Going back to fix it — when a callback is free, and when it’s chargeable

A finished job isn’t always finished. A tap starts dripping again, a hinge works loose, a client says the paint’s already peeling — the callback isn’t rare, and it isn’t automatically bad news. What decides whether it costs you anything is what you do in the first few minutes after the call comes in, not how the client happens to phrase the complaint.

Three questions before you agree to anything

Ask these in order, before you promise a free fix or quote a price for one:

• Is it my work? A leak behind a wall you never opened isn’t your repaint. A part that failed on its own isn’t your installation. Look before you decide, rather than assuming the worst because the client is unhappy on the phone.
• Is it inside my guarantee? Check the period you actually stated, not a vague sense of how recent the job was. A workmanship guarantee with no written period is a promise with no real edge to it.
• What does the visit cost me? Travel, time on site, and any parts all add up, and a callback lands after the job was already priced and closed. The free callback profit check works out what a visit like this one actually takes out of the job’s profit.

Four outcomes, not just “free” or “no”

Once you know whose fault it is, pick from four real responses:

• Fix it free. It’s your work, and it’s inside your guarantee. Go, fix it, and don’t bill for the visit — this is the guarantee doing exactly what it’s there for.
• Charge for the visit. It’s outside the guarantee, or it was never your fault to begin with — wear and tear, misuse, or damage from something else entirely. Quote the visit and the fix like any other job.
• Route it as a parts claim. A part failed, not your workmanship. Send the part back to the supplier or manufacturer under their own warranty, rather than covering it under yours.
• Decline, with evidence. The damage plainly isn’t from your work — a cracked tile from something dropped on it, say. Explain what you found, plainly, and quote the fix as new work if the client wants it done anyway.

Go and look first

Booking the visit isn’t the same as admitting fault. A client reporting a problem doesn’t automatically mean the problem is yours — it means someone needs to look before either of you can say whose it is. A free repair and a chargeable callback both start with the same first step: turn up and check, instead of agreeing to a fix over the phone on the strength of a client’s guess at the cause.

This matters as much for a manufacturer warranty on a part as it does for your own workmanship. A part that failed early is usually still the supplier’s problem, but only once you’ve actually confirmed it’s the part and not the way it was fitted.

What a workmanship guarantee needs

A guarantee that actually holds up needs three things written down, not implied: a period — how long you’re on the hook, commonly six months to two years — a scope — your labor, not necessarily materials the client supplied themselves — and stated exclusions, so wear and tear or someone else’s later work doesn’t quietly become your problem. The terms and conditions builder already writes this clause for you; fill in the period that fits your trade and it goes straight into the quote.

Keep the record that proves it

A guarantee is only as good as what you can point to when someone calls it in. Keep the original job’s date, its invoice, and any photos from the work — that’s what lets you check a callback against what was actually agreed, rather than against memory. Keep records for at least as long as the guarantee itself runs.

Common questions

Do I have to fix a callback for free?

Only if it turns out to be your work, and only inside your stated guarantee period. Wear and tear, misuse, and materials the client supplied themselves aren’t automatically covered just because the job is still recent.

What if the damage isn’t from my work?

Go and look first, then explain plainly what you found and why it isn’t the same as the original job. A cracked tile from someone dropping something is a different problem than a tile you fitted badly — say so, and quote the repair as new work if the client wants it done.

What if a part failed, not my workmanship?

Route it as a parts claim against the supplier or manufacturer instead of covering it under your own guarantee. Your labor and their part carry separate guarantees, and a failed part usually isn’t something you can be expected to cover for free.

How long should a workmanship guarantee last?

Long enough to cover the kind of fault that would actually show up in use — commonly six months to two years, depending on the trade. Write the period down, along with what it covers and what it excludes, rather than leaving it as an open-ended, unstated promise.

How long should I keep the paperwork?

For at least as long as your stated guarantee period, ideally longer. The original invoice, its date, and any job photos are what let you actually check a callback against what was agreed, instead of relying on memory.