cheapest price

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nizak

Senior Member
Had to throw this out there just for conversation sake. Have a homeowner who hired the cheapest EC he could find back 5 years ago.I gave a bid on the job and was $4500 higher, HO went with the other guy. In the time since the job was completed I have gone there on 5 different occassions to fix problems, one of which was a untightened service conductor that overheated and burn't up a lug on one of the 200A panels. EC finished the job on bad terms with the HO and ended up nickel and diming him to the tune of a couple thousand $$$ in extras.Just funny how this stuff always comes back around.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
Had to throw this out there just for conversation sake. Have a homeowner who hired the cheapest EC he could find back 5 years ago.I gave a bid on the job and was $4500 higher, HO went with the other guy. In the time since the job was completed I have gone there on 5 different occassions to fix problems, one of which was a untightened service conductor that overheated and burn't up a lug on one of the 200A panels. EC finished the job on bad terms with the HO and ended up nickel and diming him to the tune of a couple thousand $$$ in extras.Just funny how this stuff always comes back around.

I enjoy going back on these types of jobs. They will never admit they made a mistake but you can see it in their face. I also don't cut them any slack on pricing ether. Having to figure out what some clown has done and correct it takes time and MONEY.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Worked on pump project that had ended where no one on the original project got paid. Late completion penalties. Not that the original electrician was at fault but he certainly wasn't coming back to a project he was never paid for. I made way more money doing follow up work and troubleshooting. It was two blocks from my house and I wasn't eligible to bid because I wasn't on the "list". Good enough to find & fix the problems though.:)
 

nizak

Senior Member
It's a shame though that such shotty work passes inspection. The EC that I originally posted about has conservatively wired 300+ houses within a 30 mile radius in the last 10 years or so. I have gone back on other jobs that he has done as well, one was feeding the garage door opener from the load side of a whirlpool tub gfci simply because it was directly under the tub.The bad part is that some of these issues don't surface for quite awhile and by the time he get's a callback he blames it on someone else having their hands in on it.
 

GUNNING

Senior Member
uh oh

uh oh

I got a call today to go to a mall to find out why a set of track lights didn't work.

Got there and saw all the lights plugged into quads into the drop ceiling. All the lights were run with NM with cord ends and no cable connectors on the track lights. (grounds cut off ) The NM run above the ceiling grid and dropped down through the ceiling to the outlets that were mounted in the ceiling tiles. 100 feet of track 10 500 watt caged flood lights screwed to the drop ceiling 6 20 amp lighting circuits total. Somebodies brother in law got the job. Big enclosed mall, wrong wiring method, bad dangerous install failing .

The set of track lights not working was unplugged. They said it worked then nothing. Also the lights blinked off and dimmed occasionally. I'm thinking the quick wired quads are failing and I'm not the first electrician that saw it.

Do I call the fire marshal before or after I don't get paid?
 

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
I got a call today to go to a mall to find out why a set of track lights didn't work.

Got there and saw all the lights plugged into quads into the drop ceiling. All the lights were run with NM with cord ends and no cable connectors on the track lights. (grounds cut off ) The NM run above the ceiling grid and dropped down through the ceiling to the outlets that were mounted in the ceiling tiles. 100 feet of track 10 500 watt caged flood lights screwed to the drop ceiling 6 20 amp lighting circuits total. Somebodies brother in law got the job. Big enclosed mall, wrong wiring method, bad dangerous install failing .

The set of track lights not working was unplugged. They said it worked then nothing. Also the lights blinked off and dimmed occasionally. I'm thinking the quick wired quads are failing and I'm not the first electrician that saw it.

Do I call the fire marshal before or after I don't get paid?
That "uh oh" from the electrician may be as expensive as the one from the dentist.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I got a call today to go to a mall to find out why a set of track lights didn't work.

Got there and saw all the lights plugged into quads into the drop ceiling. All the lights were run with NM with cord ends and no cable connectors on the track lights. (grounds cut off ) The NM run above the ceiling grid and dropped down through the ceiling to the outlets that were mounted in the ceiling tiles. 100 feet of track 10 500 watt caged flood lights screwed to the drop ceiling 6 20 amp lighting circuits total. Somebodies brother in law got the job. Big enclosed mall, wrong wiring method, bad dangerous install failing .

The set of track lights not working was unplugged. They said it worked then nothing. Also the lights blinked off and dimmed occasionally. I'm thinking the quick wired quads are failing and I'm not the first electrician that saw it.

Do I call the fire marshal before or after I don't get paid?

That is a case where it would be a good idea to play the role of inspector and tell them all the code violations. Do not tell them what you would do to fix it because they will just try to relay that to whatever handiman did the original install so that he can try to make it better, just tell them what is wrong and give them references to where it says it is wrong. You can give them an estimate on what it will cost to do it right but do not give any details of what will be used to do it right. I would tell them I am going make it right or leave it as is - their choice. Maybe even tell them this before giving them the inspection report.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I got a call today to go to a mall, Big enclosed mall, wrong wiring method, bad dangerous install failing .

Do I call the fire marshal before or after I don't get paid?

What GUNNING has said here is very important. A big enclosed mall is not the same as privately owned property. These are leased tenant spaces and normally the mall will have a management staff and there will be rules that need to be followed. Most of the malls that I have worked in won't allow such lighting installs without a permit and inspection and they even want copies of lein waivers after the work is completed. The property belongs to the mall and not the tenant.

These fixtures were plugged in and thus never permanently installed so I would check with mall management and get a permit to install and keep records of the job being inspected and passed. The fire marshal may be involved before it's over but that will be up to mall management or the inspection department.

If the customer doesn't want to do the job right/safe I would infrom mall mangement and let them take whatever action they think is necessary.

That's right I'm a rat but I can't afford to burn down a mall.
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Also, be careful on any of these jobs that you get paid.

A GC on a Panera Bread store called my boss late one night, saying they had a health inspector's preliminary inspection & were told they needed extra lighting in an area. Said the process of a change or add on with the EC doing the jb was too slow, they needed a light that night. Boss sent me, I installed & gave EC the bill. He had already assured the boss their HQ would pay upon receipt. Never got paid. Boss called several times, was told they needed another copy of billing & our W9. Both were faxed, then they said we should send proof of insurance. Their HQ was out of state, BTW. Boss put a collection agency on it but they went out of business when Katrina hit New Orleans. Boss wrote it off. If I get a similar call, I will get a credit card from the GC first.

Another case, same boss. Apt complex called from next city over. needed an emergency night repair. Went over & fixed things up, gave maintenance man the bill. He assured me office mgr would send check next day. We eventually got paid, after 3 months or so. Turned out they had stiffed every electrician & plumber in Raleigh. We had to call dozens of times before getting paid. Beware the night call from a place who should already have someone regular. I will now demand payment in advance for such a service call.
 

landy727

Member
cheapest price

I always let prospective new customers that I can guarantee that I will never be the cheapest price, but if you give me the chance the only times that they will need to call me back will be for future upgrades. Never to fix my own work!
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I always let prospective new customers that I can guarantee that I will never be the cheapest price, but if you give me the chance the only times that they will need to call me back will be for future upgrades. Never to fix my own work!

Be careful about how you say that. Fixing your own work and coming back to warranty a product you sold can be two different things but customer will not always see it that way. Even the best products out there fail at times.
 
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