jwjrw

So I go to a new house today to look at a basement apartment that is trimmed out but nothing working. I find a 225 amp ch cut ham in garage that has 2 twins. It also was a straight 42 (no twins allowed).
I find a 8/16 br cut ham outside with all the wires not hooked up.
I hook them up and find 1 counter top outlet not gfi and somehow somewhere tied to the line side of a gfi because it wouldnt trip.
I installed a gfi there fixed a three way switch.

This is a million plus house just finished and he paid someone to do the wiring(basement wiring) but moved up north before it was trimmed out (I guess because it took 5 mins to hook up breakers). Had #14 wire in what I would say was dining room. Was almost done to code but not code compliant.

Anyway I hand him a bill for $155 and he looks worried. I said thats 2 hours labor (we were there 2 hours took 20 minutes to figure out gfi in 3rd floor bath was also for basement)and 1 twin br 20a. He says can I mail it to you in a few days. I say sure he was referred to me by another customer/Gc. I think ill get my money just surprised me he didnt think he would need a few hundred ready for this.

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The more I learn the less I seem to know......

RIVETER

A lot of customers are like that. He probably thought you would not charge that much. Even though I am an electrician, I've taken a lot of appliance calls. Once a lady called and her freezer was not FREEZING. I was there for a couple of minutes till I noticed her electric bill caught in the condensor fan. I pulled it out and said $50.00, please. She started yelling that she couldn't believe I'd charge for something like that. You have to let them know up front that there will be a charge just for showing up.

slickvic277

People are crazy.I had a friend of a friend's mom want a new service on her rental property installed,no big deal right.She wanted the 100 amp service taken out and wanted a 200 amp installed,so I go look at it give her a price of $1200(which is the going rate around these parts,maybe even a little on the cheap side.)She just stares at me with a look on her face of utter horror and then says to me and I quote "I want to get the job done but I just don't want to pay for it."Needles to say the service up grade never happened.

jwjrw

He was referred to me by a customer/gc and I was just going to give an estimate for what he needed. I had to start looking to see what he needed(now its a service call) and should of said we charge blah blah but
it was a strange situation I didnt know what was done or how and was trying to see what I had to do to tell him how much it would be.
On a person out of the blue the 1st thing out of my mouth is I charge 85 for a service call and 65 hour per hour after the first for t/s but I was going there to give an estimate..... I should of said when I saw what was happening how much but I didnt. I do think he will pay just kinda surprized he didnt ask how much if he didnt have cash. Of course that goes both ways I could of told him

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The more I learn the less I seem to know......

RIVETER

I've been there.

jwjrw

Heck I want alot of things that I too dont wont to pay for!

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The more I learn the less I seem to know......

Grimlock

You don't need a permit with one of these babies:

(I'm going into mass production, anyone interested?)

They're going for $.75 a sq ft..

Or we can do it per device...

Your choice.

slickvic277

Yae that was like 4 or 5 years ago too,that lady is loaded$$$ but now I know why............doesn't like to part with it!

jwjrw

I met and do lots of work for a guy that has lots of rentals and a strip mall. He spends money fixes them up tile kitchen etc. Small places mostly 2/3 bedroom houses.
His dad however owns many many many things and wont spend a dime. I had to hook the OUTSIDE LIGHT ON THE BUILDING (on side of building) to the rent a centers box when they moved in cause he shouldnt have to pay for that.
Got very upset when someone left 4 lights on one night and couldn't get in to shut them off. So tight he squeaks when he walks

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The more I learn the less I seem to know......

Dnkldorf

This is why I don't do residential service.

I can't compete against people like you.

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Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once.
- Admiral Hornblower

Grimlock

Service change outs in my area go for around $2000 but varies based on the project. Can go as high as $3000 if there is a panel relocation. For a simple meter base and riser its around $1200.

slickvic277

Don't worry dude I don't either.It was a "side job" that I didn't do and I gave that price because it was a buddies mom,besides that was back when I needed side work.
You shouldn't have a problem doing residential,aren't you the guy who says you can get help for $9per hour.At that price you should be able to get any job you want.

Dnkldorf

From a licensed, insured EC, who pays taxes and overhead, or from a Union side jobber who pays no taxes,no anything?

__________________
Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once.
- Admiral Hornblower

slickvic277

Cut me a brake,what does union have anything to do with it?So you mean to tell me before you were out on your own or when things were a little slow you didn't do any side work,get real.

Dnkldorf

Gee, I dunno.....maybe your taking food away from someone elses baby's mouth.

__________________
Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once.
- Admiral Hornblower

slickvic277

Who's taking food from anyone?Maybe if you paid your guy's more then $9 per hour they wouldn't have to go out on there free time and under cut you to get side work.Stop your bitching,you really think someone out doing a residential service as a side job is major competition to legit EC.
Actually now that I'm union I don't need to do side work anymore,outside of a few favors for family members and friends I find "side work" annoying and a waste of my free time.And just for the record I never called anyone on this forum a rat.Find one post,I dare you.

You seem like the typical EC that I have worked for,treat your guy's like ****,pay them ****,nobody deserves to make money besides you and when someone goes out and makes a buck other then you there cuttin you out.
I don't think there's one successful,serious,worth working for,EC union or not who is worried about competing with some kid doing side work.
If your really worrying about competing with guy's doing side work then I feel sorry for you,things must be really slow,hopefully things pick up for you soon.

Oh yae, you never answered my question,so you never did any side work,ever?

Dnkldorf

Yup, I think a total of 2.

Then I became legit and pay my fair share.

Anytime you would like to learn the truth about employers and employees first hand, then just quit your brother hood, mortage your house, become legit and put your name on the door.

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Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once.
- Admiral Hornblower

480sparky

Ah yes. Another brain has been washed.

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This message is hidden because Forgery, Honda Racer, JackBoot, LawnGuyLandSparky, milehiwire and user 5941 are on your ignore list.

slickvic277

I know plenty about employee,employer relationships my half a dozen or so nlrb hearing pretty much confirm that,my first hand experience with "employers like you have been varied,bounced checks,chasing the boss around on friday to get paid,told to take cash for the week end and like it,or when threatening letters addressed to my wife were sent to my house when I organized,and I have thought about doing it on my own,but if I do I'll be union and pay the rate.

slickvic277

Who's brainwashed?I speak from my own experience.And the part about him paying $9 per hour wasn't made up,he said it on another post..