Too Expensive?

[telectrix]

just been knocked back with an order cancelled as too expensive. wanted some opinions on my quote, all except the IP sockets just swapping accessories:

customer wanted 15 x double sockets, 8 x 1 gang light switches, 4 x 2 gang light switches, 4 gang grid with engraved switches, 1 pull switch (bathroom light), 1 welcome light in porch to be swapped ( customer supplied), 2 x 45 cooker isolators, 2 twin IP65 outside sockets inc. wiring spurred off rfc ( basically drill through from backs of 2 sockets and fix IP ones over exit hole). all internal accessories in BG nexus brushed stainless steel.

materials cost in b&q estimated @ £360. i know i'd pay less, but the b&q price gives me a guide on what to charge for materials, as customers can readily price up from the sheds.

what's your ideas on price. customer is 30 miles away.

 

[Wilko]

Hi Tel, here's a number £299 plus parts (35x5 + 2x50 + 60x0.4). It looks like a long day. I wonder if the other guy will test and minor works certify the new outlets ?

 

[FatAlan]

Could it be that customer is going to DIY?

 

[telectrix]

OK. priced at £600 all in with MWC for outside sockets. replied to customer's text and offered price dicsount to £550 to match competitor's quote. ( i know he would use LAP ). customer text back accepting £550. so all's well.

 

[colshaws]

About£400 plus parts for me.

 

[Adie moore]

I'd be quoting for 2 days for that lot, hopefully get it done in 1 1/2.

 

[telectrix]

you must be slow. i estimated 6 hours with help from a sparks' mate. and i reckon i'm down to half my old speed , being 70 next month.

 

[Adie moore]

6 hours for 2 blokes makes 12 hours for 1 in my book which is 1 1/2 days. Im Billy no mates unfortunately.

 

[telectrix]

i'd do it on my own in 9 hours, but then i'd have noboddy to moan at and be going to the pub after on my own.

 

[Spoon]

i'd do it on my own in 9 hours, but then i'd have noboddy to moan at...

You sound fun to work for....

 

[Adie moore]

9 hours + travelling and no break possibly, sounds a lond day to me. all it would need is a couple of cross threaded pins and my toys would be well and truly out the pram.

 

[sparkdog]

Looks just about alright at £550 , Think I'd be happier with a bit more.

 

[Midwest]

I'd gone a bit higher, but don't suppose you want to hear that now Tel. Still least you can spend the day abusing the sparkies mate, then a swift half on the way home. When I reach 70, in many years to come (cough!), I intend to spend my days, sat on a park bench armed with a bottle in a brown bag, shouting abuse at the passing traffic.

 

[The Ghost]

9 hours at 35 = 315 +mats would walk away for anything less. May do it with a mate the one days work so no extra travelling

 

[Leesparkykent]

1 day labour £220-£240 plus parts at £360 so £580-£600. Realistically your going to get that material a lot cheaper than £360 so at £550 your still going to earn a decent days wage IMO.

 

[telectrix]

got a mate assisting (my son), so reckon to do it all in 6 hours. leaves an hour in the pub after. 45 mins. drive each way so that's a 9 hour day for me.

 

[Leesparkykent]

got a mate assisting (my son), so reckon to do it all in 6 hours. leaves an hour in the pub after. 45 mins. drive each way so that's a 9 hour day for me.

I take it it's not flat plate

 

[7029 dave]

1 day labour £220-£240 plus parts at £360 so £580-£600. Realistically your going to get that material a lot cheaper than £360 so at £550 your still going to earn a decent days wage IMO.

Is that what a days rate is.? Did not think anyone gets more than £200 tops these days.

 

[GMES]

Is that what a days rate is.? Did not think anyone gets more than £200 tops these days.

A window cleaner could earn 200 a day, not worth it as an Electrician Dave, you need to be 300 a day to make it pay. jmo

 

[Leesparkykent]

Is that what a days rate is.? Did not think anyone gets more than £200 tops these days.

I normally work it out on around £240 a day for a sparks + materials + mark up on labour and materials of around 10%-20% depending on the type of materials.

 

[sparksburnout]

Sounds like a crap job to me, are you short of work? I bet you don't get it all done in a day, all you need is a few of those 15 swap outs to go south, short or otherwise poor cables, other stuff that a proper spark can't help but having to sort, grommets missing etc, plus any cosmetic damage that might need sorting, along with back boxes that might need re-fixing or tapping. I reckon you need 2 days, could be 2 long days at that, plus how much are you paying your "mate". Then there is the testing for the MW cert, making sure everything disconnected for testing, IR tests always take quite a while, checking for appliances plugged in, boilers, etc etc. I'd stick to nice little CU changes............

 

[7029 dave]

Yeah I am out of touch these days, when I was on my own in the 80's, £100 a day, sometimes more.But it was more like 10hrs with my old mentor. My own work £25 per socket, Lighting circuits were fixed price depending on what was involved.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I would ---- that lot easily in under a day.

 

[7029 dave]

I would **** that lot easily in under a day.

Some people are just plodders Lee, quick fast that's life, you and I know you have to get moving.

 

[sparksburnout]

I would **** that lot easily in under a day.

What do you class as a "day"?

 

[7029 dave]

What do you class as a "day"?

8hrs

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yeah 8hrs on site.

 

[sparksburnout]

Mmmm leave home 7am, M25/southern driving conditions arrive site 8am hopefully. Have a natter with customer, get started 8:15. coffee break 10:30-11:00. Lunch 12:30-13:15. Afternoon tea 15:00-15-20. Leave site in order to get back home on M25 for reasonable time 16:30. That's 6 hr 40 mins so need to add 1hr 20 mins overtime at time plus a half.

 

[7029 dave]

Mmmm leave home 7am, M25/southern driving conditions arrive site 8am hopefully. Have a natter with customer, get started 8:15. coffee break 10:30-11:00. Lunch 12:30-13:15. Afternoon tea 15:00-15-20. Leave site in order to get back home on M25 for reasonable time 16:30. That's 6 hr 40 mins so need to add 1hr 20 mins overtime at time plus a half.

Ha Ha, my answer= YOU CRACK ON.! iF YOU ARE CHARGING £240 A DAY

 

[sparksburnout]

Tel will never get it done in a day he'll spend half of it looking for his glasses.

 

[7029 dave]

Tel will never get it done in a day he'll spend half of it looking for his glasses.

Seriously, I can't work the speeds I did when in me 20's and late 30's.So of course he will be slower, It would kill me now.lol At 52 its still in my head but no way could I turn it out now.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Mmmm leave home 7am, M25/southern driving conditions arrive site 8am hopefully. Have a natter with customer, get started 8:15. coffee break 10:30-11:00. Lunch 12:30-13:15. Afternoon tea 15:00-15-20. Leave site in order to get back home on M25 for reasonable time 16:30. That's 6 hr 40 mins so need to add 1hr 20 mins overtime at time plus a half.

I don't have nearly two hours of breaks in a day.....That would be a luxury! Onsite 7.40, break 15 mins at 10.30, lunch 13.30-1400. pack up 16.30. This is what my lads get.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Price seems fair to me

 

[telectrix]

Mmmm leave home 7am, M25/southern driving conditions arrive site 8am hopefully. Have a natter with customer, get started 8:15. coffee break 10:30-11:00. Lunch 12:30-13:15. Afternoon tea 15:00-15-20. Leave site in order to get back home on M25 for reasonable time 16:30. That's 6 hr 40 mins so need to add 1hr 20 mins overtime at time plus a half.

I'm sticking my neck out here, but I;m going to forecast the time schedule. then I will honestly let everyone know how close I was after.

set out 9.00am, pick up mate 9.45am. arrive on site 10.00am. crack on, none of these breaks, they;re for wimps, expect to be testing and filling out MWC by 4.00pm latest.. ordering pints at 4.30. only concern that may cause problems is cpc's in dry line boxes if they've been cut short.

 

[sparksburnout]

I don't have nearly two hours of breaks in a day.....That would be a luxury! Onsite 7.40, break 15 mins at 10.30, lunch 13.30-1400. pack up 16.30. This is what my lads get.

On site 07:40? Corks that's usually when missus has brought in the tea and dog is jumping into bed for a cuddle....

 

[Leesparkykent]

I'm sticking my neck out here, but I;m going to forecast the time schedule. then I will honestly let everyone know how close I was after.

set out 9.00am, pick up mate 9.45am. arrive on site 10.00am. crack on, none of these breaks, they;re for wimps, expect to be testing and filling out MWC by 4.00pm latest.. ordering pints at 4.30. only concern that may cause problems is cpc's in dry line boxes if they've been cut short.

Nothing a splice line connector wont sort out

 

[sparksburnout]

I'm sticking my neck out here, but I;m going to forecast the time schedule. then I will honestly let everyone know how close I was after.

set out 9.00am, pick up mate 9.45am. arrive on site 10.00am. crack on, none of these breaks, they;re for wimps, expect to be testing and filling out MWC by 4.00pm latest.. ordering pints at 4.30. only concern that may cause problems is cpc's in dry line boxes if they've been cut short.

Haha. Listen forget this electrical ---- in the middle. Pick up mate 9:45, go to Wetherspoons for a breakfast and a couple of liveners. Then have a bit of a walk around and make a start on the lunchtime session about 12 ish, chat about old times, get a bag of chips (no fish on your pension) to soak all the ale up before having the final few pints and winding up about 3 ish ready for a kip and a shower before missus Tel has tea ready for 5 ish, job done.

 

[7029 dave]

Mmmm leave home 7am, M25/southern driving conditions arrive site 8am hopefully. Have a natter with customer, get started 8:15. coffee break 10:30-11:00. Lunch 12:30-13:15. Afternoon tea 15:00-15-20. Leave site in order to get back home on M25 for reasonable time 16:30. That's 6 hr 40 mins so need to add 1hr 20 mins overtime at time plus a half.

You make a good meter fixer Burnout, it is one big holiday,

 

[telectrix]

Haha. Listen forget this electrical **** in the middle. Pick up mate 9:45, go to Wetherspoons for a breakfast and a couple of liveners. Then have a bit of a walk around and make a start on the lunchtime session about 12 ish, chat about old times, get a bag of chips (no fish on your pension) to soak all the ale up before having the final few pints and winding up about 3 ish ready for a kip and a shower before missus Tel has tea ready for 5 ish, job done.

if only. and fish is a big no no. i want to vomit if i pass a fishmongers on the street.

 

[KennyKen]

At least your being proactive. Waiting 4 hours for a Hot works/confined space Permit can be tedious. Filling out Take Fives after every Task. Varification Dossiers!! Oil and Gas Plants a bloody nightmare

 

[David M]

I don't have nearly two hours of breaks in a day.....That would be a luxury! Onsite 7.40, break 15 mins at 10.30, lunch 13.30-1400. pack up 16.30. This is what my lads get.

And that is generous!
My day normal is - 7:30 onsite, 1 ten minute break, collect up and leave site 4:30. That is what we consider a normal day and we consider that a luxury.

 

[David M]

A window cleaner could earn 200 a day, not worth it as an Electrician Dave, you need to be 300 a day to make it pay. jmo

Not round this neck of the woods! Most self-employed electricians I know charge around £150 per day + £60 per day for a mate.

 

[GMES]

That's shocking mate. It's a race to the bottom

 

[telectrix]

£150 a day is about right for subbing, but not a sensible rate when you're quoting, ordering and fetching materials, etc. £200 a day as an absolute minimum for direct with customers.

 

[Midwest]

Ditto above. Most trades around where I live, would look to earn £200-250 a day. The window cleaner from around the corner, got a Porche Boxer and his wife drives Porsche Cayenne. Still he does use the Pure Deionised Water system

 

[sparksburnout]

Ditto above. Most trades around where I live, would look to earn £200-250 a day. The window cleaner from around the corner, got a Porche Boxer and his wife drives Porsche Cayenne. Still he does use the Pure Deionised Water system

Well, I know a bloke round here who is on the bins, and his missus works in Aldi on the till. He has got a Maserati and shes got a Range Rover Vogue, so there.
dave, post: 1216040, member: 75140"]You make a good meter fixer Burnout, it is on[/QUOTE]

 

[Midwest]

Well, I know a bloke round here who is on the bins, and his missus works in Aldi on the till. He has got a Maserati and shes got a Range Rover Vogue, so there.
dave, post: 1216040, member: 75140"]You make a good meter fixer Burnout, it is on

[/QUOTE]
Makes me wonder where I went wrong, I always wanted a Lamborghini Veneno, but I guess a Ford Focus is more practicable.

 

[sparksburnout]

Makes me wonder where I went wrong, I always wanted a Lamborghini Veneno, but I guess a Ford Focus is more practicable. [/QUOTE]
Probably reflects the type of guy you are better I would guess. Honestly though, I think these rates for a window cleaner are a bit far fetched. I have always done most things for myself, but I do delegate the task to Mrs Burnout. Personally I wouldn't pay more than £10 to have my windows given a "quick once-over". Having said that I have never had anyone call round and ask if I am interested, maybe it's a better option. No certs, no stress, bit cold in January though.

 

[Dan]

OK. priced at £600 all in with MWC for outside sockets. replied to customer's text and offered price dicsount to £550 to match competitor's quote. ( i know he would use LAP ). customer text back accepting £550. so all's well.

Can't stand doing business by text and whatsapp and messenger and stuff!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I made that 32 seperate switches/sockets to change.
If we say 15 mins per item that's 7.5hrs and that's assuming the metal box lug holes don't need re-threading, the switches don't need a Stanley knife around the edges to stop the paint work coming off, all the conductor's are long enough to make it a swift change, all conductor's already have correct sleeving and no metal back boxes need a grommet put it (because it's missing)!

Then.. 2 IP sockets, let's say 1 hour each. That's assuming its a not a bumpy Cotswold stone wall on the outside and you have to gently chisel a little away to make it flat.. can't think of any others on that one apart from the sleeving, grommets and re-threading again!

Plus it depends on no owners dogs coming up and trying to lick you, no children coming up and watching you, no clients talking to you and the clients not telling you to wait 10 mins whilst they shut down there computer before you turn the sockets off!

ABSOLUTE minimum of 9.5 hours for me and I reckon it would turn into a 12

So have you done it yet Tel?