David, I have thought the same thing. I watch the low ballers turn money instead of making money and think, if it ended tomorrow how would those guy pay the supply bills in thirty days.
I have caught some resistance from some of my builders about the latest price hike. I raised the line item take off sheet across the board ( to cover the increase in fuel, insurance and the every day cost of doing business) and then added a copper surcharge to every foot of wire we use on the job. I adjust to market price weekly based on what my replacememt cost is.
It raised the price by a dollar a foot roughly (I bill per drop but the ol' GCs love to look at it by the foot ya know).
For those that cant handle it, I tell em look in the yellow pages under "electricians"
