business input.

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JoeyD74

Senior Member
Location
Boston MA
Occupation
Electrical contractor
1- never believe a builder
2- get all your billing systems in place, get paid on the spot for service work from everyone no exceptions. I Have paper invoices and CC payment system.
3- don't low ball everything to get work and think I'll go up on the next one. People who shop only by price will always do that and will dump you in a second for a lower price.
4- know your cost of doing business, this will keep you from doing #3
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
Use a cost calculator to get the correct cost of running a business. Bid the job correctly and make profit. IMO, Do not charge time and material. Charge by the job/flat rate.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
, get paid on the spot for service work from everyone no exceptions.

Certainly you can choose to do that and many guys do, however you are in fact limiting the work available to you if you go that route.

That can work with homeowners and small businesses but will never fly for large companies.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
im working on starting my business, any pointer on bidding?

get paid on the spot for service work from everyone no exceptions.

Certainly you can choose to do that and many guys do, however you are in fact limiting the work available to you if you go that route.

First off figure out what type of work you are going to do and know something about it.

If you do a big box store you are not going to get paid right off but if you don't have the money it's crazy to even think about doing large jobs.

Are you going to bid a kitchen remodel or a nuke power plant?
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Certainly you can choose to do that and many guys do, however you are in fact limiting the work available to you if you go that route.

That can work with homeowners and small businesses but will never fly for large companies.
Many times if on a site owned by a company with multiple locations - the local site is not even able to pay you, you have to go through accounting dept at another location for payments.
 

canesfan

Member
Location
United States
Thanks guys. If i may ask, i know it comes down to location, whats the going rate for new construction and service call being used, how can i go about find a rate a being competative.
 

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
Thanks guys. If i may ask, i know it comes down to location, whats the going rate for new construction and service call being used, how can i go about find a rate a being competative.

One method to answer your question would be to call what will be your competition and ask them questions as if you are a potential customer. Then you need to figure out what your costs to do the same work would be.
 

JoeyD74

Senior Member
Location
Boston MA
Occupation
Electrical contractor
Certainly you can choose to do that and many guys do, however you are in fact limiting the work available to you if you go that route.

That can work with homeowners and small businesses but will never fly for large companies.

I should have added that. This works only for service calls and small price jobs where your in and out quickly.
 
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