what do you say to these comments?

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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
True story: When I was young I was replacing a couple 200 amp service panels. The client walks up and watches for a few minutes than says "I don't know how you keep those wires straight and know where they all go." I turned and said "But your a neurosurgeon."

I once knew a guy at my first job who could do any control wiring you needed. Cabinets, foot pedals, pushbutton drops, timers, relays, etc; all the stuff used in the 70's. He called for a crew to fix some things he'd done at his house. Sort of smiled & hung his head when we got there. Asked if we'd keep it quiet to save his good name. He had every violation known to man in his house and then some. His 3 way switches never worked either. He could oversee the most complex jobs we did but could not do a simple job at his own house. We got a lot of laughs from that. He rode us gently on any jobs we worked with him later.
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
True story: When I was young I was replacing a couple 200 amp service panels. The client walks up and watches for a few minutes than says "I don't know how you keep those wires straight and know where they all go." I turned and said "But your a neurosurgeon."

I once did a generator job for a retired electrical engineer. He was getting on in age & not seeing things so clearly any more. He called the boss & insisted I put 4 breakers in a disconnect & only needed 1. Boss called, confused. I insisted I had a 100 amp double pole breaker, which was true. I showed customer & asked where he saw 4 breakers. He pointed to double pole & counted 1, 2, 3, 4. The wide breaker handle had 4 supports connecting it to the breaker. I opened & showed him 2 wires in & 2 out. He understood then. Fortunately, he didn't realize how foolish he'd looked or he would have gotten really depressed. We laughed together & I asked how he wanted the next item done.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
Reminds me of a story I heard about a motor consultant.

A big DC motor was sparking around the commutator and various attempts had been made to fix it but, to no avail.

The consultant was called in, spent about an hour investigating, and made a chalk mark on the motor.
"Remove one turn from this interpole."
That was done and the motor ran sweetly thereafter.

The consultant sent his bill in. It was ?5,000.
The customer was a bit surprised.
"It's a lot of money. Could you break it down?"
"Certainly."
The revised bill was:

To making one chalk mark................?5
To knowing where to put it........?4,995

I've always loved that story.
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
"well he bid it for almost half of what you did"

"well that's fine, I would go with him then, but when you call me back to fix it, the cost will be the same as my bid price."
 

coffeebean

Senior Member
Location
Mercer County NJ
I was installing a wall bracket for tv and was about to tell the homeowner the final charge when his 10 year old blurts out about their trip to Mexico needless to say I had to adjust my price. I don't begrudge any one who earns a honest living but don't cry poor
 

Joethemechanic

Senior Member
Location
Hazleton Pa
Occupation
Electro-Mechanical Technician. Industrial machinery
Avoid anyone who talks like this guy



While "Cheap Pete" is an exaggeration, anyone who changes the specifications of the job a couple of times and expects you to work up another price is probably a customer to stay away from.
 
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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Avoid anyone who talks like this guy



While "Cheap Pete" is an exaggeration, anyone who changes the specifications of the job a couple of times and expects you to work up another price is probably a customer to stay away from.

Good thing I wasn't there. I would have held the kid for the man to beat him. :rant:

If I were in line behind a little old granny who never had much, I'd hold up $ for the clerk and nod to set her up on me.
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
I was installing a wall bracket for tv and was about to tell the homeowner the final charge when his 10 year old blurts out about their trip to Mexico needless to say I had to adjust my price. I don't begrudge any one who earns a honest living but don't cry poor

Same here, brother. If they want to save $, they could have saved a lot by not going on that trip.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
"any monkey can run wire"

"that much? i can easily do it myself it's not hard"

"i can go down to home depot and ask the guy in the electrical department he will tell me"

"it's not hard to do their are many videos online that show you step by step"

my responses
1. yeah those monkies are good aren't they? I'm taking my truck to the grease monkey when i leave here.

2. why didn't you?

3. why didn't you?

4. why didn't you?


but seriously what would you say to these comments? I read these comments all over the internet from youtube to craigslist to general forums it's sad that electricians get no respect.

I am on a forum where posters periodically want to know where they can buy surgical supplies and antibiotics because doctors cost too much.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I am on a forum where posters periodically want to know where they can buy surgical supplies and antibiotics because doctors cost too much.


And there would be a lot more of that if people didn't have health insurance and were paying out of their own pocket when medical service was needed.

I actually agree with people, not that prices are to high but that the funny money printed by the Fed just isn't worth much anymore.
 

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
And there would be a lot more of that if people didn't have health insurance and were paying out of their own pocket when medical service was needed.

Just a statistic here now too.........scary stuff.............full house uninsured........scary stuff........

And no offense to you sports fans............but those bazzilion $$$ salaries could end also......


GO GIANTS....................WHO CARES!

(thank you for letting me vent)
 

bradleyelectric

Senior Member
Location
forest hill, md
I was installing a wall bracket for tv and was about to tell the homeowner the final charge when his 10 year old blurts out about their trip to Mexico needless to say I had to adjust my price. I don't begrudge any one who earns a honest living but don't cry poor

How does where someone vacations effect your costs? I really don't care what someone drives, where they live or where they vacation. I charge enough to live my life the way I want to. I market more to some areas then others, but price isn't effected by who calls.
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
How does where someone vacations effect your costs? I really don't care what someone drives, where they live or where they vacation. I charge enough to live my life the way I want to. I market more to some areas then others, but price isn't effected by who calls.

His customer must have been poor mouthing. I get that all the time too. "I really can't spend much on this", "my budget can't handle but so much here", "we've already had to spend this and that for such and such". Again, if I hear that from a person who is not living very well, I understand it. I'm in that boat too. Hearing it from someone who freely spends on expensive vacations, luxury cars, etc. is an outrage. He could have spent less on those things, had money to pay me & still had money left over.
 

coffeebean

Senior Member
Location
Mercer County NJ
His customer must have been poor mouthing. I get that all the time too. "I really can't spend much on this", "my budget can't handle but so much here", "we've already had to spend this and that for such and such". Again, if I hear that from a person who is not living very well, I understand it. I'm in that boat too. Hearing it from someone who freely spends on expensive vacations, luxury cars, etc. is an outrage. He could have spent less on those things, had money to pay me & still had money left over.

jmellc that is exactly the point I was trying to get through
 

jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
I am hoping things are starting to turn around and maybe we will get less of it. We are all tired of having to fight for every dollar in a tight market and always being the 1st place the customer decides to save money. I am seeing slightly more business than I have had, still not good but I am cautiously hopeful.
 

templdl

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
Any monkey can do it??
Let's look at it this way, a person that goes to a tech school to learn a trade, then must be an apprentice for many years, take an exam to get a license, and then all invaluable on the job experience that can never be learned in school. And the homeowner has not a clue the experience an electrician, plumber, heating contractor, etc brings with them when they make a service call.
As such everybody has missed the point here when they say any monkey can do that. Well yes they can and you can't argue with them. But, why did they call you? Have you ever heard of the term "Monkey see, Monkey do?" Do you realize that the homeowner is actually the monkey? The monkey can't do it on its own be has to have someone who it can copy. As such the electrician should never be considered a monkey but a licensed profession who then would be copied by the monkey (homeowner). Yes, monkeys copy but don't have a clue as to what they are actually doing.
As such please consider who the real monkey it.
 

kbrandt

Member
Location
arizona
I always tell them:

You can't see it.
You can't smell it.
But you will sure feel it.
Usally does the trick.

As far as pricing goes for me. You could be Bill Gates or middle class person, it's the same price.
But I usally cut people a break if it's close to home and breaker tripped etc. Good word of mouth to get other jobs.
 
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