Domestic PIR Quote

[electromonkey]

Afternoon Ladies and Gents (and ladyboys if there are any on here).

I missed out on getting the nod to carry out 30 odd PIR's for some rich fella who's got a load of properties down here in sunny South Wales.

I quoted £30 (I normally charge about £90) per PIR and said I would carry out a complete inspection of all accessible fixtures and fittings for each property. I lost out to a bloke who will do them for £12 each (I don't know how much detail he would go in to).

I tend to find that when I carry out a PIR on a domestic, that I tend to get the improvements work, so I suppose my question(s) is, is it worth carrying out domestic PIR's free of charge? Is there anyone who has tried it and how did it work out for them?

Your thoughts are always appreciated.

 

[Electricalserv]

I got a contract similar to this and quoted 110 per house. I'm still doing them now. Nice little earner. Is your dayrate 60 a day or something? You couldn't do a proper PIR in less than 5 hours IMO (ON A 3 BED SEMI).

 

[IQ Electrical]

I hear what some of you are saying gents in terms of part pee takers. Some of you seem to have interpreted this as me saying that I'd go and do the job - in out bish bash bosh. I don't let the sum of money I charge for a job reflect the standard to which I work. There are plenty of sparks out there who'll charge way in excess of £100 to carry out a PIR but will inspect 30-40% of the fittings, that seems more of a service that's not worth the paper it's written on.

I'm getting the feeling that undersold PIR's aren't the best image for a business. Back to the drawing board!

Cheers for the comments, the constructive ones that is.

The whole point of a sampled detailed inspection is to prevent the introduction of faults when removing and refitting accessories and luminaires.

This is all documented in Guidance Note 3 and should not be interpreted as any less of an inspection as the sample percentage is increased or decreased in proportion to any defects (or not) revealed.

 

[sparks_114]

I hear what some of you are saying gents in terms of part pee takers. Some of you seem to have interpreted this as me saying that I'd go and do the job - in out bish bash bosh. I don't let the sum of money I charge for a job reflect the standard to which I work. There are plenty of sparks out there who'll charge way in excess of £100 to carry out a PIR but will inspect 30-40% of the fittings, that seems more of a service that's not worth the paper it's written on.

I'm getting the feeling that undersold PIR's aren't the best image for a business. Back to the drawing board!

Cheers for the comments, the constructive ones that is.

I can see where you're coming from but as has been said by many others on the pricing side of things I wouldn't go in at a cheap price gambling on winning remedial work. As for those who do, then I believe they are responsible for killing the trade for want of a better word. Being a sparky is akin to being a doctor where the price is irrelevant when compared to the important jobs/diagnosis carried by the doctor and hence competence is choses over cost and hardly ever do you find doctors competing over price, rather they're to be found competing on former. The way I would have played it is: If someone is desperate enough to go in at 22 quid I would let them have it while in the mean time preach the going rate/correct prices and justify it too (a key word in the trade!). There is definitely a correlation between pay and the performance of a tradesman and I, at least, wouldn't want any resentment while carrying out any electrical work of any kind. I hope you understand where I am coming from. Cheers fellas.

 

[electromonkey]

I got a contract similar to this and quoted 110 per house. I'm still doing them now. Nice little earner. Is your dayrate 60 a day or something? You couldn't do a proper PIR in less than 5 hours IMO (ON A 3 BED SEMI).

My hourly rate is normally 20-30 depending on the job but I tend to charge a fixed price for PIR's. I tend to charge a little less for a PIR to get the edge on maybe getting the job. Most of the time, I get the repair work afterwards so I see it as a small sacrifice. Like you, I'd say at least half a day to get one done.

 

[electromonkey]

I can see where you're coming from but as has been said by many others on the pricing side of things I wouldn't go in at a cheap price gambling on winning remedial work. As for those who do, then I believe they are responsible for killing the trade for want of a better word. Being a sparky is akin to being a doctor where the price is irrelevant when compared to the important jobs/diagnosis carried by the doctor and hence competence is choses over cost and hardly ever do you find doctors competing over price, rather they're to be found competing on former. The way I would have played it is: If someone is desperate enough to go in at 22 quid I would let them have it while in the mean time preach the going rate/correct prices and justify it too (a key word in the trade!). There is definitely a correlation between pay and the performance of a tradesman and I, at least, wouldn't want any resentment while carrying out any electrical work of any kind. I hope you understand where I am coming from. Cheers fellas.

A good point well made.

Can I point out that I was after opinions/thoughts on this idea. I've never done a PIR FOC.

Cheers.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

£30 quid!!!!!, so your on about £5 an hour then?!, a good and above else thorough PIR is 6 hours work plus maybe an hour paperwork, looking at £120 bare minimum

 

[Electricalserv]

£30 quid!!!!!, so your on about £5 an hour then?!, a good and above else thorough PIR is 6 hours work plus maybe an hour paperwork, looking at £120 bare minimum

Iy not many peopel count the paperwork!

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

I've just done one in north Wales, house of multiple occupancy, 6 bedrooms, PIR was £120, took me 7 hours, plus 90 mins paperwork, the reason it took so long was that I found 4 code 1's and 2 code 2's within the first 3 rooms!!, I wouldn't of found them with a sampling visual check and then perhaps I would of given a satisfactory verdict as oppose to the unsatisfactory one I gave, then someone sticks their finger in the patress with the 20mm hole in it that I missed because I didn't have the time to inspect it or find it, and then guess what? Bang! someone dies and I'm in court for a £30 PIR, no thanksElectromonkey, I'm not slagging you off mate I just wouldn't do it!

 

[PC Electrics]

I tell clients that I simply won't do cheap PIRs. I want to be able to give them the benefit of my honest opinion and advice and to do that I need to be properly paid for my time. That way I won't feel I've lost out if the install is hunky and doory with no remedials required. I'm not out "looking" for work 'cos I've been paid properly in the first place. Similarly the client can feel that any remedials I do advise on are genuinely needed. And again I won't feel agrieved if they go elsewhere for them 'cos I know I won't get slagged off behind my back and I've been paid a proper rate.

 

[Amp David]

Did you look at the job before accepting it, or just call round on the day and inspect away?

No went to have a quick look before. House only 12 years old, but hes going to rent it out so wanted things checking out

 

[Amp David]

Out of interest how long did it take onsite doing the tests and time at home doing the report?

Was in there for 9 and back in the van for 1. This include fixing a neutral to earth short. Will be doing the final report tomorrow along with all the rest of the stack of certs and invoices. Doing the report wont take more than an hour.

 

[electromonkey]

I wouldn't of found them with a sampling visual check and then perhaps I would of given a satisfactory verdict as oppose to the unsatisfactory one I gave, then someone sticks their finger in the patress with the 20mm hole in it that I missed because I didn't have the time to inspect it or find it, and then guess what? Bang! someone dies and I'm in court for a £30 PIR, no thanksElectromonkey, I'm not slagging you off mate I just wouldn't do it!

You may not think you're slagging me off but you've certainly come across as patronising. I can only assume you've only read my first post, not the others.

Why is it assumed by not just you but others on here too, that if you do a job for a cheap price that you're going to do a bad/lesser job than you normally would?

I Put the question out there to see if any sparks had done anything like this as a marketing tool and if it worked out for them.

 

[electromonkey]

I tell clients that I simply won't do cheap PIRs. I want to be able to give them the benefit of my honest opinion and advice and to do that I need to be properly paid for my time. That way I won't feel I've lost out if the install is hunky and doory with no remedials required. I'm not out "looking" for work 'cos I've been paid properly in the first place. Similarly the client can feel that any remedials I do advise on are genuinely needed. And again I won't feel agrieved if they go elsewhere for them 'cos I know I won't get slagged off behind my back and I've been paid a proper rate.

Cheers PC Electrics. You've articulated that in such a way, that for me anyway, you've hit the nail on the head. I might print that off and read it whenever I supply a quote for customers!!! I think if you can get that across to your customers (certainly potential ones) it installs a level of confidence in you from their prospective. There'll always be ones who are purely price orientated and I suppose if they don't want to pay what you think your work is worth then you just walk away.

 

[nikmet]

Whoa there. At no point did I say that the test or inspection should not be carried out to a sub standard level because it's FOC. I'm trying to look at the bigger picture, a bit like the spark who beat me on the quote. He's now got work in 30 something houses. That'll take him through the summer. I took a look around 3 of the houses. All 3 had no RCD protection and the installations were aged. He's quids in or at the very least, his foot is in the door.

or hes gonna be a BUSY FOOL...............and if summer does eventually arrive............a HOT BUSY FOOL

 

[electromonkey]

I genuinely LOL'd at that Nikmet!