What would you have done?

[jayrad1122]

Situation: A little bit ago I posted a thread Here about a job I was going to do. Well I did about half of it b/c I let them pick which parts they wanted more. I got a call a couple days ago saying the outside outlet did not work. He said it was on the same circuit as the bathroom outlets (I changed all the outlets to GFCIs), so I said I'll come check it out.

I go and open up the GFCI I put in and there was an extra 12/2 that I taped up and put in the back of the box. He said it was probably to the medicine cabinet outlet/light that was not put in or removed, so I did not hook it up. Turns out it went to the outside outlet. Also on my troubleshooting adventure I was in the panel and we (me and HO) were trying to find if there were any extra wires not hooked up or something and realized that when I had to make room for a new breaker I was installing I removed the A/C. On my consultation He believed that it was for a second range that was removed when they did remodeling a long time ago.

So I had to make a second trip back with the old breaker and make room for it, luckily not having to remove any other wires. While I was there he wanted me to relabel and trace all the circuits, with his help spent around two hours.

Anyway, I wrote up a bill for a total of 7 hrs, actually working 7.5, and I didn't charge for two feet of 10awg I used. Total came to $350. Maybe a little low for you guys but good for me. He wondered how I came up to that total. I explained that I didn't hook up the wires in the box b/c he thought it was for the medicine cabinet and I didn't hook up the a/c b/c he thought it was for the old range. He then wrote the check, a little angry it wasn't lower b/c I didn't hook them up, but did.

What would you have charged? Like me? Would this have been covered under your warranty? By the way, its a little less than an hour away.

-Jared

 

[Cow]

You're only at $50/hr, damn, and I thought our shop rate was cheap compared to most on this site. We're at $65/hr.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say most of the members probably would have charged A LOT more than that.

 

[jayrad1122]

Its not a full-time business, I go to college the other half.

-Jared

 

[emahler]

i think you learned not to listen to homeowners and to verify things....

from a business perspective, you were correct...but i would be pissed as well, you are the expert and should know better...

 

[bikeindy]

He said it was probably to the medicine cabinet ..............realized that when I had to make room for a new breaker I was installing I removed the A/C. On my consultation He believed that it was for a second range that was removed when they did remodeling a long time ago.

This is the whole problem and it is all your fault IMO. who is the electrician? who has the training? I don't know why you charged him. When I see extra wires I find out where they go. How can you leave a job and not know something is not working it all has to work. Yes even the A/C in the winter needs to be checked.

 

[bikeindy]

Its not a full-time business, I go to college the other half.

-Jared

Maybe both halves need to be spent on one venture.

 

[tonyou812]

Totally your fault dude. Even when a HO tells me something I basically just give them a blank stare and an ominous OK. Your supposed to be the expert here.

 

[TOOL_5150]

Totally your fault dude. Even when a HO tells me something I basically just give them a blank stare and an ominous OK. Your supposed to be the expert here.

Yeah. Would you trust a HO that told you "that wire is dead" Would you check it anyway?

~Matt

 

[brantmacga]

Its not a full-time business, I go to college the other half.

-Jared

less billable hours should equal a higher hourly rate. does working half as much as everyone else require half the tools, half the insurance, etc. . .?

 

[Greg Swartz]

What would you have charged?

Not a single penny. You should have known better.

You're only at $50/hr, damn, and I thought our shop rate was cheap compared to most on this site. We're at $65/hr.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say most of the members probably would have charged A LOT more than that.

Colorado Springs (a little on the low end): Residential: $65 / hr

Its not a full-time business, I go to college the other half.

-Jared

Does not matter. I ran a full time business while I went full time to college to become an electrical engineer... one of the toughest degrees.
In addition, I am a father of 4 children, husband of 1 (very tired) wife, actively involved in my church...
My point is: NO EXCUSE...

you are the expert and should know better...

I totally agree... You were hired to perform a job.


By the way, how did all this pass inspection if it didn't work?

 

[mattsilkwood]

Not a single penny. You should have known better.


Colorado Springs (a little on the low end): Residential: $65 / hr



Does not matter. I ran a full time business while I went full time to college to become an electrical engineer... one of the toughest degrees.
In addition, I am a father of 4 children, husband of 1 (very tired) wife, actively involved in my church...
My point is: NO EXCUSE...


I totally agree... You were hired to perform a job.


By the way, how did all this pass inspection if it didn't work?

does your wife know you called her tired? your playing with fire man.


but seriously you should have known better. the home owner hire you because you are supposed to be the electrician. ive seen times were a home owner can be a real help. but in this bussiness we have to check it out. peoples lives are at stake. what scares me is if you diddnt verify what you diddnt hook up how do you know what you did energize? imho you should pay someone with a little more experience to check it out for him.

 

[jayrad1122]

Thanks guys.

Thanks guys.

With your help I see his frustration. I do need a lot more experience, hence why it is only part time. I have learned to ignore him and check anyways, yes I should have known better. I'm new at this and will be ending the business in January while I work for a union contractor for a long while.

Now how can I make this right? Would it be acceptable to send his check back with a letter? Could I send them a memo with it as a credit so if they need more work so much will be free? I don't know what is acceptable with this and I would rather keep this client on a clean slate with me. Or just keep it and hope they will call me for future work?

-Jared

 

[480sparky]

Here's an old story that exemplifies this post:

A factory was having problems with a machine. Their on-site maintainence guy just couldn't figure it out. So they called the manufacturer and asked them to send out a technician.

Upon arriving, the technician discussed to problem with the plant maintainence man. The technician looked the machine over, pulled out a wrench, and turned a nut ?-turn. Instantly, the machine started working perfectly. The maintainence man was ecstatic, the manager was happy to see the plant was productive again, and the workers resumed their labor.

The technician put the wrench back in his toolbox, scribled some paperwork and left. Three weeks later, the factory received an invoice for the work.... "Turn #31 Franzenhimmel Nut one-half turn clockwise. $500."

The factory's manager was appalled at the price. He called the manufacturer up to complain about what he thought was an outrageous amount just to turn one nut.

The manufacturer's rep was very apologetic. Seems there was an error in filling out the invoice, and he would make sure they received a corrected invoice immediately.

The next day, FedEx shows up with a package. Inside is the corrected invoice. It read "Turn a Franzenhimmel Nut one-half turn clockwise... $5. Knowing which Franzenhimmel Nut to turn.... $495."

99% of the time, the customer is truly useless when it comes to garnering any usable knowledge. Like the posts before this, I stand there, nod accordingly, and thank them kindly for their help. Then I attack the problem as if I never met them.

 

[busman]

First-off. If I found any wire in a bathroom GFCI box, I would definitely trace it out before hooking it up. If you put an outside receptacle on the bathroom circuit, you've violated the code.

Mark

 

[NolaTigaBait]

Here's an old story that exemplifies this post:



99% of the time, the customer is truly useless when it comes to garnering any usable knowledge. Like the posts before this, I stand there, nod accordingly, and thank them kindly for their help. Then I attack the problem as if I never met them.

that's a great story...customers don't understand that they are paying for your knowledge and experience....it takes me 5 minutes to diagnose the problem, bc of all the trial and error i have done in my lifetime, and i will charge accordingly

 

[growler]

Now how can I make this right? Would it be acceptable to send his check back with a letter? Could I send them a memo with it as a credit so if they need more work so much will be free? I don't know what is acceptable with this and I would rather keep this client on a clean slate with me. Or just keep it and hope they will call me for future work?

-Jared

Education is expensvie, the homeowner just recieved an education. Keep the money you earned it. The homeowner could have hired a more qualified electrician at a higher rate and less problems but he chose to cheap out. He knew what he was doing and that's why he was giving advice.

Yes, you should check out any wiring that's in question when doing a remodel but you should be paid either bidding high enough or hourly rate to check this out. That's why remodeling prices are higher than new work.

Again, keep the money, the guy will probably call again in the future because most people don't learn from their mistakes. They just see the cheap hourly rate and never think of the over all cost.

It's good practice to get customers a little PO'd it happens a lot when they see the bill.

 

[G0049]

Now how can I make this right?
-Jared

Figure out how much higher your original bill would have been if you had done all the the work the first time. Keep that much of your second check and send the rest back with a note thanking him for his business and explaining how you came up with that amount.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Here's an old story that exemplifies this post:



99% of the time, the customer is truly useless when it comes to garnering any usable knowledge. Like the posts before this, I stand there, nod accordingly, and thank them kindly for their help. Then I attack the problem as if I never met them.

I love that joke. I actually got to use it once.

A GC had his guy run some conduits to save a few buck and the GC was also going to help me pull the wire also to save a few bucks. This day it's about 100 degrees and he starts feeding the fish tape and is fighting it every step of the way. He finally come over to where I was sitting and asked what I was doing and I simply told him I was waiting for him. He says "so I'm paying you $65 dollars and hour to just sit there?" I said "noooo, you're paying me $5 and hour to sit here, you're paying me $60 and hour to know what wires go in that conduit when you finally get the fishtape here." "Well just tell me which wires go in and I'll just sit here." "Yeah, see that's not how it works. You might want to hurry up, it's almost lunch time.":grin:

 

[mattsilkwood]

I love that joke. I actually got to use it once.

A GC had his guy run some conduits to save a few buck and the GC was also going to help me pull the wire also to save a few bucks. This day it's about 100 degrees and he starts feeding the fish tape and is fighting it every step of the way. He finally come over to where I was sitting and asked what I was doing and I simply told him I was waiting for him. He says "so I'm paying you $65 dollars and hour to just sit there?" I said "noooo, you're paying me $5 and hour to sit here, you're paying me $60 and hour to know what wires go in that conduit when you finally get the fishtape here." "Well just tell me which wires go in and I'll just sit here." "Yeah, see that's not how it works. You might want to hurry up, it's almost lunch time.":grin:

thats great!

 

[ceb58]

With your help I see his frustration. I do need a lot more experience, hence why it is only part time. I have learned to ignore him and check anyways, yes I should have known better. I'm new at this and will be ending the business in January while I work for a union contractor for a long while.

Now how can I make this right? Would it be acceptable to send his check back with a letter? Could I send them a memo with it as a credit so if they need more work so much will be free? I don't know what is acceptable with this and I would rather keep this client on a clean slate with me. Or just keep it and hope they will call me for future work?

-Jared

Now that you are rethinking the situation the right thing to do would be to subtract the time spent relabeling the panel, which did not have any thing to do with the circuit problems, send the balance back with note saying that after reconsideration you failed to verify the circuits and that was covered under warranty. DO NOT send him a credit memo. You will wind up being this guys indentured servant.

But how are you now going to handle the code violation of the outdoor recpt. on the bath gfci circuit?