How much should I be making?

[brian john]

I deal with numerous ECs

I have seen brothers break up and no longer talk. Durn Shame

Father and sons break up and no longer talk. Durn Shame

And countless husband wife teams come to an end and as usuall all she did was talk but he never listened (So I have been told). No shame here.


In many of the husband wife treams, she had no expierence but was the majority owner for what they thought would be an advantage, in several cases ended up costing him the business.

 

[kyled86]

kyle, where exactly are you at? you can see by my location that we're pretty close. you should know that wages around here aren't much at all. but are cost of living is still fairly low, though its been on the rise lately.

average wage for a helper is $10/hr.

average for a lead man is around $13/hr.

all with no benefits.

i have a good friend @ ACE who runs a crew of 10 and travels everyday making $13.50. I have a cousin @ Cowart who travels running a crew making around $12. Neither of them are licensed, but at those companies they don't care if you're licensed.

The best paying jobs are at the only union shop in town; PCA.

compared with the rest of the state, our area wages are about the lowest.

I am actually in Alma. If you havent heard of that maybe youve heard of Waycross...Im about 30 miles north of there. Those wages you mentioned sound pretty close to what im making so maybe im doing alright where I am.

 

[kyled86]

OUCH!

I think the McDonalds around me pay $10.00 per hour and they provide some bennies.



Oh and I agree with the others, no one in this trade is irreplaceable.

Yes...ouch haha...According to what Brantmcga said thats exactly what I am...a lead man ...the thing about being irreplaceable was an overstatement. That was spawned from the fact that I cant even find a green laborer around here thats willing to work at all much less learn anything.

 

[kyled86]

Most of us probably felt we knew it all at 22 (I got my first contractors license at 16. Gave the town $25, posted a $500 bond, and was a contractor)

When you get to 35-40, you'll realize you don't know anything.

"Youth is wasted on young people".

I don't know your father, but I would bet that he's teaching you a little humility. You'll probably be making more as you grow up. If not, go elsewhere.

BTW, are you still living at home. If so, are you including your room and board in your wage? Both my daughters have full time employment, and I charge them $400 a month. I guaranty it doesn't cover my expenses for them, but at least it gives them an idea of what it's like in the "real world".

Nah I havent lived at home for 4 years now.

 

[brantmacga]

I am actually in Alma. If you havent heard of that maybe youve heard of Waycross...Im about 30 miles north of there. Those wages you mentioned sound pretty close to what im making so maybe im doing alright where I am.

i know exactly where alma is. my wife is from douglas and has family in baxley too. we go from nichols through alma to get up there; and my older brother lives in waycross. he married one of the batten's from blackshear, if you know any of them there. i'm guessing your dad works for satilla?

as far as the wages go, you really can't expect much more unless you put in some serious time with one of the larger companies.

if you want to take over the business or start your own, i highly suggest some professional business training or lots of reading on your own time. i promise you don't know as much as you think you do, and i say that from experience and only to help you get a better footing on operating a business. spend some time with your dad doing the PR work and bidding. you need to know those facets pretty well. also, make sure he's introducing you to all of his contacts and getting to know your customers. when dad steps out, they need to feel comfortable working with you.

 

[tyha]

To qualify to take the N.C. state exam it goes buy how many hours you have worked not how old you are. By the way 25 isn't the youngest you could be to take the unlimted exam my brother was 23 when he passed the unlimited.

I can't beleive I have someone explaining the rules in NC to me.You are right, but let me explain something to you buddy. You need 7 years of verifyable experience to sit for the exam and also sworn statements from 2 individuals ( preferably inspectors or at least have an unlimited license themselves) who can attest to you being able to satisfactorily supervise and direct all work done by an electrical contracting business in the unlimited classification. So your brother started working full time when he was 16, which in NC is illegal for him to even be on a construction site and further I dont know of anyone, myself included, who could pull that off at 22. But I tell you what why dont you PM me with your brothers license number so I can have my brother who works for DOI and the senoir state electrical inspection dept to make sure that his application pack was duly filed. because I tell you what my father has had an electrical contracting business for 15 years and my brother works for DOI and I caught heck trying to get my app filed out at 24.

 

[jrannis]

I can't beleive I have someone explaining the rules in NC to me.You are right, but let me explain something to you buddy. You need 7 years of verifyable experience to sit for the exam and also sworn statements from 2 individuals ( preferably inspectors or at least have an unlimited license themselves) who can attest to you being able to satisfactorily supervise and direct all work done by an electrical contracting business in the unlimited classification. So your brother started working full time when he was 16, which in NC is illegal for him to even be on a construction site and further I dont know of anyone, myself included, who could pull that off at 22. But I tell you what why dont you PM me with your brothers license number so I can have my brother who works for DOI and the senoir state electrical inspection dept to make sure that his application pack was duly filed. because I tell you what my father has had an electrical contracting business for 15 years and my brother works for DOI and I caught heck trying to get my app filed out at 24.

The guy could be 50 or 60 years old and got his license before those requirements were in place.

 

[jrannis]

My father is a licensed electrical contractor and owns his own business. I have an electrical contractors license also and I am his right hand man. I run pretty much all of the jobsites. He is a fulltime employee with the local power company therefore he rarely is ever on a job site other than to talk with me about the work that needs to be done. We have 3 other fulltime employees that i supervise. I call all of the shots on the job site. I do basically everything except getting the jobs, pricing, and billing the customer. I am located in Southeast Georgia. I have been working for my father for going on 7 years now but have only had my contractors license for the past 2 months. I am just curious what you guys think I should be making. I have been working for the same wages for a little over the past year and I think that the job i do is worth much more than I make. Up until the last 2 years I just done the manual side of the job. These days I do much more supervising and planning. My latest project was a 12 suite hotel/restaurant/bar that I handled almost completely on my own. What do you guys think?

IMHO, I would see if I could get on with the Power Company your dad is working for.

Otherwise ........

GA, Savannah LU 508


Journeyman Scale: $ 20.75
Health & Welfare: 3.45
Pension: 2.50
Annuity: n/a
Vacation: n/a
Working Assessments: 4%




GA, Atlanta LU 613

Journeyman Scale: $ 27.50
Health & Welfare: 12%
Pension: N/A
Annuity: 10%
Vacation: N/A
Working Assessments: 3%

GA, Albany LU 1531

Journeyman Scale: $ 19.10
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 2.70
Annuity: 0.00
Vacation: 1.25
Working Assessments: 5%

GA, Augusta LU 1579

Journeyman Scale: $ 24.91
Health & Welfare: 4.35
Pension: 3.57
Annuity: 0
Vacation: 0
Working Assessments: 4%


GA, Macon LU 1316

Journeyman Scale: $ 21.60
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 15%
Annuity: 0.00
Vacation: 0.00
Working Assessments: 5%

TN, GA, AL, Chattanooga LU 175

Journeyman Scale: $ 27.33
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 10%
Annuity: 0
Vacation: 0
Working Assessments: 3.5%

FL, Jacksonville LU 177

Journeyman Scale: $ 23.45
Health & Welfare: 4.09
Pension: NEBF 3%
Annuity: 3.00
Vacation: 1 week after 1 year; 2 weeks after 5 years
Working Assessments: 5%

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have to believe those wages posted above are union wages. There is a big difference between union and non union wages as well as a big difference between resi electricians and commercial electricians.

 

[iwire]

IMHO, I would see if I could get on with the Power Company your dad is working for.

Otherwise ........

GA, Savannah LU 508


Journeyman Scale: $ 20.75
Health & Welfare: 3.45
Pension: 2.50
Annuity: n/a
Vacation: n/a
Working Assessments: 4%




GA, Atlanta LU 613

Journeyman Scale: $ 27.50
Health & Welfare: 12%
Pension: N/A
Annuity: 10%
Vacation: N/A
Working Assessments: 3%

GA, Albany LU 1531

Journeyman Scale: $ 19.10
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 2.70
Annuity: 0.00
Vacation: 1.25
Working Assessments: 5%

GA, Augusta LU 1579

Journeyman Scale: $ 24.91
Health & Welfare: 4.35
Pension: 3.57
Annuity: 0
Vacation: 0
Working Assessments: 4%


GA, Macon LU 1316

Journeyman Scale: $ 21.60
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 15%
Annuity: 0.00
Vacation: 0.00
Working Assessments: 5%

TN, GA, AL, Chattanooga LU 175

Journeyman Scale: $ 27.33
Health & Welfare: 4.50
Pension: 10%
Annuity: 0
Vacation: 0
Working Assessments: 3.5%

FL, Jacksonville LU 177

Journeyman Scale: $ 23.45
Health & Welfare: 4.09
Pension: NEBF 3%
Annuity: 3.00
Vacation: 1 week after 1 year; 2 weeks after 5 years
Working Assessments: 5%

If your going to post that at least be honest and let the guy know how many are on the bench in each of those areas making nothing.

 

[billsnuff]

kyle

kyle

What is it that more money will do for you?

For me, it was all about the money until i discovered i was valued and respected. Sounds like your dad respects and trusts you with running the shop.

Do you have goals? Where do you want to be in 5 yrs, 10 yrs? Develop that list and then sit down with dad and ask his opinion. Then maybe talk about the business and business plan and your mutual interests. You need to discover if your dads interests and your interests have commonality. If you do, then work on those mutual interests and set goals, together. You may be better off together or alone, but only you two can answer that question.
All the rest if opinion, conjecture and advise, either good or bad. No offense to the members here.

 

[brantmacga]

What is it that more money will do for you?

For me, it was all about the money until i discovered i was valued and respected.

being valued and respected doesn't pay the bills. my objective is to make as much money as i possibly can.

 

[billsnuff]

being valued and respected doesn't pay the bills. my objective is to make as much money as i possibly can.

I agree. But when i was young and didn't have the goals and a plan, i didn't have the money long. The OP may have a great opportunity where he is, maybe not. I don't know if he feels he's being had or falling short of his goals.
like someone said, if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.....

 

[brantmacga]

I agree. But when i was young and didn't have the goals and a plan, i didn't have the money long.

oh okay; i gotcha now.


here's a good goal kyle: make as much money as you can.

 

[brian john]

i didn't have the money long.

So, I still had fun and my goal as an employee was to give a fair days work for a fair days wage. What is fair? As much as I could negotiate for myself.

 

[petersonra]

According to Davis- Bacon not much. I was shocked that the scale in the West Point area was this low.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=Davis-Bacon&docid=GA20080072

You couldn't get people to work at McDonalds here for those wages.

I don't know how they calculate prevailing wage there.

Its like how they figure maximum unemployment benefits in Illinois. It is supposed to be figured as some percentage of the average or mean or something wage in the state, but it always seems like it is way higher than it should be. Of course, that is a big help to those who use the benefits.

 

[petersonra]

The business wouldnt be able to continue without me. No one else has the field experience to make things happen without some oversight. And as Ive already said my dad works 50 hours a week already at his power company job so he doesnt have time to oversee things. As for the family thing....I havent started one yet...Im 22...just havent gotten to that point in my life yet.

I'd bet there are a dozen people within 25 miles that could take over for you and never miss a beat. People that think they are indispensable are just wrong about it.

 

[petersonra]

Yes...ouch haha...According to what Brantmcga said thats exactly what I am...a lead man ...the thing about being irreplaceable was an overstatement. That was spawned from the fact that I cant even find a green laborer around here thats willing to work at all much less learn anything.

My guess is your attitude might have a lot to do with being unable to find suitable help. It does not take long for word to spread about who is good to work for and who isn't.

 

[g@friendly]

when I was 17 I said to my old man "I am the main and the best frame guy and painter in the shop (he owned a bodyshop) why am I one of the least paid guys and no matter how nice it came out or what I did it was never good enough for him, but everyone else was well job done... "

Answer:
My grandfather was in the room and before my father said anything he said because you are his SON! You must be better, faster, smarter, keep calm when thing don't go good, keep you person stuff to your self and EARN your right to be the owner!
That is what it takes to get the respect of you employees. Why you cry to your co workers about your dad not being there etc.. they are laughing at you because you are the owners kid. read what Tony said your dad has the hardest part. I love it when I get to go out and put my tools on and work in the field. It is easy, no pressure, black to black-white to white.

 

[MikeGee]

thoses wages have to be per 15min.