On small jobs charging for cable

[Octopus]

Big mistake.

Why ?

 

[Risteard]

Why ?

Because cable doesn't grow on trees. Charge for everything.

 

[SparkyChick]

Depends on the size of the jobs... if it's one or two screws, I tend to not charge but for bigger jobs I'll add a line to the invoice 'Consumables' and make a reasonable estimate of the cost of all the parts I've used.

Cable... charged by the meter with all lengths used being slightly over estimated. I certainly wouldn't charge £20 for 2m of cable.

 

[Octopus]

Because cable doesn't grow on trees. Charge for everything.

I don’t agree, 2 meters of lighting cable, using this example is well under £1.00 so why be awkward and add this to an agreed price?

Makes no sense

 

[Risteard]

I don’t agree, 2 meters of lighting cable, using this example is well under £1.00 so why be awkward and add this to an agreed price?

Makes no sense

I didn't suggest to add to an agreed price, but to include it when pricing.

 

[Nigel]

Sundries should really be a percentage add on not a fixed price.

Probably best to just loose this cost in your hourly for small jobs as customers won’t like seeing it.

 

[Kelvin Waldron]

My apologise, i didn't explain it was never a fixed price, i was called and asked to replace 4 down lights, they already had the downlights, so not supplied by myself.

 

[Octopus]

My apologise, i didn't explain it was never a fixed price, i was called and asked to replace 4 down lights, they already had the downlights, so not supplied by myself.

In that case I can see why the customer reacted in the way they did ...

 

[GBDamo]

I mainly do light commercial for a handful of clients, if I need cable a reel gets charged to that job regardless if its 1m or 100m.

I don't otherwise charge for cable, within reason.

Never had a complaint.

I can see domestic being a right PITA using this approach.

I'd double and VAT purchase price/meter and charge on a meter used basis.

Or you can suggest your customer goes to the nearest wholesalers and tries to get the meterage required and work out the cost for themselves.

 

[7029 dave]

IMO, why add it to the bill 2mtrs of cable that is desperate, if at all put the few pounds on the labour charge.

 

[123]

I'm gonna start and charge an extra 5p to install a light fitting, to cover the cost of 2 screws I'll supply to do the job. If 2 red wall plugs needed that's another 4p.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I'm gonna start and charge an extra 5p to install a light fitting, to cover the cost of 2 screws I'll supply to do the job. If 2 red wall plugs needed that's another 4p.

Around 15 years ago I worked for a small maintenance company that would itemised it’s invoices like this...

Absolutely everything was itemised, and I mean everything

Even down to sleeving by the inch

 

[rolyberkin]

I charge for everything, every wago, every meter of cable etc, etc, in fact I keep a job sheet and write everything on it. However I do tell my customers I will charge any extras at cost.

 

[Midwest]

It’s my cable, and the customer has to pay for; I’m not a registered charity. Whether it’s shown on the invoice or added to the labour costs or something else. They ain’t getting it for free.

It’s alright for those of you, who have bigger companies and have probably already charged another customer for that reel of cable, and therefore feel ashamed of yourselves charging someone else, for something already paid for.

Us minnows have had that reel of cable, sat in the van weeks, burning a hole in our pockets.

 

[Fitzy]

I had a similar job recently to replace 6 down lights and found some damaged/short cables, before I replaced it, I explained to the customer that this would come under a charge of 'sundries' on the final invoice. But I always state a price for sundries on my quotes, with a caveat of 'any damaged, short cabling that may need replacing, that wasn't seen at the quote stage will be chargeable'