# My price is too high.....really?



## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Went to look at a job today for a gc who's finishing roughly a 500 sq ft unfinished basement. Open ceiling and walls, 6 cans, receps ( using existing arc fault). Also he's adding a divider wall to adjacent room, turning one side into bedroom and other just open hallway. Bedroom needs smoke plus relocating existing light to center now, which wil be for fan and couple receps on new wall. Also seperate 2 of 4 cans which were initially part of this single room that are on 3 way. I priced $1,200, he responds with I'm around 400$ too high, Whats your thoughts?


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## B W E (May 1, 2011)

GEORGE D said:


> Went to look at a job today for a gc who's finishing roughly a 500 sq ft unfinished basement. Open ceiling and walls, 6 cans, receps ( using existing arc fault). Also he's adding a divider wall to adjacent room, turning one side into bedroom and other just open hallway. Bedroom needs smoke plus relocating existing light to center now, which wil be for fan and couple receps on new wall. Also seperate 2 of 4 cans which were initially part of this single room that are on 3 way. I priced $1,200, he responds with I'm around 400$ too high, Whats your thoughts?


I think $1200 is about $400 too low. Easy work, sure, but not for pennies.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

GEORGE D said:


> Went to look at a job today for a gc who's finishing roughly a 500 sq ft unfinished basement. Open ceiling and walls, 6 cans, receps ( using existing arc fault). Also he's adding a divider wall to adjacent room, turning one side into bedroom and other just open hallway. Bedroom needs smoke plus relocating existing light to center now, which wil be for fan and couple receps on new wall. Also seperate 2 of 4 cans which were initially part of this single room that are on 3 way. I priced $1,200, he responds with I'm around 400$ too high, Whats your thoughts?


I just went through that.. $400.00 too high.. I refused to lower my price,, lost the job..

Once you bend and lower your price that account is permanently ruined..

Every job you price will be too high and he will expect you to come down..

Not worth the BS.. pay me what I want or find someone else..


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks guys, that's what I told him, I said I can't afford to go any lower, as stated a thousand times on here, we have to make a profit you know.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

GEORGE D said:


> Thanks guys, that's what I told him, I said I can't afford to go any lower, as stated a thousand times on here, we have to make a profit you know.


Profit is not a dirty word!


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## Nosparxsse (Aug 12, 2007)

I agree. "profit" is what we are all in it for.


although,.....watching the news channels this evening it seems "profit" is a BAD WORD.


it that is your price, THAT IS YOUR PRICE. If the customer doesn't like it, move on to the next one.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

$4.00 for a gallon of gas is too high. Have the guy get Big Oil to lower their prices too.


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## B W E (May 1, 2011)

480sparky said:


> $4.00 for a gallon of gas is too high. Have the guy get Big Oil to lower their prices too.


It's only $4.00 there????


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

B W E said:


> It's only $4.00 there????


$3.77 a gallon..


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Chris1971 said:


> $3.77 a gallon..


$3.95 today.. $100.00 and 3/4 full..


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

B4T said:


> $3.95 today.. $100.00 and 3/4 full..


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## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

$3.72/ gallon unleaded


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## SVT CAMR (Apr 17, 2012)

4.24 for 87 octane best price around here.

Filled up the mustang and was looking at 4.45 for 93 octane


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Get used to it, find cheaper methods and material to flip a profit. Theres 50 ECs to 1 job.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Spark Master said:


> He's a democrat. Wants everything for nothing. with their hands out waiting for their entitlement.
> I only work for republican customers.


Yeah that's the ticket....:thumbup:


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> Get used to it, find cheaper methods and material to flip a profit. Theres 50 ECs to 1 job.


There's unfortunate truth to that statement but I haven't gotten that desperate yet. Things have been going my way for the most part lately, so I'll let someone else pick those up for now.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

B W E said:


> It's only $4.00 there????


$3.82 here.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

GEORGE D said:


> Went to look at a job today for a gc who's finishing roughly a 500 sq ft unfinished basement. Open ceiling and walls, 6 cans, receps ( using existing arc fault). Also he's adding a divider wall to adjacent room, turning one side into bedroom and other just open hallway. Bedroom needs smoke plus relocating existing light to center now, which wil be for fan and couple receps on new wall. Also seperate 2 of 4 cans which were initially part of this single room that are on 3 way. I priced $1,200, he responds with I'm around 400$ too high, Whats your thoughts?


6 cans w/basic white baffle & element @ $200 per = $1200 _alone_ for a proposal from me George

but that's not the point, the real issue is how is it _relative_ to the competition bidding

the local contingent here always trades notes, but i am from a smaller pond where this is easier to achieve, not sure if that works on your end of the universe....

~CS~


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## mnelectrician (Dec 1, 2008)

Tell him to go to Home Depot and pick up some romex and can lights and do it himself. Lol


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

well we have to entertain the HD crowd all the time

we can't beat their $$$'s, and i'll openly tell customers this

we'll install it, but not stand behind it

~CS~


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## FCR1988 (Jul 10, 2011)

chicken steve said:


> 6 cans w/basic white baffle & element @ $200 per = $1200 _alone_ for a proposal from me George
> 
> but that's not the point, the real issue is how is it _relative_ to the competition bidding
> 
> ...


What type of cans do you use?


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

FCR1988 said:


> What type of cans do you use?


 
depends on the construction FCR, for instance i'm finding a lot of spray foam jobs here....

i mostly like the larger obtrusive cans that have the square outter barrier to be best for captive heat>









the IC / non IC _(just scratch off the label & it morphs)_ cans do not impress me

further, i will dictate the trims, & elements

fancy trims alone can run $200, which would be an extra

~CS~


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## mrmike (Dec 10, 2010)

Spark Master said:


> He's a democrat. Wants everything for nothing. with their hands out waiting for their entitlement.
> I only work for republican customers.


 
This is the most absurb response I have ever seen on here & sholuld have been deleted by the moderators...............................


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

partisanship is always absurd MrMike...

~CS~


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## Hippie (May 12, 2011)

B W E said:


> I think $1200 is about $400 too low. Easy work, sure, but not for pennies.


Sounds about right. It sucks that people will do it for $800, minus material, at least 2 trips out there, overhead,etc and you're left with nothing.

I've given what I thought were very reasonable prices (with the intention of getting the work, not making tons of $$) on several jobs lately and still been too high. Its a real bummer.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

GEORGE D said:


> There's unfortunate truth to that statement but I haven't gotten that desperate yet. Things have been going my way for the most part lately, so I'll let someone else pick those up for now.


I had to lower my standards when the general customer field wanted lower prices. Drilling angles, pipe and multiple mwbcs over mc, knock off hihats and fixtures. maxing out and combining circuits, AL conductors wherever possible( I live in a copper culture out here). Cheapest panels I can find, etc. And work fast, without detail to workmanship. Q & D (quick and dirty) to flip a profit.

But yet $1200 is well reasonable in pricing for what you estimated, I couldn't really come much lower than that unless it's a one trip job installing the devices during rough and leaving them the trims and plates to install for themselves.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

mrmike said:


> This is the most absurb response I have ever seen on here & sholuld have been deleted by the moderators...............................


I thought it was pretty cool...


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Shockdoc said:


> unless it's a one trip job installing the devices during rough and leaving them the trims and plates to install for themselves.


actually, i could be wrong but, i don't believe i've heard much in the way specifically stating that _can't_ be done Doc.....~CS~


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> actually, i could be wrong but, i don't believe i've heard much in the way specifically stating that _can't_ be done Doc.....~CS~


I've done that plenty of times to sell lower price of small jobs that really aint worth the return trip. I've done whole basements like that in a half of day leaving the trims, plates , to be finished . It seems to turn a better profit than having to come back.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

i've done it myself Doc, but usually due to not wishing to leave the job in the dark

the state of VT claims 5 days notice /inspection

i claim it gets energized , and/or closed up if they can't keep to their own rules

lately i'll just spark it up, knowing they can't

~CS~


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Guy called me today wanting hihats but wants to supply them, sorry, I can't work that way but I can supply you with builder grade incadescant hi hats for $85 ea. Too much. Have a nice day.


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## 19kilosparky984 (Sep 14, 2011)

mrmike said:


> This is the most absurb response I have ever seen on here & sholuld have been deleted by the moderators...............................


I guess you don't read your own responses then because just about every one from you has been beyond absurd 

PS Use spell check


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

HARRY304E said:


> I thought it was pretty cool...


ahahaha! yeah they're too poor, waiting for their gov't handout.:laughing:


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

You're too low to begin with. Walk away. This is one customer you can do without. Just looking at this job, I would quote $2000.00.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Shockdoc said:


> Guy called me today wanting hihats but wants to supply them, sorry, I can't work that way but I can supply you with builder grade incadescant hi hats for $85 ea. Too much. Have a nice day.


Unless your completely booked for the next 4 weeks, that is a pretty stupid way of handling that. The guy called wanting to give you his money, and it might of been a cash job.


WTF were you thinking?


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Dnkldorf said:


> Unless your completely booked for the next 4 weeks, that is a pretty stupid way of handling that. The guy called wanting to give you his money, and it might of been a cash job.
> 
> 
> WTF were you thinking?


By the time I drive out there(40miles), start working, take some pride in what I'm doing, use some stuff from my truck to get it done right, and walk away it cost me money . I still got enough pride left not to give some HO free work by working $400 a day. I just bought a new Makita hole hawg to replace mine that was stolen, Cost me nearly $500 and it's not the Milawaukee which I originally had. The days I was moonlighting to build my business I would have catered to him, now I have the constant expense to keep what I started so working at those rates does not interest me. I have enough respectable work to keep things rolling, might not be living like a king, but I'm living.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Shockdoc said:


> By the time I drive out there(40miles), start working, take some pride in what I'm doing, use some stuff from my truck to get it done right, and walk away it cost me money . I still got enough pride left not to give some HO free work by working $400 a day. I just bought a new Makita hole hawg to replace mine that was stolen, Cost me nearly $500 and it's not the Milawaukee which I originally had. The days I was moonlighting to build my business I would have catered to him, now I have the constant expense to keep what I started so working at those rates does not interest me. I have enough respectable work to keep things rolling, might not be living like a king, but I'm living.



8*85=$680 cash. Throw in some dimmers you have on the truck, and check other things out, you feasibly could of walked away with a grand cash for the day.


You're lazy.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Dnkldorf said:


> 8*85=$680 cash. Throw in some dimmers you have on the truck, and check other things out, you feasibly could of walked away with a grand cash for the day.
> 
> You're lazy.


I would have gladly drove out there for a free estimate if $85 a hihat was within his reason. My over the phone response was thats"way too expensive"from him. Some people want that bargain , they want to shop the material at HD and expect a pro to install it for $400. I don't want to be bothered with them anymore, they simply become an annoyance.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Dnkldorf said:


> Unless your completely booked for the next 4 weeks, that is a pretty stupid way of handling that. The guy called wanting to give you his money, and it might of been a cash job.
> 
> 
> WTF were you thinking?


Jobs where the customer supplies standard recessed lighting fixtures never work out..

The guy is cheap.. nothing wrong with that.. but I'm out to make money.. not new friends..

What ever price Doc told him it would be too much.. _"I don't understand why so much.. 250' of wire cost $70.00"_ 

Who needs to hear that kind of crap.. :no::no:


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## Mike D (Sep 16, 2008)

My ballpark price from the op's list was 1400. I always firm the price after a site visit.


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Mike D said:


> My ballpark price from the op's list was 1400. I always firm the price after a site visit.


You know, I never mentioned ( mainly to avoid the deserved criticism) that the initial price I gave was $1400. After his response is when I told him I could not do it for less than $1200. I will note that when I presented $1400, I did mention the word roughly, so there was some play in those numbers. However, looking at it now and hearing other professional opinions, I'm glad to walk away. Some may see it as an easy job or whatever, but the bottom line is to filter these types of customers from your clientele. And as I mentioned before, I may have tried negotiating a bit more if times were tough, but right now I've been fortunate enough to be able to flick these low-profit jobs like a booger. Hopefully the ball keeps rolling.


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

Exactly. Keep focusing on providing quality service to your good customers and you should be able to hold that clientele.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

running dummy said:


> Exactly. Keep focusing on providing quality service to your good customers and you should be able to hold that clientele.


I recently lost a good client cause his new GC only wanted to work with his own electrician. Lost out on a store, apartment and meter sub division


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## mrmike (Dec 10, 2010)

19kilosparky984 said:


> I guess you don't read your own responses then because just about every one from you has been beyond absurd
> 
> PS Use spell check


You don't understand because you are probably one of the followers of the dark side. You probably just go along with the rest of the finger pointers & DON"T think for yourself !!!!!! 
My statements are from my heart of what I have known & seen with an open mind by my eyes & ears & not going by the BS that is Spewed out from followers. 
My responses are thought out of my own mind & not of someone elses "followers" beliefs !!!!


PS...... Look at yourself long & hard !!!!!


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Shockdoc said:


> By the time I drive out there(40miles), start working, take some pride in what I'm doing, use some stuff from my truck to get it done right, and walk away it cost me money . I still got enough pride left not to give some HO free work by working $400 a day. I just bought a new Makita hole hawg to replace mine that was stolen, Cost me nearly $500 and it's not the Milawaukee which I originally had. The days I was moonlighting to build my business I would have catered to him, now I have the constant expense to keep what I started so working at those rates does not interest me. I have enough respectable work to keep things rolling, might not be living like a king, but I'm living.


truer words rarely meet ascii Doc

i just spoke to a fellow sparky today who bowed out due to time constraints,seems i may be next on the chronological delusional & fiscally irresponsible chopping block

i have my $$$, period....contrived crisis, hack CG's, people with fixtuters from Mars, ect...

look, demographics aside, we all talk, we 're all on the same page, we all learn torespond to the public in the same manner.........

~CS~


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## FCR1988 (Jul 10, 2011)

I have a question for you guys, is it typical for ECs to only supply cans / fans? The guy i work for has the GCs / HOs work with some lady at a lighting supply house and she never tells us what type of fixtures they are putting in the house and when trim comes around we're stuck moving a bunch of boxes. And i'm almost certain she makes way more than any of us working.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

FCR1988 said:


> I have a question for you guys, is it typical for ECs to only supply cans / fans? The guy i work for has the GCs / HOs work with some lady at a lighting supply house and she never tells us what type of fixtures they are putting in the house and when trim comes around we're stuck moving a bunch of boxes. And i'm almost certain she makes way more than any of us working.


i usually buy _'internals' _, cans & fans to move the rough

if GC's and/or customers i work do biz with are taken by the enchantment of the lighting ladies , it's a sure bet to slow the job down

although i have worked with lighting engineers , who's knowledge of lighting are second to none, the majority of lighting ladies have simply learned the industry buzz words and are taught to upsell _(which in turn complicates the rough)_

even an upscale residence isn't a stretch for a normal electrician to offer adequate illumination options with all the on line tools and catalogs imho

~CS~


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

FCR1988 said:


> I have a question for you guys, is it typical for ECs to only supply cans / fans? The guy i work for has the GCs / HOs work with some lady at a lighting supply house and she never tells us what type of fixtures they are putting in the house and when trim comes around we're stuck moving a bunch of boxes. And i'm almost certain she makes way more than any of us working.


Sometimes I've had designers supply hihats and lighting, they know what they want.


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## bartstop (Sep 30, 2012)

Spark Master said:


> He's a democrat. Wants everything for nothing. with their hands out waiting for their entitlement.
> I only work for republican customers.


Wow. Just Wow.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

bartstop said:


> Wow. Just Wow.


It is called sarcasm.


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## 19kilosparky984 (Sep 14, 2011)

brian john said:


> It is called sarcasm.


No I call that just being honest.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

19kilosparky984 said:


> No I call that just being honest.











I call BS.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

GEORGE D said:


> Went to look at a job today for a gc who's finishing roughly a 500 sq ft unfinished basement. Open ceiling and walls, 6 cans, receps ( using existing arc fault). Also he's adding a divider wall to adjacent room, turning one side into bedroom and other just open hallway. Bedroom needs smoke plus relocating existing light to center now, which wil be for fan and couple receps on new wall. Also seperate 2 of 4 cans which were initially part of this single room that are on 3 way. I priced $1,200, he responds with I'm around 400$ too high, Whats your thoughts?


Is the GC going to pull a permit for the job?


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

jrannis said:


> Is the GC going to pull a permit for the job?


Whats that got to do with it ?

The OP will still incur standard OH, profit, etc...maybe deduct and hour or two for filing, inspections, etc...but not drop the price by 30%


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## wwilson174 (Apr 25, 2008)

mrmike said:


> This is the most absurb response I have ever seen on here & sholuld have been deleted by the moderators...............................


 
I agree!!


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Celtic said:


> Whats that got to do with it ?
> 
> The OP will still incur standard OH, profit, etc...maybe deduct and hour or two for filing, inspections, etc...but not drop the price by 30%


If he was trying to do it without a permit, the price would be $2,500. Cash up front.


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## B Ray (Oct 15, 2012)

I know different regions are completely different in prices, but that job would cost about $800 in Arkansas , we have a few state inspectors, but NO permits are required in the counties, so basically , everyone knows somebody that owns a wirenut and that makes them an electrician!! 

I had taken a few years off dealing with the illness of my mother, she passed and I've finally gotten back into starting my business back up !! To my surprise, recess cans are $50 per can, trim , lamp and labor , I've seen many houses going for $2.50 per heated foot , I just picked up a contractor , who builds over 100 homes a year , around 1200 SQ FT , I can easily wire that by myself in a day !!! I had just broken material and labor per house , determined I could make $600-800 per day , sounds a lot better than sitting at home worrying about , how to pay the bills !! Hopefully, soon the economy will get better , but for now , the GC are going to make profit from everyone slashing each others throat, I'm doing the houses for the same price as previous EC , so I didn't slash prices to get GC !!


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