Hello all

I have a question about side work. I'm a union electrician with about 8 months of resi experience and 6 years of commercial.

A friend wants me to do a bid on his shop, and possibly his garage. I have no experience in the bidding process. I feel confindent in wiring the house from start to finish but can somebody out there smell what i'm stepping in?

How do you feel about doing work for friends?

Also I have no insurance, bonding, business licence etc. I'm a jw waiting for dispatch.

I would appretice any advice

It's one thing to do a small job for a friend, but if you want to stay friends you probably shouldn't do this project. Also, it sounds like you might not be set up right to do a project like this.

you will be legally (criminally) liable. worse stillyou would be getting paid for it which makes you look twice as bad in a court of law. don't do it.

To me, since he wants you to bid on the work, it sounds like you may be in deep water. If he wanted to just pay you by the hour for your knowledge & labor, that might be different. But this sounds like you have all the risk here and he's looking for a good deal. I think I'd pass.

Radar

Seattleman, check out the following link.
http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?section=19.28.041&fuseaction=section

Roger

Also, the IBEW doesn't permit side work to be done. You may request permission to do work on a buddy's house through the executive board, but you may be e-boarded for doing paid work in competition with the companies you could work for. Just as bad as working for a non-union shop, as far as the union is concerned. Don't do it.

As far as the friend issue goes probably a bad idea. As for the union not allowing side work...uh yeah ok. This would be a "union" in the United States of America would it not?

I'd definitely consider the consequences of unlicensed (more importantly, uninsured) work - especially if your're representing yourself as an independent entity


If he's a real friend just getting an idea of price, that's one thing. Along the lines of what Radar posted, if he's reverse auctioning you, that's intolerable - especially if he's calling up the "buddy" card. I've been known to work at significantly under-valued rates for friends I might call for help one day, as well as family. I've never heard any of them (seriously) complain about the price, or quality of work.

As far as the union thing, the Union I belong to, while claiming to represent the "working man" (and woman) consistently supports candidates who favor more taxes be taken out of my checks... I don't understand that completely.

I was going to address Scott's point, but it'd sound waaaay too conservative. Let's just say I support unions to protect labor from misguided / malicious management, and I recognize organized labor's contributions to workplace safety, benefits, and work environment. I still have a problem with the union putting the union above the workers, and protecting slackers who IMHO deserve a kick in the pants. BTW, I'm not IBEW...

I'll stop now

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 06-17-2004).]

Seattleman--I know exactly how you feel, as I am in the same boat. I signed our book last fall and since then have only worked for 6 weeks, and that was out of town. I'm still looking for work out of town because it looks like it will turn up before work at home. It's hard, especially when the unemployment runs out, and I'm not sure how the situation is in your area, but I know it's tight all over.

A lot of guys I know do a lot of side work, paid under the table, often w/o a license, and w/o insurance. Also while they're collecting unemployment, so that's illegal as well. The union agreement states that you can't contract your own work, but basically the view is that nobody says anything as long as you're not taking work away from other union contractors. So most residential, small service changes, etc., are fair game.

I've done small jobs for friends before, usually for free or on a barter basis, like swapping favors. Here in PA, there is no state license requirement, and the permit requirements vary from township to township. I'm pretty much staying away from any side work in the city because I have a license in escrow and I don't want to lose it because of unpermitted, uninsured work that I may get caught doing. I don't want to get into conflicts with the unemployment department, the city, or some lawyer after a customer's house catches on fire and they say "well I DID have this guy doing work in my basement" even though it was his own faulty extension cord shorting out----the list goes on. Too much trouble for what it's worth.

Even though your electrical skills may be excellent, without the necessary insurance, license and business experience, you could get in over you head very quickly, as well as lose a friend in the process. Give this a lot of thought. Hope you catch a call soon, brother....

Just trying to understand this.

You want the advantages of being in the union but you do not want to follow the unions rules?

They did tell you the rules before you joined?

Why did you join if you want to make your own way?

Also I agree with the others, this is a large 'side job' to do with no insurance.

Here we must have liability insurance to pull a permit, a good idea IMO.

Bob

For what it's worth...

As long as electricians have families to support, side work will happen. I'm not saying it's right, just that it happens. It's just like DIY, it's not going away either.

Every time work slows down I always see the guys with the union t-shirts in Home Depot buying....gasp...electrical stuff.

It's either survive somehow or go hungry.

Peter

Uninsured, after all is said, this is the one that can destroy not only frendship but if anything goes wrong it can destroy the rest of your life.
Stay frends, and protect yourself.