How can people quote so low?

[Gavin John Hyde]

Went to price up a job this morning to install 6 downlights in a dining room.

Nothing too complex, with nice access to the extension roof space via a small access hatch to make the install relatively straightforward. would be able to work directly above the joists and come down through the ceiling.

i quoted what i thought was a good price, given that there is little in way of drilling or effort to run new cables., the guy then tells me my quote of £200 for labour and parts is a little high.

The lights the customer wants are fire rated and come in at £80 or thereabouts for the 6 plus junction boxes, cables etc and making good the hole from the existing light pendant. I quoted for 2 hours labour at £40 for 1st hour 30 for 2nd. factor in parking in the area(residents parking scheme you have to pay for permit from council), diesel and tax, NI, insurances etc.. it doesn't leave much.

He has had a quote off a eastern european spark (apparently fully qualified), who has said he will do it for £140 all in.!! i cant see how the guy is going to make a living... i told the guy that if he wants to pay that then i can't do the job.

Anybody else find they are up against some really crazy quotes that you just can not compete with... it is a complete race to the bottom. There is a bloke round here offering CU changes for £150..!! i am assuming there is no testing no certs.. no comebacks... its become a crazy world.

 

[westward10]

Our industry is falling so fast downhill and no one is making any attempt to stop it.

 

[Specialist]

We have a Chinese "Electrician" down here £50.00 + Cost of CU for a change out, another (Eastern european) is doing Domestic EICR's for £45.00.
Was talking to a commercial butcher a while back, he'd just had his PA testing done £65.00 for 56 items of equipment.

It's getting totally out of hand.

 

[hasel5]

Would of quoted about £300 to do that job

 

[Sooby2]

He has had a quote off a eastern european spark (apparently fully qualified), who has said he will do it for £140 all in.!! i cant see how the guy is going to make a living..

Because he's not paying tax, NI, liability insurance, being one of those eastern europeans who stays here for a few months at a time doing this kind of work. Doesn't do any testing and if it goes wrong, he'll disappear.

 

[Andy78]

Would of quoted about £300 to do that job

Me too.

 

[telectrix]

just shows how brilliantly effective part pee is. by forcing up our overheads, it's just a licence for these cheapskate bodgers to operate and charge unsustainable prices.

 

[buzzlightyear]

next time you quote for a job, and a customer says that a eastern European
quoted cheaper. ask the customer will he be insured when he price for the job .
and ask them.,got good insurance if you house burns down.

 

[LankyWill]

I would of laughed and said if you want a monkey pay peanuts. Most people just want a bottom dollar service and don't think about the wider picture. When stanvril's poorly terminated downlights go faulty and there's a fire I bet you he doesn't have any insurance.

 

[Octopus]

It could be that the individual quoting is deliberately pricing low, so their earnings are low, and then tax free tax credits get paid if they have kids......

Madness.

 

[telectrix]

It could be that the individual quoting is deliberately pricing low, so their earnings are low, and then tax free tax credits get paid if they have kids......

Madness.

or claiming JSA or income support at the same time.

 

[Octopus]

So when Jeremy gets voted in, there will be tax credits, and tax payers supporting employers wages too

That is madness

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Would of quoted about £300 to do that job

I only quoted what i did as the access hatch meant i could get up in the roof space without any problem. otherwise had it been a normal ceiling with no access i would have quoted £300+

 

[telectrix]

labour only got so many votes because youngsters voted labour in the mistaken belief that their manifesto would help them ( tuition fees etc.) when jeremy and his cronies promise the earth but have no idea of how to pay for it, and as usual, have no intention of carrying out their election promises. ( remember that blair promised a referendum on the EU but never delivered).

 

[telectrix]

I only quoted what i did as the access hatch meant i could get up in the roof space without any problem. otherwise had it been a normal ceiling with no access i would have quoted £300+

just wait for the call to put it right after the competition has gone back to lala land.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

labour only got so many votes because youngsters voted labour in the mistaken belief that their manifesto would help them ( tuition fees etc.) when jeremy and his cronies promise the earth but have no idea of how to pay for it, and as usual, have no intention of carrying out their election promises. ( remember that blair promised a referendum on the EU but never delivered).

If the nutter that is corbyn gets in to no 10 in the next few weeks then my prices will be going up as will all the suppliers prices. as the dopey fool wants to raise corporation tax upto 26%... a 9% rise will have an effect on businesses large and small. try explaining to your customers why everything has gone up and then ask them who they voted for...

 

[westward10]

Tories got in because people confused Teresa with Vanessa.

 

[Upton Sparks]

There are some proper bandits out there!!. lashing in sh!t on the cheap.

I know its a free market all and all, And I get that to a bit.... but I am a bit tired of the UN-Certified doing illegal job on the Cheap..

I always like to talk quite a bit about the importance of the testing and certification to my customers and the benefits of having a fully insured electrician!...

How on earth.... Who on earth could do a CU change for £ 150, surely that's just labour only Plus materials... whats the cheapest CU out there? about £60 - 70, that's not taking into account any other sundries.
so at £150 - £70 gives you £80 a day, £400 a week and £20K a year. !!!!

No actually I think I've got Now............ he's doing two a day!

 

[Specialist]

More like 3 a day

 

[telectrix]

nobody can do 3 a day. even me and i can eat 50 eggs,

 

[rolyberkin]

I am always dubious when people say they have had a quote of x, and as far as i am concerned they can crack on. I always tell customers what they are getting and show them photos of the quality of my work and also the few jobs that I have been to where lives have been placed at risk by cowboys, I outline why they should be using a fully insured and qualified electrician . We sometimes forget we are salesmen, people want to know what they are getting and the advantages of employing you, tell them.

 

[Specialist]

Depends what you do & how long you take tel, if your doing a proper job then I'd agree with you. These muppets don't do a proper job though, it's just slam it in & collect your money then on to the next one.

 

[LankyWill]

Depends what you do & how long you take tel, if your doing a proper job then I'd agree with you. These muppets don't do a proper job though, it's just slam it in & collect your money then on to the next one.

They probably don't even own an MFT, or have the capacity to use one.

 

[LankyWill]

Depends what you do & how long you take tel, if your doing a proper job then I'd agree with you. These muppets don't do a proper job though, it's just slam it in & collect your money then on to the next one.

They probably don't even own an MFT, or have the capacity to use one.

 

[Specialist]

They probably don't even own an MFT, or have the capacity to use one.

Totally agree with you mate, why would they need it ?. They don't do paperwork or give receipts & if you have a problem the next day, they sure as hell won't answer the phone.

 

[7029 dave]

Why are you all surprised ,? this has been going on for donkeys years, and always will.!

 

[Octopus]

So that's £400 per week before overheads..... Far too low....

Then there are days off, holidays, bank holiday......, So then you're down to about £12k k

 

[Specialist]

Why are you all surprised ,? this has been going on for donkeys years, and always will.!

I'm not in any way surprised Dave, like others tel & I have been beating this drum for years. It's just that nowadays there are more and more of them coming in & doing botch jobs then once they've ripped off loads of people bugger off back abroad.
At the moment we have a couple of Eastern Europeans, at least one Chinese guy, one from Greece & a Turkish guy within about 10 miles of me all touting as sparks. None of them give Receipts or Paperwork & from what I've seen all do a S$$T job.

 

[Specialist]

So that's £400 per week before overheads..... Far too low....

There's the thing though, they don't pay overheads. Except a mobile phone bill & petrol.

 

[buzzlightyear]

don't for get the eastern Europeans live in vans & some peoples sheds
like del boy says of only fools & horses.
no income tax no vat.
no money back no guarantee.

 

[buzzlightyear]

what I cannot stand is carpet bagger!

 

[Anthony S]

Why are you all surprised ,? this has been going on for donkeys years, and always will.!

Simple thing to do is move into commercial/industrial and your always earn a living.

 

[GMES]

Heard the worst one ever today, chatting to a domestic and commercial landlord I know really well and we got chatting about the cost of being a landlord these days, he's got loads of properties and told me that he paid 80.00 for a board swap last week, that's right boys and girls 80.00 fitted Inc 17th edition dual rcd metal board. Even if its a cash job there is still nothing to earn at that.
I'm glad I only do industrial and large commercial, the Domestic side is Buggered.

 

[freddo]

Heard the worst one ever today

I'd love to see some pics of that installation...

 

[telectrix]

CU knocked off from the day job. £80 beer money.

 

[The Ghost]

80.00 fitted Inc 17th edition dual rcd metal board

Whaaaat! No way! That is not possible. Do you mean with a cert as well?....Got any jobs m8

 

[Leesparkykent]

There's money in domestic if you work for the right builders/clients..I ain't interested in clients that want the cheapest quote and can normally weed them out quickly. I don't put a lad out for less than £250 a day and my diary is crammed. The commercial market can be competative as well......most big commercial jobs have 1 or 2 proper sparks and half a dozen or so mates.

 

[westward10]

Most things are possible.

 

[Octopus]

More fool the landlord for using the cheapest supplier - no paperwork probably.... lets hope nothing goes wrong....

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

The worst cowboys are the ones i call ebay sparks. they buy the cheap imported counterfeit CU's off ebay for £45 (same model in usual suppliers is £70+). fit a couple of these with dodgy mcbs, rcds etc.. and away they go. no testing, no certs. add a bit on for profit and they can make a couple hundred per week tax free.
I had to replace one of these once, and it wasn't in a house, was fitted by a supposed niceic approved contractor (niceic website never heard of him mind) in a small cafe, the switches were so brittle and the plastic was dodgy as hell. You took your life in your hands when turning off the incoming main switch.

There is more laws concerning waste collection in england now than there is concerning electricians!
If you as a householder pay somebody who is not licensed to take away your rubbish, and they have no environment agency licence then you can get a £5k fine! the onus is on you to go online and check they have the relevant licence to carry waste.
Yet, you can pay any tom dick or harry to carry out electrical works it seems with out having to verify they have insurance, part p or any other safety check. surely the customer should have a duty to verify the electrician is approved at very least by a scheme, has insurance, testing qualifications etc... failure should carry a fine.

If your mate takes your rubbish and dumps it, worst is it ruins a field and council pay to clean it up, pay a dodgy electrician and your house could burn down and kil your family! says it all really.