I think that, maybe, Sberry has hit upon one of the things that makes ECN so special.
It is always, (as George Bernard Shaw observed) much easier to be critical than correct. I only regret that he hasn't been here long enought (yet) to see that the vast majority of threads are intellegent discussions, where all of us learn from each other.
Now, no matter where you live,your commercial success is determined by your competence more than any other factor. If your skill level is about the same as "Mr Fix-it," he's your competition. If, on the other hand, you can do something he cannot- who cares what he charges?
Now I am perfectly content to let someone else change lightbulbs and apinted-over switches. Sometimes they get ambitious and try their hand at other stuff....and make a mess of it...or run out of tricks...and I get called.
Now I look at this as an audition. Funny thing is, simple courtesy to the guilty party will often result in him initiating future work for you. He'll say,,,"Boss, we really ought to call John and ask him."
That said, I make clear in my response to the "One Bad Apple" thread that some folks plying the trade ought to be working elsewhere....like behind bars! Fortunately, they are (IMO) quite rare; you can't get away with shoddy work for long- not only do inspectors set their sights on you, but electricity is a malicious thing, delighting in every opportunity to misbehave.
