Discuss Pricing in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
I got that and its not a bad idea ?
1 man band, based in west wales, 6 yr old van£16k sounds a bit more than me. I assume you’re not a 1 man band, or that you buy a new Transporter Sportline each year!?
THis 100% .Its going to be another race to the bottom soon. Ive just worked for a client at a super luxury retirement place in the very north of london .Its "Gods waiting room" . And marketed as been heaven (US owned company) It was all done of the cheap and nasty as they dont expect most residents to live long and the company takes 20% of the sale price !!! Some of the guys working there where seriously "straight off the boat .." but not a real boat .Just arrived from Albania . Many with zero clue . Every contractor was taken down to the bone on price etc and you can tell .As none of them will return to snag etc . They are high and dry and many new residents ----ed off at nothing been done . They paid peanuts and treated people badly . I roll up , do my private work in a apartment and the lady that they cannot fix . pays me , then sends them a bill as she wont stand for stuff not working or needing silly amounts of snagging etc . They bitch about my costs . ONLY as they are so use to people working cheaply . Domestic work is still the best I think . easier to walk away from as well if it starts getting bent out of shape .Rule number 1: never allow the customer to purchase standard electrical materials.
Rule number 2: never give a detailed breakdown of costs.
Rule number 3: remember it costs you money to be in business before you even get out of bed, and this has to be accounted for.
Start by working out materials plus markup. Add the number of hours to complete the whole job.
Add a contingency sum. From this total you can work out a price per point. Mine is between £65 and £75 per point (so in a room you have a light, a switch, 3 sockets etc, all at £65 each).
Cooker circuit, consumer unit and shower circuit each have their own special price, again based on time and materials.
If the customer quibbles I walk away without asking questions...
Totally agree I was @ a school the other day..just finishing a nice refit…estate manager/caretaker asked if I could change a twin socket..took the front off you never seen such a bodge.Per point is not my preferred option.
I don't get involved in domestic work now but did many years ago.
Always look at a job before giving a price,
The day you quote over the phone for 1 additional socket @£80 is the day you will regret all week.
The customer grumbles at the price because another guy quoted £60 but cant make it for a week because he is too busy.
you take the job
after discovering bricks that melt your masonry drill bits,
a cable route that just throws you problems every step of the way,
a DB that although looked fine at first glance, has an rcd that is bypassed because there are other serious issues in the install.
after 3 hours work, you tell them it cant be connected because the circuit has dangerous faults and it will take at least a day to rectify them at £300
Customer is convinced you are just spinning the job for extra money and wont pay a penny because you have not done the job they asked you to do.
Going round to quote a job is not just looking at the work involved and estimating time and materials,
it also gives you an opportunity to meet and assess the customer, think carefully especially if others have quoted for it but have not been accepted.
The world of television has convinced a lot of the domestic customers that every trade is out to get them, however I have seen many a tradesperson brought to their knees by an unreasonable customer and the tv crews are not there to share it with the world.
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