Domestic PIR Quote

[electromonkey]

Afternoon Ladies and Gents (and ladyboys if there are any on here).

I missed out on getting the nod to carry out 30 odd PIR's for some rich fella who's got a load of properties down here in sunny South Wales.

I quoted £30 (I normally charge about £90) per PIR and said I would carry out a complete inspection of all accessible fixtures and fittings for each property. I lost out to a bloke who will do them for £12 each (I don't know how much detail he would go in to).

I tend to find that when I carry out a PIR on a domestic, that I tend to get the improvements work, so I suppose my question(s) is, is it worth carrying out domestic PIR's free of charge? Is there anyone who has tried it and how did it work out for them?

Your thoughts are always appreciated.

 

[Amp David]

Out of interest how long did it take onsite doing the tests and time at home doing the report?

Was in there for 9 and back in the van for 1. This include fixing a neutral to earth short. Will be doing the final report tomorrow along with all the rest of the stack of certs and invoices. Doing the report wont take more than an hour.

 

[electromonkey]

I wouldn't of found them with a sampling visual check and then perhaps I would of given a satisfactory verdict as oppose to the unsatisfactory one I gave, then someone sticks their finger in the patress with the 20mm hole in it that I missed because I didn't have the time to inspect it or find it, and then guess what? Bang! someone dies and I'm in court for a £30 PIR, no thanksElectromonkey, I'm not slagging you off mate I just wouldn't do it!

You may not think you're slagging me off but you've certainly come across as patronising. I can only assume you've only read my first post, not the others.

Why is it assumed by not just you but others on here too, that if you do a job for a cheap price that you're going to do a bad/lesser job than you normally would?

I Put the question out there to see if any sparks had done anything like this as a marketing tool and if it worked out for them.

 

[electromonkey]

I tell clients that I simply won't do cheap PIRs. I want to be able to give them the benefit of my honest opinion and advice and to do that I need to be properly paid for my time. That way I won't feel I've lost out if the install is hunky and doory with no remedials required. I'm not out "looking" for work 'cos I've been paid properly in the first place. Similarly the client can feel that any remedials I do advise on are genuinely needed. And again I won't feel agrieved if they go elsewhere for them 'cos I know I won't get slagged off behind my back and I've been paid a proper rate.

Cheers PC Electrics. You've articulated that in such a way, that for me anyway, you've hit the nail on the head. I might print that off and read it whenever I supply a quote for customers!!! I think if you can get that across to your customers (certainly potential ones) it installs a level of confidence in you from their prospective. There'll always be ones who are purely price orientated and I suppose if they don't want to pay what you think your work is worth then you just walk away.

 

[nikmet]

Whoa there. At no point did I say that the test or inspection should not be carried out to a sub standard level because it's FOC. I'm trying to look at the bigger picture, a bit like the spark who beat me on the quote. He's now got work in 30 something houses. That'll take him through the summer. I took a look around 3 of the houses. All 3 had no RCD protection and the installations were aged. He's quids in or at the very least, his foot is in the door.

or hes gonna be a BUSY FOOL...............and if summer does eventually arrive............a HOT BUSY FOOL

 

[electromonkey]

I genuinely LOL'd at that Nikmet!

 

[nikmet]

Iy not many peopel count the paperwork!

Why?..........I charge for every hour i work......including paperwork, after all the jobs not complete until its done?

 

[Des 56]

Electromonkey comes across as a thoughtful competent spark who is thinking of trying ways to drum up business

The method he is thinking of employing is frowned upon by most for various reasons,right or wrong
That does not mean that he is by defacto, not doing the job tidy
Its a little presumptuous for anyone to suggest that is so

I personally think he is making a poor business decision,but that in no way is making judgement of his actions as a spark and it is unfair for some to make that comment

 

[mattmoo1974]

Amen Des56!
At the end of the day Monkey is trying to drum up some work in hard times.
Hes fired out an idea to get some response to it. The student area of cardiff is massive and would keep any one going perm.
And you get to look at totty all day!!
TIDY DARTS!

 

[electromonkey]

I got a contract similar to this and quoted 110 per house. I'm still doing them now. Nice little earner.

Did you actively go looking for this contract Electricalserv? If you did, how did you go about getting it? I've tried writing a email to agents in the area offering my services but heard nothing back from them so am after some ideas really on how to get such a contract.

Cheers

 

[electromonkey]

@ Des and Matmoo. Thanks for your posts. You're spot on with what I'm trying to achieve Des. I tried/put it out there to see how it is that sparks get such contract. I wont be going down the underselling route after hearing some well thought out arguments against it. In reflection, I should have just asked the question I've asked Electricalserv!!! But, I've picked up some useful advice on the way so I suppose it's not all bad!

 

[electromonkey]

And you get to look at totty all day!!
TIDY DARTS!

Bingo. You've sussed out my real motivation there Matmoo. LOL

 

[Electricalserv]

Did you actively go looking for this contract Electricalserv? If you did, how did you go about getting it? I've tried writing a email to agents in the area offering my services but heard nothing back from them so am after some ideas really on how to get such a contract.

Cheers

Somebody came to me. Their usual electrician was very expensive and failed to turn up alot. So I was given a few small jobs. Got my foot threw the door and he offered me the PIR's on flats. I quoted £110 & got the work. i suppose I was lucky but you'ver got to take these chances.

 

[1shortcircuit]

A pir is a days money.

If people don't want to pay the going rate then their are not worth working

for.

I believe that quality of customer is just as important as the quality of the work you carry out for them. I can understand someone wanting to get the best deal possible for the work that they need doing but if they were actually made aware of what has to be done and how long it takes on average then they will get an honest picture and soon realise that there is something seriously wrong with the competence of the £12 per PIR spark.

I hear what some of you are saying gents in terms of part pee takers. Some of you seem to have interpreted this as me saying that I'd go and do the job - in out bish bash bosh. I don't let the sum of money I charge for a job reflect the standard to which I work. There are plenty of sparks out there who'll charge way in excess of £100 to carry out a PIR but will inspect 30-40% of the fittings, that seems more of a service that's not worth the paper it's written on.

I have read this thread from start to finish I can relate to what it is you are trying to achieve. My concern is that you would do the complete opposite... a real thorough job top to bottom for Mickey Mouse money. Yes there is the possibility of lot's of work but even for that you would have to be cheap and compete against the dipstick who HE WILL ALWAYS GO BACK TO FOR A QUOTE TO USE TO HIS ADVANTAGE.

I'm getting the feeling that undersold PIR's aren't the best image for a business. Back to the drawing board!

Cheers for the comments, the constructive ones that is.

Perhaps spend some extra money on some leaflets and target a couple of consumer unit replacements for proper money

£12 per PIR x30 = £360 Compare that to even if you said £90 quid per PIR x 30 = £2700

You've a lot of work to find as well as a lot of properties to get around.

You could probably make the same money by doing two CU changes, three at a push depending on what the rate is over there.

or hes gonna be a BUSY FOOL...............and if summer does eventually arrive............a HOT BUSY FOOL

And who's to say that they'll actually get paid at the end of it?


Stick to your guns mate, continue to do the work as you normally would. Some things just aren't meant to be... this may just be a blessing in disguise though

Good Luck

1SC

 

[zedess]

instead of the £12 why not just ask him for a big bag of monkey nuts?..and if any consumer units need changing just tell him to give u a bunch of bannanas....my flabber is ghasted:speechless:..................................i am in a state of total shock:speechless:................this is a joke ?

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

Sorry electromonkey absolutley no offence meant at all, Forums are full of opinions, its impossible for us to all agree on everything, I dont doubt your work ethic or ability as an Electrician, I'm just pointing out I didnt agree with something you were doing, you asked for honest opinions so I gave you mine mate, good luck to you

 

[1shortcircuit]

Sorry electromonkey absolutley no offence meant at all, Forums are full of opinions, its impossible for us to all agree on everything, I dont doubt your work ethic or ability as an Electrician, I'm just pointing out I didnt agree with something you were doing, you asked for honest opinions so I gave you mine mate, good luck to you

Tone of voice on a forum is always difficult to hear too

This could be a case of the Landlord using a play on words... £12 per PIR could in fact be £12 per circuit which then by the sounds of it brings the figures up to a sensible price?

Who knows? Who cares? It's the weekend

 

[electromonkey]

Sorry electromonkey absolutley no offence meant at all, Forums are full of opinions, its impossible for us to all agree on everything, I dont doubt your work ethic or ability as an Electrician, I'm just pointing out I didnt agree with something you were doing, you asked for honest opinions so I gave you mine mate, good luck to you

Thanks Llandrillo. Like Shorcircuit said about tone and pitch......I totally agree with what you put there about forums.