Customer thinks I’m ripping him off

[isk57]

Hi people
I’ve recently given a customer a quote for a board change on a 1970 property which needs 2 x 6way boards “small space “
And installing a 40mtr supply to the bottom of a garden for a hot tub which has to be clipped half way and underground for 10mtrs
So it’s 2 days Labour and materials
835 pound he’s moaned and said it’s far to expensive I think I’m about right , thoughts please

 

[Rpa07]

You are far Too cheap...

Here would be my own break down of rates,
£45 per hour labour x 16 = £720
Materials very rough gestimate £300 ish

So my quote/estimate would come out about a grand

Take it or leave it

Wave Dusty’s quote in front of his face then he’ll appreciate the price you’ve given - sounds like a hustle but may just work!

 

[Jjc]

Hi people
I’ve recently given a customer a quote for a board change on a 1970 property which needs 2 x 6way boards “small space “
And installing a 40mtr supply to the bottom of a garden for a hot tub which has to be clipped half way and underground for 10mtrs
So it’s 2 days Labour and materials
835 pound he’s moaned and said it’s far to expensive I think I’m about right , thoughts please

Tell him to gtf

 

[MG201]

When u look at some of these websites they charge £50 ph and 80/120 call out

 

[Andy78]

When u look at some of these websites they charge £50 ph and 80/120 call out

If it's the websites I think you're on about it usually works out about right as they bring their own champagne.

 

[rolyberkin]

Dig................................WTF?

 

[Brian Taylor]

Wow...some of you chaps do well with your hourly rates.....I charge 15.00 per hour and do not all i quite for. Had a discusion about pay rates on this site some time ago and was advised to double my rates with immediate effect......tried it and got no work at all. Love to know where all these customers are with deep pockets . Any advice welcome.

 

[richy3333]

Crikey, how do you run a profitable business at £15 per hour?

 

[Brian Taylor]

With increasing difficulty but that's the going rate in this area....was told not so long ago that as we (sparks) are only semi skilled why are wanting so much money .

 

[Octopus]

Wow...some of you chaps do well with your hourly rates.....I charge 15.00 per hour and do not all i quite for. Had a discusion about pay rates on this site some time ago and was advised to double my rates with immediate effect......tried it and got no work at all. Love to know where all these customers are with deep pockets . Any advice welcome.

Ouch, firstly being SE on £15 per hour ....... you might as well be collecting trolleys in Tesco's

You HAVE to increase your rates, but doubling them for existing clients will always be hard so ....I would suggest increasing your existing customer rates to £20 immediately, and all new clients start with £32 minimum.

Are you registered with a CPS, have a van, the necessary insurances and your 18th?

Your overheads for the year will be about £6K so think hard about what you are doing and if some clients won't pay your new rate, let them find some MUG who will.

If you can find 10 clients willing to pay £30 per hour, means you can leave 20 paying £15 behind or you may find they will pay £20 this year then increase it next year to £24 (increments of £4 makes calculating 1/4 hours easier!)

 

[Brian Taylor]

Thanks for the advice....yes have all the overheads that come with being a business....not sure if Tescos pay their trolley pushers that much

 

[Octopus]

Thanks for the advice....yes have all the overheads that come with being a business....not sure if Tescos pay their trolley pushers that much

Tesco's pay for holiday, sick and pensions ...... so don't just go by the hourly rate as I suspect your weekly rate after ALL your costs won't be very different ............

Also I've been reading a few of your posts from last year and it sounds to me like you are really competing with handymen ........... so your rates are not really for doing sparking and will be lower as a direct result ..

 

[Brian Taylor]

well yes I suspect you are correct a lot of the electrical work i see is DIY in nature...difficult to compete with that...but it must be the same for all self employed sparks.

 

[telectrix]

at £15/hour to customer, after paying overheads, you end up with <£10/hour. aldi pay £9 for trainee shelf stackers

 

[Brian Taylor]

Sounds about right...my take home last year was about 8000.00

 

[ferg]

At £15 an hour it really is time to take a good look at where things are going wrong.

Unless of course you live in a very deprived area with masses of competition.