Discount for help by customer?

Octopus · Sep 10, 2014

Ok, so a handyman mate is having a loft conversion - and he's asked me to do the electrics.

He's buying the "easy" parts - cable, switches, sockets, smokes, fan.

I normally price at £45 per socket and £35 per light when parts are supplied. A very rough price is £1475.00

His help will be a bit of drilling, cable pulling and cable clipping.

I'm thinking a few quid off per point as it won't be him doing any of the connections, tests, certs or LABC stuff

How much would you discount by?

Richard Burns · Sep 10, 2014

I would tend to back calculate from the time saving he will provide, if his help will reduce the install time by one hour then take your hourly rate (if you have one) and divide by the 37 points and reduce the price per point by that amount (hourly rate over 37).
I would not generally think that the help will reduce the time drastically, though key points will be much easier.

Octopus · Sep 10, 2014

Richard Burns said:
I would tend to back calculate from the time saving he will provide, if his help will reduce the install time by one hour then take your hourly rate (if you have one) and divide by the 37 points and reduce the price per point by that amount (hourly rate over 37).
I would not generally think that the help will reduce the time drastically, though key points will be much easier.

Thanks.

As you can tell I've been pondering this one.

Having worked with him before he may know how to save £0.50p on a 100m of 2.5 T&E, but he hasn't a clue how to wire a RFC and when it comes to lights/2 way switching & faulty finding without knowledge or a MFT......... so all the design, connections and testing will be 100% me

telectrix · Sep 10, 2014

i'd wait till the job's finished, then estimate how much time he's saved you in total, then knock a few quid off the invoice.

Guest77 · Sep 10, 2014

I have had similar situations myself over the Years Clive, sometimes it costs more this way than doing it from scratch yourself, I feel what Tel has posted is what I would do myself, tell the guy you will estimate any savings after works are completed.