# Charging for Weekend/Emergency Calls



## boltelectricsa2017 (Mar 16, 2017)

Our company is getting enough employees to start taking last minute emergency calls and to also place a technician on call on the weekends.

How do you all go about pricing the following:

1. Weekend jobs

2. Last minute scheduling/emergency calls


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## cl2sparky (Jan 3, 2017)

boltelectricsa2017 said:


> Our company is getting enough employees to start taking last minute emergency calls and to also place a technician on call on the weekends.
> 
> How do you all go about pricing the following:
> 
> ...


I take after hours and/or emergency calls as they come in. Our normal hours are 8-4:30. Time and a half after those hours. Weekends are time and a half except holidays, I get double time. 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

Because the EC I worked for serviced commercial kitchen and laundry equipment, their OT rates started noon or 2pm Friday to discourage customers from waiting until Friday to call us. They knew they needed that equipment for the weekend.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

1. Weekends start at noon Friday and are billed at time and a half until 8pm Saturday then it goes to double time until Monday morning. Double time also applies to holidays.

2.Last minute as in calling after noon and expecting same day service is OT rate.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

Anything after 5pm is time and half.

We all rotate with a week of on call Fri afternoon to Fri afternoon.

We get 2 hours OT each for Sat and Sun plus any time spent on any calls. We get 2 hours OT for each holiday you happen to be on call for.

So, say for Christmas week a guy might get 8 hours OT for Sat, Sun, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I think there is a difference between commercial/industrial service and residential service. 

With commercial/industrial there is a "True" immediate need, one that costs the business money and reputation. So. a lot of you that are saying 2 or 4 hour minimums, you are talking commercial/industrial, and you would be correct and justified in that pricing structure. 

That isn't something that I can see working or justifiable in a residential market, hence why there are so many FR proponents (You have to find a way to cover your expenses after all). 

The best one that did 24 hour service I worked for (residential and light commercial) paid me 50% of net on every job I did. So after materials I got half of the job and 100% of our dispatch fee (They only charged dispatch fees on emergency work).


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> I think there is a difference between commercial/industrial service and residential service.
> 
> With commercial/industrial there is a "True" immediate need, one that costs the business money and reputation. So. a lot of you that are saying 2 or 4 hour minimums, you are talking commercial/industrial, and you would be correct and justified in that pricing structure.
> 
> ...


Non Union company, correct?


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Non Union company, correct?


Yes.... What's your point Mech?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> Yes.... What's your point Mech?


That type thing just wouldn't fly with a Union contract. 

They would want a definite dollar amount for the guy on call. 

Not an insult or anything of that nature.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> That type thing just wouldn't fly with a Union contract.
> 
> They would want a definite dollar amount for the guy on call.
> 
> Not an insult or anything of that nature.


That's not what or how I pay, because 100% commission is not legal in Cali for what we do.

If I had done what is legal as an employee I would have made less than I did. I remember a very good conversation with the 234 organizer many years ago. I ran into him at a supply house and we started chatting.

He asked if I was happy. I said "Yes". He asked how much I made, so I told him. He then told me, I could make $38 per hour plus bennies in his local, I said "Sorry, that would be a pay cut". 

He asked how. I then told him I only work about 10 months, I spend the other 2 on vacation, plus that vacation, 4 weeks worth is paid. I also had an IRA that was 100% matched and vested upon deposit, plus 5 days paid sick leave and 8 paid holidays.

He stopped the conversation and said "You should stay where you are at". 

Not everything is always as it seems. 

Now.... I agree, a fixed dollar amount is probably good to most and required by some, but that doesn't make it better.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> That's not what or how I pay, because 100% commission is not legal in Cali for what we do.
> 
> If I had done what is legal as an employee I would have made less than I did. I remember a very good conversation with the 234 organizer many years ago. I ran into him at a supply house and we started chatting.
> 
> ...


When I say fixed dollar amount I mean just to be on call, not the additional hourly pay an employee would get if they actually went out on a call out.

I never had any problems with the pay I received while working Union or non Union for that matter. If you have the skills you can get paid well.

Side work and or an extra job was never something I avoided either.

I just used to like to stay super busy when I was younger as i had expensive hobbies.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

My overhead is pretty much covered after 40 hours. 
I could charge my regular rate, pay the guys double time and still make money.
If it's a crew working, I can pay them OT, charge a small premium and make good money.

I ran service for a decent size shop years back.
They had very good data on costs.
There are always guys wanting a couple of hours OT every day and customers that wanted service late afternoon or on Saturday.
I charged $5 more per hour only as a tracking number.
No sense in having a parked truck when we had demand.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> My overhead is pretty much covered after 40 hours.
> I could charge my regular rate, pay the guys double time and still make money.
> If it's a crew working, I can pay them OT, charge a small premium and make good money.
> 
> ...


That sounds like the places i have worked and how my BIL ran his business.

OT calls were a bonus all around.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> That sounds like the places i have worked and how my BIL ran his business.
> 
> OT calls were a bonus all around.


I never understood the logic of a non-Union shop we ran into on a jobsite.
Somehow it was logical for them to have guys sit home a day or so during the week if they were working a weekend.
The whole point of OT is to compensate people for working after hours.
If I ask someone to work late or to come in a few hours early, they get OT.
It's not unusual to have a timesheet with 24 straight/ 16 OT. 
Last week it was 25.5 OT and 3 straight. Kind of crappy working overnight and only getting 41 hours pay.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> I never understood the logic of a non-Union shop we ran into on a jobsite.
> Somehow it was logical for them to have guys sit home a day or so during the week if they were working a weekend.
> The whole point of OT is to compensate people for working after hours.
> If I ask someone to work late or to come in a few hours early, they get OT.
> ...


That type of thing is what I hold against non Union shops, most of them just abuse their people.

I wouldn't do over nights for 41 hours straight pay and luckily I have never been in a position to need any job that bad.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> That type of thing is what I hold against non Union shops, most of them just abuse their people.
> 
> I wouldn't do over nights for 41 hours straight pay and luckily I have never been in a position to need any job that bad.


It just sucked for reasons of access, just no way to get close to 8 hours
Good thing was waking up at 9am and having the daytime hours off.
Was kind of nice.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I do time and a half after normal hours and double time on Sundays. If it is a new customer or pain in the ass one I do a 2 hour minimum.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> It just sucked for reasons of access, just no way to get close to 8 hours
> Good thing was waking up at 9am and having the daytime hours off.
> Was kind of nice.


I worked many 3-11 shifts and loved them. Came a time I went back on 7-3 for normal service calls and wished I was back on second shift.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I worked many 3-11 shifts and loved them. Came a time I went back on 7-3 for normal service calls and wished I was back on second shift.


Its not such a bad shift if you are single.
If you have kids or need a bit of a social life. Its tough. 
I dont think I could do 3 rd shift for any extended period of time.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> Its not such a bad shift if you are single.
> If you have kids or need a bit of a social life. Its tough.
> I dont think I could do 3 rd shift for any extended period of time.


There was normally an hour or two of OT each shift. Then I'd stop for breakfast on the way home and be home by 0200. Nap a while and get up and take the kids to school before heading off to my part time job, running service calls for two different contractor friends.

I've always been nocturnal by nature.

I was married so a social life was already a dead subject.


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