I'm not a violent person...but

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The story goes....I was working with the a/v company but billing the homeowner directly. It was a show up and do it kind of job. I did not even see the guy till I was leaving. Had I gone out and estimated the job, then sent a contract and then gone to do the job it would not have been worth it.
For the type of job and the "class" of people (for lack of a better word), this should have been an easy one. I think it just turns out that the guy is a cheap bastard and as has been said already any price would have been bitched about.
Since the a/v guy called me the day before they needed me and I bailed him out I think we should have a talk about how to sell my services to the customer BEFORE he throws me to the wolves.
 
many times the customer doesn't realize how simple some of our work is -- why was it simple -- because of our past experience and training. before you started he may have had some major questions of how this job was to be accomplished??? then watching you -- and everything falling into place --- he begins to realize "hay, i could have done that!". but you see he didn't have the knowledge and experience to even know how the job was to be accomplished. he was probably mad at himself -- and taking it out on you. strike him from your customer list after you are payed in full!
 
pricing in NJ

pricing in NJ

I have been coming in contact with a lot of people lately who feel that we all should work for free. I just gave someone a price for a job recently and was asked "Why so much?" It is bad enough that I priced the job lower than usual to get the job, and thats the answer I get.
By the way the price was $400.00 to install a pole light outside, with the light supplied by homeowner.
Am I crazy?
 
You aren't crazy. Most people who are employees have no idea what is involved when they hire an EC. They only see one guy doing some work and think that all the money they are being charged is going straight to his pocket.

The people who understand (and complain the least) are the ones who are self-employed. They know that there are costs to running a business.

I just got a call back for a job that was very similar to Scott's OP, with my pricing in the same ballpark, and she wanted to hire me right away. Turns out her husband (sole breadwiner in the household) is self-employed. Maybe it's time for me to re-focus my marketing toward self-employed people.
 
A)I've found that prices are always going to be too high, that I have to justify to them why I have to charge as I do.

B)That my time isn't worth as much as theirs.

C) That I have discovered how they acquired that wealth that they have and it certainly was not by sharing it with others.

Most may be employed by someone else, don't have a clue as to how much I've invested in my equipment, that the time it takes me to drive form place to another as well as my shop and office time are not billable hours that I am not doing in my free time for enjoyment, that I have to pay my medical insurance, employment tax (twice what they pay for SS) business insurance, cost of stock, retirement with no employer contribution, etc, etc.

If someone is self employed it may be better to separate yourself from the business and claim that you are an employee and that the charges are determined owner based upon customary rates but that the owner would be available in the evening.
 
electricmanscott said:
The story goes....I was working with the a/v company but billing the homeowner directly.
Click to expand...

That sort of arrangement often causes problems. I think it's because the customer sees you as an extra over what he was planning to pay. It would be far better if the a/v guy included the electrical in his price.
 
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