What is the most common question you are asked in your daily work?

I am thinking of what I get asked. I am most often asked when explaining about the incoming service to a domestic house “Boss do you know how to stop the meter spinning” (Nice client group I have) to which I answer “Yes and no I am not telling you.” I then take this opportunity to explain how it is not nice to be stuck on a circuit, where the next fuse down the line is 600Amps and show them some graphic photos to emphasise the point.

"What do YOU want"....from EC's, GC's, Homeowner DIY's.

2 weeks somewhere warm; stock winter answer.
The time to be 3:00 Friday. second answer

John

Or like when I am looking at a potential job, lets say for instance, 'Joe' home owner is renovating his old house. I get told, " please give me a good deal, I don't have that much money.."

Yeah right, I don't cut them any slack when they give me that line of b/s..sheesh!

One of the top 10 I think we all get asked is..
" When do you think you will be done?", or something along those lines
I think I got asked that 4..5...8.... at least a dozen times today! The answer to that question for this particular job, they didn't like I might add!

A.D

"Can you do that?" - A: "Yes, I can do that. But I should warn you that you might be suprised when I tell you how much it would cost... But, if you're not worried - I'll start right now..."

I'm not going to get into title-24, (Energy code) or required outlet/circuit questions... They're just not funny anymore....

Certainly "How much longer is this going to take?" tops the list... Close 2nd is "Hey do you have a (insert fitting type here)on your truck?" from other journeymen on the lease hehehe

# 1: "Can You have those Plans ready for Plancheck by Friday"
(of course, this is asked on Wednesday afternoon!),

# 2: "What do You mean by 'Engineering Is Not the Same As Drafting' - aren't they both the same?"

and for the "In-Field Questions":

# 1: "What's the difference between the White Wire and 'Ground' - aren't they all the same?",

# 2: "What 'Voltage' can I touch without getting hurt?"

The lists go on and on!

The most common question i get when i do work around the resdentail area

1] can be done with this ??

2] How much it going to be ??

3] [ this is the famous one of all ] WHEN i have the power back on ??

Commercal/Industrail side

1] can you repair this mess ??

2] can you shedule off hours to do the repairs ??

3] " my mantaince man " say it work this way for long time [ oh really ?? and my reply is

Merci , Marc

The most common question I get is:

"What did the supplier bring today"

Did he bring this or that? I coulda swore I ordered this.

I really have no idea what gets ordered I just unload the truck and get out what's there. I am the un-official material man of our job.

I always get the "Have you seen any 3/4 to 1/2 RE's"

Hmmm...... I remember seeing some in one of the Dozen gangboxes on the job. Not the answer they want to hear.

1. When looking at the job " Can you give me a ballpark I am not going to hold you to it." Unless the bill comes out to more and suddenly the ballpark is the estimate.

Most of these come from supervisors in a factory who just want production out the door. I know there sarcastic answers, but, after a few per day from the same ones week after week, you think they would get a clue.

Question: Can I help you?
My reply depending on time of day, "Sure, climb up there and....."
Then the direct answer, "No" or "Im sure your not qualified"

Question: What's wrong with it?
Answer: Well, what is it "supposed" to do?

Question: You ever done that before?
Answer: Nope, hope I get it right.

"I'm booking you for not wearing your hat" said the jumped-up Safety Man to me. "I don't think so." says I.
Oh! and why would that be? says he taking out hos pen.

Sorry pressed the wrong button!

And spelled "wrong" wrong!.

I have to go with the afore mentioned "when will you be finished", sometimes before you have even put your tool bag down.
"Shortly after you stop bothering me" is not a bad answer.
I worked with a guy who had a great way to get people to get away from him. If they got in too close he would hand them something real dirty and say "hold this". Pretty soon they would decide they had something else to do.

I second GA76's feeling on materials - although I wish I was the "un-official material man" - I'm pretty sure mine is an official title.

Questions:

1) Can you get me "insert material item" from the trailer?, and don't let any other journeyman stop you, I need it now.

Then when I return - "oh I don't need it now, I found a box of them on my cart- but bring those back to the trailer so we know where they are.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

2)Can you tell them that I want my Bacon, egg and cheese with the bacon burnt, the eggs over easy and don't melt the cheese - also with pepper, no salt and only a little ketchup.

Repeat that for 15-20 guys and coffee orders.

Keep in mind the guy at the deli speaks almost no ingles and I speak no spanish - Your lucky what you get resembles breakfast at all!!

Gotta love being an apprentice

Most common question I get asked by homeowners is:
"How many shocks have you had??."
Usually followed by:
"Were any of them really big?."

People here seem to assume that for some odd reason, Electricians are always getting shocks.
I blame cartoons for this to a certain degree.

The answer for the shock question is " Yes, just the other day, I worked in somebody's house and they did not ask me that question. I found that very shocking"

Asked by apprentice: "How come the fish tape is always longer on the way out?"

Not me but the boss:
Q: "I don't have much money, could you do it for less?"
A: "no, I don't know you, what makes you so special that I should give you a discount?"

I'll be in a store with a trough wide open and wires hanging everywhere. "wow, how do you know where all those wires" .I like to say back, can you tell me color this is, I'm color blind

On new home construction we always get asked "Can you power up the lights for us?". This is always before the insulation or drywall is even installed.

Had a supervisor in a plant do that to me one day. Told him 15 minutes. He came back and I was not finnished, again told him 15 minutes. After 3 times he said but you told me 15 minutes. I said, 15 minutes to fix. I haven't found the problem yet. Did not see him the rest of the day.

1. How do you know where all of those wires go?

2. Can you install a two-way switch for me?

3. The guy at Home Depot says that I should be able to install this fixture in 15 minutes. Can you do this more quickly?

And the list could continue forever.........

That is classic. I have to remember that one.

LOL

"When can I run a movie for my boss and his family?" Repeatedly asked by a very annoying GC rep on my last install.

Overlooking the fact that the screening room is not his personal playtoy, it wasn't even close to being done, the client (you all know, the one who's actually paying for all this) didn't want them to run a show..and oh, yeah, they wanted me to "borrow" a print from a theatre for the show. I think not...

My fav (i get this all the time): Is this answer correct?
My reply: No it's wrong but we are saying it's right, I just signed off on it for fun.

My favorite.
Phone rings. "Can you come and fix my machine?"
My response "Sure. If you tell me who you are."

My favorite for "When will you be finished" is to look at my watch, then reply:"Five O'clock"