Flat rate price question.
- Thread starter zappy
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Massachusetts
I am still trying to understand how any troubleshooting job in a typical size home would take more then a few hours. :grin:
In "my" case...it was due to a buried wire that was cut some 20 old years earlier by the HO's BIL. Both had forgotten about it......nevermind that the HO was sitting in the kitchen by the through-the-wall AC that he and the BIL installed 20 +/- years earlier.iwire said:
They also forgot that when they cut the wall open, they had also sliced right through a BX cable. No box was added...they kind of just stretched the conductors and "hooked" them to each other...no tape, no wire nuts....nothing....just the sparking of the neutral as it was trying to quit being a part of this fiasco.
While we were at it, we also removed:
- the zip cord that was stapled and draped all over the place
- brought other buried boxes into the light
- etc etc etc
I agree, a "normal" TS shouldn't take days....but my case was far removed from "normal" and it was also multifamily home.
jmsbrush
Senior Member
- Location
- Central Florida
Cat. # 4 lol, but seriously:grin:celtic said:
jmsbrush
Senior Member
- Location
- Central Florida
celtic said:
When I get home , I can get you the exact wording of what my flat rate says for boxes and damaged wire in the wall, if ya want.
How many guys were there? You and a helper? Or you and a jw?
If it was just you and you're labor rate was $200.00 an hour,(which is very fair) That means it roughly took about 18 hours or so?
Does that sound right? Either way you were paid and the problem got fixed! That a good thing:wink:
Now lets talk about my employment:grin:
jmsbrush said:
All told the job was 54 hours (I looked back at the thread) with me and 2 JW.
For more exact numbers:
- time to file permit
- time replacing the 3-GFCI devices
- time troubleshooting
- time running new circuits
- etc
...I would have to check my notes.
jmsbrush said:
I dunno about you...but I'm waiting on a delivery of 2000 pies :grin: :grin: :grin:
jmsbrush
Senior Member
- Location
- Central Florida
Lol. How did you know i was waiting?celtic said:
I have different levels of troubleshooting for flat rate equal to approx. 1 hrs, 2 hrs, & 3 hrs. I usually quote the 2 hr, but drop it to the 1 hr if it's the first thing I check. Before I get anywhere near 3 hrs I'll quote a circuit rewire. If I go longer than the time allowed, I add it into the repair price.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Sparky555 said:
That sounds unethical to me.
- Location
- Massachusetts
emahler said:
This is how I heard it.
He tells ths customer he will troubleshoot the problem for X amount. His estimate of the time was short now he sneeks in some money to cover his short coming on the actual job.
To me that is less then honest.
iwire said:
"Mr. Jones, our diagnostic fee to find the problem is $350...once we find the problem, we will give you a price to repair it before we do anything."
"Mr. Jones, we found the problem, its ABC. It will be $250 to repair it, would you like us to proceed?"
As opposed to
"Mr. Jones it will be $100/hr to find and fix the problem"
"Mr. Jones, it took us 6 hours, that will be $600. Yes, I understand it took longer than you thought it should. Yes, I understand that you think $600 is to expensive. How much do you think is fair Mr. Jones? No Mr. Jones $350 is not fair.....etc"
In one example nothing is hidden and the customer is in control of their money....in the other, everything is hidden and the customers have no control...
which is more ethical?
- Location
- Massachusetts
You have changed my mind about a lot of the flat rate issues.
But if your bumping up the price of the repair to cover a loss on the estimate that you already led the customer to believe they already paid for, I personally see that as dishonest.
It seems it is only a 'flat rate' when it is to your advantage and changeable rate when the job goes south.
I do not believe the auto dealers change their flat rate for each task based on how poorly the last task went.
I am not just a blabber mouth on a electrical forum:grin: I am also a consumer and I am just telling you how I would see that. (And yes I know can say no before you do the repair)
But if your bumping up the price of the repair to cover a loss on the estimate that you already led the customer to believe they already paid for, I personally see that as dishonest.
It seems it is only a 'flat rate' when it is to your advantage and changeable rate when the job goes south.
I do not believe the auto dealers change their flat rate for each task based on how poorly the last task went.
I am not just a blabber mouth on a electrical forum:grin: I am also a consumer and I am just telling you how I would see that. (And yes I know can say no before you do the repair)
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