License vs non license

[guschash]

My question is this am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted. I charged $240. All hell broke out. He says he gets non license people to cheaper and it doesn't take skill to do what I did. What do you guys thinks. I get piss when I hear this. All the time and money we put in on education and license fees and to hear someone say oh anyone can do that.

 

[dereckbc]

My question is this am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted.

Have Son In Law tell his wife to be careful what she ask for, because she forgot that lesson her Dad told her years ago.

On a serious note if he thinks it was that easy and cheap; Why did he not DYI or hire some kid to do it instead of putting it off on you and letting it go? If I were you with this being a family situation is bite the bullet and tear up the bill and send it back Paid In Full just to make peace. Next time when he has electrical problems tell him to hire someone else or DIY.

 

[PetrosA]

I'd tell him he can cook his own damned turkey next Thanksgiving

 

[guschash]

That's what I did torn up the check.

 

[dwellselectric]

People are so cheap. I'm surprised he had the balls to talk to his father in law that way.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

 

[dereckbc]

That's what I did torn up the check.

Then just let it go. Not worth the drama and stress it could cause the family. Last thing you want to do is let $240 estrange you from your Daughter because she has a young-dumb-full of !$^& ignorant husband. Next time, let him DIY or hire someone else. If he treats your Daughter well, makes Her happy, and takes care of Her is all you can ask for. You don't have to like him.

Come next X-Mas give him a stocking with a lump of coal as a gag gift.

 

[iceworm]

That's what I did torn up the check.

I'm with you. Keep the peace. If you get a window of opportunity, maybe remind him the only reason he got a bill was because daughter insisted. Hopefully you didn't get stuck with the material. I probably would have.

It does seem disrespectful that SIL would demean your skills and think you were intentionally overcharging. Maybe they are tight on money and $240 matters. Quien sabe?

Still, you got out without having to use your short sword In these kind of matters - that's a win for me. Maybe next time you can plead really busy - best you could do is a month from now. Although with my luck he would say, "Ok, that will be fine." Here is where I would try to say as nice as I could, "I'd guess you are looking at $500. Do you have someone else available?"

Good luck - heart felt condolences

ice

 

[JRW 70]

Family Buisness

Family Buisness

It is a shame to think that this would happen, your family
and possibly your good friends are all you really have.
240$ or whatever is really sad to see a family distressed
over.

Zen and Peace

JR

 

[LEO2854]

My question is this am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted. I charged $240. All hell broke out. He says he gets non license people to cheaper and it doesn't take skill to do what I did. What do you guys thinks. I get piss when I hear this. All the time and money we put in on education and license fees and to hear someone say oh anyone can do that.

The fact is he cannot do it, and it does not take much skill to do what he does....:lol:

You left a lot of money on the table, my price would be $814.89. Now he could have something to complain about, but if he thinks that job is worth less than $240. and has the nerve to tell you that it does not take any skill to do your work, then he has a screw loose.

Doing this for a living I here this song and dance often, however you must tell them what it will cost up front and save yourself from having to haggle over an invoice after you did the work.

 

[growler]

My question is this, am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted. I charged $240. All hell broke out. He says he gets non license people to cheaper and it doesn't take skill to do what I did. What do you guys thinks. I get piss when I hear this. All the time and money we put in on education and license fees and to hear someone say oh anyone can do that.

Are you licensed in the state of Colorado? Was this an invoice from a legal business operating in that state?


The truth is that many people can change out ballest and tubes and install motion sensors.

The reason people hire a licensed contractor is because a licensed contractor is insured and can't sue them if he/she falls off a ladder. The next reason is that check for $240 is tax deductable.

If you are running a business in Colorado you have a right to do electrical work and charge accordingly but if you are just out there on vacation/visit then you are just another unlicensed contractor.

Never work for family or freinds unless you are going to do it for free because that's what they are going to expect.

 

[kwired]

I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . ... I charged $240.

Sounds to me like $240 may have only covered materials used and little to no labor or other profits, Other help couldn't have done it any cheaper unless they were paying to work

 

[qcroanoke]

Sounds to me like $240 may have only covered materials used and little to no labor or other profits, Other help couldn't have done it any cheaper unless they were paying to work

That's true. $240 probably would have covered material. But if the material was provided by SIL and daughter and you charged $240.00 labor because she insisted that was a little high for family.
I'm not like some in here. Family doesn't get charged.

 

[growler]

electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space.

I'm not like some in here. Family doesn't get charged.

I may do a job at the home of a friend or relative for free but when it comes to doing commercial work at thier place of business that's another story. If he's a dentist and offering free office visits that could work but that would be a tade off. I don't see it as my responsibility to make a living for or give free service to anyone.

If anyone can get that much work done for only $240 they have made out very well.

 

[GoldDigger]

If anyone can get that much work done for only $240 they have made out very well.

Or they picked up their laborer(s) in front of Home Depot and may actually be doing very poorly.

 

[kwired]

That's true. $240 probably would have covered material. But if the material was provided by SIL and daughter and you charged $240.00 labor because she insisted that was a little high for family.
I'm not like some in here. Family doesn't get charged.

Family not getting charged depends on the situation. As others said, at their home it is even more likely not to charge them. If at a place of business - really depends. A one time simple job maybe not, if it is a major project - they may get a good deal but probably no free ride. Fortunately or possibly unfortunately, I don't generally run into needing to do work at a place of business owned by a relative, but do run into the occasional small job at a relative's home.

 

[Barbqranch]

My standard charge for small jobs for relatives and close friends is materials (if over $20 or so) and dinner on some upcoming Saturday night.

 

[Fulthrotl]

My question is this am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted. I charged $240. All hell broke out. He says he gets non license people to cheaper and it doesn't take skill to do what I did. What do you guys thinks. I get piss when I hear this. All the time and money we put in on education and license fees and to hear someone say oh anyone can do that.

so, you have a son in law that's an asshole. it happens.

i have a inlaw, who a number of years ago, i built a computer for.
i took a day off from work, and put it together. put $5k worth of software on it.
tweaked and configured it. had it dialed in pretty spiffy.

he was too cheap to buy enough ram for it to run correctly, so i stuck
some extra memory in it for him. i was doing a lot of hardware hacking
in those days, and had parts everywhere.

he threw a screaming fit when i brought it over... this wasn't right,
that wasn't right, etc. total asshole.

i walked out without getting reimbursed for the parts we had agreed
on getting, let alone the stuff i added... he called up two days later,
and asked how much he owed me. i just hung up the phone.

didn't talk to him for six years. we speak now, but he's still a cheap POS.
always will be. finally, his wife called me up, and said, for god's sake, talk
to him. so i did. he apologized, but the apology didn't mean anything.

maybe your son in law knows him......

i have a general policy regarding doing work for family members. i do it
for free, or not at all, and that works best.

 

[rt66electric]

you got out cheep

you got out cheep

It is better to lose a little money on a small job, than a lot on a big job.

Now you know "how he is" and not to get really burned on HIS next opportunity.

The sad part is that your daughter is in the middle.

 

[iceworm]

... i have a general policy regarding doing work for family members. i do it
for free, or not at all, and that works best.

Can we get an "Amen" here

ice

 

[K8MHZ]

My question is this am out in Colorado and did some electrical work for my son in law who owns a commercial office space. I changed 8 ballest and 5 tubes and replaced two regular switches with motion sensors . I wasn't even going to charge him but my daughter insisted. I charged $240. All hell broke out. He says he gets non license people to cheaper and it doesn't take skill to do what I did. What do you guys thinks. I get piss when I hear this. All the time and money we put in on education and license fees and to hear someone say oh anyone can do that.

My policy for family is to do everything I can afford for free. The next tier is getting re-reimbursed for parts. If family insists on paying I let them make up their own price. Every time I have done that, I got more money than I would have charged. I did charge my sister for doing an entire new addition on her house. I don't remember how much but it was a fraction of what I would have made on a 'real' job that size.

Since you were willing to charge zero, then actually charged $240, you had all the wiggle room in the world. If you would have told SIL to pay you what he thought the job was worth, you would have got some money and kept peace in the family.

When asked what a fair price is, I tell them that a fair price is low enough that they feel like they got what they paid for, but high enough that the electrician would come back and work for them again.

I just got an e-mail from my X. Her new boyfriend put in a ceiling fan and this is what happened. This is the e-mail I got this morning:

Hi Mark,

Randy hung a new ceiling fan/light in the bedroom ceiling. It works when you pull the chain but not with the wall switch.

If he turns the circuit breaker OFF, now the light works with the wall switch but the garage door wont open.

Switch the breaker back to ON, and the garage door works, but the wall switch wont activate the light.

Again, the ligh/fant in the bedroom works when you pull the chain. Just not with the wall switch unless the breaker is off which inactivates the garage door.

Can you please show him how to fix this?

I am on good terms with my X and my daughter lives with her. I'll fix this and give Randy my phone number for the next time he gets assigned an electrical job. Plus, he owns a bar north of here so helping him is no prob!