IllinoisContractor
Member
Why do members in this forum ask other members what they should charge to do a job? I can understand asking a question like "How long does it take you to do this"? That's more of a mechanical question whereas someone might not be familial with a certain installation.
An electrical contractor, or anyone trying to be one, needs to find out the following factors on their own:
1) What material am I going to need and what will it cost ME?
2) What am I going to have to pay for manpower? What is MY man hour cost?
3) What is MY burden?
4) What is MY overhead?
5) What does it cost ME to do business?
5) What are MY indirect costs?
6) What profit percentage do I need to make?
Look at all of the "I"s, "Me"'s and "My"'s. I don't see a lot of "You" or "Yours" in there.
All of these questions need to be answered by the person who is trying to come up with a price. Not everyone will come up with the same answers.
Rather than asking someone else "How much should I charge?" ask them "How do I determine how much I should charge". Don't let someone you don't know be in charge of your pricing. Learn how to price jobs based on YOUR actual costs and I can promise you a long and prosperous future in this industry.
There are a lot of members asking the question of "How much should I charge". If I am looking at this wrong, please set me straight.
An electrical contractor, or anyone trying to be one, needs to find out the following factors on their own:
1) What material am I going to need and what will it cost ME?
2) What am I going to have to pay for manpower? What is MY man hour cost?
3) What is MY burden?
4) What is MY overhead?
5) What does it cost ME to do business?
5) What are MY indirect costs?
6) What profit percentage do I need to make?
Look at all of the "I"s, "Me"'s and "My"'s. I don't see a lot of "You" or "Yours" in there.
All of these questions need to be answered by the person who is trying to come up with a price. Not everyone will come up with the same answers.
Rather than asking someone else "How much should I charge?" ask them "How do I determine how much I should charge". Don't let someone you don't know be in charge of your pricing. Learn how to price jobs based on YOUR actual costs and I can promise you a long and prosperous future in this industry.
There are a lot of members asking the question of "How much should I charge". If I am looking at this wrong, please set me straight.