E-Mail I Received This Morning

[aline]

I have pulled wire for phone lines in my basement and have the boxes ready to wire. I'm not sure how to put the new wires into the cat5 box and am not sure where to place the wire in th cable/phone box I have installed in a basement bedroom. It will probably take 2 minutes for someone who knows what they are doing to do the job. I'm emailing because you are close to Hooper and it shouldn't be to far out of your way to swing by and do a quick job. Please email me with a price quote. I would pay in cash.


I love it when I get e-mails like this. :)

[480sparky]

Take $10 off your nomal price.:wink:

Chances are, the sender is thinking you'll just charge five bucks, though.:mad:

[Mike Lang]

I hate that stuff! I got a call back from an estimate I sent out the other day and they guy was trying to get me to work for a set price per day. I said that's not what I went into business for and my price is my price. He kept telling me that my price was "way high" compared to the other 3 electricians, although he wanted to give me the work because I was local. He also kept on saying that the job was really no big deal and he could do it if his hip didn't hurt. It was 9 recessed lights (old work), 5 ceiling fan boxes wired to new wall switch, and bathroom GFI and exh fan. I told him $1800 and he flipped out. I thought that was a good price

[480sparky]

My favorite email was from a person wanting some service work done, and asked that I give him 'a good price'.

I fired an email back with a quote of $1800.

That night, I got a reply, asking if that was my best price. I responded, "No, $1800 is my 'good' price, which is what you asked for. $2100 is my 'better' price and $2400 is my 'best' price."

Never heard from him again.8-)

[aline]

Take $10 off your nomal price.:wink:

Chances are, the sender is thinking you'll just charge five bucks, though.:mad:
I'm going to add $100 to my normal price.
Either way he's not going to like my price so I just as well jack it up.

It's like the kitchen remodel I looked at the other day.
The guy wanted to run his own wire and just have me hook it up on both ends.
Not only did I tell him I wouldn't allow this but decided my price for this job was going to increase.

I didn't tell him the price just went up though.
When people start talking like this I'll raise my price because it usually means they're going to be a pita. Every once in awhile I get these customers that want to mount their own boxes, drill there own holes etc.

I had one customer that I wired his basement. He wanted to run all of the phone lines himself. He just wanted me to do the electrical. He calls me back after the job was completed and said he wanted me to come out and terminate the phone lines he installed.

When I get there he had ran 4 Cat5 cables to each location in a single gang box. I asked him why so many cables and he said he wanted 4 phone lines. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him one cable would support 4 phone lines.

[Jljohnson]

I got one yesterday asking me to bid a master bath remodel with a recessed above the shower, undertile heat mat, bath fan/light combo, etc. Request was for labor only "unless" I could beat the price of $425.00 for all of the materials that he sourced from the internet. I hate to think how many different sources he is using and how much shipping he will pay to get products that I could have for him tomorrow, right off my suppliers shelves. I bid the job, using his material, with the mark-up that I would have made IF he bought the materials from me.

[tkb]

... "No, $1800 is my 'good' price, which is what you asked for. $2100 is my 'better' price and $2400 is my 'best' price."

Perfect. :grin:

[cowboyjwc]

My favorite email was from a person wanting some service work done, and asked that I give him 'a good price'.

I fired an email back with a quote of $1800.

That night, I got a reply, asking if that was my best price. I responded, "No, $1800 is my 'good' price, which is what you asked for. $2100 is my 'better' price and $2400 is my 'best' price."

Never heard from him again.8-)

I really like that one sparky.:D:D

[wbalsam1]

.............. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him one cable would support 4 phone lines.

I would have loved to have seen the look on his face. I'll bet it was priceless! :wink:

[growler]

It's like the kitchen remodel I looked at the other day.
The guy wanted to run his own wire and just have me hook it up on both ends.
Not only did I tell him I wouldn't allow this but decided my price for this job was going to increase.

If a homeowner wants me to terminate and trim I will do it for them ( service call rates) but I want them to get a permit and I want the rough in inspection passed.

I have done this before and it can cost them more than if I had done the whole job. I list it as repair work because all the wiring is in place and I'm just figuring out how to get it to work correctly. The job is permitted and the homeowner has assumed responsibility.

[GUNNING]

I gave a phone quote for a couple of fans to hang at a house. The guy has called me 3 times since to make an appointment then has to call me back. Last time I was there it was to fix the flood lights that worked. Today he left a message and said I need to bring wooden boxes to hang the fans on. I'm thinking Alzheimer's, but am being very polite and professional and am pretty sure this is going to be a job paid with Karma. I'm also thinking when I get there telling him I'm done and have a good day. Off he will go happy as a clam, not remembering why I was there to begin with.

[tonyou812]

Hey the more they screw something up the more I charge to fix!

[Greg Swartz]

I hate that stuff! I got a call back from an estimate I sent out the other day and they guy was trying to get me to work for a set price per day. I said that's not what I went into business for and my price is my price. He kept telling me that my price was "way high" compared to the other 3 electricians, although he wanted to give me the work because I was local. He also kept on saying that the job was really no big deal and he could do it if his hip didn't hurt. It was 9 recessed lights (old work), 5 ceiling fan boxes wired to new wall switch, and bathroom GFI and exh fan. I told him $1800 and he flipped out. I thought that was a good price
Here in CS, I think that is a good price. I just did a similar job for about a similar price.

My favorite email was from a person wanting some service work done, and asked that I give him 'a good price'.

I fired an email back with a quote of $1800.

That night, I got a reply, asking if that was my best price. I responded, "No, $1800 is my 'good' price, which is what you asked for. $2100 is my 'better' price and $2400 is my 'best' price."

Never heard from him again.8-)
Beautiful... can I plagiarize that?

[480sparky]

.....Beautiful... can I plagiarize that?

Well, by asking, and my giving you permission, then it would not be plagiarism. And if I say no, and you use it, then you plagiarized it.

So,............yes, you can plagiarize it. I can't answer your question.:grin:




I hope that made sense without making your brain hurt. :smile:

[billsnuff]

http://students.signalflare.ca/valdes/uploaded_images/monty-python-my-brain-hurts-4001113-726550.jpg

:grin:

[celtic]

It was 9 recessed lights (old work), 5 ceiling fan boxes wired to new wall switch, and bathroom GFI and exh fan. I told him $1800 and he flipped out. I thought that was a good price


I guess you'll both be pooping your pants with my number:
$3553.62


How many man-hours did you figure Mike?

[emahler]

I guess you'll both be pooping your pants with my number:
$3553.62


How many man-hours did you figure Mike?

man hours?

[cowboyjwc]

man hours?

Even I know that one. 2 men x 8 hours = 16 man hours.

[celtic]

man hours?

Should I have asked what kind of car he and the customer drove?

[cowboyjwc]

Should I have asked what kind of car he and the customer drove?

Actually I've know guys that bid like that. "He drives a Jag he can afford it." :grin:

[drbond24]

Actually I've know guys that bid like that. "He drives a Jag he can afford it." :grin:

The guy with the Jag doesn't have any more spare money than the rest of us because he spent it all on the Jag, and the hot wife/girlfriend (or both) that the Jag was purchased to impress. :D

[celtic]

Even I know that one. 2 men x 8 hours = 16 man hours.

Close...but my number is a bit different:wink:

[R Bob]

I guess you'll both be pooping your pants with my number:
$3553.62


How many man-hours did you figure Mike?

I'm right in line with you Celtic.
A quick estimate off of the top my head yielded $3600 under average conditions.

[celtic]

I'm right in line with you Celtic.
A quick estimate off of the top my head yielded $3600 under average conditions.

How many man-hours?

[Mike Lang]

I guess you'll both be pooping your pants with my number:
$3553.62


How many man-hours did you figure Mike?


I can get that done in about 12 hours maybe a little more or less depending on how everything goes.

I'm just starting out and I'm going nuts... most of the time I deal with cheap loosers. I'm trying to learn how to become a better "seller" on my estimates, but right now it's amazing I go to million dollar mansions with bently's in the garage and get accused of trying to rip them off. Maybe I look stupid to them so they try to push me around? Although I'm hard headded and won't work unless I feel I'm getting a good price for my work that's how I believe you have to be. Or else people start to realize that they can get whatever price they want. It probably has worked for them in the past with their landscaper so they pulll it with me.

I'm just curious Celtic... with your rate how often do you get the cheap customers crying to you about your prices?

[quogueelectric]

Network/ phone/ cable 99 per ALL DAY LONG that includes a finished recessed jack of your color choice and the connection at the point of service. All cat5e phone and data and rg6 quad shield cable. I have new testing equipment so when the customer tells me his oui game isnt working and I show him I am reading the mac address on his router the cable is working perfectly. Homeruns only for me.

[electricguy]

I have new testing equipment so when the customer tells me his oui game isnt working and I show him I am reading the mac address on his router the cable is working perfectly. Homeruns only for me.

Is oui french for wii :)

[cowboyjwc]

Close...but my number is a bit different:wink:

I was only using that as an example. But glad I've still got the touch and could get close.:D

The guy with the Jag doesn't have any more spare money than the rest of us because he spent it all on the Jag, and the hot wife/girlfriend (or both) that the Jag was purchased to impress. :D

I bet you're dead on with that one. :D

[celtic]

I can get that done in about 12 hours maybe a little more or less depending on how everything goes.

Does that number include the "non-productive" labor involved?



I'm just curious Celtic... with your rate how often do you get the cheap customers crying to you about your prices?

They can cry all they want until they feel better :D

Many times, people have no idea what something will cost.
They "budget" what they "think" it will cost.
When they find out what it really cost, they have options:
- forget it until they can secure proper payment
- scale back until it meets "budget"
- upgrade until it meets "budget".:)

[celtic]

I was only using that as an example. But glad I've still got the touch and could get close.:D


Off by about 24% [according to me, and my number is the gold standard :D :D]

[cowboyjwc]

Off by about 24% [according to me, and my number is the gold standard :D :D]

:D As it should be.