************** b & q

[bugsy]

Quoted a CU change ( to include full test before change ) quoted £ 500.00 got told by client it should be £ 150.00 when I asked how he came to this figure he produced and ad by B & Q , 10 way dual RCD board £50.00
I told him to go and get it and ask for one of ' how to do' fact sheets

 

[RISElectrical]

With the greatest of respect, the area the work is being carried out in doesn't not and can not dictate my earnings and my business model. Ask tel says 200-250 for a days work is fair in my opinion. Most firms would charge this for their sparks and again if I were cards in and on £13 an hour with no overheads then whom ever I worked for would be charging the customer at least double that £13 to cover overheads.

A loaf of bread is the same in asda if your in chelsea than it is in manchester (within reason).

If you said to your insurance company, scheme provider or any other overhead you had that because you lived in ****** then you'd need to pay them less for the same service I think they would politely tell you that its not an option.

 

[Jonny66]

So what your saying (or have I missed the point) is that £350 is too expensive for a board change because some people are skint. Well in 3/4 of the world are starving but the price of food in my local co-op keeps going up

 

[Des 56]

I cannot make any critisism of any persons "perception" of what they see as fair prices
I will say also with the greatest of respect that you would likely have no earnings if your prices did not reflect the area where the work takes place

Agreed distinctions are not made when scam providers or tescos decide on a cost,it is and always as been an unjust society in that respect,however,even the government now see that as loopyloo economics given their plans for regional pay scales

Its a pity they dont also promote regional prices by national cost companies as well

The reality whether you base your model on what you expect to earn and will stick with your model regardless,
people in poorer areas do not have the available money for trades to earn what may be considered low cost in more affluent areas
If you were to rigidly stick to rates on a national scale,you would not get work in the poorer areas period

 

[Jonny66]

These prices that are often bandied about on this forum sometimes amazes me

There are parts of the country where figures of the sort mentioned are "astronomical" in comparison to what is available in the poorest parts of the UK

I recently wired a house for £1800 and made near a thousand for the weeks work,unbelievable wages for most around here

b

With the greatest of respect, then that £1800 in comparison to some of the poorest (starving) people in the world is astronomical. So perhaps we should all work for pennies??

 

[Des 56]

With the greatest of respect, then that £1800 in comparison to some of the poorest (starving) people in the world is astronomical. So perhaps we should all work for pennies??

If you can afford to pay 80 pence for a loaf of bread,do you then expect that poor person to pay what could be a months salary to obtain the same goods

In your above comparison,yes 1500 it is astronomical compared to the starving around the world
That does not make a commodity any more affordable in a poorer area than in a richer area,it makes the economics more of a reality
I will repeat once again.you will not get those prices in a depressed area

 

[Jonny66]

I will say also with the greatest of respect that you would likely have no earnings if your prices did not reflect the area where the work takes place

This is the sort of statement that keeps wages low.

 

[RISElectrical]

Without getting into a debate about economic regional differences the principals are the same as what I stated. Between a well off area and a less well off area my car would cost the same, as would all my other expenses, I am trained the same as everyone else, therefore should be valued and paid the same as everyone else. With the exception of london weighting. Just because we provide a service, the price of that service should be maintained in line with the standard of the service offered. If people can't afford an electrician or similar then that's an issue for the social benifit scheme to look at, I don't see it as a reason for me to work for less and lower the lifestyle that I have worked hard to achieve and maintain. If I carry out a PIR for a richard branson I would charge him the same as I charge to do the same PIR for john at the end of the road

 

[Geoffsd]

If I carry out a PIR for a richard branson I would charge him the same as I charge to do the same PIR for john at the end of the road

Are you sure?

The same argument looked at in the opposite direction.

 

[Jonny66]

This is getting silly now, I would not work for someone that I new could not afford my services, as I would become bankrupt very quickly. The majority of work we do is for people who can afford bread, and even the odd holiday, but want to cut costs on what they cant visually see ie electrical work.

 

[RISElectrical]

If you can afford to pay 80 pence for a loaf of bread,do you then expect that poor person to pay what could be a months salary to obtain the same goods

To an extent yes I do. The government addresses the deficiencies between depressed areas and the other areas with benefit schemes and the like. Not me.

I don't condone someone stealing the 80p loaf of bread if they can't afford it either.

 

[Jonny66]

I don't condone someone stealing the 80p loaf of bread if they can't afford it either.

Ah, but thats where I would disagree

 

[RISElectrical]

Are you sure?

The same argument looked at in the opposite direction.

If they both owned identical 3 bed housing then yes of course I would. Charging him more because he has more money is unprofessional.

 

[Des 56]

This is the sort of statement that keeps wages low.

It is not in mine or my communities history to side with unsocial/capitalist society,but unfortunately living in a capitalist society we are

You will not get those prices in a poorer area

You may aspire to do so,but reality will mean you will not get a look in at any available work
The capitalist society is based on supplying goods that are either better or cheaper than elsewhere
Anybody operating in that society has to reflect those economics

As electricians in the domestic sector, we compete against cowboys and all sorts,we could play the competence card if the public were aware,however they are not,price is what they are aware of

If i were to move to England,I would set prices at whatever the local rates were to make me competitive, that is capitalism
Wages are kept low,not because of my attitude or foolishness on my part, but by economics

I honestly and truly believe that our reality in the poorer areas is incomprehensable to others who are brought up or live in these other places
If your perception of me is that I work for a pittance, then woe betide you never get to meet the competitors in my area. who would be lower than the rates that I am prepared to work for

I am not a lone figure spouting garbage prices.I have been self employed 25 years and know most of the sparks in my area,they also face the reality of low prices in these areas.higher pricing will mean little or no work,that is absolute unchangeable fact
Your principles of what you think you are worth are all well and good where work is abundant.it is not the case in many areas,as far as living standards and available money.we may as well be living on a different planet

 

[Jonny66]

If they both owned identical 3 bed housing then yes of course I would. Charging him more because he has more money is unprofessional.

Not necessarily

 

[Jonny66]

It is not in mine or my communities history to side with unsocial/capitalist society,but unfortunately living in a capitalist society we are

You will not get those prices in a poorer area

You may aspire to do so,but reality will mean you will not get a look in at any available work
The capitalist society is based on supplying goods that are either better or cheaper than elsewhere
Anybody operating in that society has to reflect those economics

As electricians in the domestic sector, we compete against cowboys and all sorts,we could play the competence card if the public were aware,however they are not,price is what they are aware of

If i were to move to England,I would set prices at whatever the local rates were to make me competitive, that is capitalism
Wages are kept low,not because of my attitude or foolishness on my part, but by economics

I honestly and truly believe that our reality in the poorer areas is incomprehensable to others who are brought up or live in these other places
If your perception of me is that I work for a pittance, then woe betide you never get to meet the competitors in my area. who would be lower than the rates that I am prepared to work for

I am not a lone figure spouting garbage prices.I have been self employed 25 years and know most of the sparks in my area,they also face the reality of low prices in these areas.higher pricing will mean little or no work,that is absolute unchangeable fact
Your principles of what you think you are worth are all well and good where work is abundant.it is not the case in many areas,as far as living standards and available money.we may as well be living on a different planet

Its not in my nature to side with unsocial or capitalist ideals either. Unfortunately we are all apparently trapped within a monetary system, as slaves to debt in a merry go round from cradle to the grave. I think that anybody, no matter where they live, should be able to earn a living wage and if (as in our trade) they possess knowledge and skills should be able to charge for that.