Hey All,
Once again I have a homeowner trying to screw me out of some money. This is a job for a "friend" so we all no how that goes. Like an idiot I didn't get a contract and the verble agreement was shady at best. When I gave the homeowner the finished bill she said, "I'm not paying that...It's way to high for what you did."

What I did was to install 7 second floor receptacles on two new 20a circuits. Plaster walls so I cut the new boxes into the base boards and pulled the circuits down from the attic. All is in wall and concealed. My outrageous price?...$120 per.

Outside of not getting them to sign a contract, I'm I way off base here?

Big A,
How long did it take for the install?.
Personally, I'd charge a bit more than $120 per outlet!.
I'd be looking for the advice of LK here!.
Where are ya Les?.

Tough to say without knowing all the circumstances of the job but sounds very reasonable to me.

I think that $120/outlet would make most people reconsider.

I think your friend would have liked an opportunity to reconsider.

If you want to keep the friend as a friend ask them to pay what they think the work is worth.

I have to agree with George....if this is a "friend", it probably would've been better to just say, "hey, I'll do this for you, but it's gonna be T&M. my rate is $XX per hour, and I'll work as efficiently as I can, but with this type of work, if I run into problems, it could take a LOT longer."
no offense, but $840 for 7 outlets for a "friend" seems a little steep. If they agree to the T&M, you're at least getting your hourly rate and materials. Maybe you can still figure it out that way for them, and resubmit a new bill to them as a gesture....assuming T&M ends up less? :-)

Just to clarify. I'm doing the work for the friends of a friend. I tried to bid T&M but they didn't want to go that route. I have about 15 hours into this and $70 material at cost. At $50 an hour plus $90 for material I came to a total of $840. I guess I could knock $50 bucks off to keep the peace. I also did a service change and 11 first floor outlets and she didn't have a problem with what I charged there. ($1,100 for 200a service change and 100 per for receptacles) I'll let y'all know how this comes out.

Although I do this part time, I am fully licensed, bonded and insured.

Big A,

An awful lot has to do with what local labor bill-out rates are. In my area it's $90 to $120 per hour.

Your customer, in my opinion, is getting a very fair deal.

My bread and butter is work in existing dwellings. 15 hours feels reasonable. From your description, I'll bet there was one overloaded circuit covering the second floor and now there are three distributed circuits, and grounding on top of that. Your work will have modernized, significantly, the second floor.

Regardless of what you get paid, the customer gets a permanent increase in the value of their property, and an electrical system that is more useful.

Big A,
with your clarification and ElecticAl's reasoning, I see you're right in the ballpark.

Baseboard outlets are a Pain-In-The-Butt!!!

Definitely time consuming over cutting a hole in drywall with a drywall knife. Was the attic cramped & nasty?

I think your price is very fair, but you didn't cover your butt, so it's time to negotiate & since you're done you don't have much negotiating power.

Put it in writing, ESPECIALLY with friends or relatives.

Dave

Hi,
Do what I do when this happens..give them a "NEW CUSTOMER" discount...say $20 off each..

That may help.

But next time get a deposit and a signed proposal!

part time or not.

-regards

Mustang

Your one mistake was that your agreement was not properly made.
Your price is not at all off the mark.
As an experienced EC, the time involved in the job could be a lot more than 15 hours. But because of your pride, professionalism, and skill level you were able to do this in the 15 hour time period. I believe that is worth more than most give us credit for - as she could have had a person with less skill who may have done a horrible job.
Chalk this up to experience, eat what you have to and try not to do it again

Pierre

Big A, I think your price is very reasonable.
My instructor back in Vocational High School many years ago branded into our heads a golden rule that I try to follow to this day. It is:
When it comes to work for friends or relatives you have 2 choices
1. Don't do it
2. Do it for free

Big A very sorry on what happened. Usually friends end up paying what ever asked because there are no negotiations after work done. If she has to do this she should ask price first. If we are going to charge our friends (and we should this is our living) then we should tell up front cost of work. Now it is very bad situation because if you lower your price your self than she will say that you was trying to over charge. Bring other common friend in to resolve it and for next time you know what to do.

Electric Al, had the pricing right, your 120 is more then fair, never work without a contract or a service authorized signature on a work order/ invoice with the hourly rate posted. We follow the advice of the last post don't do it or do it for free, when frends are involved.

I never drop my original price for anyone.

That just admits that you were too high to begin with.

You have to work for friends
You can't work for your enemies

I have to admit that before I met my wife, I would let people walk all over me, and take advantage of our friendships. Helps that now with her, I can do the "good cop, bad cop" thing, and she can be the "heavy". She is one tough cookie when it comes to business. Let's me just concentrate on the installs.

Usually, the people who rate a price break are among the ones who don't ask for it.

for jobs like the ones described, if the person getting the 'mates rates' is abled bodied, I let them do all the cutting of walls, pulling of wires (including in the roof & under the floors) & cleaning up. I do all the connecting & testing of the work. My labour rates are anything from a cup of coffee to six beers depending on the job or how hot it is. I do the parts at the price I get them from the electrical wholesalers' for (no mark-up).