job pricing

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saratoga1

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A friend of mine is a GC, he is doing a residential kitchen/bath remodel, the homeowner called a franchise Electrical contractor out to unhook all items in kitchen, they asked about replacing switches and plugs and was quoted $46 per switch and duplex receptacle (not GFI), I went out there today, replaced 3 switches in 3 gang box in bathroom and GFI outlet (with ground) replaced 8 switches in Kitchen and put in 3 GFI's and 1 Duplex Recept. I rehooked up, Cooktop, Disposal, Compactor and Dishwasher and three under counter lights, this was 42 miles R.T. I charged the H.O. $370.00 and my buddy said I was to high, what do you all think? just curious? I supplied all sw/plugs/gfi's I did install disc means on DW that was not there before, all other hardware was there before.

Thanks!!
 
saratoga1 said:
A friend of mine is a GC, he is doing a residential kitchen/bath remodel, the homeowner called a franchise Electrical contractor out to unhook all items in kitchen, they asked about replacing switches and plugs and was quoted $46 per switch and duplex receptacle (not GFI), I went out there today, replaced 3 switches in 3 gang box in bathroom and GFI outlet (with ground) replaced 8 switches in Kitchen and put in 3 GFI's and 1 Duplex Recept. I rehooked up, Cooktop, Disposal, Compactor and Dishwasher and three under counter lights, this was 42 miles R.T. I charged the H.O. $370.00 and my buddy said I was to high, what do you all think? just curious? I supplied all sw/plugs/gfi's I did install disc means on DW that was not there before, all other hardware was there before.

Thanks!!
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Are you a Licensed EC? You're buddy needs to keep smoking on the peace pipe and you need to raise you're prices
 
saratoga1 said:
A friend of mine is a GC
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Here is the problem, Not only is he a friend but he is also a GC. That is a double cheapskate whammy you have there.

I think your price was low, from what your describing you have $100 in materials alone.

Ask your buddy what he is charging for the remodel, I'm sure he will have 2 weeks total labor in that job and walk away with a $10,000 profit after materials and labor is paid
 
saratoga1 said:
I charged the H.O. $370.00 and my buddy said I was to high, what do you all think?
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Did the customer complain? I doubt it very seriously. They got a bargain (and your friend sounds jealous.) What was your total time in the job, including travel, and your materials cost?

I think he would have asked you to charge him less than that if you were working through him, and he would have charged the customer twice as much, if not more. (Was he expecting a cut?)

Remember, remodel GC's are just miniature builders, and they operate the same. If you want more profit, but can't increase your income, then you find ways to decrease your outgo.

It sounds like your friend is attempting to groom you for doing more work for him by getting you used to charging less than you need or want to. They're very good at it. :cool:
 
I did not do the dismantle because I was busy, I do have EC Lisc. I never got a price on the work the other guy did for the dismantle. I was there about 3 1/2 hours today, I did make $$ but kind of got P.O.ed when he said my price was to high, I dropped it from $420 to $375. I turned down a job he is starting next week, I told him I was to busy, he bids these jobs and then gets me or whoever to look at doing the electrical on them, I am sure he makes $$ off of us. I thought my original price was a good price. The last room addition he did, I wired, but we traded my labor for work he did on a rental house I have, he paid for parts and permit, a small bathroom & closet addition. (I think I made out on that one :)
ol'e well, thanks for the info, I will see him in the morning, he has my $$ from the Homeowner.
 
3.5 hours on the job, 1 hour travel, $100 materials=$375? Looks like a real deal to me. If he kept you busy 2000 hours/year that might be a sweet rate, but for a one-time job it looks like a loser.

Dave
 
Okay. 3.5 hours there, plus, let's say, an hour each way, and you paid for the materials:

"3 switches in 3 gang box in bathroom and GFI outlet (with ground) replaced 8 switches in Kitchen and put in 3 GFI's and 1 Duplex Recept."

Plates, too? That's 11 switches, four GFCI's, and one duplex. Your cost is about $60-65, give or take.

I'd have gotten $700; $600 for labor, and $100 for materials. I usually just state price including materials.

If working for him, I might have asked for $600 total.


Why is your friend telling you how much to charge someone else anyway?

Don't mean to be picking on you, just constructive criticism.


Added: To me, the $375 would have just barely covered the time there.
 
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Sparky555 said:
3.5 hours on the job, 1 hour travel, $100 materials=$375? Looks like a real deal to me. If he kept you busy 2000 hours/year that might be a sweet rate, but for a one-time job it looks like a loser.

Dave
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I'm sorry Sparky, I just don't see how you think those hours are good. 1 hour there 1 hour back. 3.5+2 = 5.5 hours $375-100 in material= 275.

So now you have a $50.00 an hour bill rate.
What about over head and profit???
Just factor in the normal overhead that all legitimate EC's have.
He will find that he will be about of business soon unless he is already independently rich.
 
Sparky555 said:
3.5 hours on the job, 1 hour travel, $100 materials=$375? Looks like a real deal to me. If he kept you busy 2000 hours/year that might be a sweet rate, but for a one-time job it looks like a loser.

Dave
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i don't see where you guys get $100 in material.
 
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