Don’t be an electrician

[cliffed]

Not much to do with this lockdown going on.
So friend of a friend wants a Little job done; light in toilet area swapped with a sensor
light.
Shows me where it’s switched from in the hall a 2g switch ,the other switch does a light in the hall too.
Ok,there’s are one cable @ the toilet light,so fits sensor light,& decides to connect the switch wire & feed together,@ the switch ,so there’s a 230v permanent supply.
At the 2g switch there’s only that cable,no cable on other side of switch,so it’s definitely wasn’t a 2g switch.
Gets a call later the lights are not working,can you sort it.
Gets to the house about 6.00pm, & he’s showing me what should happen,the 2g switch doesn’t do anything & the hall light is on constantly.
Ive told him the switch was never a 2g anyway,argues & argues.
So I put everything back as it was the switch now operates the hall &toilet light.I may have to go back & sort him & the light out.
How much shall I charge

 

[Pete999]

Not much to do with this lockdown going on.
So friend of a friend wants a Little job done; light in toilet area swapped with a sensor
light.
Shows me where it’s switched from in the hall a 2g switch ,the other switch does a light in the hall too.
Ok,there’s are one cable @ the toilet light,so fits sensor light,& decides to connect the switch wire & feed together,@ the switch ,so there’s a 230v permanent supply.
At the 2g switch there’s only that cable,no cable on other side of switch,so it’s definitely wasn’t a 2g switch.
Gets a call later the lights are not working,can you sort it.
Gets to the house about 6.00pm, & he’s showing me what should happen,the 2g switch doesn’t do anything & the hall light is on constantly.
Ive told him the switch was never a 2g anyway,argues & argues.
So I put everything back as it was the switch now operates the hall &toilet light.I may have to go back & sort him & the light out.
How much shall I charge

How long were you there including travel, how many of you were there. Day rate per man plus materials, plus a decent mark up I would think, plus call out charges involved?. as a one off if you intend going back, give matey a quote, if he doesn't like it, get paid for the call out and let him find someone else.

 

[sinewove]

How long were you there including travel, how many of you were there. Day rate per man plus materials, plus a decent mark up I would think, plus call out charges involved?. as a one off if you intend going back, give matey a quote, if he doesn't like it, get paid for the call out and let him find someone else.

Could the toilet light be fitted with a pir lamp,so no wiring required,or have I misunderstand?S

 

[cliffed]

How long were you there including travel, how many of you were there. Day rate per man plus materials, plus a decent mark up I would think, plus call out charges involved?. as a one off if you intend going back, give matey a quote, if he doesn't like it, get paid for the call out and let him find someone else.

About a hour to fit & set up,then 30 minutes to try & sort it.
He supplied light,thinking kindly ..£35
[automerge]1589034459[/automerge]

Could the toilet light be fitted with a pir lamp,so no wiring required,or have I misunderstand?S

Yea I thought that @ first but he supplied with integral sensor.
it still wouldn’t be ideal though cause the hall light is looped with that light, even though he & his whole family says it was switched by the 2g switch,

 

[littlespark]

hourly rate, plus double for him arguing.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I hate typical ‘mates’ jobs which they ask you over the phone “can you quickly put up a couple lights for me etc...‘how much’ ??”
I would usually just say 20 quid a light if the lights are supplied and the wiring is ok...
reality is if they rang a sparks from checkatrade or the like it would be twice that price and some

 

[Pete999]

About a hour to fit & set up,then 30 minutes to try & sort it.
He supplied light,thinking kindly ..£35
[automerge]1589034459[/automerge]

Yea I thought that @ first but he supplied with integral sensor.
it still wouldn’t be ideal though cause the hall light is looped with that light, even though he & his whole family says it was switched by the 2g switch,

35 notes cheap you're doing yourself no favours Mate, wouldn't look for my car keys for that money. £135 maybe!

 

[cliffed]

35 notes cheap you're doing yourself no favours Mate, wouldn't look for my car keys for that money. £135 maybe!

Agree I did say kindly though,add another tenner

 

[FatAlan]

Does beg the question, did you check everything was working to his satisfaction at the end of the initial visit?

 

[cliffed]

Does beg the question, did you check everything was working to his satisfaction at the end of the initial visit?

He wasn’t there but the sensor light worked ok,the other light did not have a lamp in it.
I was only really worried about my sensor light to be honest.

 

[telectrix]

He wasn’t there but the sensor light worked ok,the other light did not have a lamp in it.
I was only really worried about my sensor light to be honest.

they probably took the lamp out as they were sick of it coming on with the bog light. then spun you a load of porkies.

 

[cliffed]

they probably took the lamp out as they were sick of it coming on with the bog light. then spun you a load of porkies.

Little buggers ?

 

[Welchyboy1]

Whilst jobs like this do happen from time to time, charging lower fees doesnt help things, you need to smooth things out the bumps by making things more worth your while, like pete999 suggested, never assume anything that has been done(or told to you) by others and always test your work thouroughly before you leave(but also accept the fact you will always occasionally miss something)

Re your thread title: I wouldnt say dont be an electrician though, you have a skill that will always be in need, youll be thankful you are when millions of others are displaced and unemployable in the future by AI etc

 

[cliffed]

Whilst jobs like this do happen from time to time, charging lower fees doesnt help things, you need to smooth things out the bumps by making things more worth your while, like pete999 suggested, never assume anything that has been done(or told to you) by others and always test your work thouroughly before you leave(but also accept the fact you will always occasionally miss something)

Re your thread title: I wouldnt say dont be an electrician though, you have a skill that will always be in need, youll be thankful you are when millions of others are displaced and unemployable in the future by AI etc

Totally agree,basically you also need correct information from that client too.

 

[Intoelectrics]

I hate typical ‘mates’ jobs which they ask you over the phone “can you quickly put up a couple lights for me etc...‘how much’ ??”
I would usually just say 20 quid a light if the lights are supplied and the wiring is ok...
reality is if they rang a sparks from checkatrade or the like it would be twice that price and some

The one that used to always get me was when a "mate" would ask me if I'd do a bit of a "foreigner" for him on the cheap. I'd reply with "I don't do foreigners". I'd always get a look of confusion followed by disappointment when I explained that I'm self employed so how could I do foreigners?

Any true friend who expects you to take a cut in wages is not a friend. The irony being that my true friends I'd do small jobs for next to nowt anyhow as a goodwill gesture.

I never forget, a good few years back when a "friend of a friend" asked me to quote on a kitchen rewire. At the time I was charging £15 per hour and when submitting the quote made the mistake of being over detailed and the customer picked up on my hourly rate.
He went ballistic saying I was a complete rip off and that he was only getting £10 a hour cards in as a maintenance fitter at a local manufacturing company. The idiot just assumed that I would be pocketing £15 per hour, couldn't get his head around the cost and outgoings that a self employed person incurs, as he would never have to worry about such things.
Some people just assume that as a self employed trades person you are earning big bucks and should therefore do things for next to nowt for mates of mates etc..