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.

 

[electromonkey]

I'm off out to walk the dogs for an hour.......As Arnie says, I'll be back.

 

[electromonkey]

it wasnt meant as a personal jab at you mate, i just think its majorly crap that genuine sparks have to keep lowering prices to get work.

I wasn't offended Mike, constuctive arguments/points are always appreciated. I'm probably still a bit raw over how much work I've just lost out on and not thinking too clearly. That seems to be the consensus at the mo anyway. LOL

 

[Scott F]

A pir is a days money.

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

for.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

A pir is a days money.

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

for.

Totally agree.

 

[Amp David]

I did one today and charger 20 quid per circuit. Small 3 bead house with 7 circuits. Customer was well happy with my charges.

 

[Octopus]

I did one today and charger 20 quid per circuit. Small 3 bead house with 7 circuits. Customer was well happy with my charges.

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

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I did one today and charger 20 quid per circuit. Small 3 bead house with 7 circuits. Customer was well happy with my charges.

Did you look at the job before accepting it, or just call round on the day and inspect away?

 

[electromonkey]

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'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.

 

[mattmoo1974]

We all live in different parts of the country.
What 1 man would nt get out of bed for is good money for another!
Offering business tips would be much more construtive then a wages war AGAIN!
And monkey iv been in the student area of cardiff, I can see why you d wanna crack that market mate!
But you ve gotta charge my friend, Cos if you do a free PIR and give them a big list of stuff to fix, There just going to think you ve made them up to cover the PIR costs :S
Double edged sword

 

[Deleted member 26818]

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'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.

The problem I find with PIRs, is that often you can't tell how long each will take.
Recently I tested some circuits for a client, eight in one building, and eight in another building.
The first eight, actually took most of ten days to test, whereas the eight in the other building took less than a day.

 

[Electricalserv]

I got a contract similar to this and quoted 110 per house. I'm still doing them now. Nice little earner. Is your dayrate 60 a day or something? You couldn't do a proper PIR in less than 5 hours IMO (ON A 3 BED SEMI).

 

[IQ Electrical]

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'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.

The whole point of a sampled detailed inspection is to prevent the introduction of faults when removing and refitting accessories and luminaires.

This is all documented in Guidance Note 3 and should not be interpreted as any less of an inspection as the sample percentage is increased or decreased in proportion to any defects (or not) revealed.

 

[sparks_114]

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'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.

I can see where you're coming from but as has been said by many others on the pricing side of things I wouldn't go in at a cheap price gambling on winning remedial work. As for those who do, then I believe they are responsible for killing the trade for want of a better word. Being a sparky is akin to being a doctor where the price is irrelevant when compared to the important jobs/diagnosis carried by the doctor and hence competence is choses over cost and hardly ever do you find doctors competing over price, rather they're to be found competing on former. The way I would have played it is: If someone is desperate enough to go in at 22 quid I would let them have it while in the mean time preach the going rate/correct prices and justify it too (a key word in the trade!). There is definitely a correlation between pay and the performance of a tradesman and I, at least, wouldn't want any resentment while carrying out any electrical work of any kind. I hope you understand where I am coming from. Cheers fellas.

 

[electromonkey]

I got a contract similar to this and quoted 110 per house. I'm still doing them now. Nice little earner. Is your dayrate 60 a day or something? You couldn't do a proper PIR in less than 5 hours IMO (ON A 3 BED SEMI).

My hourly rate is normally 20-30 depending on the job but I tend to charge a fixed price for PIR's. I tend to charge a little less for a PIR to get the edge on maybe getting the job. Most of the time, I get the repair work afterwards so I see it as a small sacrifice. Like you, I'd say at least half a day to get one done.

 

[electromonkey]

I can see where you're coming from but as has been said by many others on the pricing side of things I wouldn't go in at a cheap price gambling on winning remedial work. As for those who do, then I believe they are responsible for killing the trade for want of a better word. Being a sparky is akin to being a doctor where the price is irrelevant when compared to the important jobs/diagnosis carried by the doctor and hence competence is choses over cost and hardly ever do you find doctors competing over price, rather they're to be found competing on former. The way I would have played it is: If someone is desperate enough to go in at 22 quid I would let them have it while in the mean time preach the going rate/correct prices and justify it too (a key word in the trade!). There is definitely a correlation between pay and the performance of a tradesman and I, at least, wouldn't want any resentment while carrying out any electrical work of any kind. I hope you understand where I am coming from. Cheers fellas.

A good point well made.

Can I point out that I was after opinions/thoughts on this idea. I've never done a PIR FOC.

Cheers.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

£30 quid!!!!!, so your on about £5 an hour then?!, a good and above else thorough PIR is 6 hours work plus maybe an hour paperwork, looking at £120 bare minimum

 

[Electricalserv]

£30 quid!!!!!, so your on about £5 an hour then?!, a good and above else thorough PIR is 6 hours work plus maybe an hour paperwork, looking at £120 bare minimum

Iy not many peopel count the paperwork!

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

I've just done one in north Wales, house of multiple occupancy, 6 bedrooms, PIR was £120, took me 7 hours, plus 90 mins paperwork, the reason it took so long was that I found 4 code 1's and 2 code 2's within the first 3 rooms!!, 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!

 

[PC Electrics]

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.

 

[Amp David]

Did you look at the job before accepting it, or just call round on the day and inspect away?

No went to have a quick look before. House only 12 years old, but hes going to rent it out so wanted things checking out