Electricmanscott - If there is a problem with the panel or any other item before a price is give then by all means the owner should be charged what ever it takes. I was just assuming that he had given someone a fixed price to do a job and told them he could reuse the panel but didn't realize that the lugs were bad (his own mistake). I think we have all had fixed bid projects with material or labor cost overruns. I agree with your statement that making up for the cost somewhere else is not a good business practice but sometimes its the only way to make up the loss on something the owner should have paid for in the first place. I have been asked many times to reuse electrical equipment to save money but I always tell the customer I will figure on using all new but if I can make reasonable use of items I will credit them the cost on the final bill.
Curt
