MR. Electric

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buzzlectric

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I see one of these franchises has opened in my area , what are they all about, i see they only hire licensed electricians, are they any good to work for. i have a friend intrested in them and we were curios about them.
 
Not every licensed electrician can be a contractor, and many probably don't want to. Personally, I like being a contractor, but I can see how someone might prefer to just do the electrical work and not have to deal with all that goes with running a business.

I doubt you'd make as much money working for a franchise as you would with a non-franchise. With a franchise, there are more people that expect to make a profit from the business, and much of what we do can't be made more efficient through economies of scale. This is probably why most ECs are not franchises.

Personally, I have no experience with Mr. Electric, so I can't comment on them specifically.
 
Any Franchise is taking 8% off the top gross for a franchise fee. Plus they get another 4-6% for what they call advertising.

Thats a lot of Gross before any bills or payroll. So Mr. Electric has to charge a lot of money for the services. Many customers prefer to call a large name company. Look at Sears, Home Depot or Lowes. I guess they feel they have an assurance that a large company is more dependable than a small one?

I just looked Mr. Electric is in the UK
What is the "ADVANTAGE PLAN" on their web site? What sort of scam is that???

I don't understand the remark about only hiring licensed electricians. If your refering to Masters, then that different. But In my company, your not an electrician unless you have a license, apprentice, Journeyman, & I won't hire a masters for fear of him stealing my customers or business.

Edited for language.
Ryan
 
speedypetey said:
If you are a licensed electrician, why would you work for someone else? Especially making money for a franchise.
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I think the point made here is that there is a difference between a "licensed"(as local, or state contracting and or business) and "certified" electrician, ...holding a journeyman or masters is not a license. its a certification...
 
scwirenut said:
speedypetey said:
If you are a licensed electrician, why would you work for someone else? Especially making money for a franchise.
Click to expand...

I think the point made here is that there is a difference between a "licensed"(as local, or state contracting and or business) and "certified" electrician, ...holding a journeyman or masters is not a license. its a certification...
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the laws differ around the country.

Up here, a journeyman or master electrician holds a state license with that designation. It allows the holder to do electrical work without having to be supervised. A licensed journeyman or master electrician must do that electrical work for an electrical contractor (or other qualified employer), which is another state license. One qualification for a contractor's license is that the contractor must employ a licensed master electrician who works for no other contractor.

So a journeyman electrician must work for someone else, while a master electrician has the option of also getting a contractor's license and working for himself.
 
I stand corrected, its amazing how things differ from state to state, here in SC there is no licensing for mechanical trade certification at all. only licensing for contracting, and of course attorneys, nurses, ect....
 
Isn't South Carolina where Clyde lives?
Remeber Clyde? From the Movie Deliverance?
I was camping up there & the owner of the camp told us not to leave our coleman equipment out during the day while we were shooting the rapids as Clyde would walk down the creek & steal peoples gear.

No License of Certification for skilled trades? Hmmmmm
Ya think Clyde does Electrical work too????
:twisted:
 
77401 said:
I won't hire a masters for fear of him stealing my customers or business.
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:shock:

Well, I guess I'll take my boss' advice and maintain my journeyman in good standing after getting my master's license!

Edit to add: Do you not hire lesser levels, because they might do the work on the side for less?
 
I met a guy at my continuing education class a few months ago who held a journeyman and a master license. I asked him why he held both, since a master can do anything a journeyman can do. He said some employers only want to hire journeymen, so he keeps both licenses and shows whichever one the employer wants to see.
 
In Alaska you have to have an administrator's license to be a contractor, if you want to work in the field you also have to have a journeyman license.

$$$any $$$questions $$$why?
 
Up here, a journeyman or master electrician holds a state license with that designation. It allows the holder to do electrical work without having to be supervised. A licensed journeyman or master electrician must do that electrical work for an electrical contractor (or other qualified employer), which is another state license. One qualification for a contractor's license is that the contractor must employ a licensed master electrician who works for no other contractor.

So a journeyman electrician must work for someone else, while a master electrician has the option of also getting a contractor's license and working for himself.
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Same here in MI. It is also illegal to do electrical work without a license, unless it is in your own home.

I am still waiting to see anybody enforce doing electrical work without a license. :(
 
jeff43222 said:
I met a guy at my continuing education class a few months ago who held a journeyman and a master license. I asked him why he held both, since a master can do anything a journeyman can do. He said some employers only want to hire journeymen, so he keeps both licenses and shows whichever one the employer wants to see.
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My Master license has both Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician on it.

My Contractor's License has both Home Improvement Contractor and Commercial Improvement Contractor on it, as well as Electrical Contractor, because I applied and qualified for them.
 
In North Carolina we are a little more detailed. There is a license for just about every aspect of electrical work that can be done.

There are 10 different classifications of electrical contracting licenses. Each license has a specific scope and limitation of work allowed. The Limited (L), Intermediate (I), and Unlimited (U) classifications allow a licensee to perform residential, commercial and industrial work. The Residential dwelling license (SP-SFD) permits electrical contracting projects pertaining to single-family detached residential dwellings. There are also six (6) special restricted electrical contracting classifications which allow only a limited phase of electrical contracting work: Low Voltage (SP-LV), Elevator (SP-EL), Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning (SP-PH), Groundwater pump (SP-WP), Electric Sign (SP-ES), Swimming Pool (SP-SP).
The scope for each of the special restricted classifications is listed in Section .0800 of the rules and regulations.

:)
 
I keep both my Masters (called supervisor's here) and my J-man active along with my E contractors license.Keeping my J-man costs me a couple of hundred bucks every other year, deductable, and built into my pricing, but I worked hard for each one of em, so I am keeping them. My doctor also keeps his Bachelor degree right next to his Masters degree and his Doctorate.
 
In Oklahoma we have several categories for state electrical licenses.
  1. Unlimited Contractor - 12000 hours (which I hold)
  2. Limited Contractor - EE and 8000 hours estimating OR 16000 hours estimating
  3. Residential Contractor - 8000 hours
  4. Unlimited Journeyman - 8000 hours
  5. Residential Journeyman - 4000 hours
  6. Apprentice Registration - $30
Each city/town then requires us to "Register" or license with them for a annual fee. Nothing but $$$

I also hold an Unlimited Mechanical Journeyman license with subcategories for over 25 Tons cooling & 500,000 BTU's heat, process piping, and sheet metal. It cost me $100 a year and I do not register it with any city, but I will not let it lapse because - hey I earned it!

I have never desired a license as a plumber. I will not list all the reasons why.
 
In MA, you need a master's license to employ any journeymen. A journeyman can be in business and employ 1 apprentice. A master must maintain his journeyman's license in order to work in the field.

The state website allows you to search a license number and it will show other licenses held by the individual. So only listing one to an employer will probably not "hide" the other.

edit: typo
 
Minuteman said:
Each city/town then requires us to "Register" or license with them for a annual fee. Nothing but $$$.
Click to expand...

I'm glad our legislature was wise enough to prevent this kind of scam. The law here says a state electrical license is needed to work anywhere in the state, and that license is good everywhere -- cities can't make us get additional licenses (they can do it to plumbers, though).

Cities can make us register with them, though, but state law says that they can't charge us any fees for this.
 
Mr. Electric isn't the only franchise available for Electricians
There is a NiteLights & another outdoor low volt landscaping francise I can't remember the name.
nitelights.com

Search Google for franchise Electrical

I always tell my customers, most of us tradesman, went to school to be electricians, not businessmen. Not too many people go to college, graduate with an MBA & decide to become Electrical contractors especially residential!

So I guess there is a niche for franchised electrical contractors
 
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