What are some of the hourly rates going right now? General service calls?

FatDog65, This is very geographical.

Hopefully someone in your area will respond.

Roger

Fatdog, in MO (central small town) I get $25 for first hr, $20 addtnl hr and if drive time then 1 hr for that. I'm a small shop, part-time. Have heard others are $25-30 per hr. Hope this gives an idea.

Rural Nebraska;

$30/hr.........$17 service call gets me to the front door.

GJ

$35 for the call and thats 1 hour minimum,
Residential mostly, no estimate fees ever.
$28 hour for me $24 for my help, when we charge by the hour, most jobs are bids though.
We ain't getting rich, but still trying to build up a clientel for the future. It seems these rates are a bit low for the area, I've talked to a couple of guys, one gets $45 for him and bills 2 helpers out at $32 each. He doesn't do much new work at these rates but alot of addons and repairs, New trucks, new tools, they look good when they show up, and they're real quick when they work.

If's its and older person and they offer me a glass of tea after I reset a gfci or change a light bulb, it's on the house, you gotta give something back sometimes.

Holy $%#! I realize that cost of living varies greatly accross the country but wow. If you guys are in business for real (By that I mean pay insurance, pay taxes, and all the normal expenses) It would seem to me that you are virtually working for nothing. I am not leaving the house for less than $75.00 for the first hour and just raised from $65 to $68 each hour thereafter. Seems to be about average around here. I have work booked through the end of the year so I would say the rates are a non issue. I work alone but very quick and efficiently. I also do the free gfi reset on occasion.

true..... a gallon of milk or loaf of bread is probably same-same........but our disparity is probably proportional to the permit/inspection/licensure process......

i.e.-when it's 'legal' for Homer the handyman to beat you out of a bid.......

The guys down here wiring new houses will have one guy that drives the truck, two more that drill and pull wire and a guy picking stuff up and putting in ceiling blocks, No license, on any of them, one guy getting $15 an hour, two getting $12 fourth guy getting $9, The GC pulling the permit and fixing what don't pass. Maybe they get a 1099 at the end of the year, some don't even bother to find them. No social security, no liability insurance, no work comp, no nothing. They work everyday like this on $175,000 houses one right after the next.
Don't want know part of it myself, We have a state inspector here, and he says it all up to the GC's how they're sub are handled. He keeps passing the houses though.

Electricman. I do have all the expenses cited but I also have a night gig at an industry here. Trying to build a client base to do it full time. When that day arrives my rates will have to go up.

same here 40 hrs third shift at the local water treatment plant, $580 a week, family insurance free, two weeks vacation paid, triple time and a half for holidays, 5% sepira, 5% match on 457b deffered compensation plan. Dish network top 50, no dial up internet and 25 cent pepsi's in the machine.
Wife works for UPS in customer counter, will be driving the brown truck in two more years, full family insurance there too, 4 weeks vacation, $23,83 an hour to start then $5 raise over 6 years-go teamsters on that one. First day she drives that truck Ole Joe is a full time EC from then on.

If I'm not getting too personal here, how much are those of you who are self-employed paying for medical insurance these days?

what medical insurance? Last quote 3weeks ago 1250.00/month for just me

Just wanted to offer what I have learned from the past six years.

1. People perceive qualtity with price. Remember what most think about low bid. Don't compete on
price do it on service, or design or some other facet of the business.

2. If you are wiing 100% of your bids your prices are too low. Raise them now.

3. You can't pay for your families needs on promises of future work. Charge fairly but cover your
expenses. The promised work might never come.

I was charging $48/hr for myself in MD with licenses and insurance. My accountant said I need to
raise them.

Jim

We go 45 for the first half hour and 35 every hour after that. I'm pretty sure that we're about the lowest in our area too.

Health Insurance - what a rip! We are paying 2 G's a month for three families...

$1250/mo., $2000/mo. Oh boy..... That's more than my monthly income, and I do like a few little luxuries -- You know, food, heat, clothes, and so on.

In Atlanta, we get $75 minimum trip charge although estimates are free unless we fix the problem at the estimate. Most job are on a bid or fixed cost, so we only do hourly rate work on large imposible to bid jobs. Averages $50 per manhour in bulk or $75 per hour for one man. We are on the low end in our area, but I have to sleep and refuse to overcharge. My costs are more than what some of you are charging, but if you can make it work and are happy I guess that's what counts. Good Luck.

Service calls are $45 hr and try to base my estimates on that too. Here in AZ I have to renew tax lic in every city every year usually around $10 to $50. Liability ins, Contr lic renew yes there are a lot of cost. Fortunately I have health ins through my wifes work. Don't know how anyone could make it for less, otherwise might as well go work for someone else.

$64.00 per for straight time. time and a half overtime, double time sunday or midnight to 5am. Union shop.

Here in NJ the going rates can be anywhere from $55 to $75 for the first hour for 1 man. I was a 5 man shop with 4 trucks running, Paid workers comp, and insurence on trucks and men, etc. No medical for the men. ( I just couldn't afford it.) 2 men would get between $75 to $95 for the first hour here in NJ. My insurence would run about $1500 a month, that covered men and trucks. My business ran me approx. $100 per hour to run.

Why is it that when people bring their cars or trucks in for repairs they never moan and groan about the 80-90 dollars an hour they have to pay for that, but with us Electricians they feel as though were overpriced? I guess we have to keep the faith up and continue to do excellent work, and that person will continue to use our service and knowledge.

SJT,

It is funny you mentioned that, A long time ago, (7-9 years) I was working for the new car dealer who sold me my truck. I bought a truck from him for over $12,000. (Actually I bought 3 trucks over several years.) Anyway I was working for him and when he asked me how much something would cost, I think I was charging about $50 per hour for 1 man. When I told him that he said,"Take it easy on me." To which I replied, "Why, you charge me $60 per hour to fix my truck, yet I bring MY SHOP to your door." You know, Ya gotta love it!

Caper

Would appear a worldwide trend, We charge between $30 and $40 per hour for quoted work and $45 per hour for smaller jobs. Our local mechanic charges $60 per hour. Thats New Zealand money, as i call it the "Pacific Peso"

For the benefit of those not used to all these different currencies, the NZ dollar is about U.S. 50 cents.

I just heard that the local garage here is now charging £40 (U.S. $60) per hour.

Joeh20,
"We ain't getting rich, but still trying to build up a clientel for the future."
"First day she drives that truck Ole Joe is a full time EC from then on."

If you keep charging so much lower than the competition for another two years you won't have a clientel worth pursuing full time. Do you realize that if you operate legally you are working for less per hour than your "real job"? If you have to compete with the types of contractors you described maybe you should find another type of business or stick with your night job, unless you can find people who are willing to pay for quality and pay a man what he needs to survive operating legally and ethically. Pursue small industrial businesses that realize they need an electrical service that is making enough to stay in business.

(I am not trying to flame you. Would have sent this to your e-mail address, but it was not listed in your profile.)

Gerald Powell

True Gerald,
to add, one really needs be in the 'ballpark' lest you favor the tirekickers and abusers

Paul,
it is more than just the $$$ of health care insurance, it is not being able to write it off as a small biz.
And having BigBro here breath down our necks as a bigger biz with employees.

This has been fiercly lobbied here.

OK. We shouldn't fight amongst ourselves.
$65hr. Anybody that gets sent out. Time starts when they leave the shop, and ends when they return (portal/portal)

In Mexico the minimum wage for an electrician is about $6.50 a day. http://www.mexicanlaws.com/Minwages2002.htm
About 2 months ago a friend showed me a bid he got to wire his house: $125/hr each for 2 workers. Didn't say if they were journeymen.
He hired them because his general said they were dependable.
Bob in Seattle

I know plenty of one-man shows in England (myself included) who just wouldn't take on an employee. Too much hassle, form-filling, employees rights, Health & Safety Executive's ridiculous rules, social security payments, and so on.

I use to get my wife to call around and get service quotes; so be weary when Becky calls.
I guess it all depends were you live and your overhead. I've always thought that if you are solo with one helper, you are worth more than a hired crew. It kind of makes up for overhead. Anyway I charge $55 for me, and $70 for me and a helper. I've found out that is a little low around here, and the cost of living is normal or below.
John

Suburban Phila., PA

$75.00 1st hr. $48.00/hr. afterward.
It is lower then most.

$ ?
Many have alot to say about this. I'm assuming you mean price from a business standpoint.

Only you can determine your price. You've got some good and some not so good advice.
My advice is
1. Make sure you charge enough to pay liab insurance.
2. You should charge enough to be able to pay people to perform the work including all labor burden. Taxes, Work Comp, etc
3. If you lowball, tell the customer you are as an incentive to use your company but to expect higher price afterwards.
4. Price varies by region and type of work.

I thought when I started that 45 an hour was great, but soon found out it was nothing. Your material mark-up should be at least double. Most jobs should get you up around 200-300 per hour. You will spend alot of time doing things you don't get paid for so as some have said they charge 20 something is a joke. Any journeyman should be able to find a job 20-30 per hour with bennies working for someone else and not have the responsibilities of be self-employed.

$55 hourly journeyman, scale goes down on the less experienced fellows according to their abillities to a low of $20.

Commercial rates go up to $65-$80 depending on jobs. Specialty hours for business conveince may be at triple time in commercial.

All of our contractors have done the shopping thing, they don't bother anymore. Typically they just accept the bid and sell to the client. All work is word of mouth. We have not had really any slow periods, usually the scramble is on for competent help.

We drive nice new vehicles. and keep them washed to boot! Vehicles have no signs.

$30 per hour plus 20% markup on materials.

$25 for loyal customers and little old ladies...

I'm still slowly pushing the limits... It seems to not be enough money, which is a very gross understatement for me at this point in time... I can't believe that I have to admit it after a record breaking quarter so far... (4x my average for the last two years...) but it still isn't enough to be worth it yet.



patience, grasshopper...

Also, it must be said that the best wage job I could hope for would be about $12 per hour, no benefits, (and they'll even insist upon saving OT for "rainy days- off the record, of course"...I got fired once for having a "bad attitude" when I questioned the legality of such once...) so, I'm still better off this way I guess.


[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 08-29-2002).]

Today I got my property tax statement. It said my house was worth $355.000. I paid $112,000 for it in 1988. This place aint no palace folks. It's an average house in an OK near in-city neighborhood. If I wanted to buy it (or a house like it) today I would have to pay about $3,300 a month. With this in mind, what should my hourly fee be?
Bob in Seattle

(and they'll even insist upon saving OT for "rainy days- off the record, of course"...I got fired once for having a "bad attitude" when I questioned the legality of such once...)

I once had a boss that paid me every time I got close to 40 hours (every 3 or 4 days) to avoid OT.