My firm here in the northern end of West Virginia (New Martinsville) charges $30/residental, $35/commercial work. $15/$25/hour for a helper, respectively. 40% markup on parts. As to why commercial is a little cheaper, here's why I make my prices what they are... I figure that my commercial customers (local stores and restuaunts) are making money from my residental customers, so they have more money to pay me with. **grin** No, actuly, I charge more, because commercial work tends to be more demanding, and they want things done alot quicker, and on shorter notice, so I charge more. And there are also fewer specialized tools in residental work...
As to pay for an employee, I, as a licenced journyman electrician in Huntington, West Virginia, I was making $11/hour with only 3 years work under my belt when I quit to start my business. That was in the summer of 2001.
