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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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rowd,
contractors regularly compare rates/charges/markups, as a necessity in any given locale'
the mutal benifit of being in the ballpark excludes the angst of being 'low boy' or 'gold plated sparky', and a revolving customer base for all.....
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236 Likes: 1
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Is there a law against sharing pricing info?
Doesn't it fall under "Price Fixing" or something like that?
Or is that like when all local competing parties secretly agree to raise their rates at the same time and the same amount...
-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 642
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No law that i know of.
Price fixing is when you and your competetors get toghter and agree what each of you will bid on a job Prior to the bid opening.
Knowing what you competetion charges allows you to be competive in the market you are in. As long as you do not discuss your price for a job ahead of a bid with your competetor you should be ok. After the bid is opened we all should be able to see where we stand.
ed
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 440 Likes: 3
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Here in the Houston area the rates for a service call will range from $50 to $80 per hour. A union electrician will make from $21 to $26 on his check, and I couldn't tell you what his benefits will cost. A nonunion electrician will get around $18 to $23 on his check, and it is a "toss up" as to whether he gets benefits.
If you get into a plant, manufacturing environment, etc. the pay scale can go way up. If you know PLC's, instrumentation, or something that requires specialized training, you can almost write your own ticket. A good friend of mine made from $90 to $100K per year working in a plant. He's a big Allen Bradely "PLC guru". I've never seen anything that he couldn't fix. Drives, magnetic rely logic, PLC's, you name it, he could work on it. The thing about him was, he could run the conduit, pull the wire, terminate it, program it, and make it run. I would imagine that he is in the top 3 to 5 percent of the the best electricians in Houston. If you ever get your hands on an electrician like that, don't let him go. I taught him how to estimate a few years ago, and I honestly believe that there are not many things in the electrical industry that he can't do.
rowd,
I said all that to say this...the question is "How much is the electrician that you are looking for, worth?" Good Luck.
Bling, bling, or Chaching, ching,
Doc
The Watt Doctor
Altura Cogen
Channelview, TX
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22
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My firm here in the northern end of West Virginia (New Martinsville) charges $30/residental, $35/commercial work. $15/$25/hour for a helper, respectively. 40% markup on parts. As to why commercial is a little cheaper, here's why I make my prices what they are... I figure that my commercial customers (local stores and restuaunts) are making money from my residental customers, so they have more money to pay me with. **grin** No, actuly, I charge more, because commercial work tends to be more demanding, and they want things done alot quicker, and on shorter notice, so I charge more. And there are also fewer specialized tools in residental work...
As to pay for an employee, I, as a licenced journyman electrician in Huntington, West Virginia, I was making $11/hour with only 3 years work under my belt when I quit to start my business. That was in the summer of 2001.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236 Likes: 1
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Welcome, E-wonder! Nice to have some more fellow mountaineers here on ECN!
Myself, I have never made over $10 working for another contractor (subbing not included) in WV.
Our prices look quite similar! 'Cept I need to double my markup!
-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 210
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The bottom line is if you want good and help and want to keep them around you have to offer competitive wages and benefits. The cost of living is different nationwide.
A rule of thumb that was mentioned to me years ago was that you should be charging out at least double what you are paying someone otherwise you will loose money in the long run by the time you get done with overtime premium pay, wage taxes, insurance, benefits, misc overhead. Its worthwhile to take the time and crunch the numbers and find out exactly how much an hour it costs you to be in business.
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Joined: Oct 2000
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Is there a law against sharing pricing info? what goes down in the local greasy spoons, for the local politicians & bizmen, may well be short of quorum or confidentiality yet is priceless..... Myself, I have never made over $10 working for another contractor (subbing not included) in WV. niether did i......on informing my last boss that i made master he stated ; "A master don't mean nuthin' to me"I quit a month later....
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Posts: 57
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