is the critical point.

    wants to haggle some discount so they feel better about what they’re paying for

    As is this. People hate thinking they’ve not got a fair deal, that someone else is paying less. I certainly do. Every order from my local builders’ merchant goes:

    ‘how much is it?’
    ‘£2.12 a meter’
    ‘It was £1.80 last time’
    ‘Oh, ok we’ll do it for that’

    Tiring stuff.

    Capitalism innit.

  • I'm simply trying to point out why adding a bit on isn't just some "punter" tax to cheat people out of extra money.

    Conversely, the punter opting to avoid that by sourcing their own materials is not penny pinching. It is, after all, saving the tradesmen the cost of having to do it themselves.

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