More grumbling about unrealistic HO's

[ishium 80439]

I gave an HO playing contractor a proposal today to wire their ~2,500 sf custom. Nothing overly extravagant but they did want a 320A service because they were going to install an electric boiler that "is rated for 150A" (that is what I was told, I never saw the specs and just plugged in a budget number). My number came out to $15,147.

I recieved a message from the HO that their was some miscommunication. He only wanted a number for rough and he was going to trim it out himself. And that my number was 3x his next bid.

I left him a message to try to find out what was really going through his head but have not yet heard back from him. He seems like a nice enough guy just utterly clueless. I hope that he didn't secure his loan expecting a licensed, insured EC would A)just do the rough or B) do it for that price.

The interesting part about this is he got my name from the excavator and needed another number quick because at least one (possibly two) guys had flaked out on him when it came time to sign contracts. I guess this guy is a slow learner when it comes to price v quality.

 

[charlietuna]

Does the Denver area have such a permit? Rough only????? If not and the HO pulls the permit--give him an hourly price rate -- he'll need it to make thing operational !

 

[ceb58]

Tel him to pull permits in his name. Price it out for rough at 70% of total.

 

[Minuteman]

Tel him to pull permits in his name.

They don't allow HO's to pull skilled trades permits here, and I would guess that other states don't either.

Price it out for rough at 70% of total.

I draw 70% after rough, but I'm not sure that's enough.

 

[ishium 80439]

I've never heard of a rough only permit anywhere. The HO was looking to save money by having someone else do the heavy lifting so he could come in do the easy stuff (as he saw it in his mind). I have not yet had an opportunity to explain to him how licenses, permits and my insurance does not work that way.

Regardless of who's name the permit is in if there is a problem down the road the fingers would get pointed directly back at me regardless of who's fault it really is. Playing the legal shuffle is not my idea of a good time.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Regardless of who's name the permit is in if there is a problem down the road the fingers would get pointed directly back at me regardless of who's fault it really is. Playing the legal shuffle is not my idea of a good time.

I understand that times are somewhat tough these days...doing work for this type of customer is never easy, and having someone else involved with one's electrical work can have bad consequences in the future.

 

[tonyou812]

This homeowner is a little ignorant to the way things work. I would never agree to something like that no matter how slow I was. Unless I had a clever lawyer draft me up a "special contract" for it.
That would be like going to several dentist visits to have a cap made and telling him youll glue it in cause you wanna save some money.

 

[ishium 80439]

This homeowner is a little ignorant to the way things work. I would never agree to something like that no matter how slow I was. Unless I had a clever lawyer draft me up a "special contract" for it.
That would be like going to several dentist visits to have a cap made and telling him youll glue it in cause you wanna save some money.

That is exactly my feeling. He is ignorant in the true sense of the word. I'm not sure who he had talked to prior to contacting me but the fact that they pulled out when it came time to sign a contract should let him know something is not right. I can certainly understand the concern about trying to save money but there are things that you just have to pay for in this crazy world. Beyond the future liability problem there is no way the local AHJ would allow a permit like this.

I realized I used the word "regardless" twice in the same sentence earlier. Sometimes it pays to slow down and pay attention to what you are typing

 

[charlietuna]

In the 25 years of business i think i got stuck without getting payed on less than ten jobs---MORE THAN HALF WERE HO JOBS !

 

[growler]

He only wanted a number for rough and he was going to trim it out himself. And that my number was 3x his next bid.

Simple. tell him to take the next bid.


If a guy tells me that someone else can do the work for a third of my price I have to wonder why he doesn't jump right on it. I know I would. Why is he even talking to you, you are not even in the ball park?

 

[ishium 80439]

Simple. tell him to take the next bid.


If a guy tells me that someone else can do the work for a third of my price I have to wonder why he doesn't jump right on it. I know I would. Why is he even talking to you, you are not even in the ball park?

That's the frustrating part. The reason he is talking to me is that the guy(s) with the low bids have blown him off when it came time to sign on the line that is dotted. You would figure that he would be able to put two and two together and figure out there is a problem w/ the low bids.

 

[growler]

That's the frustrating part. The reason he is talking to me is that the guy(s) with the low bids have blown him off when it came time to sign on the line that is dotted. You would figure that he would be able to put two and two together and figure out there is a problem w/ the low bids.

I know exactly where you are comming from. But what can you do, you have to call his bluff. If he will admit that these guys are not willing to do the work for the price quoted and that these bids are meaningless and just throw them out then you may be able to talk to him.

Some people are just hard headed. Once they get an idea in the old noggin it's hard to get rid of.

 

[LarryFine]

He only wanted a number for rough and he was going to trim it out himself.

If I did agree with that, I would not make up any connections in any boxes (other than the required EGC's for rough inspection.)

I'd also make careful notes about the source and destination of each cable for when he calls me back after he hits that dead end.

 

[480sparky]

If your turn-key price is $15,147, then make your rough price $15,148. Make sure he understands that your rough price also includes the charges necessary to come in and troubleshoot his mistakes and to verify that the final installation is safe.