Hi all,
I've only fairly recently made the jump to working for myself, coming from a past if commercial, industrial and occasional very high end residential. I find myself now in a different place picking up very typical domestic jobs.
Recently I've been doing a partial rewire on a house for a young couple. Adding some circuits, new CU, opening up lots of single sockets to doubles, kitchen remodel, lighting etc. at the point I'd say it's easily around 2/3 of the time and effort of a full rewire.
Clients asked for a breakdown of quote then decided to pick and choose what they did/didn't want (honestly, next time someone asks for this I fear I may say the price is the price for the work you requested, sorry, no).
Since then they've largely requested to have all the omitted items done, bit by bit. Not to mention initially refusing to drop ceilings, have me patch and fish cables everywhere... Then once I was done they dropped the ceilings.
Anyway, my actual question, beyond a slight rant around what I'm learning seems fairly typical behaviour in this market is this:
Spent a while talking through downlights for the bathroom, different layouts, sent photos of rooms with 2 or 3 and sent little drawings etc. Then get told to drop the downlights in the bathroom from the quote, they're not going to have them in there. Okay, fine.
Turned up to continue other works. Bathroom light is removed with the bare wires currently shoved in the loft, and there's a pack of grim LAP downlights, some wagos and a single wago box on the windowsill in the bathroom.
Given I'm about to fully test the place having done the CU, and cert it. Also given the bathroom is a special location, and I spent time essentially consulting on it... I feel a bit miffed to be honest. I haven't said anything (cheeky client even asked me for some earth sleeving?!).
I'm not really sure how I proceed. Just note the cert doesn't cover the lighting and be done with it? I have done a reasonable amount of work on the circuit elsewhere..
I have no idea on the IP rating of the fittings. I also assume he has no clue about zones etc. technically being a special location, he shouldn't be doing this work?..
How would everyone else proceed? I've been pretty good to them in my eyes so far, done a lot of the work for a lot less than I should "because I was there anyway" (another lesson learnt, all those little bits done add up to a day not being paid very much..) I really should have charged atleast £500 more than I have, so it feels like a bit of a Micheal take really.
Am I overly dramatic, is the normal? Insight either way appreciated.
I've only fairly recently made the jump to working for myself, coming from a past if commercial, industrial and occasional very high end residential. I find myself now in a different place picking up very typical domestic jobs.
Recently I've been doing a partial rewire on a house for a young couple. Adding some circuits, new CU, opening up lots of single sockets to doubles, kitchen remodel, lighting etc. at the point I'd say it's easily around 2/3 of the time and effort of a full rewire.
Clients asked for a breakdown of quote then decided to pick and choose what they did/didn't want (honestly, next time someone asks for this I fear I may say the price is the price for the work you requested, sorry, no).
Since then they've largely requested to have all the omitted items done, bit by bit. Not to mention initially refusing to drop ceilings, have me patch and fish cables everywhere... Then once I was done they dropped the ceilings.
Anyway, my actual question, beyond a slight rant around what I'm learning seems fairly typical behaviour in this market is this:
Spent a while talking through downlights for the bathroom, different layouts, sent photos of rooms with 2 or 3 and sent little drawings etc. Then get told to drop the downlights in the bathroom from the quote, they're not going to have them in there. Okay, fine.
Turned up to continue other works. Bathroom light is removed with the bare wires currently shoved in the loft, and there's a pack of grim LAP downlights, some wagos and a single wago box on the windowsill in the bathroom.
Given I'm about to fully test the place having done the CU, and cert it. Also given the bathroom is a special location, and I spent time essentially consulting on it... I feel a bit miffed to be honest. I haven't said anything (cheeky client even asked me for some earth sleeving?!).
I'm not really sure how I proceed. Just note the cert doesn't cover the lighting and be done with it? I have done a reasonable amount of work on the circuit elsewhere..
I have no idea on the IP rating of the fittings. I also assume he has no clue about zones etc. technically being a special location, he shouldn't be doing this work?..
How would everyone else proceed? I've been pretty good to them in my eyes so far, done a lot of the work for a lot less than I should "because I was there anyway" (another lesson learnt, all those little bits done add up to a day not being paid very much..) I really should have charged atleast £500 more than I have, so it feels like a bit of a Micheal take really.
Am I overly dramatic, is the normal? Insight either way appreciated.
