That's too much....$$$$$$$$$$

SPARKS40 · Sep 17, 2009

Got a quick question for all. I went and bid a 100A service upgrade today. Customer already has permit, and they are to be responsible for all materials as they want to purchase from the big box they have a card for. Fine by me, except they are arguing the labor price. The house currently has SE cable run down through an interior wall (will try to post pics). I'm going to move the service around the side of the house where i have a straight shot into the basement, and run new wiring to replace the existing knob & tube, and the improperly run newer wiring. Pretty cut and dried. I quoted them $650 labor, due to the fact of this only being a part time job for me, so everything has to be loaded/unloaded from the truck every time i get work. The property was purchased by a property management company to rehab and rent. They said the last couple upgrades did not cost them near as much, with their "previous electricians" just swapping the panel. In your opinions, is $650 a fair labor charge???? I'm trying to post pics, but i don't think it will let me.

Buck Parrish · Sep 17, 2009

Customer has material" Is a big red flag. How much K&T will you have to remove. $650. is low . I tell people any time we are dealing with the service most real electricians charge more. It's the warranty, responsibility, the no how and the ability and man power to do the job quickly and correctly.

wbalsam1 · Sep 17, 2009

If you can do the job in no more than a day and a half, it would seem like a good price.

SEO · Sep 17, 2009

Looking at the pictures in your other thread I think that $650.00 to install service equipment and bring the install into code complience is on the low side.

growler · Sep 17, 2009

SPARKS40 said:
They said the last couple upgrades did not cost them near as much, with their "previous electricians" just swapping the panel.

What happen to the other electrician and why isn't he useing him/them or whatever?

Always ask what happened to the last guy. If he is no longer around then he doesn't count.

Sierrasparky · Sep 17, 2009

Labor only is not a bad price. What ya gonna do. Work is work. depending on how long it takes, thats about 50 70 an hour.

I hear in the city the per hour is getting lowered to 50-60

The Iceman · Sep 17, 2009

Seems like a fair price to me. As a new electrical contractor the one thing I'm learning is to give my best price, and if the customer doesn't like it, move on to the next job.

hardworkingstiff · Sep 17, 2009

SPARKS40 said:
They said the last couple upgrades did not cost them near as much, with their "previous electricians" just swapping the panel.

I would tell them they should call the other electrician.

In your opinions, is $650 a fair labor charge????

IMO, it's below a fair market value. Just out of curiousity, how long do you think it will take you?

CopperTone · Sep 17, 2009

Sevice changes are money makers for EC's and should be for part timers too. K & T - money maker - the property management co just doesn't want to pay - but they want to keep the money from any profits on the property. Prop Man Co's are the worst if you ask me - it is only about the cheapest fix with them annd slow paying.

Someone here said it best - Give them your price in which you will make money and you will watch the cheapskates scatter. The people who always gave me a hard time over money - I started taking a hard line with them and they either went away or shut up and paid up.

Lost a few customers that way - kept some - got some back after they found out the grass wasn't greener - and we get referrals every day - I actually told a customer last week " we charge a fair price that enables us to continue to be in business 2 years from now when you will need us then. - He was complaining over a quote that was $200 lower from someone else - Funny - he called back the other day wanting us to do the work.

BTW - $650 for me would be 1 guy 8 hrs. I'd be losing money if it took any longer.

Cow · Sep 17, 2009

Our inspectors here would rip us a new one if they found out we worked under a homeowners permit...

midnitel · Sep 17, 2009

Is it your hobby? Or job? The less you charge the more they want and complain.The company I work for we charge $240 to replace GFCI outlet.

Sierrasparky · Sep 17, 2009

Cow said:
Our inspectors here would rip us a new one if they found out we worked under a homeowners permit...

Maight I ask why???

Sierrasparky · Sep 17, 2009

midnitel said:
Is it your hobby? Or job? The less you charge the more they want and complain.The company I work for we charge $240 to replace GFCI outlet.

How do you justify that charge?
Even at 125 buck an hour and double the price of a GFCI thats only 175 at the most and I think that is too much.
Boy and your market area will bear those prices.
I would be tarred and featherd at those prices.

SPARKS40 · Sep 17, 2009

hardworkingstiff said:
I would tell them they should call the other electrician.

Their "other" electrician wasnt licensed and did not pull permits, from what their carpenter was telling me when i was there today.

IMO, it's below a fair market value. Just out of curiousity, how long do you think it will take you?

The price i bid was just myself at 10 hours.

After this company purchased the property, they proceeded to start remodeling, tearing out walls, moving structure, let alone what they did with the existing wiring

. Problem is, they had it tore up and somewhat cobbled back together when the local AHJ happened to be driving around and saw the mess outside....oops. From what i was told, he let himself in and let it fly (no permits). Now, they are facing electrical, mechanical, plumbing, etc.
I was initially contacted in regard to upgrading the service, and bringing the wiring up to code in the bathroom and kitchen. My original bid was $3800, which i thought they were gonna have a stroke over, and now we are looking at the upgrade only. I'm just gonna sit back and see what happens. I have a feeling they'll use some trunk slammer, then call me to come do it right when it doesnt pass.......

wireguru · Sep 17, 2009

Sierrasparky said:
Maight I ask why???

around here, when you get a homeowners permit you have to certify you are doing the work yourself. If you hire anyone (another contractor, or even helpers) you have to list them on the permit app and provide evidence of workers comp. If a contractor is doing the work, the contractor should be pulling the permit.

Also, a property management co isnt going to be allowed to pull a permit. Only an owner-builder who lives in (or will live in) a single family dwelling can pull a permit.

Are you sure this 'homeowners permit' even exists?

wireguru · Sep 17, 2009

hm, this permit they already have -is it an owner builder permit, or did an electrician who no longer works for them pull the permit?

bradleyelectric · Sep 17, 2009

In your area, does a homeowner permit state that the homeowner has to perform the work pulled by a homeowner?

It's funny, I can never seem to do more than 4 1 hour jobs in 8 hours. Doesn't that actually mean that each job actually costs me 2 hours? If a job cost me 2 hours and $25 in material, wouldn't changing that outlet for $250 net me less than $125/hr?

I hear all the time people are complaining about getting charged $70/hr or if that guy is charging $85 we should be able to do it for $70. Funny, I hardly ever hear the complaints and don't waist much time dealing with people that are "on a really tight budget" or are "trying to get this done as cheaply as possible" Yes there are occasionally people that think I can't be serious when tell them how much. There have been 2 in close to the last year.

mcclary's electrical · Sep 17, 2009

Buck Parrish said:
Customer has material" Is a big red flag. How much K&T will you have to remove. $650. is low . I tell people any time we are dealing with the service most real electricians charge more. It's the warranty, responsibility, the no how and the ability and man power to do the job quickly and correctly.

that's funny,,,I said thought the same thing the other day, if the customer already has permit, or already has material, big red flag.

jaylectricity · Sep 17, 2009

This isn't the first time I've seen it, can we please recognize that the word is waste and not waist?

If anybody knows waists, it might be me. It just annoys me that such a smart group of people make this mistake so often. Twice in one day.

bradleyelectric · Sep 17, 2009

jaylectricity said:
This isn't the first time I've seen it, can we please recognize that the word is waste and not waist?

If anybody knows waists, it might be me. It just annoys me that such a smart group of people make this mistake so often. Twice in one day.

Sorry bout that. I was thinking about that Klondike bar I'm about to eat.

That's too much....$$$$$$$$$$

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member