# Parking Pole Lights



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

GEORGE D said:


> Been doing some bulb/ballast work on 30' poles lately, having to rent boom lift, $550 for single day. This was best price after shopping around. I started thinking about those towable boom lifts but they're very expensive. Customer hasn't complained about price or anything but was curious what those companies that do primarily this, would charge for a 1000 watt bulb replacement. Any ideas welcome.


 $550 plus your mark up plus your time to pick up the truck and drop it off.

The price of a lamp and ballast plus your mark up plus your time.

So just one lamp can hit $1,000

If more than one fixture then the price per fixture will fall because you are doing it all in one day.

If you have to give a price first then price it as lamps and ballasts for each fixture.


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## CopperSlave (Feb 9, 2012)

GEORGE D said:


> Been doing some bulb/ballast work on 30' poles lately, having to rent boom lift, $550 for single day. This was best price after shopping around. I started thinking about those towable boom lifts but they're very expensive. Customer hasn't complained about price or anything but was curious what those companies that do primarily this, would charge for a 1000 watt bulb replacement. Any ideas welcome.


How many are you able to get done in one day? That will dictate whether or not you are competitive on your price or not.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

$550 a day for the lift rental? You're getting ripped off.... I can get one for $135.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> $550 a day for the lift rental? You're getting ripped off.... I can get one for $135.


He must be renting one of these:


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

GEORGE D said:


> Been doing some bulb/ballast work on 30' poles lately, having to rent boom lift, $550 for single day. This was best price after shopping around. I started thinking about those towable boom lifts but they're very expensive. Customer hasn't complained about price or anything but was curious what those companies that do primarily this, would charge for a 1000 watt bulb replacement. Any ideas welcome.


 
550 USD ? I can find one much lower rates I useally get one one for 175 Euros / day ( if you get in a week the cost per day will drop a bit ) 

Next step is the cost of the lamp and the ballast ( it will be pretty good chance you will end up replace it ) plus the typical mark up cost.

If you only do one luminaire it will get pretty expensive for your customer. ( it can be justifed if have a short or someone eff'ed the post ) but if do the whole lot luminaries the price will drop by huge number.

Merci.
Marc


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

480sparky said:


> $550 a day for the lift rental? You're getting ripped off.... I can get one for $135.


Wow, I've even shoped around. It's an electronic 30' boom lift. That price includes delivery. Usually customer calls when at least 2 are out. Trying to find a cheaper solution before he discovers some other outfit who's got the equipment and can do it at a much lower price. What do you guys think about those towable boom lifts? For about $12,000 you can get a nice one and try to pick up more accounts/contracts to do this kind of cake work.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

GEORGE D said:


> Wow, I've even shoped around. It's an electronic 30' boom lift. That price includes delivery. Usually customer calls when at least 2 are out. Trying to find a cheaper solution before he discovers some other outfit who's got the equipment and can do it at a much lower price. What do you guys think about those towable boom lifts? For about $12,000 you can get a nice one and try to pick up more accounts/contracts to do this kind of cake work.


Towable ones are nice in a pinch but they'll really slow you down if you have more than one high thing to work on. Hitch it up, drive it in place, detach from vehicle, set up outriggers, do work, retract everything, hook back up to vehicle, drive it to next spot, set it all up again.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> Towable ones are nice in a pinch but they'll really slow you down if you have more than one high thing to work on. Hitch it up, drive it in place, detach from vehicle, set up outriggers, do work, retract everything, hook back up to vehicle, drive it to next spot, set it all up again.



Why unhitch?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Why unhitch?


The tow-behind I use self-levels with the outriggers. If I'm on a mild slope it can potentially try to pick my van up :laughing:


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

I sub mine out to a sign company that only charges me $85.00 per hour. I don't make a killing, but it seems to work out OK.

Someone here once suggested to set aside a week each month, or other month, to rent a boom and do nothing but pole lights. Sounds like a pretty good idea if your customers are willing to wait a bit.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> The tow-behind I use self-levels with the outriggers. If I'm on a mild slope it can potentially try to pick my van up :laughing:


And that's a problem, how?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> And that's a problem, how?


Well I don't know, why don't you enlighten me instead of beating around the bush like you do?

Maybe I don't want the hitch to fail and have the van fall off. Maybe because the lift instructions explicitly state "unhitch from vehicle before using." Maybe because if the van's parking brake failed the van would roll away with me still being towed behind it. Lots of reasons.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

erics37 said:


> Well I don't know, why don't you enlighten me instead of beating around the bush like you do?
> 
> Maybe I don't want the hitch to fail and have the van fall off. Maybe because the lift instructions explicitly state "unhitch from vehicle before using." Maybe because if the van's parking brake failed the van would roll away with *me still being towed behind it. * Lots of reasons.


but you would have a great view!:laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> Well I don't know, why don't you enlighten me instead of beating around the bush like you do?
> 
> Maybe I don't want the hitch to fail and have the van fall off. Maybe because the lift instructions explicitly state "unhitch from vehicle before using." Maybe because if the van's parking brake failed the van would roll away with me still being towed behind it. Lots of reasons.



How steep are your parking lots.......40% grades? :001_huh:

All of the lots I ever am in are so level I never bother to unhitch in the first place. I don't see how the hitch can fail when you are simply applying less weight to it. Most of the time, I'd say the lift is not _pulling up _on the hitch, it's just _applying less hitch weight._ As for 'pulling up', that happens when you're going down the road all the time, and I'll wager you don't worry about it then.

And when was the last time your parking brake failed? :no: Seriously!


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> How steep are your parking lots.......40% grades? :001_huh:
> 
> All of the lots I ever am in are so level I never bother to unhitch in the first place. I don't see how the hitch can fail when you are simply applying less weight to it. Most of the time, I'd say the lift is not _pulling up _on the hitch, it's just _applying less hitch weight._ As for 'pulling up', that happens when you're going down the road all the time, and I'll wager you don't worry about it then.
> 
> And when was the last time your parking brake failed? :no: Seriously!


"Applying less hitch weight?" If the lift picks up the ass end of the van, it's applying negative hitch weight, so to speak. I won't argue that the most likely outcome is that nothing will happen, but if the boom lift says in big letters "UNHITCH FROM VEHICLE," and I'm going to be 30 feet in the air with it, then I'm going to unhitch it from the vehicle.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Furthermore, I doubt that the hydraulic outriggers are designed to pick and hold up the lift AND the back half of a vehicle.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> ....... but if the boom lift says in big letters "UNHITCH FROM VEHICLE," .........


CYA instructions from the manufacturer.


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## Elec-Tech (Oct 10, 2009)

erics37 said:


> he must be renting one of these:


 lmao!!!


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## ce2two (Oct 4, 2008)

Elec-Tech said:


> lmao!!!


They forgot the building had an elevator which holds say up to 10 people at a time


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

You can pay me 550 a day, and I'll even come do the work for you. :laughing::laughing:


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## LightsOn81 (Jan 6, 2012)

I might be a little late in saying this but a lot of lifts with outriggers and other stabilizers won't operate unless it's internal gyro is level.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

erics37 said:


> "Applying less hitch weight?" If the lift picks up the ass end of the van, it's applying negative hitch weight, so to speak. I won't argue that the most likely outcome is that nothing will happen, but if the boom lift says in big letters "UNHITCH FROM VEHICLE," and I'm going to be 30 feet in the air with it, then I'm going to unhitch it from the vehicle.





erics37 said:


> Furthermore, I doubt that the hydraulic outriggers are designed to pick and hold up the lift AND the back half of a vehicle.


I agree with you 100% and will add nothing screams trunk slammer more than a cheesy tow behind lift.

Of course that last part is just my opinion.:thumbsup:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

We sub our pole work out and charge a very nice margin on top of it. If I need to rent a lift, its under $200 per day delivered to, and picked up from the site.


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

While every market differs ...

I'm renting boom lifts for about $200/day, plus another $100 (more or less) in pick-up / delivery fees.

If the lot is dead flat, I can rent a scissor lift, and a trailer to tow it in, for about $180/day.

Or, I can go to Home Depot, of all places, and rent a towable boom for about $130/day.

I try to plan my jobs so as to use that lift as much as possible, even among several customers. I'll even try to pick one up on Friday evening, for first-thing Monday return- giving me a full weekend of work for a single day's rental.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

GEORGE D said:


> Been doing some bulb/ballast work on 30' poles lately, having to rent boom lift, $550 for single day. This was best price after shopping around. I started thinking about those towable boom lifts but they're very expensive. Customer hasn't complained about price or anything but was curious what those companies that do primarily this, would charge for a 1000 watt bulb replacement. Any ideas welcome.


Your question is confusing. Your are talking about the cost of a lift/boom...and then wondering what a lamp would cost.


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> Your question is confusing. Your are talking about the cost of a lift/boom...and then wondering what a lamp would cost.


Good point, it was confusing looking at it now. Basically was looking for an alternative to having to pay $500+ dollars just to change a couple bulbs. Although its customer who pays it, I can't imagine how long this will go on before someone is smart enough to call a company who does this daily ( owns equipment etc). I'm gonna do what someone else said and try to get pricing to possibly sub it out. That might work out better for me and customer.


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