# what to charge for an hourly rate?



## Tom Neighbarger (Feb 5, 2010)

I'm a new electrical contractor in so. california. I'm looking to find out what a competitive hourly rate is.... For service calls and also labor per man per hour, for bidding jobs.. thank you


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## robnj772 (Jan 15, 2008)

Here we go again


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Welcome to the forum. What rate sounds good to you?


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Welcome here :thumbsup:

Charge what ever rate the market will allow.

If you lose work, your too high.

If you get work, ask the customer what prices they got *after* your job is completed


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

Your hourly rate should be based on your operating cost and how much you wish to earn in one year. There is a formula that figures estimated billable hours in a year and desired income, it has been discussed on many threads, do a forum search and let us know if you find what you are looking for.


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## EBFD6 (Aug 17, 2008)

$23.50 :blink:


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

Since your name and company name don't exactly match up with anything from CSLB, I am going to assume you are unlicensed. With that being the case, you'll get tons of work advertising for $25 an hour on craigslist. After all, you have no overhead, right?


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

EBFD6 said:


> $23.50 :blink:


 X3 maybe.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

knowshorts said:


> Since your name and company name don't exactly match up with anything from CSLB, I am going to assume you are unlicensed. With that being the case, you'll get tons of work advertising for $25 an hour on craigslist. After all, you have no overhead, right?


 You mean we dealing with a hack?:laughing:


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## robnj772 (Jan 15, 2008)

knowshorts said:


> Since your name and company name don't exactly match up with anything from CSLB, I am going to assume you are unlicensed. With that being the case, you'll get tons of work advertising for $25 an hour on craigslist. After all, you have no overhead, right?


Hey atleast give the guy a little slack,maybe he just got it and the state hasn't updated their website yet. I know NJ takes awhile before your listed on there.

Why don't you just tell him what your charge,then he can charge less then you and cut your throat......:laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

$425.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

robnj772 said:


> Why don't you just tell him what your charge,then he can charge less then you and cut your throat......:laughing:


Now that is a team player.:clap::clap::clap:


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

480sparky said:


> $425.


You should make it $480.


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## Tom Neighbarger (Feb 5, 2010)

yes our company is licensed, we are also a lighting distributor, so if anyone needs to check up on us to see if we are in fact legit go to www.ultimateilluminations.com. thanks to those who actually posted something useful. Your not dealing with a hack... we are not some craigslist labor hand, I take pride in doing good work and learning as much as possible. I figured some members on this site would have some valuable knowledge to help me out.


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

robnj772 said:


> Hey atleast give the guy a little slack,maybe he just got it and the state hasn't updated their website yet. I know NJ takes awhile before your listed on there.


You're right, I made the mistake of assuming the OP was a contractor. He is actually a Super with a residential certification, who can only legally work residential. What troubles me is the fact that according to their website, "Our employees are N.E.C. certified.", yet they carry no workman's comp??? Then on another page of their website, they state "Our electricians are Certified and/or under certified supervision", which is in violation of state law. Their website also states that they have competitive rates, and they have done large projects like parking lot structures, custom homes, track homes, apartments, care facilities and military bases. Yet he's going with the old "what's the going rate"?



robnj772 said:


> Why don't you just tell him what your charge,then he can charge less then you and cut your throat......:laughing:


Hell no, the ole' lady doesn't even know what I charge.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Oh a new guy from CA. You wouldnt even believe what I charge. I came to that number by adding up all the costs then adding in profit. Good luck.

~Matt


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> You wouldnt even believe what I charge. I came to that number by adding up all the costs then adding in profit. Good luck.
> 
> ~Matt


How the hell did you figure that out, Obi One?


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## Tom Neighbarger (Feb 5, 2010)

knowshorts is right... our website is currently under construction, we made the mistake of having a friend build it for us. we didn't oversee what was being put on the page, my mistake. the parking structures, care facilities, etc was done on the lighting side of the company. once again thanks to those who posted. even you knowshorts, criticism is the best teacher...and soon the student becomes the master..


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

Tom,

Check your PM.


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> knowshorts is right... our website is currently under construction, we made the mistake of having a friend build it for us. we didn't oversee what was being put on the page, my mistake. the parking structures, care facilities, etc was done on the lighting side of the company. once again thanks to those who posted. even you knowshorts, criticism is the best teacher...*and soon the student becomes the master*..


 
So you ARE going to hire knowshorts after all. I hope you two can get along alright. :thumbsup:


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

Grimlock said:


> So you ARE going to hire knowshorts after all. I hope you two can get along alright. :thumbsup:


Yup, after my PM, he's sending me a check for $22.50 for my hour of time. After all, that's the going rate for my expertise. Couldn't resist.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

knowshorts said:


> How the hell did you figure that out, Obi One?


Dont be ********.

~Matt


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

knowshorts said:


> Yup, after my PM, he's sending me a check for $22.50 for my hour of time. After all, that's the going rate for my expertise. Couldn't resist.


Dang, that’s highway robbery, how can you sleep at night charging rates like that!  I usually just ask for a glass of water and maybe some smidgens of bread if they have any...


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Grimlock said:


> Dang, that’s highway robbery, how can you sleep at night charging rates like that!  I usually just ask for a glass of water and maybe some smidgens of bread if they have any...


 :laughing: Do you ask for a full glass or just 1/2?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> knowshorts is right... our website is currently under construction, we made the mistake of having a friend build it for us. we didn't oversee what was being put on the page, my mistake. the parking structures, care facilities, etc was done on the lighting side of the company. once again thanks to those who posted. even you knowshorts, criticism is the best teacher...and soon the student becomes the master..


Wait, wait, wait. This my first post to you...I wasn't being snotty like some people. Can you get me some cheap lights?:thumbup:


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

william1978 said:


> :laughing: Do you ask for a full glass or just 1/2?


 
I like to be positive and ask for mine half empty. :thumbsup:


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> I'm a new electrical contractor in so. california. I'm looking to find out what a competitive hourly rate is.... For service calls and also labor per man per hour, for bidding jobs.. thank you


Your age times 2, that way as you get older you make more. :whistling2:

It works for me.:thumbsup:


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## Tom Neighbarger (Feb 5, 2010)

wow! 1 question spawned comedy hour..:laughing: Its a 2 drink min. just send me the money then i'll send you the drinks..


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

Tom, the simple fact of the matter is that you and only you can determine what to charge. You need to add up all of your over-head plus profit and then divide that by how many billable hours in a year and then you have your "hourly" number. I have asked the question also, it really doesn't matter what others are charging, you have x amount of dollars that YOU need to make-it's that simple.


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Cool, I been waiting like almost 3 days for one of these "what do I charge" threads :thumbsup:

Let me be the first to toss the Steak or Hot dog line -

Decide if you want to eat steak or hot dogs and then charge accordingly


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Tony likes this....


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> wow! 1 question spawned comedy hour..:laughing: Its a 2 drink min. just send me the money then i'll send you the drinks..


 Well..................Welcome to the forum.


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## 184 (Mar 9, 2008)

Northern Ca $100.00 per


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## heavysparky (Jun 2, 2009)

easy answer. Do you want to work 90+ hours a week and still be broke, and behind on bills.
Do you want to work 40 hours a week and have money in the bank and be ahead on bills. 

You decide


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## Mountain Electrician (Jan 22, 2007)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> I'm a new electrical contractor in so. california. I'm looking to find out what a competitive hourly rate is.... For service calls and also labor per man per hour, for bidding jobs.. thank you


Try this:
http://www.masterplumbers.com/utilities/costcalc/

It's for plumbers, but works for electricians too. :thumbsup:


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## AFOREMA1 (Nov 23, 2009)

Tom Neighbarger said:


> yes our company is licensed, we are also a lighting distributor, so if anyone needs to check up on us to see if we are in fact legit go to www.ultimateilluminations.com. thanks to those who actually posted something useful. Your not dealing with a hack... we are not some craigslist labor hand, I take pride in doing good work and learning as much as possible. I figured some members on this site would have some valuable knowledge to help me out.


hey Tom on your website it says something about a ruff-in phase is that anything like a rough-in or is that more dog related?:whistling2:


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Somebody on one of these sites said a few years ago that he charges per hour whatever it costs to fill up the tank in his work van. For me, that's usually right around $75.00, but near $100 when gas goes over $3.00 per gallon. It's not rocket science but those numbers believe it or not work for my business. They might not work for yours though and that's why you need to figure it out for yourself.


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