Temporary Service

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elvis_931

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
A construction company that does insurance work hired me to install a temporary overhead service(100amp) for the crew to repair the house. I finished it today and am awaiting the inspector to look at it on Tuesday. My materials come to $351.00 for the service. It took me 5.5 hrs to build it and drive to another county and put it in. If I figure it at T&M:
$351.00 x 20%=$421.00 Mat.
5.5Hrs. @ $50.00/Hr=$275.00
$421.00+$275.00= $696.00 Total bill.

I am curious what some of you charge for this same thing. I will probably bill it to them as a rental of the service so I can get the temp. back after the job. Am I in the ball park?
 
I didn't see any permit/inspection fees on your cost breakdown.

I probably would have charged more per hour of labor, but markets differ as to labor rates, etc.
 
kbsparky said:
I didn't see any permit/inspection fees on your cost breakdown.

I probably would have charged more per hour of labor, but markets differ as to labor rates, etc.
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The permit/inspection fee is included in the material price. I just added it in.
Is this a good price? Ball park of what most charge to rent out a temp. service? Should I charge more?
:confused:
 
I think it's a little low - again, not sure what journeyman are billing out in your area. I would think $800-$900 is reasonable. Did you charge for your travel time in the 5.5 hours? If not, do adjust for your time in traveling there.
 
either your permits were very expensive or materials just cost a lot more in tennessee. i can build an UG service for less than $100 in materials, OH usually runs me around $140 because of the wire going up the pole. i've only 'sold' one service pole and that was to a contractor who just wanted to have his own. it was an OH and took about $140 in materials and 1.5 hrs of labor to build (he picked it up). if you're just going to charge them a rental fee, i don't think you can include all of the cost of materials and labor, except for the time it took to deliver and install. i would charge the permit fee of course, labor for time to setup, and maybe $100 for the rental. going w/ the permit rates in my area and just guessing 2 hrs to setup @ $50 hr, it would cost around $300.
 
Ne_EC said:
I think it's a little low - again, not sure what journeyman are billing out in your area. I would think $800-$900 is reasonable. Did you charge for your travel time in the 5.5 hours? If not, do adjust for your time in traveling there.
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$800 to 900 is what we get for setting up an OH temp, that includes everything. and we sure don't make much doing them at that price, when you consider all the running around, and paper work, for renting one, I would want darn near the same price.
 
Remember you have to take it down/pick it up later. BTW Do you drive a rod w/this there? Charge for the return trip now and you'll be right there. 800-900 bucks.

Tom:D
 
satcom said:
$800 to 900 is what we get for setting up an OH temp, that includes everything. and we sure don't make much doing them at that price,
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satcom is right, even when you charge $800 or $900 for temp. service you still don't make much money. I consider temp. service to be just a necessary evil so I don't normally do an install unless I get a contract to do other work at the job so I can make some money. If you get enough other work from the job then an extra $700 for temp. service is good enough because you are there to collect the pole when service is restored ( you can pick up both permits at the same time, not a lot of wasted trips ).

Any job where temp. power is needed there normally will be other electrical work that needs to be done. Who is doing this work and why are they not doing the temp. service ?:-?
 
growler said:
Any job where temp. power is needed there normally will be other electrical work that needs to be done. Who is doing this work and why are they not doing the temp. service ?:-?
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I did this temp. service for a GC that does a lot of insurance work. This is the "foot-in-the-door" opportunity that I hope will lead to more work from them. I believe they are checking me out on this job and the lightening inspection/repair job that I have posted in another thread. If all goes well, I should be in pretty good with them.:smile:
 
brantmacga said:
either your permits were very expensive or materials just cost a lot more in tennessee. i can build an UG service for less than $100 in materials, OH usually runs me around $140 because of the wire going up the pole. i've only 'sold' one service pole and that was to a contractor who just wanted to have his own. it was an OH and took about $140 in materials and 1.5 hrs of labor to build (he picked it up). if you're just going to charge them a rental fee, i don't think you can include all of the cost of materials and labor, except for the time it took to deliver and install. i would charge the permit fee of course, labor for time to setup, and maybe $100 for the rental. going w/ the permit rates in my area and just guessing 2 hrs to setup @ $50 hr, it would cost around $300.
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you are so unfair to yourself to not include getting things together. or you are the fastest gatherer, installer and driver in the lower 48. I hope your clients appreciate the time you donate to or break speed laws for them, but somehow I doubt it.
 
elvis_931 said:
This is the "foot-in-the-door" opportunity that I hope will lead to more work from them. I believe they are checking me out on this job :smile:
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Yes, they are probably checking you out. The idea of checking a company out is a good thing. Have you taken the time to check out the General Contractor? Do you have any idea how long they have been in business? Do you know of any contractors that have done business with
this GC ? Have you seen any of their jobs, got any idea how they are when it comes time to pay ? Before trying to get a foot in the door make sure this is a door you really want a foot in.

The most common mistake made by a new EC is to fall for a line of Bull from a GC. If it's a good reputable company it's alright to make an effort to secure future work. If it's a fly by night outfit then you stick it to them for whatever you can get because you will probably never hear from them again. Some of these GC's just go from one EC to the next holding out the carrot of future work.
 
I RAREly will do a temp power pole for a job that I do not have under contract. If I do, I charge them full price for the temporary pole costs and will refund 50% of that money when it is returned to me in good, usable condition. As far as what you charged your customer, it seems a little low to me but you should know better than us what constitutes a fair profit for your company. Different companies have VERY different overhead expenses. Deduct your overhead costs and you will see what your true profit was for youe 5.5 hours of work.
 
Jljohnson said:
I RAREly will do a temp power pole for a job that I do not have under contract. .
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Me too. If the job consists on only building a temporary service, they bought the whole shebang, whether they realize it or not. Sometimes I get them back, almost at their insistence, which is a bonus. I can sell it all over again.
 
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