So...what happened to your other electricians?

[jaylectricity]

I've heard a bit of advice on this forum to ask this question a number of times. An excellent question, I might add.

I'm sure they don't just say, "I spent too much money on my truck and was unable to pay him on the last job."

So what kind of answers do you usually get?

Bonus question: How do you read into those answers and discover the true meaning?

 

[boboelectric]

What's the question?

 

[ActionDave]

The title of the thread.

 

[ptonsparky]

"He didn't wear his gloves."?

 

[GUNNING]

Money is no object!

Money is no object!

I get "cant get a hold of him and you returned my call."
Now if I get the "If this works out there will be a lot more work down the road" I know "Money is no object" because there isn't any.

If you don't give a response, they keep talking.
Sometimes, they just don't know when to stop building the con.

 

[Minuteman]

"I owe him money".

 

[jmsbrush]

My other electrician got to expensive.
My other electrician started off good but then after some time, he stopped showing up.

 

[ptonsparky]

Aaahh...now I understand the question.

I should have asked on a job recently, I could have gotten some work. It was a legit offer and I blew it off as screwy. Don't ask, you won't know.

 

[480sparky]

I'm assuming this is a question you ask builders, HOs and GCs when they start hiring you instead of their 'normal' electrician.

In most of my cases, the answer can be expressed thus:

"He wanted to work, and decided to make low price his selling point. He worked cheaper than anyone else just to work. He ended up working so cheap he couldn't cover his cost of being in business, so he got a job at Grease Monkey instead. But hey, I still made off like a bandit with his super-low prices because I charged the same for the houses I built and pocketed the difference between 'real electrician' prices and his price! Now, why are you charging me so much?"

 

[LarryFine]

"Now, why are you charging me so much?"

"Because I hate grease!"

 

[hardworkingstiff]

"Because I hate grease!"

Thanks Larry, I got a nice chuckle out of that.

 

[ceb58]

I had one that the rough in had been almost completed when they called me to look at it. After looking over every thing I ask about the original elect. Expecting to hear some strange story that would be the tail tail signs to run. The HO smiled and said "he died" Sure enough after asking around the poor guy fell over with a heart attack at home.

 

[GUNNING]

he died???

he died???

don't drink the water from the water keg.....

 

[powerslave]

My other electrician had the gaul to charge me for his labor so that he could feed his wife and kids.

 

[powerslave]

Seriously, though, my favorite was, "he moved back to Russia".

 

[jaylectricity]

"Money is no object" because there isn't any.

Hahahaha, that's awesome.

 

[ramsy]

So...what happened to your other electricians?

They got tired of waiting for work at Home Depot, and went back to Mexico.

 

[wireguy8169]

Only worked an hour a day!

Only worked an hour a day!

the job I just looked at, the Homeowner said the last guy would show up work an hour or two and leave,

 

[masterinbama]

the job I just looked at, the Homeowner said the last guy would show up work an hour or two and leave,

Local bars open at 9:00 ?

Or did he get a late start?

 

[wireguy8169]

its out in the boonies but "Jimbobs" (the actual name )variety is open at 5am and they sell beer and booze,