🔧 Talking to Clients – B1 Level

English for Plumbers | Assessment, Negotiation & Agreement

Vocabulary – Client Negotiation

Study these terms used in professional plumbing conversations with clients.

assessment
a careful evaluation of the problem before quoting a price
"I need to do a full assessment before I can quote."
labour
the cost of the plumber's time and work
"The quote includes parts and labour."
materials
the physical parts and supplies needed for the job
"I will source the materials at trade price."
warranty
a guarantee that the work will be fixed for free if it fails within a set period
"All our work comes with a twelve-month warranty."
call-out fee
a fixed charge for travelling to the job, separate from the work cost
"The call-out fee is charged regardless of the work carried out."
payment terms
the agreed conditions for when and how the client pays
"Our standard payment terms are thirty days."
inconvenience
difficulty or disruption caused to the client
"I apologise for any inconvenience caused by the delay."
availability
the times when the plumber is free to carry out the work
"Let me check my availability for next week."
breakdown
a detailed list of the individual costs within a quote
"I can provide a full breakdown of the costs."
authorise
to officially give permission for work to go ahead
"Please authorise the work by signing this form."
proceed
to go ahead with the work after agreement
"Are you happy for me to proceed?"
itemised
listed separately with individual prices for each item
"I can send you an itemised quote by email."
negotiate
to discuss and reach an agreement on price or timing
"The client wanted to negotiate the price."
completion
the point when all the work has been fully finished
"Payment is due on completion of the job."
scope
the full range of work included in the job
"Let me explain the scope of the work."

Exercise 1 – True or False?

Read each sentence. Is it true or false?

Exercise 2 – Multiple Choice

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

Exercise 3 – Matching

Match each term (1–8) with the correct description (A–H).

Exercise 4 – Gap Fill

Type the correct word in each gap.

Exercise 5 – Word Order

Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence.

Exercise 6 – Word Sort

Click a word to place it in the correct category.

📋 Planning & Agreement

💷 Cost & Payment

Exercise 7 – Complete the Conversation

Choose the correct word to complete this conversation between a plumber and a client after a boiler assessment.

Exercise 8 – Listening

Listen to a plumber discussing a boiler breakdown with a client. Then answer the questions below.

🎧 Listen to the conversation

Press Play to listen.
Plumber: Good afternoon, Mrs Reed. I have completed the assessment of your boiler. Unfortunately the heat exchanger has failed, which is why you have no hot water.

Client: Oh dear. How serious is it? Can it be repaired?

Plumber: In my professional opinion, the repair cost would be close to the cost of a replacement. Given the age of the unit, I would recommend installing a new boiler.

Client: I see. And what would that involve in terms of cost?

Plumber: I can provide a full itemised breakdown. The total for labour and materials would be in the region of two thousand four hundred pounds, including VAT.

Client: That is quite a lot. Is there any flexibility on the price?

Plumber: I understand your concern. I can offer a small reduction if you are able to proceed this week, as I have a cancellation in my schedule.

Client: That sounds reasonable. What are the payment terms?

Plumber: We ask for a thirty percent deposit to secure the booking, with the balance due on completion. All our installations come with a two-year warranty.

Client: And how long will the installation take?

Plumber: One full day, so we would be finished by late afternoon. I apologise for any inconvenience during the installation.

Client: That is fine. Please go ahead. How do I authorise the work?

Plumber: I will send you a written quote by email. If you sign and return it, I can schedule the job for Thursday.

Part A – Comprehension Questions

Listen and choose the correct answer.

Part B – Listen and Fill the Gap

Each sentence below is from the conversation. One word is missing. Listen and type the missing word.

🏆 Your Scores

ExerciseScoreOut of
1 – True / False–8
2 – Multiple Choice–8
3 – Matching–8
4 – Gap Fill–8
5 – Word Order–8
6 – Word Sort–8
7 – Conversation–8
8a – Listening: Comprehension–5
8b – Listening: Gap Fill–5
Total–66

Complete all exercises to see your total score.