Packrats

[jeff43222]

Lately I've been on several estimates/jobs where the work area was filled with junk, and it made it much more time-consuming to get things done because of having to navigate my way through/over it. Yesterday I ran a couple of new circuits through a basement, and I was constantly climbing over or knocking over stuff that should have been thrown out years ago (e.g., a roll of chicken wire -- and this guy lives in the city!). I also went on an estimate a few weeks ago, and the house was crammed from basement to attic with enough stuff for a family of seven, even though only two people live there.

I'm wondering how other ECs deal with this kind of thing. Do you bid higher, or insist on T&M? Do you just never write up the estimate because you know the job will be a bigger PITA than it's worth?

 

[mdshunk]

Re: Packrats

I do this one of two ways:
1) Bid much higher to accomodate for the PITA factor
2) Insist that certain items or paths be cleared or the price changes higher. In this instance, the quote is often two prices... one with crap moved and one if I have to move the crap.

I must be lucky, because I get work in "packrat" areas quite often. I don't mind it so much when it's "clean" junk. When it's garbage, weeks of dirty dishes, rooms full of dirty laundry, etc., then I start to get upset. I have temporarily abandoned jobs until the situation was cleaned up in the interest of health.

 

[patrick]

Re: Packrats

I think it happens to everyone that does residential electric work.Thats why guys like commercial work but you gotta pay the bills and when you don't have work you take the resi jobs,most people have clutter,just the mail alone can do it.The best crap job I did was a kitchen remodel,I went to nail up a box and insulation fell out of a hole in the ceiling along with a dead rat on top of my head.I was very pissed off and the price went up,the money did ease my suffering.

 

[charlie tuna]

Re: Packrats

you said you were an electrical contractor?
if you bid this type of work-then you must see it to bid it(?) then add money into the bid to cover the working around this mess or qualify in your proposal that the movement costs of this "stuff" will be in addition to your to you bid price. you can move it or they can!!! most people will move it out your way!!! much of this type work should be t&m, but when people do not trust or know the contractor they will ask for a bid. i try to explain that it is cheaper to go t&m, but if they insist, i give them a proposal but it covers everything within sight and whatever i figure can go wrong----including working around their crap!!!

 

[adidas532]

Re: Packrats

just a warning...

I know an electrician who had to run a wire in a messy basement, and was accused of breaking parts of the HO's train set. The HO wanted the electrician to pay for damages.

 

[bigjohn67]

Re: Packrats

We first estimate the job then add difficulty. In the written proposal, which is done on site, we put it in writing that "Items of importance and value shall be removed by the owner,(we name them by name), from the work area in a manner in which the above described work will not cause damage to said items."
We also have them initial this to protect ourselves. It's very effective and usually when we come back to do the job a clear path is there for us to do the job. I guess the customer picks up on- If it's important and valuable to me I better move it.

 

[larryl]

Re: Packrats

IF ITS GONNA TAKE YOU LONGER,ADD MORE MONEY,,I ASK THE HOME OWNER IF ALL THIS STUFF IS GONNA BE IN THE WAY,,AND THEY USEUALLY GET THE HINT.