While patroling Craigslist......

[electricmanscott]

I came across an ad yesterday...

"Will wire generator panels for $45.00 an hour"

So I responded. Not by phone, the bottom feeders on CL never leave an actual phone number or even a name for that matter, cripes most just use the CL auto response email.

Short and sweet...

45 bucks an hour??? Have a little respect for your license.

Response....

I have plenty of respect for my license its a tough time for people including myself I figure thats the best way to help people who cant afford a full fledged company to come out and wire these panels.

As far as I'm concerned you have to do what you have to do. What this guy may fail to see is that while he may be helping a few people out, he is screwing legit contractors that have to charge a realistic rate to make it.

What can you do.

 

[petersonra]

I have plenty of respect for my license its a tough time for people including myself I figure thats the best way to help people who cant afford a full fledged company to come out and wire these panels.

As far as I'm concerned you have to do what you have to do. What this guy may fail to see is that while he may be helping a few people out, he is screwing legit contractors that have to charge a realistic rate to make it.

What can you do.

How do you figure he is screwing "legit" contractors. he apparently has a license and thats all that is required to be "legit" in my opinion, assuming he plays by rest of the rules. What he charges does not enter into the picture, even if he did it for free.

$45 an hour for someone who has very no or nearly no overhead is pretty damn good money.

 

[Minuteman]

My guess is, that he is a fireman or someone with a 3 on / 3 off schedule. With no overhead, he is just making vacation money.

 

[peter d]

Seeing that you're in Mass, this guy may be doing legit sidework. But even so, that is ridiculous hourly rate.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I have seen more and more one man shop's in the last ten years. The price of a service upgrade has noot changed much because of all the low ballers.
I think a lot of these guys figure they can make as much on their own as they would with a bigger company. Because those wages have not gone up either in the last ten years.
I use to see long list of ads for "electricians wanted" in the paper. Now you would be lucky to see one.

 

[khixxx]

What can you do.

Stop making posts and walk down to your glorious law makers office and demand that laws and regulation be so tight that no one can buy copper wire, a rec, light switch etc with out a legit electricians license and a legit business degree. Tell them by doing so this would eliminate guys that don't respect legit contractors.

Best of luck

 

[electricmanscott]

$45 an hour for someone who has very no or nearly no overhead is pretty damn good money.

There is no such thing as little or no overhead for anyone that is a legitimate business.

 

[Flex]

No reason for him to care about anyone but himself and his family.

 

[electricmanscott]

Stop making posts and walk down to your glorious law makers office

They are very busy trying to figure out how to ballanc a budget with a 1 billion dollar shortfall while at the same time enjoying their 5.5% payraise.

 

[peter d]

No reason for him to care about anyone but himself and his family.

I agree with that 100%.

It's also not doing this industry one bit of good either.

 

[Flex]

I agree with that 100%.

It's also not doing this industry one bit of good either.

I must agree with you 100%. I hope the industry can deal with it.

 

[MarkyMarkNC]

You should have put your own Craigslist ad up right after he did.

"Double the rates of the other guys, but I'll do the job twice as well in half the time"

 

[bradleyelectric]

No reason for him to care about anyone but himself and his family.

Very true. Just think how well he would be doing for himself and his family if he figured out he could be charging 5x that much.

 

[tkb]

How do you figure he is screwing "legit" contractors. he apparently has a license and thats all that is required to be "legit" in my opinion, assuming he plays by rest of the rules. What he charges does not enter into the picture, even if he did it for free.

$45 an hour for someone who has very no or nearly no overhead is pretty damn good money.

No insurance, No permits, No taxes, No workmans comp, NO PROBLEM.
Thats as LEGIT as it gets.

 

[wawireguy]

If the guy is legit he can charge what he wants.. If not he shouldn't be doing business.

 

[ultramegabob]

I dont know why you guys keep getting worked up over craigslist, quit torturing yourselves buy looking at the adds if it upsets you....

 

[CopperTone]

If the guy is legit he can charge what he wants.. If not he shouldn't be doing business.

maybe he doesn't know how much he should be charging?

usually guys charging that little maybe have a jman license, maybe liability insurance and maybe a pick up truck that they already own, pay cash for their material, and drink the profit.
Oh yea, most of the time their wife carries the health insurance or they are a fireman and electrical is sidework. (most of the time this is not their primary income).

That is not an EC and you cannot compare the service of this guy to a genuine Electrical Contracting Company.

 

[Mr.Sparkle]

"Double the rates of the other guys, but I'll do the job twice as well in half the time"

Great Quote!

 

[roger]

I dont know why you guys keep getting worked up over craigslist, quit torturing yourselves buy looking at the adds if it upsets you....

I agree.

Roger