Most profitable electrical skill??

[cschmid]

I almost forgot what the question was. That?s right what the best skills are. The best skills are the ones that you get paid for. Mine are well rounded I get paid for knowledge. I can trouble shoot residential, commercial and industrial. I can do plc?s, instrumentation, refrigeration, pbx's, lighting and I own the tools to do it with. I posses a master electricians license, a 1st class c boilers license, a rural water license, plus I do automated sewer systems. These are just a few of the things I do. These are the skills people want and I get paid for. So these are skills I find valuable to me. All people are treated equal regardless of their ability to be prosperous. Besides money is not the whole story family is where it is.

 

[charlie tuna]

supply and demand controls the amount of profit you can ask for on any task of the electrical trade. yes, troubleshooting is always needed and definently a "dying breed"! but again there are different areas of "troubleshooting" that can demand higher profits. "residential troubleshooting" can't compare to "troubleshooting printing equipment". twenty years ago electrical contractors were affraid to install computer cable networks and the profits were twice that what they could make installing "pipe and wire"! we got into it and it took over sixty per cent of our work! but then, others entered that facit (computer cabling) of the trade and the profits dwindled.... so we returned to "pipe and wire". there are many different specialties in our industry -- an example---- "gasoline station installers". if the area gets flooded with them, their profits are get low.........supply and demand!!

 

[iaov]

I'd hate to put an industrial service tech in a residential service truck. It would be like putting a residential service tech in a factory. Not to good.

Having done both jobs for years I can tell you that an industrial electrician will have no problems in the residential service truck but a residential electrician won't have a clue where to begin in a factory. Almost everything in industry is 3phase 480, and most equipment is PLC controlled. There are almost no straight on off type of circiuts. Most things are married in some way or another to sensors, limit switches, photo-eyes,etc. Often process instrumentation is involved in the functioning of systems. I've run into some interesting problems in my residential work, but I've never not been able to turn a motor on because a valve stuck open 6 floors above me!! Spend a few years in a factory trouble shooting automation problems and nothing in a residential enviroment will ever be seriously challenging.

 

[jimmyglen]

trouble shooting work is actually one of our least profitable areas, as a 18 man shop

I estimate, trouble shoot and do sales work for the company

the MOST we can charge for trouble shooting is $70 per hour and then people complain because we didnt wave a magic wand and find the problem in 10 min. (its also hard to schedule)

I can take a less experienced guy or a trouble shooting type guy and make more than $70 if the job is estimated right

this is one of the reasons why the "flat rate" guys give "up front prices" because they can make more $$$

jim

 

[emahler]

trouble shooting work is actually one of our least profitable areas, as a 18 man shop

I estimate, trouble shoot and do sales work for the company

the MOST we can charge for trouble shooting is $70 per hour and then people complain because we didnt wave a magic wand and find the problem in 10 min. (its also hard to schedule)

I can take a less experienced guy or a trouble shooting type guy and make more than $70 if the job is estimated right

this is one of the reasons why the "flat rate" guys give "up front prices" because they can make more $$$

jim

isn't that everyone's goal?

 

[480sparky]

the MOST we can charge for trouble shooting is $70 per hour and then people complain because we didnt wave a magic wand and find the problem in 10 min.

I hear ya there! I did a service call one time to locate what the customer described on the phone as a 'buzzing sound, maybe electrical' in his office. After an hour and a half, I found his pager on a shelf set to 'vibrate'.

I tell people that just because electrician rhymes with magician doesn't mean we do the same thing.

 

[ITO]

With all due respect service jockeys are a dime a dozen, and trouble shooters are easy to come by, while leadership, foremen, general area foreman, good layout men and men who know how to run work are by far much more valuable and sought after in this business than anyone else.

Big deal you know how to use a meter and trace wire, what I want to know is if you can run 30 men, layout the job, think ahead of the GC, plan your material at least 3 days ahead, while keeping your asbuilts up and still use your own tool every once in a while.

 

[charlie tuna]

most profitable changes from time to time and also from place to place. our trade has so many different specialty areas. 20 years ago, we got into computer cabling when others shied away from it --- it was new, and it quickly grabbed 60 per cent of our work---but as time went on and others entered that facit of our trade, computer cabling profits came down to match "pipe and wire". we then got into variable speed drives --- same thing happened there. then metering---again the same thing. it basically "supply and demand............

 

[mdshunk]

With all due respect service jockeys are a dime a dozen, and trouble shooters are easy to come by, ...

Maybe in Texas. I should hire you to recruit for me if you think they're so easy to come by.

 

[wireman71]

I'd like to know about this most valuable skill.. I'm a decent troubleshooter but haven't been offered good money to do it..

 

[mdshunk]

I'd like to know about this most valuable skill.. I'm a decent troubleshooter but haven't been offered good money to do it..

What do you think is going to happen? The electrical gods will shower you with money? Market yourself. After you do that, market yourself. Be your own advocate, and sell the only product you have at this point... YOU!

 

[wireman71]

LOL.. Very good advice that I will take heed off... : )

 

[emahler]

only way to make money troubleshooting:

1) be the absolute best at troubleshooting specific industrial equipment who's warranty will be voided if anyone but you touches it....good luck with this one...

2) get away from T&M and go to some type of flat fee...and get paid a percentage. This allows you to find the problem fast, be the hero and get paid for it.

 

[ITO]

Maybe in Texas. I should hire you to recruit for me if you think they're so easy to come by.

I will trade ya two service jokeys for a good foreman...hmmm that does not sound good enough? How about I throw in my Rexel outside salesman he can get anything you need, on time, and under budget (or so he says), but he does a great job brining donuts, and boy is he a snappy dresser.