How much do one man shop guys make

junkhound

junkhound

Senior Member
Location
Renton, WA
Occupation
EE, power electronics specialty
Probably not your situation, but: Started consulting after retiring, power electronics area, well over 6 figures part time. Did a couple of weeks for panics and got about 10K (ten) a week, but those weeks were 14 hr days, 7 days in a lab. Of course, based on over 60 years experience.
I'd guess somebody like Gar can pull down even more?

"panics" are things like dead satellite on orbit, late delivery of airplanes or ships, down mfg facilite, etc...
 
electrofelon

electrofelon

Senior Member
Location
Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Gunna vary a lot. I would say as far as t&m goes you can make $75-$150 per hour depending on the market. Wil be tough to get 2000 billable hours though. Overhead isn't much for a one man show, maybe a couple thousand/yr. Flat rate and service has potential for more of course.
 
electrofelon

electrofelon

Senior Member
Location
Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
AC\DC said:
I got to ask what do you work in since you travel from NY to Settle, and you hate resi, DO you focus on solar?? I know your into that. Just curios.
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I have a commercial client in Seattle that has lots of laboratories. I try not to work when I'm back in NY cuz it pays a lot less and most of my contacts are resi which I'm mostly bored of. I do 2 -3 resi solar systems in NY during the summer with a friend of mine. Inevitably I do get roped into some resi work back in NY for friends, family, someone I owe a favor or don't want to say no to for one reason or another. I'm in a plane in Chicago right now about to take off for Seattle. Got some big Hobart meat grinder to hook up in one of their labs. I think they are testing salami samples.
 
R

ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
Crash117 said:
Single man shop here. Billed 325k last year with 150k in expenses so I cleared about 175k
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Here is a typical example of supply expense > 50% of gross income, which means bank deposits don't show earnings in this industry.

Further $100k will not represent all commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, much less all employees. or 1-man shops with limited licenses or hours.

The construction trades are also described as feast or famine, so any income survey will be skewed with some sectors feasting more than others.

Further, very few contractors were netting anything during the 2008 recession. Not sure how the pandemic affected new construction, but minor-service volume was Ok for me, except when Covid took me down.
 
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AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Florence,Oregon,Lane
Occupation
EC
ramsy said:
Here is a typical example of supply expense > 50% of gross income, which means bank deposits don't show earnings in this industry.

Further $100k will not represent all commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, much less all employees. or 1-man shops with limited licenses or hours.

The construction trades are also described as feast or famine, so any income survey will be skewed with some sectors feasting more than others.

Further, very few contractors were netting anything during the 2008 recession. Not sure how the pandemic affected new construction, but minor-service volume was Ok for me, except when Covid took me down.
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Around here every one was flooding out of the city and we were busier then ever. Been slowing down with this transitory inflation lol.

Feast or famine is correct. I will say service work never slows to down that much people always need smaller things fix.
 
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AC\DC

Senior Member
Location
Florence,Oregon,Lane
Occupation
EC
Billed cost does not really mean anything. I billed out over 500k last year but made less than post 5
If you sell expensive equipment with low profit seems a lot more then it actually is.
 
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Crash117

Member
Location
Nevada
Occupation
C-2 electrical contractor/owner operator
I do lots of service panel changeouts and work with 6-7 AC contractors in my area and do work for all of their power requirements when installing new systems both retrofit and new. I don’t sell or provide any expensive equipment. If a customer wants that expensive piece, they get it on their own and I will install. I do provide them with some options, but they choose what they want and pay for it and getting it to the site. I avoid all those costs. I will buy parts that I normally use in large quantities to get better pricing and then just store in my garage until needed. Same for electric panels. Example. Buy 1 electric panel it’s $300, but buy 20 and it’s $225 so you can save a bunch that way if you have space to store it.
 
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VirutalElectrician

Senior Member
Location
Mpls, MN
Occupation
Sparky - Trying to be retired
Don't you watch Electric Pro Academy? He's pushing this "million dollar truck" philosophy....1 truck, 2 guys, 2K(gross) per day per guy.

I saw one video where he mentioned installing a surge protector for $600. I know in the past he's talked up the Siemens FS140, those are about $250, so he's making $350 for the 10 minutes it takes to add a surge protector to a panel swap.
 
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letgomywago

Senior Member
Location
Washington state and Oregon coast
Occupation
residential electrician
AC\DC said:
Your supply house must be nice I bought 20 200 meter main with distribution combos no price break.
They 5i$@ you over here and are unfriendly
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Are you using Platt? Or are you using the competition? Platt is nice but more than big box usually except heaters and sometimes oddball items. I use North coast and CED when I can idk what you can order to your shop from them but they'll knock your socks off for pricing for trim materials and distribution equipment. Wire and heaters Platt may be cheaper on so you'll need to keep an eye on pricing.
 
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