My work has almost stopped here. I've had to apply for a regular job several places, still no "takers". I have 37 1/2 years total electrical experience, a NC license and the highest paying job available so far is around $12/hr. besides one that I had to pass up for $16/hr. because I had already obligated myself to a customer of my own. I seen one site that was willing to pay a commercial plummer $26/hr and only required 1 year experience!! What's going on here I wonder? It seems electricians are on the low end of the totem pole when it comes to wages, and our trade seems to be the most hazardous, requires more itemized material, and in my opinion is the most stressful and has the most liability. Maybe it's just my area, but I know friends that are in the furniture business etc. that makes $12 to $14/hr. I'm thinking about going into a totally different field, like working in a warehouse loading trucks
Thanks for listening.... Steve

Steve:
Here in NJ I 'hear' from EC's the following:

Resi.....very slow. Guys that were very busy (30+ men) are down to <6. Others are 'slow' to 'hanging in there'

Myself, I'm an AHJ; put the tools away mid '07.

Twp I work in is 'steady'. We have a real good mix of retail, ind., comm, & resi. Hopefully it will stay 'steady' in the upcoming year.

Good luck to you whichever way you go. Have a safe and healthy holiday.

things are slow her in Indiana also. A few years back I had to take a job in maintenance just to makeit.
I worked there for 2 years has a mechanic than an opening came open for a sparky than I moved to it. Only to be laidoff in October.
as for the trade being kinda screwy compared to others I agree. Their are alot of people that think electricians job is easy. But we all know it is not. to be a plumber all you have to know is that "crap runs down hill and pay day is friday"
good luck and keep your head up.

https://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/182949/Cheap_labor#Post182949

You summed it up nicely here.

Untill we ALL take our job seriously, and except that we are well trained educated PROFESSIONALS!!!!!
It will never change.
RE: plumbers: Call 5 of them, they will be with in dollars of each other.
Call an electrician, Call enough and you'll find one who will pay you for him to do the work.

You don't see Lawyers,Doctors or accountants cutting prices do you?

We brought this on ourselfs!!!! Same with the Data and cable guys doing our work!!!
You worked hard for your license!!!!
Get compencated for your Knowledge (skills)!!!!!!!!!!!

(you = us collectively)

Here it is a mix of things. Residential appears to be slow all around.Commercial varies greatly, depending where you are and what you do. I put my tools down and jumped to an AHJ position earlier this year. The county I work in has slowed but we still are steady. The 3 full time commercial electric plan reviewers are swamped and we have some contractors willing to pay for plan review overtime pay to get the plans done.
As far as electricians pay - Leland expressed it correctly.
Electricians are driving THEIR own rates down. If everyone would stop cutting each others throat just to get the job things would improve. I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Gentlemen:

Please take into account the regional areas, and the regional economic situations of the various posters herein.

The 'cut throat' syndrome appears not to only be a NJ thing, I guess.

The price ranges that I see (estimated cost on permit app's) makes me sit back & think. I know some guys 'low ball 'the est. costs' for fear that the 'tax man' checks.

It's enough of an economic challenge with the recession upon all of us, we also have to deal with "trunk slammers", handymen, and now some of 'us' that are desperate for work.

I've went through slow and really slow times over the years, and YES, we have to do whatever to survive. BUT, 'we' should also think about the long term effects!

As to the operations of Plumbers, most if not all here use a flat rate system. Differences in costs is minimal if any.

As to data/comm/cctv/etc; every chance I get doing CEU courses, or at VoTech...I ask..."WHY don't you install the LV items???" "It's good money, you're there??"

Off the soap box!

Regional: rates are rates: Why under cut them?
Material? Suppliers here are pretty close to each other. Shop, Of course.
What ever to survive? I understand that. But why should a fellow trades man put you and himself in that spot?

Trunk slammers/handyman... Now that requires drop a dime!!!!
I don't feel a bit guilty about that. I worked for my ticket and I pay a handsome sum for my insurance.
Steal from my family..... We got issues!!!

Licensed and insured, quite different from licensed.

(just getting on the soap box )

We discussed the trunk slammers/handymen here in various threads. By all means, drop the dime! Here (NJ) it has to be a written formal complaint, along with ID of the trunk slammer. Been there, etc.

Licensed & insured? You need verifiable insurance coverage to obtain & maintain a Business Permit here. Just having a 'License' does not allow anyone to perform electrical work.

What I was trying to point out with regional rates above is that rates mentioned by one poster may appear to be 'out of wack' with another poster in a different state/region.

Here as well John (insurance). Pull a permit, they need your certificate and a copy (they make it) of your license.

We use a pressure seal on permits for BP; copy of ID card, & State is the Insurance cop.

We recently implemented Home Improvement Contractor Lic., IMHO, that seems to have eliminated 'some' butchers.

In hard times you need to think outside the box. I doubt many people are going to be doing residential new construction and those who do will be working at "break even" prices if they are lucky. I still have some contacts at a big national builder and their P&E department is on a national quest to cut costs and squeeze the contractors as hard as they can to hit a price point.

I've been teaching at the local trade association, which has provided me with a view of perhaps 1/3 of the local electrical contractors. We're ALL hurting; long-timers say this is the worst it's been since 1979, maybe even worse.

A bad time to start a business? One of our most robust members started in 1979.

A number of contractors who had limited themselves to tract homes are now doing commercial work. Apart from the increased competition, their journeymen have a wage advantage over commercial journeymen. Job walk-throughs that once had but three or four guys show up now have 20. Several of the more 'reputable' firms have simply stopped bidding when this happens; there simply isn't the margin.

All that said, remember that no two businesses are exactly the same! For example, my business - which started with a focus on tenant improvements - has found itself drawn into more heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and plumbing related work.

One simply must keep their eyes open; for example, the principal of our largest refrigeration contractor is retiring, and his heirs are weak. This means an increaded demand for an alternative provider. I already have some courses in this area ... and you can bet I'll take some more!

Likewise, this might be a good time to get yourself some phone / data / alarm / solar / lighting training and certifications.

well things have changed.

the trades here were infiltrated by the ex-shop workers when all the shops got outsourced

maintenance , at least in terms of physical manpower, was something that couldn't be had via some phoneline to India with a dude who called himself 'Joe'

so they hid within our ranks for a living....

the thing is, sh*t rolls downhill, assuming everyone is aware how we're quickly becoming bailoutistan , one can also see how it gains speed

like anyone else, i'm used to being competitive upon a level playing field, change the goal posts and rules on me, and the future becomes less predictable

~S~

The guy who fixes my wife's gates is working 16 hour days. He is good at it and gets more work than he can handle.

well there's always someone who can make good no matter what the economy's doing Greg

too bad there's no such thing as an electrical forclosure business.....

i'd be the snidley whiplash of the trade!

~S~

Every upcomming job I had called at the same time. Within two weeks I had calls for two resi rough ins, two trim outs, service work, all just days after I started a 15K square foot ace hardware fast track project. Problem is, its only me and my helper with 8 weeks experience. I had to hire 2 guys 4 weeks ago to keep up. I also hired an electrician friends to rough in a house for me. The Lord has blessed me with good contractors. I am looking at two more commercial jobs tommorrow.

I wish the Lord would bless me with just a little more hair on my backside...

Fire Alarm: I was told 20 years ago. Recession proof.
Now i specialize with in that end.. busy every day.

Just like a doctor, specialize, you can always go back to being a general practitioner.

i figure i can always go busking....

Sparky:

????

sorry, 'busking' is sorta slang for street musician Hot one....

~S~

Thank you, Sir!
I'll try to remember that one.
Must be something to your locale?

I think thats the guy with the guitar on the street corner with his hat on the ground for people to throw coins into

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
With lots of presents to make you happy
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart.
~S~

Doug:
What you said is a good living in NYC for a few guys.

Sparky:
Nice!!!

great pic. sparky we were hoping we'd get our "once in around 20 years"(NW Florida) snowfall this year, but no luck so far.

The other side of this economic mess is that when it turns around there is going to be a (worldwide?) shortage of electricians (because of retiring baby-boomers) pretty soon.
those of us who hang in the trade a while longer will have huge rewards for it. (and then they'll probably dumb it down with snap together tab A slot B assemblies and prefabbed everythings.)

that's exactly what we've all been reading Samurai...

Massive shortage of electricians predicted for U.S.

Electrical worker shortage worries construction trade