Customer wants to supply material

[ruston]

I don't mind ordinary customers supplying plates and light fittings etc,in fact it's part of the job to guide /ascertain the customers requirements. It's the landlord/ developer type I'm getting at.They will take your eyes out if you let them. The odd one(labour only) is ok, but definitely worth not getting into the habit of. Especially if you have quoted an all in price. Remember you save a lot of time not running back and forward to the Wholesalers if your customer is getting the gear, but it's a nightmare of wrong stuff and/or cheapest tat. Eg down lighters that fall apart, cooker outlets that you can't terminate into, it's not all just about the money.

 

[Goody]

Walk away they are just trying to workout how much youll make off the job and your profit , when its finished they'll argue like hell over your labour bill . Jamie

Very true! My quote usually is in the following format and they don't need to know cost of materials separately:

Two double sockets	£££
Shower installed	£££
Quote includes standard parts & labour

 

[imago]

I dont know why there are so many negative posts.

It's easy to get work for minimum wage, just to cover your overheads, or for nothing. Trouble is, it's fools doing it at those sort of rates that makes it look like people charging a fair whack for a good job done properly are charging 'over the odds'. IMHO working for a pittance is no different than cutting corners on materials or standards. It's bad practice and it shouldn't be done.

I thought work was hard to get these days.

Hard to get work? Speaking personally I have a fair bit on, and even if work was tight I would rather go and stack shelves than devalue myself and my skills by giving them away. My ability to trade was hard won, and costly to achieve both in terms of money and time.

Some money is better then peeing a customer off and getting no money.

As above really, i.e. no it's not because if charging a fair rate annoys a customer then they can either live with their annoyance or go elsewhere.

 

[Octopus]

Interestingly today I was doing some sparking for a builder I recenty met.

He told me during the day that he wants copies of all my invoices so he can show the customer that we are not marking up the materials. I add margin to the parts I supply to cover the cost of getting them and all the associated paperwork. I don't like depending on other people for the parts I need.

I told him that I reduce the margin on the parts, when I work "for" other trades to 10% Also I don't split down the parts cost either.

It'll be interesting to hear his views when I go back on site on Thursday - one thing is clear, I'm not a charity.

 

[ruston]

Interestingly today I was doing some sparking for a builder I recenty met.

He told me during the day that he wants copies of all my invoices so he can show the customer that we are not marking up the materials. I add margin to the parts I supply to cover the cost of getting them and all the associated paperwork. I don't like depending on other people for the parts I need.

I told him that I reduce the margin on the parts, when I work "for" other trades to 10% Also I don't split down the parts cost either.

It'll be interesting to hear his views when I go back on site on Thursday - one thing is clear, I'm not a charity.

As he got into his £80k merc he tells the customer he's sorted the sparky out.

 

[Octopus]

As he got into his £80k merc he tells the customer he's sorted the sparky out.

Actually he's got a 10 year old Honda!!!!!!

 

[ruston]

Actually he's got a 10 year old Honda!!!!!!

:blush5: I'm old and cynical lol.

 

[Dave 85]

I suppose it all very much depends on the circumstances. If its a builder who's gonna feed you loads of nice new builds and you can get a labour only price that will still work out quite a bit better than your day rate, then go for it.

But generally speaking if I get asked for a price 'with' and a price 'without', from a main contactor then my price 'without' is going to deduct only the cost to me of materials so profit is the same. I did this to a kitchen company guy I work for who's a total control freak and basically just wanted me to work out the material cost for him to supply. After the job he was moaning that he made £34 profit and I made £1,100 in 3 days. That put a smile on my face.

 

[Dcf]

The Internet is great for these tight arses to get an idea for your price.a little info n all these landlord types are all experts eh?iv recently had Landlords ask for a price for jobbing works before I have even got there to see what the fault is!hang on a minute and I will phone up Derek acora on the phsycic hotline n ask him what he thinks u donut.i don't mind clients supplying stuff if that is what they want but it betteR be correct and in the right quantities or I'm off somewhere else til they sort it out.

 

[Spazz]

I had a similar situation today/yesterday.
Went to view a job and he asked can he supply materials - ya fine but I will be able to supply them cheaper than you can buy them for

He called me today - asking how I can supply the items cheaper than he can get them from city electrical - I explained that its because I have trade accounts with online suppliers.

In the end he saved £150 getting parts through me compared to CEF.

I use Gil-Lec - Still love the CU fully loaded for £68 (inc VAT)
I sold it to him with Labor included - £250 - his best price for same CU and all MCBs - £150 + VAT

I find cheap sites with good quality and order in bulk

 

[supasparxs]

A few years ago, I put some outside PIR lights up for a customer. (she supplied them)
about a week later she calls me up stating that one of them wasn't working.
I arrive and tested the light in question and showed that the light had power and the over-ride was working.

In the end we went to B&Q and I fitted the replacement light.

The customer was put out for me charging her for the 3 hours of my time (30 mins each way, fault finding, going to B&Q with her and fitting the new light).

she didn't realise that as she supplied the light, the responsibility of the light working correctly was down to her.

the the case of a customer wanting to supply the materials
I feel if they supply the materials, so be it, however they will pay waiting time if the material isn't there to be installed.
including any materials I had forgotten to include in a material list.

On a shopfit recently, the shopfitter changed his tune.

If I supply if I will warrantee it, if I don't I won't

 

[Spoon]

however they will pay waiting time if the material isn't there to be installed.
including any materials I had forgotten to include in a material list.

I agree with everything you have just said, but the above. If you have missed it off the list then its not the customers responsibility, but yours.

 

[Spazz]

I fully agree with Spoon.

If you dont list something down - sorry its your fault, not the customers!
Same situation if you do a quote for an installation of an item (e.g. CU change and you forget to charge for the RCD) Its down to you to fit the bill on that item, but you should be making enough in the first place to cover for little things like that.

If you forget to list something down, either get on with something else or dont charge for that time the customer or you have to go and get it - if you have to us your fuel then yes charge for fuel only at the government rate of £0.45 per mile.

Charging the customer for something thats your fault is why we get called the things we do - We are not ment to rip the customer off - Fair Trade!


Otherwise I fully agree with you supasparxs

 

[Goody]

... including any materials I had forgotten to include in a material list ...

This isn't right. However, the fact that everyone makes mistakes, it always pays back if we show some leniency towards these customers.