Quote

[MARC D SPARK]

Hi guys i have just done a job and would like to know roughly how much you would of charged for the job?

It included:

Fitting 5 spotlights in the kitchen and putting a dimmer switch in
Fitting 4 new double sockets in the kitchen
Changing 3 socket faces and replacing them with matching faces as the others
Fitting 3 spotlights in the bathroom and changing the switch to a dimmer switch

Your advice is much appreciated.

 

[Pete999]

Hi guys i have just done a job and would like to know roughly how much you would of charged for the job?

It included:

Fitting 5 spotlights in the kitchen and putting a dimmer switch in
Fitting 4 new double sockets in the kitchen
Changing 3 socket faces and replacing them with matching faces as the others
Fitting 3 spotlights in the bathroom and changing the switch to a dimmer switch

Your advice is much appreciated.

What did you price it at?

 

[andyb]

You've already done the job so it's invoice advice you're seeking.
How long was you there, what was the materials cost?

 

[telectrix]

was this job including planning out spotlights, avoidin joists etc.? if so, I'd make a guesstimate at 10 hours @ £25 ( or whatever you hourly rate is). so £250 + parts + 20% on top.

 

[Pete999]

You've already done the job so it's invoice advice you're seeking.
How long was you there, what was the materials cost?

I would imagine it's dodgy practice, do the job and then give the customer the invoice without knowing how much it will cost, customer could say "how much? wasn't expecting that!" and quibble the cost.

 

[telectrix]

i always give a quote beforehand or at least an estimate. followed by "cash or bank transfer when done?". sod all this "give me invoice and you'll get paid when i see fit". i might be dead by then.

 

[Octopus]

Not providing a quote or estimate is way to get invoice disputes ...

 

[telectrix]

most of my domestic work apart from major jobs over £200, quotes are verbal and agreed on a handshake. never had any disputes.

 

[Darkwood]

This kind of discussion is best had in the Arms tbh but as the OP does not yet qualify for entry (100 ish posts) - it may be best that anyone wanting to help by throwing specific figures out there would consider doing so through the PM service thus keeping this kind of discussion away from the public eye, it's not the best idea to give the public insight to our material % etc hence it is best to address this before the job not after unless your customer relation is one where you are both happy with a 'do the work first and show me the cost after' scenario.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I have had quite a few customers ask for discount thinking i am making a huge mark up on the materials... in the saturated domestic market its not realistic these days to add a mark up of say 20% on materials for most jobs, sure on say a rewire you might as it gives you room for unforeseen issues. but otherwise marking up stuff prices you out of competition with cowboy joe down the pub who pays no tax, ni, scheme fees or insurance.

 

[andyb]

But you're not in competition with Joe down the pup Gavin.
I add 20% on general electrical items, less on expensive stuff like storage heaters. This covers time getting the stuff, odds and ends like fixings not priced and my time if something fails and I need to replace it.

 

[MARC D SPARK]

These people are friends of mine and I just wanted to make sure I did not over price them. I was not sure how much the materials was going to cost that is why I did not give them a quote straight away. The job did involve me measuring out the spotlights and having to go through joists which was a pain but I got there on the end. The materials came to just over £200. I charged £625. I was there probably about 6 times because of waiting for plasterers etc to do their bit. So I was doing bits and bobs when possible.

 

[Leesparkykent]

The price is about right IMO...You haven't done them over but on the other hand you haven't given them mates rates either.

 

[MARC D SPARK]

Hi lee, to be honest I thought it was quite fair myself. Considering I went there about 6 times and it was 20 miles away plus I had to go there the once just to pull the lights Down so the plasterer could do his thing.

 

[telectrix]

sometimes you just need to give a little bit extra when working round other trades. i've had a couple of occasions where builder/plasterer has phoned for help and i.ve attended promptly, thus causing them less lost time, has then come back with more chargeable work offererd that might otherwise gone elsewhere.