One last thing. I know exactly what the OP is talking about. We have the big flat raters here as well. They DO NOT want to fix a back stabbed receptacle, they like to claim that the problem is the service is not adequate and the customer needs an emergency upgrade. They toss the terms fire, and hazzard, and children around like it's second nature to them. They try and scare the customer into spending more money than they need to.
One of my buddies....ex-buddies, works for one of these outfits. They get paid hourly and commission. He states he doesn't make money fixing receps, he makes money changing panels. This is why they do it. Regardless of whether the customer needs a new panel, he scares them into a panel change, while his helper fixed the receptacle, when the customer wasn't looking. It's a huge scam. The firm he works for is well known by other EC's in this area, and has been written about in the papers many times. The company just changes their name every couple years.
One last thing. I know exactly what the OP is talking about. We have the big flat raters here as well. They DO NOT want to fix a back stabbed receptacle, they like to claim that the problem is the service is not adequate and the customer needs an emergency upgrade. They toss the terms fire, and hazzard, and children around like it's second nature to them. They try and scare the customer into spending more money than they need to.
One of my buddies....ex-buddies, works for one of these outfits. They get paid hourly and commission. He states he doesn't make money fixing receps, he makes money changing panels. This is why they do it. Regardless of whether the customer needs a new panel, he scares them into a panel change, while his helper fixed the receptacle, when the customer wasn't looking. It's a huge scam. The firm he works for is well known by other EC's in this area, and has been written about in the papers many times. The company just changes their name every couple years.
It's not just the elderly they target. Their prime targets are stay at home moms, with kids, who make decisions when the husband is working.
It's like taking your car in for inspection and the shop tells you you need brakes, when you don't. You have no clue, you just want your vehicle back asap.
People really should get 3 estimates on things, but if they don't, it's their own fault I suppose.....
when i had my business one of my best customers was a lady who owned a beauty shop, i hung some
nice lighting in there and next week had 5 phone calls for work from old biddys with gray hair needing stuff done...
Couple who live across the street from me had an unnamed EC come out for the "free Home Inspection". They were left with an estimate for the following:
Correct oversized AC breaker- Homeline 2-30 instead of a homeline 2-20/ $225
Correct grounding issues, estimate stated that the ground rod was too close the house/ $175
Correct the Non UL listed breakers in panell ( I found one ITE installed in a homeline) /$125
Install 2 replacement smoke detectors/ $127
Reccomended the "Energy Crusher", (cuz it stores energy)/ $379
Whole house surge protection/ $398
Reccomended a "panell rejuvenation" / $1267 ( i am not clear on the details of what this would include. (house is 10 years old with a 200 amp Homeline service)
when outed as far and above the norm (and by norm we mean our peers normal $$$) they'll pose themselves as having superior service, confidence, customer relations.....etc ad nasuem....
Couple who live across the street from me had an unnamed EC come out for the "free Home Inspection". They were left with an estimate for the following:
Correct oversized AC breaker- Homeline 2-30 instead of a homeline 2-20/ $225
Correct grounding issues, estimate stated that the ground rod was too close the house/ $175
Correct the Non UL listed breakers in panell ( I found one ITE installed in a homeline) /$125
Install 2 replacement smoke detectors/ $127
Reccomended the "Energy Crusher", (cuz it stores energy)/ $379
Whole house surge protection/ $398
Reccomended a "panell rejuvenation" / $1267 ( i am not clear on the details of what this would include. (house is 10 years old with a 200 amp Homeline service)
i would have asked for validation , especially on 'panel rejuvenation', as well as told the original EC that i'd be getting another quote on it all, and will get back to him
Couple who live across the street from me had an unnamed EC come out for the "free Home Inspection". They were left with an estimate for the following:
Correct oversized AC breaker- Homeline 2-30 instead of a homeline 2-20/ $225
Correct grounding issues, estimate stated that the ground rod was too close the house/ $175
Correct the Non UL listed breakers in panell ( I found one ITE installed in a homeline) /$125
Install 2 replacement smoke detectors/ $127
Reccomended the "Energy Crusher", (cuz it stores energy)/ $379
Whole house surge protection/ $398
Reccomended a "panell rejuvenation" / $1267 ( i am not clear on the details of what this would include. (house is 10 years old with a 200 amp Homeline service)
I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I tried tactics like that. I am all for making money, and am a firm believer in the capitalist system, but that is just disgusting.
I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I tried tactics like that. I am all for making money, and am a firm believer in the capitalist system, but that is just disgusting.
I dont have a problem with pricing your work to make a profit or making suggestions for repairs or improvements. That is good business. However saying that someone NEEDS unnecessary work is dishonest. Making suggestions for real issues even if expensive is not. Saying they Have to do the work is.
Sometines its a judgement call. We generally wont add circiuts to zinsco or fpe panels, but lots of people have no problem with it. We will usually suggest replacement. However it is dishonest to tell every customer that they need to replace their panel if it is in good condition.
I'd rather have a reputation as being expensive but good and honest than expensive and dishonest or cheap but you get what you pay for. If you are good, you dont have to be cheap. Expensive and dishonest are not the same. Sometimes the low price is ultimately the most expensive. We ALL know that. Expensive and bad or unnecessary work is dishonest.
However saying that someone NEEDS unnecessary work is dishonest. Making suggestions for real issues even if expensive is not. Saying they Have to do the work is.
Sometines its a judgement call.
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