My Nephew the Plumber
- Thread starter iwire
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growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
Rewire said:
That's true but how many of your service calls are actual emergency type service work.
Many service calls are just someone that wants to change out a light fixture, intstall a ceiling fan or add a receptacle for the new plazma TV. As the economy slows you can forget about many of these.
Now back to that emergency service call. Instead of competing with five people for that call now there are ten people wanting that work. Why ? Because a short time ago many of them were involved in new contruction or remodeling and didn't want to fool with emergencies. They also went out looking for that niche market to stay afloat.
The pie does get bigger and smaller with the economy it's called GDP. Which includes all good and services provided.
Talking about pie makes me hungry. :grin:
BryanMD
Senior Member
satcom said:
Which brings us full circle (again).
Did everyone learn something?
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
BryanMD said:Did everyone learn something?
I learned I should raise my prices in slowing times.
I'm not sure it will help me keep my marketshare.
fpilsparky1
Member
uh, ya, sounds like "Mr. Electric". i worked for this guy. I drove that damm Mr. Electric truck around for like two long years. Damit...I flippen hated to go to the supply house in that damm thing.....FEDC
It kinda worked..... Mrs. Smith wanted her whatever fixed. So like 125 to show up and like an extra 85 to fix if it was ez. If not ez then I had this book with prices and stuff......I would make stuff up to meet my hourly goal......say whata about them goals
my boss was not so happy he had to pay a bunch of money to the main office of "Mr. Electric" and then there was the whole(or hole) of advertizing..... I mean Mr Electric is not Coke or Sears so what DO your advertizing dollars =?
hmmmmmmm.......does plumbing really pay better....better than and other services....cuz like a service is like cleaning ladies, electrical volks, Doctors, and cooks, what about those people that pick up dog poop, thats a service....
It kinda worked..... Mrs. Smith wanted her whatever fixed. So like 125 to show up and like an extra 85 to fix if it was ez. If not ez then I had this book with prices and stuff......I would make stuff up to meet my hourly goal......say whata about them goals
my boss was not so happy he had to pay a bunch of money to the main office of "Mr. Electric" and then there was the whole(or hole) of advertizing..... I mean Mr Electric is not Coke or Sears so what DO your advertizing dollars =?
hmmmmmmm.......does plumbing really pay better....better than and other services....cuz like a service is like cleaning ladies, electrical volks, Doctors, and cooks, what about those people that pick up dog poop, thats a service....
ItsHot
Senior Member
- Location
- A little piece of heaven!
tell 'em
tell 'em
tell 'em
Sounds like you got them figured out. How dare someone try to franchise our trade, and then beat little 'ole ladies out of their social security money!!!fpilsparky1 said:
growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
fpilsparky1 said:
Does anyone see the problem here? The owner of this company spent his money on a Mr. Electric franchise and then doesn't bother to hire or train service people. It's a loser even before it gets started.
fpilsparky may be a good electrician but if the owner used technicians/electricians with this attitude then he's in the wrong business.
In my opinion fpilsparky could be a poster boy for the type of electrician that you don't want operating a service truck.
No offense fpilsparky, you may be a great construction contractor but doing service work takes a whole different attitude. It helps if people actually like the work and good communication skills are as important as electrical knowledge, not to mention motivation.
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
I agree with that assessment very much. I've said before that a good service electrician is a pretty rare cat. Not only does he have to be technically on top of his game, but he has to be visually presentable, well spoken, a nice guy, and a half-decent salesman. He needs to have a cool temper and an even disposition, as well as well-mannered and a clean worker in a person's home or business. All of these traits may not exist in every service electrician, but that is certainly the goal. Technical compentance is no the beginning and end of a service man. There are lots of guys that could get the job done, but that customer may never use your company again because of the fella's other less desirable traits.growler said:
Energy-Miser
Senior Member
- Location
- Maryland
I think the $1200 figure was just thrown out as an example, may not be what is actually charged. I sure hate to be handed a $1200 bill for a toilet replacement. Not sure who put that figure out first, but am right that it was just given as a for instance? e/mceb said:
- Location
- Massachusetts
Energy-Miser said:
No, that is the minimum the company my nephew works for charges for a simple replacement with a low level brand water closet.
Really.
Keep in mind, they aim to people with money, they also know how to play the game, they put down rugs in the work area, they wear 'booties' on their feet and strive to leave the area cleaner then when they started.
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As electricians we hate to hand our customers a $1200 bill for jobs like this.Energy-Miser said:
That's why we come here and complain about how little electricians make compared to plumbers.
If we handed more of our customers $1200 bills for jobs like this we wouldn't be having this discussion.
If an electrician were to post on this forum that he was getting $1200 for a job like that he would be riduculed for being a crook, being inefficiant or an idiot for charging that much when obviously he could do the work for much less. I mean really how long could this job possibly take?
- Location
- Massachusetts
aline said:As electricians we hate to hand our customers a $1200 bill for jobs like this.
That's why we come here and complain about how little electricians make compared to plumbers.
If we handed more of our customers $1200 bills for jobs like this we wouldn't be having this discussion.
I think that you summed it up very well.
ItsHot
Senior Member
- Location
- A little piece of heaven!
when you need it!
when you need it!
when you need it!
How can we judge what the plumbers charge? Is a toilet worth $1200? I know when you really need one it is priceless!!! Also I know that you usually need to turn on the lights when you use one!aline said:As electricians we hate to hand our customers a $1200 bill for jobs like this.
That's why we come here and complain about how little electricians make compared to plumbers.
If we handed more of our customers $1200 bills for jobs like this we wouldn't be having this discussion.
Energy-Miser
Senior Member
- Location
- Maryland
Hey if they can get it more power to them. Wasn't too long ago that there was a big fuss at a contractor with NASA for $700 toilet seat ! But that was just the seat. Hate to see what they charge for the whole toilet. Back to the issue, I think cusomers under-value electrical work, because they think that they can do it themselves, when push comes to shove. They don't think that they can do plumbing on their own. Personally I don't see why one should be any easier to DIY than the other, but I think that that is the perception FWIW. e/m.iwire said:
BryanMD
Senior Member
Energy-Miser said:
Independence Day Movie:
Prez: How do you pay for all of this?
Judd Hirsch: What? You don't think they actually charge $700 for a toilet, do you?
There are plenty of DIY jobs going on in plumbing work.
Service Plumbing is dirty work.
You might get shocked/killed doing electrical but you won't get sick from it.
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