Tester calibration and pricing advice

[Sparkydan]

Hi

what do you's pay to have your testers calibrated i have just had to pay £90.00 +VAT for a fluke 1653, is this expensive or about right?

Also doing my own work now and would like to learn more about pricing work for domestic and commercial works, is there a course available or good books to help how to learn?

I did buy the spons book a couple of years ago but this seemed crazy as everything was by measurement so would take hours measuring everything and still not get the job, does anybody know this book and found it useful?

Seems to me like its a bit of a guessing game which will only get better with experience, i would like some advice from people involved in pricing for companies or for themselves and also see some examples of jobs priced in the past if possible.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Guest123]

Hey there.

I have to say I think you were done! on your calibration there. I have a Megger 1552 and that cost me £40 all in last time, with T.I.C. (the instrument centre) via C.E.F.

 

[Sparkydan]

yeah thought so i did go CEF but they wanted the same and was going to send it to the same place i took it anyway.
It cant take them long to calibrate it and there was nothing wrong.

 

[WarrenG]

Yes that is a big bit over the top, I generally have paid between £50-£60 for my testers.

Have a good search around for different calibration centers, again they all want the business and if you continue to use them the price usually comes down to their best prices.

 

[Tiger]

Hi

what do you's pay to have your testers calibrated i have just had to pay £90.00 +VAT for a fluke 1653, is this expensive or about right?

Also doing my own work now and would like to learn more about pricing work for domestic and commercial works, is there a course available or good books to help how to learn?

I did buy the spons book a couple of years ago but this seemed crazy as everything was by measurement so would take hours measuring everything and still not get the job, does anybody know this book and found it useful?

Seems to me like its a bit of a guessing game which will only get better with experience, i would like some advice from people involved in pricing for companies or for themselves and also see some examples of jobs priced in the past if possible.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

In my experiance pricing by books will usually be over the top, nice if you can get it but you will generally be undercut.

I find if you work out what you would like to earn per day without being greedy. work out roughly how many days it will take + materials then add on a day for unforseens. if it's a big job add a small percentage.

It's not an exact science you will soon find out if you get the work or not.
If you don't, see if the customer will let you know the prices of the other quotes.

Good luck, not the best time to start out

 

[Sparkydan]

Thanks tiger

Is there not a percentage markup on materials to cover the running around costs and storing.

What about if your busy and use a subcontractor to do some jobs, would there be percentage then put on for your profit?

Do you list materials you think your going to need and then let your wholesalers quote you on them to add to your price or look up else where?

I suppose prices vary so much because one person could look at a job and think one week then another could look and think two weeks, then if it does take two weeks the first has lost money so its always a gamble.

 

[Spudnik]

I price materials on major jobs from a couple of wholesalers.

Then 20-25% mark up.

After that. its a case of guesstimating how long you think the job would take or what its worth, and how much hassle (moving furniture, carpets/floors up etc etc).

If you allow a week and get it done sooner then thats a bit of profit on your labour too.

Smaller jobs arent quite so easy.

Not easy charging £200 if it takes you a day (for whatever reason) to fit 1 double socket!

Most of the time its fairly straight forward, but in this game its a case of 'some you win, some you lose'.

You will get the hang of it after a few jobs.

 

[WarrenG]

Make yourself a list up of materials and play each wholesaler against the next by supplying the same list of materials to each them.

After a while you will know who will be keen to look after you and who you want to be dealing with because they will be the ones that will give you the most competitive prices.

Win/win situation really because they look after you, you use them more, both of you make more money!

Having said that, everything could be as little as 1p if it isn't going to turn up on time, so find the most reliable source.

Costing is always difficult to say the least and there are many different methods you can try (even including the dreaded Spons book!) but just be realistic about the job.

Plan the work ahead, don't get caught into the old trap of 'well I can get it done for this much' if its less than what you think your worth and what you have quoted for don't be afraid to tell them to carry on.

While your making nothing on a job and being squeezed by someone who really wants the unqualified bloke down the pub to do at a silly price (but can't give them a certificate) you could be working else where and earning a proper living being paid what your worth!