Charge or not?

[ceb58]

I had a call from a local sign co. that is one of my customers. They are building two sign's for a building in a local shopping center. There customer,who is in Chicago, ask them to find an elect.to do the wireing and hook up. So they call me. I go look at job, get out ladder climb on roof, get measurements etc. Work up price have about 2hrs. invested. Let the sign co. know what it will cost they in turn contact the customer. He says's ok do it. Today I get a call from the sign co. the customer now doesn't want me to do it he is going to get his handy man that dose maint. on this shopping center to do it. Would you send him a bill for the time?
I am definitely going to drop a dime to the inspector when he inspects the signs to "look" at the electrical.

 

[mivey]

I had a call from a local sign co. that is one of my customers. They are building two sign's for a building in a local shopping center. There customer,who is in Chicago, ask them to find an elect.to do the wireing and hook up. So they call me. I go look at job, get out ladder climb on roof, get measurements etc. Work up price have about 2hrs. invested. Let the sign co. know what it will cost they in turn contact the customer. He says's ok do it. Today I get a call from the sign co. the customer now doesn't want me to do it he is going to get his handy man that dose maint. on this shopping center to do it. Would you send him a bill for the time?
I am definitely going to drop a dime to the inspector when he inspects the signs to "look" at the electrical.

you have no contract.

 

[electricmanscott]

I have billed for stuff like this a few times and have never collected a penny.

I would absolutely drop a dime and I'd even go a step beyond. I'd tell the customer that once you got the go ahead from them you talked to the inspector about the job. Since you are not going to end up doing the job you'll let the inspector know who will be doing it. Hopefully he'll be properly licensed and insured....

 

[cadpoint]

Your city or county might also have something to say about the sign as well.

Around here most of the city's have ordinance to cover any signs, via permits and decaling and I can only assume an inspection.

 

[Cow]

Would you send him a bill for the time?

Everytime you do a bid, do you charge the potential customer for time invested regardless of whether or not you got the contract?

 

[JES2727]

Would you send him a bill for the time?

No. You can't bill for that. Well, you can but I wouldn't bother. It's an unfortunate happenstance of our business.

 

[ceb58]

Everytime you do a bid, do you charge the potential customer for time invested regardless of whether or not you got the contract?

No,I do not. But when I quote a job I do not call the supply house to order special caddy fasteners for the job until I am told I have the job. Which is what has happened in this case.

Around here most of the city's have ordinance to cover any signs, via permits and decaling and I can only assume an inspection

Sign co. already has their permits and will call for inspection when they hang them. The bad thing is they dont tie the electrical and sign permit together. That way they could inspect both at the same time and sign off on both.

I have billed for stuff like this a few times and have never collected a penny.

May be so. But that's the worst they could do is not pay.

 

[480sparky]

...........May be so. But that's the worst they could do is not pay.

......and consider you a crook for sending them a bill when, in their eyes, you didn't do any work. So they never call you again.

 

[LarryFine]

Would you send him a bill for the time?

"Them" being the sign co. or the building owner?

 

[Mike Lang]

Forget sending them a bill, then they will realize you aren't too happy with them. Just wait a few days call the inspector and let him know what's going on. That way they'll have no clue who called on them, you get your revenge and you can deny it if they ask you about it.

 

[Easy Money]

You should take the time to call the owner and explain your situation. How much time you have already spent on figuring out the job and materials that you have ordered. I would also explain that this is not a job for a handyman and the electrical will be inspected. Be nice, not threating.

 

[jrannis]

I had a call from a local sign co. that is one of my customers. They are building two sign's for a building in a local shopping center. There customer,who is in Chicago, ask them to find an elect.to do the wireing and hook up. So they call me. I go look at job, get out ladder climb on roof, get measurements etc. Work up price have about 2hrs. invested. Let the sign co. know what it will cost they in turn contact the customer. He says's ok do it. Today I get a call from the sign co. the customer now doesn't want me to do it he is going to get his handy man that dose maint. on this shopping center to do it. Would you send him a bill for the time?
I am definitely going to drop a dime to the inspector when he inspects the signs to "look" at the electrical.

Sounds like a free estimate to me.
Just move on and let your sign company customer that he owes you one.

 

[480sparky]

If nothing else, just let it go and chalk it up as a tuition expense. Maybe they'll call you again and you can tack it on to the next job.