ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area SideJobs

How many of us do these? What do you charge per opening? Cans per? Etc... Does your owner/boss turn you on to sidework? Borrow their license? Use their account? How many homeowners understand T&M without a quote?

I personally shy away from most of them. I never seem to get enough money to be worth it and I am afraid of liability issues. That is just me though. I am not the greatest business man. It's also a violation of the union working agreement to do side work. (It constitutes competing against your employer and many employers have supplied many a material for peoples side jobs in the past.) For this reason we can't hold an active contractors license and work off the books at the same time. It sure hasn't stopped a lot of guys though. For me up until the last year or so we had so much OT there wasn't time for side work anyway. Gotta spend time with the family before they grow up and leave!



[This message has been edited by Nick (edited 03-30-2002).]

I agree with nick.

Unless I can pocket over $30/hr it's not worth the hassle. Cuts into time available for golf and other important stuff. So I do this less than once a year on average.

I always tell the boss what I'm doing so that it doesn't come back to bite me.

GJ

I have my state contractors license but I'm usually better off just putting in the same amount of overtime at work. A guy just stuck me $300 last Fall. If it's not cost plus call someone else.

I agree, but what is really scary is someone asking to borrow your license, Not on their life too much blood, sweat toil and tears went in to obtaining this.
A GC asked me recently about a wiring job, told me to buy the permit and he and his crew, of Shorts are Us inc. would do the work.
No, and I dont care if it is snowing in He##, never. Took me a long time to realize these people, especially GCs dont care about you its all about them. Then they wanted to pay me $20 an opening, just unbeileveable.
-Mark-

About the only "side work" I do is for family or friends, and I do it for free, or not at all.
It seems like there's a crazily increasing number of people wanting me to do their work.
Should I just go get a license, and go for it?

The first shop I worked at as an apprentice, the boss would even pull a permit for you if you wanted to do side work (his hourly pay was lousy!). However, he would gently warn you that there was a reason he carried liability insurance which costs a bunch. After hearing that, and makeing a lot more money once I switched jobs and got my journeymans, I only will do jobs for family and close friends, w/o charge (but only till they constantly plead for the work). But the main reason I don't do side work is this: I love being a sparky during the week, If I do it all the time I get burned out and it seems you're always working...Hey, life is not all about working!