stickboy1375
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- Litchfield, CT
emahler said:
Your making over 80k a year and worried about me doing sidework? haha... now your insulting me...
Moonlighting
- Thread starter emahler
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Your making over 80k a year and worried about me doing sidework? haha... now your insulting me...
mdshunk
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Yes, it was with that thead in mind that I asked that question. You're obviously very successful, and run a nice business with well compensated men. What's the problem, then? Moonlighting is quite obviously not causing you any special issue. As nearly as I can tell, it doesn't effect me either.emahler said:
Are you moving on from operating a successful business, to becoming an advocate for the industry, at-large? That would be great, if that's what you have in mind, and I'd like to help you with that somehow. I'm just not sure that I can agree that moonlighting is any special thorn to the industry.
stickboy1375 said:
there is no magical force. It is simple economics. We quote a price of $400 to install a fan. That's the amount we need to pay everything and make a little profit. Customers friend's brother's buddy is an electrician, he says he can do it for $100. They say thanks but no thanks to us.
So that guy makes $100, the fan get's installed. No problems right?
Well, I get slow, lay my guys off, they lose their benefits (even working side work for $100/fan, they can't afford the $500/month cobra payments), their kid gets sick, goes to the hospital ($10k/night) they are finacially ruined. Declare bankruptsy.
Sound far fetched? I don't know. But I don't doubt that there are several cases out there.
stickboy1375 said:
no, i bust my ass to run a company that pays me well. I jump through legal hoops that you can't fathom between licensing, labor boards and general liability.
you honestly do not understand fun until a disgruntled ex employee makes a false claim. You have the paperwork and documentation to back you up. And it still costs you money in attorneys fees to fight it. Been there, won that. Paid the attorney.
When you are ready and willing to take the risks that every legal contractor on this board does, then you can be insulted.
until then, please stop thinking that every owner is rich and that all they do is count the money. thanks.
stickboy1375
Senior Member
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- Litchfield, CT
emahler said:
How bout this for fair trade, I install that fan on the side for 200.00, now I have extra money for my kids schooling... yeh I feel for you...
mdshunk said:
no, I guess I'm just looking in the future when the cycle turns down and there is not as much work to go around. I vividly remember 1990-1993.
But mostly, I'm happy to see a thread about something other than load calcs for residential recessed lighting go beyond 3 pages.
mdshunk
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Indeed. You and I seem to be the only folks here willing to push Maio/Rohrer type ideals. Where is the business advocate for the electrical industry? He or she doesn't seem to exist yet, and I'm at a loss to explain why.emahler said:But mostly, I'm happy to see a thread about something other than load calcs for residential recessed lighting go beyond 3 pages.
I guess personally, I frustrated at every stickboy out there who can't make enough money working mon-fri to support his family. I don't like that he moonlights, but I'm more upset with the contractors who think that paying a guy $800/week gross is good money (when the average rental apartment is $1500/month and the avg home is $300k)
I personally don't work for someone else because I don't want to work 40-50 hours a week for someone else, then work 40-50 hours a week so I can put food on the table. But that's just me.
I guess I'm against moonlighting for every reason, including that I don't think it's fair to the employees that contractors are too screwed up to run their businesses well enough to pay them better.
Does that make any sense?
I personally don't work for someone else because I don't want to work 40-50 hours a week for someone else, then work 40-50 hours a week so I can put food on the table. But that's just me.
I guess I'm against moonlighting for every reason, including that I don't think it's fair to the employees that contractors are too screwed up to run their businesses well enough to pay them better.
Does that make any sense?
boboelectric
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(comment referring to person not involved here removed)
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stickboy1375
Senior Member
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- Litchfield, CT
I wish life was simple, never said you were rich, only said I wasn't..... Believe me when I say this, I give you credit for what you do, but don't knock me for making extra money for my family... at least I dont sit home collecting a check from well-fare feeling sorry for myself... I bust my butt everyday supporting my family, and giving them what I never had.... but thats just my life...
Thanks for understanding, (just read your last post)
Thanks for understanding, (just read your last post)
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mdshunk
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Makes perfect sense, but what's the solution? I maintain that moonlighting has alwasys existed, and will ramp up even more during tough economic times for legitimate contractors. There is no simple solution to the moonlighting issue, so I prefer to focus my attention on things that have solutions or things that will increase my bottom line.emahler said:
Do you see a solution to moonlighting? Other than following guys around and turning them in, I don't. A customer education campaign would be effective, but it would take literally decades to come to some result. Sales and marketing efforts, on the part of legitimate contractors, would pay bigger dividends. Developing more operational efficiencies of your own (my own too), would also pay bigger dividends. Don't worry about a guy buzzing over to hang a paddle fan on Saturday in somebody's house.
mdshunk said:
very simple. I personally know hundreds of electrical contractors across the country who follow that line of thinking. They just don't have the patience to deal with guys who only say "you can't charge that much" "you're ripping people off" "I can't do that" etc. They are smart enough to simply say "ok, you're right" and continue running their business the way they know can be done.
When someone figures out how to make money advocating these ideas, you'll see the advocate. Although, look in the back of some electrical trade mags, Maio is starting.
"When you are ready and willing to take the risks that every legal contractor on this board does, then you can be insulted."
"until then, please stop thinking that every owner is rich and that all they do is count the money. thanks."
Well said, and you point on contractors, need to also pay their employees a livable wage, is a ligitmate issue, i have no respect for the contractors that pay poor wages, and expect the employee to jump hoops.
"until then, please stop thinking that every owner is rich and that all they do is count the money. thanks."
Well said, and you point on contractors, need to also pay their employees a livable wage, is a ligitmate issue, i have no respect for the contractors that pay poor wages, and expect the employee to jump hoops.
mdshunk
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:grin:emahler said:
That's incredible. I only personally know maybe a dozen other electrical contractors. :grin: You're well connected. :roll:
stickboy1375
Senior Member
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- Litchfield, CT
emahler said:
Your right I should not assume...
stickboy1375
Senior Member
- Location
- Litchfield, CT
satcom said:
I never said you were rich... only said I wasnt...
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