Originally posted by sparky66wv:
Right now I'm losing on a 2600 sq ft house... I had bid $5500, but was asked to lower it to $4800... ("Ya got some fluff in here?")
Things were OK until the owners showed up wanting can lights everywhere... and dimmers, etc. etc. So I bid on plastic boxes and snap switches, but will be putting in cans and dimmers... They wanted a "panic button that turns on all the lights" too, but I put my foot down... (Not at what I bid!)
Not only that, but the last "electrician"
that worked for these guys didn't bother to staple anything, according to the reports from the carpenters. So I had to lower my price to be more like an electrician's who is substandard... and now I'm making about $7 per hour (cost me $8 to run my business, so I'm losing a $1)...
That's why you see this post so late in the morning... I'm a little discouraged and feel like I can make the same money sitting in front of my puter than I can busting my butt out in the field.
Change Orders you say? By the time I get that accomplished, the drywall will be up and I'll be fishing in a house with catherdral ceilings and beams and blocks everywhere... I'd rather shoot myself in the foot... Heck they're probably insulating right now, but I don't care...
The bills are piling up and I have about $25 left and about a week to go on this rough-in... (it's been going slowwww)
I made a whopping $94 on the Service...
Haven't been paid for that either...
The GC just bought a $2500 trailer to haul his Harleys to Milwaukee, and vacated for a week...
I'm an idiot...
Oh yeah, Steve (sparky) tried to warn me...
[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 08-17-2001).]
You are not an idiot, I have been there too,the last house I did, I put in writing everything I was going to put into the house, and of course, this guy had three girl friends and everyone had an idea what she wanted. Every friday night about 9:30 I get a call, Well Laverne wants this changed or shirley wants this, this went on for 4 months, talk about frustration, but everytime I made out a "work change order", and had him sign it before I started the work, that way you have a hammer if you have to go to court.
Someone wanted to know how I write a quote, example for a basic 100 amp service, I figure 9 hours labor @ $45.00/hour thats $405. that covers overhead,profit and labor.then material between 195-235 (225 is about normal) and 70 for the permit. comes out to about $700.00 for a 100 amp service. then I write up a "letter of Agreement", this is a legal document and it binding, and will stand up in any court, both parties sign and agree to the terms of the contract.
I have been in the electrical business for the past 29 years and in business for the past 10 years, and I have learned that if you dont put it in writing they will take you to the cleaners. And Small Claims court is a joke, at least here in our area, thats why the letter of agreement, it can certainly get tedious if you are busy, but since I have started it I have always been paid.
One more thing you have to look out for you otherwise no-one else will.