Actual Electrical Ads

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wirenut2

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Location
Columbus, OH
Here are a couple of ads I found in a local (Columbus, Ohio) newspaper yesterday under the Electrical heading...

"Match/Beat Any Estimate"
Discount for Investment Properties
100 amp panel/meter change, $575
(Incl. Parts & Labor)
(company info here)

and

"Why Pay Contractor Prices?"
No job too small
(company info here)

Are these guys serious? How can a guy spend years of his life learning the trade (assuming these guys are licensed and legit) and then wh$re themselves out like this? It makes it tough on the guys who are actually trying to make a living and provide a decent life for their families...oh, and while making that living doing silly things like having their jobs inspected...:rolleyes:
 
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wirenut2 said:
"Match/Beat Any Estimate"
Discount for Investment Properties
100 amp panel/meter change, $575
(Incl. Parts & Labor)
(company info here)

and

"Why Pay Contractor Prices?"
No job too small
(company info here)
Click to expand...

The first guy could be running his ad as a "bait & switch" where he gets out to the job and sells an upgrade to a 200 amp and has to charge 4 times as much. Or, his ad could be a "loss leader", where he does it at that price - but just to get his foot in the door and hope to get more.

The second guy only sounds discount, but he does not say how much. He could be 5-10% less than the average guy.

Point is, advertisement costs more than the price of the add. Putting a 10% off coupon in the phone book cost big bucks and will cost more on every job. Not to mention the fact that "cut rate" advertising draws the weirdos out of the woodwork.

I don't have any ads running right now, but I did last winter when it was slow. But charge two GC's less than I do everybody else and I give them better service. In return, I don't have to competitively bid most jobs with them and some jobs are just given to me as T&M. So, I guess that's like paying for an ad.
 
I don't see how the first job is even possible at that price. When he talks about a "panel/meter change," that sounds to me like a service upgrade. That means new panelboard, breakers to fill it, new meter socket, new mast, new service wires, possible disco switch, new grounding, etc. The materials alone will run several hundred. I figure he's either unlicensed, licensed but very new at contracting, or pulling the old bait-n-switch.

The second one makes me think he's unlicensed. "Why pay contractor prices?" seems to imply he's not a licensed contractor himself.

Too bad people don't realize that they aren't going to get quality work from the cheapest outfit in town.

I'd check and see if these guys are licensed. If they aren't, send the ads to the AHJ in charge of going after these guys. It's actually effective around here, judging from all the ads I've gotten changed/removed.
 
Wire nut!
Call the guy(s) up and ask for him to do a job for ya.
Give him a friends or relatives address to meet you at, & show up in your Porsche. pretend to be a dumb HO and ask questions.
I have done this many times, its fun!
You don't have to worry about running into them at a supply house as they can't last at those rates.
Hide a video camera in a window if you want proof to take to the AHJ.
 
If anyone saw Dateline last night, it appears the State of California is coming down hard on unlicensed and illegal contracting.

I wish this state would enforce the laws more stringently.
 
California is a mess when it comes to enforcement of the contractors license law. Now and then they do these stings and make sure the press is along to give them the publicity they want but it's really a joke around here. What it all boils down to is that there are always going to be people who are trying to get a 'deal' and people who will be happy to "oblige"

Bob on the left coast.
 
bkludecke said:
...Now and then they do these stings and make sure the press is along to give them the publicity they want but it's really a joke around here... Bob on the left coast.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if that was the case? 1 day of enforcement and 364 days of nothing. :(
 
same probelm here in Colorado. lots of guys doing work just to make wages. lots of ads in local pappers.
I have even run into a couple of Electrician's on a job I was bidding tell Home Owner he would beat any other Electrician's price. what do you execpt with a guy who calls him self discount Electric, Bargain Electric.
 
I've come across handymen types who advertise that they do it all. I had an HO tell me that one of those guys gave her an estimate for wiring her garage but when she checked the guy wasn't licensed.
 
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