pricing

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We did a change out yesterday it was one guy 8 and one guy 9 that was time from the shop till they were back I had 3 hours checking job and picking up material and about 30 minutes estimating and billing I normally have 20 hours estimated I could have probably had one guy back early.They had about 1hour 15 minutes travel time round trip
 
I think the reason Mister Sparky is so successful is because he didn't go to forums and ask how much he should charge.

He didn't have all these people on a forum telling him what he could and couldn't do and since he didn't know any better he did things the right way. :)
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
And when the Sarasota area runs out of suckers, he'll go belly up.
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I guess you also think that he sold his Mr. Sparky that he created because Atlanta was about to run out of suckers?

I know Patrick personally, and I want to tell you there is not a bone in his body or thought in his head that for one second thinks he is successful because he is overcharging little ol' ladies that don't know better. He knows the costs of running a service and repair EC shop better that I, emahler, aline and 99.999% of the contractors out there will ever know. Please note that I did not include LGLS, because he is actually smarter than Patrick and the rest of us. :rolleyes: For someone that doesn't own a business, you astound me with your vast knowledge of the ins and outs of electrical contracting, marketing, employee relations, and most recently estimating service changes.
 
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aline said:
He didn't have all these people on a forum telling him what he could and couldn't do and since he didn't know any better he did things the right way. :)
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In other words, he figured out what his costs are, then what he wanted to make, then charged accordingly. Amazing concept! :D
 
Service upgrades are typically cookie cutter. Require little skill, about 4 hours labor, and don't even require a truck.
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I have done it, but it's been a long long time since I had a half day panel change. A simple 100 to 200 with existing ufer and easy gas/water bond, no conduits/added circuits coming from the panel, no backbracing of the riser etc.


Sometimes it takes a couple hours just to strip out the old crap.
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Leaches? I prefer to think of them as "value engineered upgrades." Service upgrades are typically cookie cutter. Require little skill, about 4 hours labor, and don't even require a truck.
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LawnGuyLandSparky said:
But seriously... straightforward typical residential 100a to 200a service. Panel back to back or off to side, or directly under in basement. 4 hours.
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I've got one you can do here in NJ....200A OH service, side of a SFH on a corner lot...FPE panel in basement 4' over from meter....I'll even sign the permits....then it's all on you.
If your done in 4 hours and pass the town's inspection, you'll get paid the $1700 .
If your not done in 4 hours and/or fail the town's inspection, you get nothing.
Either way, you get to pick up and purchase the materials and I supply NO tools.
Fair deal?


LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Think of it as a very large taco. What do your tacos cost? You can hype them all you want, I'm not paying more than 2 for a dollar. If there's a glut of established taco huts in town, don't be suprised when you open another that someone else has already cornered the market.
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...that must be why there is a very limited number of restaurants in NYC :roll:.
 
peter d said:
Maybe I can fly him over here and use him as a sub. Even with the air fare he'll still be cheap. :roll:

and...



How can you turn a guy down who has "resonable" prices? ;)
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Many years back, I had an auto mechanic that did cheap work, too bad the towing company was not as cheap!
 
celtic said:
I've got one you can do here in NJ....200A OH service, side of a SFH on a corner lot...FPE panel in basement 4' over from meter....I'll even sign the permits....then it's all on you.
If your done in 4 hours and pass the town's inspection, you'll get paid the $1700 .
If your not done in 4 hours and/or fail the town's inspection, you get nothing.
Either way, you get to pick up and purchase the materials and I supply NO tools.
Fair deal?
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No, what's with the shopping? Don't your supply houses deliver? Don't tell me you run up to a supply house or stand in line at Home Depot for every job you get. If so, there's your prroblem. You're wasting time shopping.

...that must be why there is a very limited number of restaurants in NYC :roll:.
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You actually nailed it. Do you think each of those restauraunts is selling the same thing?
 
romexking said:
I guess you also think that he sold his Mr. Sparky that he created because Atlanta was about to run out of suckers?

I know Patrick personally, and I want to tell you there is not a bone in his body or thought in his head that for one second thinks he is successful because he is overcharging little ol' ladies that don't know better. He knows the costs of running a service and repair EC shop better that I, emahler, aline and 99.999% of the contractors out there will ever know. Please note that I did not include LGLS, because he is actually smarter than Patrick and the rest of us. :rolleyes: For someone that doesn't own a business, you astound me with your vast knowledge of the ins and outs of electrical contracting, marketing, employee relations, and most recently estimating service changes.
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maybe...but I am much better looking than him:D
 
aline said:
I think the reason Mister Sparky is so successful is because he didn't go to forums and ask how much he should charge.

He didn't have all these people on a forum telling him what he could and couldn't do and since he didn't know any better he did things the right way. :)
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The reason he is so successful is because he DID take advice from those who knew better. He networked with other contractors, tested his (and other's ) ideas and monitored the results. With that comes knowledge of what and what does not work. Not everything he touches turns to gold, but by constantly monitoring for the expected results, he can change plans (and thus the outcome) before it turns to s_ _t.
 
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one other concept to bear in mind...some days we hit a homerun, some days we strike out...

for arguments sake, a 1 man operation needs to generate $240,000/yr....that's $1000/day (assuming you work like a human being - 240 days year)

The problem is, some days you will only make $500....but for every day that you make $500, you need a day that you make $1500...this will allow the 2 days to average out to $1000 each...

we don't have too many opportunities to hit homeruns...service upgrades are one of the few opportunities that we have...

so, do the upgrade for $1500, and make your $1000 for the day after material...but will you be able to make up for the 2 $500 days you had last week?
 
When I was a one man operation and made $1000 one day, I would likely go to the lake the next two days :)
 
220/221 said:
When I was a one man operation and made $1000 one day, I would likely go to the lake the next two days :)
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and that is why you never made any money until you found a partner that had a lick of business sense:D
 
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
No, what's with the shopping? Don't your supply houses deliver? Don't tell me you run up to a supply house or stand in line at Home Depot for every job you get. If so, there's your prroblem. You're wasting time shopping.
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I don't care how YOU get the material...I am not supplying it :wink:


LawnGuyLandSparky said:
You actually nailed it. Do you think each of those restauraunts is selling the same thing?
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Actually ..you did.
You think all EC's are selling the same thing?

Think about it....you can get a burger off the $1 menu at BK or Mickey D's ....or you can get a burger at Shake Shack for $9....both will satisfy your need (your hungry), but which one is a better product?

How about a coffee...plenty of places to get a coffee for under $2 in NYC...so what's with Starbucks?
You just need a caffeine jolt, right?
So why are people paying in excess of $4 for a cup of joe?

Is Starbucks a better product?
What makes it worth a premium...the long line to buy it?
I'd really like to know because I don't drink coffee. :-?


While it may seem as these places are "selling the same thing"...are they really?
 
celtic said:
I don't care how YOU get the material...I am not supplying it :wink:




Actually ..you did.
You think all EC's are selling the same thing?

Think about it....you can get a burger off the $1 menu at BK or Mickey D's ....or you can get a burger at Shake Shack for $9....both will satisfy your need (your hungry), but which one is a better product?

How about a coffee...plenty of places to get a coffee for under $2 in NYC...so what's with Starbucks?
You just need a caffeine jolt, right?
So why are people paying in excess of $4 for a cup of joe?

Is Starbucks a better product?
What makes it worth a premium...the long line to buy it?
I'd really like to know because I don't drink coffee. :-?


While it may seem as these places are "selling the same thing"...are they really?
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Hey Celt..good luck...
 
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