grrrrrrrr!

coxy84 · Feb 9, 2011

there is a "DOMESTIC ELECTRICAIN" advertising in my local rag next to my add for £11 pound a hour!!
all certs provided ect and with napit.

this has really ****** me off!
fine do your self out of money! but now any one who rings me is going to say why am i so expensive? and there an electricain £11 a hour in the paper!

if charge any thing less than £20/22 per hour id be losing out! what with van/insurance/part p/fuel/ pl/ pi and so on!!

almost considering ringing him and giving him what for!

alarm man · Feb 9, 2011

eyes then sockets(no pun intended)

telectrix · Feb 9, 2011

sintra wins the coconut, as being very close £174/hour + VAT. jeezus.

sbrown2 · Feb 9, 2011

maybe I agree, and maybe I dont. I am a factory maintenance guy. Business is down and, like everybody else, looking for more dosh. Because I have a job potentially I have lower overheads. What I will add, and I am looking at using NAPIT, everyman and there dog is now self employed so the balance between everyman having his own overheads and the men working for companies does not balance correctly. If everyman/sparky worked for themselves and needed a van insurance and £30-£50 even during the good times we have a problem especially as the self employed are most probably not putting away for pensios etc.

We all need to look for a best means of living and sometimes that justmeans hard work!!!

robsparky1975 · Feb 9, 2011

100% have to agree with you rocker,going too cheap sends out the wrong message,we are a skilled trade,on par or if you like more skilled than gas engineers or mechanics and look how much they charge,no one complains when they call them up,they just pay.

rocker · Feb 9, 2011

tonys said:
Lets come back to this thread in a years time and see whats what and who still works for them selves and see whos in debt and who owns what.

Yea OK mate well I've never been in debt including through the whole recession..... I've played the undercutting, bargain basement game for a while and I didn't have anything. I've now been out of that game for a while, am sticking to my rates (which aren't top-dollar rates to be fair, but I think they are reasonable) and I have at least something, and that little something is growing.

Certain parts of the country may be escaping rate cuts at the moment, some parts may not have that much cheap labour floating about.

Round my way (South East Wales) is one of the hardest hit areas with the 'skilled' EU influx, and also with job losses etc, and I'm still working. Because, I like to think, I do a good job, I don't take the mic sticking loads on the bill for things not discussed with the customer, and I have integrity in what I do - my customers know that if they have a problem with anything they can give me a call and I will be out to sort it. Surely a good reputation is still worth something?

I'm where I am through hard work and knowing what the money game is about, so I know how this will pan out.

Good for you. Care to enlighten us?

I'm sure one day, tony, there will be a subject on here that we agree on

robsparky1975 · Feb 9, 2011

£174 ph,damn my dad was right ,should of been paying attention back in the school days.

tonys · Feb 9, 2011

Do what you gotta do, Ive heard of this chat before and people look after number one and everyone knows history as a nasty habit of repeating it self.

Don't worry about the Gas industry, British Gas are looking after that side of things lol

Do your research and see how many people are out of work, see how many small businesses are going to the wall, see how many people up to their eyeballs in debt, see how many new builds are going up (not many) more domestic sparks wanting your work.

Rocker I respect you for being your own man fair play to you and when this all pans out, your agree with me lol

Paul.M · Feb 10, 2011

Back to the OP. This guy that is only charging £11ph, has he just started out? Does he say one thing then charge another? Or is he that disparate to keep afloat that he has reduced his rates for a while?

gpz900jim · Feb 10, 2011

what i guess this chap is doing is offering to work for 11 pounds an hour, which he will be able to survive on. And along the way, he will pick up better work. Maybe a rewire which he can give a quote for rather than charge by the hour. Its a way of getting into the market. Once you have got fed up and dropped your ad or took it somewhere else, he will revise his prices . Sorry mate, but its the way things go in business, you just have to rethink your marketing strategy. You either go head to head in competing with this guy, or move your market stall to somewhere else. I would do the latter.