how much

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electricmanscott said:
I dont know what backwoods hicktown these guys are working in but they are exactly what is wrong with our trade.

8 Hours of journeyman electrician for 400 bucks? Yikes. :mad:
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If you say 'Yikes' you must be just starting out and don't yet know all about how to price a job. $400.00 is exactly what it should be. I have said this before: Charge 2 x the journeyman's rate in the area. ex: a journeyman wage is $28/hr you charge the customer $56.00/hr per man for labor + taxes etc.

I also said this before: If some electrical contractor does not charge properly or very low I try to flood him with unwanted customers, nightmare projects and unscrupolous GE etc. - KEEP HIM BUSY so that he will not have time to bid 50% of the value of the work which you might be bidding on. Know who the low enders are and recommend them as soon as you are not interested in a certain job! This is to teach that contractor a lesson.
To teach a very cheap customer a lesson, do the oposite: refer him/her to super expensive (high overhead) contractors.
Not all of you will agree, but all of the above works fine for me.

Just a touch on the other topic (RESIDENTIAL) - part of work completed = pay up! = progress payment and always keep AHEAD of the game. A deposit can be 10% but soon after starting or by the end of the day = progress payment. Another thing; What is wrong with 10 or more progress payments in a bigger job? Why is everyone talking about 1/3? 1/3 is ok for ex. a $2000.00 job.
I my view, a 20,000.00 will have over 20 progress payments. It only takes 3 minutes to write out a cheque. To me, a customer who I don't know, has only aprox. $500.00 line of credit. If someone owes you say over 2 to $3000.00 - you have exceedingly done something wrong already.

On another message: No contract, NO PERMIT taken out! If you are hungry for work, that is natural, I have been on that road before. However, NEVER indicate to a customer that you are not busy. I have postponed staring a job for 1 or 2 days just to show that I am busy. They will TAKE ADVANTAGE of you once you show your weakness. It works fine for me.

Greetings to all:
Manuel
 
Thank you. Too often we are being taken advantage of. We are the most skilled trade in the business. Why should we have to put up with cheapskates. I used to be very forgiving with customers but have been taken advantage of way too often!
 
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