Advantages of using our blocked drains engineer.
What is the relationship between a blocked drain engineer and a small excavations repair team?
I believe it’s the people and the trades we are familiar with. Our engineers and workforce start each day at 6 o’clock in the morning – first talking to the managers for an update on what may have happened since their last shift and then having a chat with the repair and small excavation team or one of our other teams:
- Installation crew for septic tank and treatment plants
- Main drain connection operatives
- Commercial gully emptying team
- Structural lining team.
- Estimating, diagrams, and planning team
- Pump engineer
- Maintenance team
- High-pressure jetting teams
- Tanker Driver
- Activation team
They make the ASL Limited team!
Communication is paramount
When they all meet down the yard each day, it’s really helpful that they know each other personally.
Not only do they know each other by their first names, but they are also used to each other. They form a bond. Therefore when our blocked drains operative comes across a blocked drain involving a problem that one of our other drainage engineers can resolve, they have direct access to them all on speed dial and can call on them to assist because each of the above trades belongs to the same company.
For example;
The office has informed the blocked drain engineer that this property's drain has been blocked twice over the last year. On arrival, he uses thick, sturdy rods to unblock the drain; if there’s no pressure, no resistance, he knows he’s in the wrong inspection chamber and moves to the next.
If the drain is stubborn and the pressure is good, or there is too much resistance, in other words, in the right inspection chamber, our blocked drain engineer uses his low-powered jetting machine to unblock the drain successfully.
Then places the camera into the drain and finds a collapsed or partially collapsed pipe; they may even find tree roots in the drain. Because of their experiences working with a small excavation team at one time in the past, they understand the situation very quickly and inform the appropriate team required.
The blocked drains engineer immediately calls the team with the root cutting machine, who is also capable of structurally aligning and lining the drain as a means of permanent repair. Then the blocked drains engineer sends an email to the activation team in the office; they add this information to the appropriate file, and schedule, and everyone knows what’s happening. Now the Drain is clear.
You can appreciate that the customer is usually relieved in more ways than one. All the dishes can be washed, they can put the washing on, and the toilets can be flushed.
However, If the blocked drain engineer clears the drain, uses the camera and finds the roots are so strong in the drain, so big, so thick, they would organise the appropriate tree root-cutting machine. If the drain is completely collapsed and the patio is subsiding, then we can estimate and organise the correct team to rectify this too.
To grow a successful blocked drains service
With all the teams on hand – it takes time, patience, and lots of training as well as resources.
For an independent blocked drain operative to bring the full solutions to any blocked drain problem, they would have to call on external resources that belong to another company and may not be available for days. They may also not have the experience to recognise the cause of the problem, especially when identifying a private sewage system. It’s not always apparent to the customer that the blockage is linked. Therefore, attempts at fixing the problem can create more problems and increase unknown costs. Not to mention the delays in getting the problem fixed.
Enabling a valuable service
Our blocked drain operatives do seven or eight daily calls, each taking around half an hour to unblock, at £69 plus VAT.
All engineers, we believe, are more loyal, and give better service if paid by salary with holidays. We believe it’s a benefit that ASL Limited does not pay a commission – instead, a decent wage allows our teams to operate at their best rather than rushing half-measured jobs.
If you think you have a drainage issue that needs looking at give our friendly office team a call on 0800 181 684