Settle an argument please.

[James]

some of my best jobs and customer relations have come out of things like.

"your the 3rd electrician to try and fix this and we don't hold out much hope" type jobs.
I will not be beaten down on price, and it is not unusual for me to be called back later to fix the "cheep guys" work.

it is difficult to do at times, but try not to under sell yourself.

 

[Phill104]

some of my best jobs and customer relations have come out of things like.

"your the 3rd electrician to try and fix this and we don't hold out much hope" type jobs.
I will not be beaten down on price, and it is not unusual for me to be called back later to fix the "cheep guys" work.

it is difficult to do at times, but try not to under sell yourself.

I don’t blame the guys themselves much of the time. A friends EV installation looked horrible. It was sound, but just rushed and cheap. There wasn’t a straight line anywhere in the cable run and it just looked messy. The electrician was under pressure to do two to three installs for Mini per day. It really showed too. I ma sure the electrician was capable of a good job, but the way he was forced to work did not allow that. My friend had to get someone in to tidy things up as his better half was not happy. I imagine there are plenty of house builders putting pressure on their contractors to do a fast job using the cheapest of materials. That cannot be good for a new electricians self worth, or any electricians pride in their work.

On a more positive note, my EV installer did exactly as promised and rectified the work of the EICR chap. Why did he do it for free? Pride in his own work, and so he could write a report on the job as he found it. I also know that I will recommend him to everyone that asks. He will be getting an Xmas bonus from me.

 

[westward10]

And what are you going to do about the monkey that butchered your consumer unit?

 

[nicebutdim]

I don’t blame the guys themselves much of the time. A friends EV installation looked horrible. It was sound, but just rushed and cheap. There wasn’t a straight line anywhere in the cable run and it just looked messy. The electrician was under pressure to do two to three installs for Mini per day. It really showed too. I ma sure the electrician was capable of a good job, but the way he was forced to work did not allow that. My friend had to get someone in to tidy things up as his better half was not happy. I imagine there are plenty of house builders putting pressure on their contractors to do a fast job using the cheapest of materials. That cannot be good for a new electricians self worth, or any electricians pride in their work.

On a more positive note, my EV installer did exactly as promised and rectified the work of the EICR chap. Why did he do it for free? Pride in his own work, and so he could write a report on the job as he found it. I also know that I will recommend him to everyone that asks. He will be getting an Xmas bonus from me.

Thing is Mini don't force that guy to do anything - he chooses to take those jobs and work under less than ideal conditions.

For the most part electricians are fools who rush into any job at any price. There seems to be a fear among a significant percentage of people in this industry about turning down work and many will compromise on quality to complete a job to which unrealistic labour costs have been attached. Another great fear is giving realistic a realistic timeframe to start and complete works, with the mindset that customers will go elsewhere if you don't agree to untenable terms.

I sort of understand that latter thinking as people will not wait for an electrician, yet happily wait months for builders, plasterers, tilers etc. I'm of the mindset that honesty is the best policy on pricing, timframes and everything else. Find out a customers expectations, discuss options and give realistic responses about what is (and what isn't) feasible. A lot of customers will go with someone else, but those who accept your terms are very likely to be happy with a completed job that met expectations set before work commenced. I'd rather compete each job in the sort of manner likely to attract additional work through recommendation, than continually chase jobs which are increasingly difficult to find due to reputation for poor workmanship.

I've stated many times that most electricians are idiots where business is concerned and I see little prospect of that changing.

 

[westward10]

Unfortunately many of these installs are undertaken by large companies who are too busy cutting each others throats for small gain. People in the field suffer the consequences whereby they are given unrealistic schedules with no support if they cannot achieve the targets given, three jobs a day where in reality those jobs should be two to three days. A self employed individual or small company may be able to set realistic targets for a quality install but outside of that it is dog eat dog.

 

[baldelectrician]

The original installer has contacted me after I sent him the pic. Awesome guy. He has said he is going to come and replace the cover as he has a few of these boards in his spare parts pile. He is going to put the right breaker in and the only charge is the cost of the new breaker. I think I will owe him a few beers.

As for the EICR, I now feel I should complain but I am going to sleep on it first to get my thoughts together.

Make sure to leave the good guy a decent review online (google / yell etc) as he is a keeper

 

[Phill104]

And what are you going to do about the monkey that butchered your consumer unit?

That is all in hand. EV chap is having words with both his company and the trade body to which they belong

 

[nicebutdim]

Unfortunately many of these installs are undertaken by large companies who are too busy cutting each others throats for small gain. People in the field suffer the consequences whereby they are given unrealistic schedules with no support if they cannot achieve the targets given, three jobs a day where in reality those jobs should be two to three days. A self employed individual or small company may be able to set realistic targets for a quality install but outside of that it is dog eat dog.

It would be entirely possible to install three charge points in one day if jobs were in close proximity to one another and involved fairly straightforward cable runs, but in reality that would be one day in a thousand.

I get that people find themselves working for cutthroat companies, but would you accept such conditions or quickly find something more suitable?

 

[Phill104]

It would be entirely possible to install three charge points in one day if jobs were in close proximity to one another and involved fairly straightforward cable runs, but in reality that would be one day in a thousand.

I get that people find themselves working for cutthroat companies, but would you accept such conditions or quickly find something more suitable?

I have the crutch of being employed by a big firm, in a good role with good pay and conditions so I really am not in a good place to comment. If I was self employed with bills to pay I am not sure how I would think. I suppose it would depend on my financial situation at the time. It would also depend on how much self confidence and belief in my own abilities. I know that at certain points in my life, self confidence has been shattered by various things in life.