Do you ask for payment if passing on a job

[40 watt spark]

Been passed on a job by a 'mate' (well recommended to the customer) its a CU change, PEB's and some downlights in the same property because he's out of the country on another job. I've obviously got to stick to his quote to be fair to the customer, however he's said he wants almost 20% of the full price for giving it to me........ I'm happy to give a few ££'s (say 5%) to say thanks but 20% to me seems excessive.

Now the way I see it is all he's done is give me a copy of his quote (5 lines with no real details) and the customers phone number. So I've got to sort everything out..... so I'm buying all parts, labour, notification etc (I'm NICEIC DI, and he's not registered so not sure what he was planning to do to get it signed off as theres no way I'd do it for him)

Would any of you ask for a 20% return for passing on a job ?? (or recommending) and I'm being unfair, or is 5% more realistic ? if I don't do the job then he wouldn't get anything anyway.

Whats your thoughts ??

 

[Taylortwocities]

The time to discuss payment etc is before he gives you the details.

A bit like "I've got a little CU change that I cant do. You can have it but just drop me a pony"

20%? he's havin' a larf

 

[kevindgas]

doesn't sound like a mate to me.
we regularly pass jobs to friends and they do the same no money changes hands and we all get a fair bite of the cherry.
choose your friends more carefully!!

 

[Paul Barker]

If a job comes from his advertising overheads it is fair to give him a contribution to them. Ask how much a months advertising costs him, devide 240 hrs by time job takes devide his monthly budget by that. When you have given him that much you have so far given him nothing.

Another fair way for mates to work these things out is to say the business which finds the job gets 1/3rd the people working on the job share the remaining profit after that.

It is foolish to see yourself in terms of your time only you have to pay a contribution to the overheads which have enabled you to receive the call which made that job.

In that light 20% isn't much.

When my advertising overheads were £10,000 somebody with no work or overheads asked me to pass on jobs I couldn't cover. After passing on 4 jobs and not hearing back from him, for him the well ran dry.

 

[chapeau]

Finder's fee is typically 10%.

 

[Richard C]

I'd tell him to poke it; & the job. If he's really a mate he shouldn’t want anything unless he’s done some of the work & that doesn’t include handing you a budget price on the back of a fag packet. If it’s a trade acquaintance then a bottle of VSOP would do me, it doesn’t warrant 20%; I work on the basis that you never know when you might want a favor in return.
I secured a close friend £50k’s worth of extension building work back in August but refused to accept a £200 bung he offered. I didn’t do anything other than recommend & introduce him so don’t consider I deserved it; we settled on a bottle of VSOP & an evening meal out.

 

[40 watt spark]

Mods, can this be moved back to electrics uk please ? its specific to an electrical installation and I'd like to hear what other sparks think.

 

[Richard C]

Mods, can this be moved back to electrics uk please ? its specific to an electrical installation and I'd like to hear what other sparks think.

Ooohhh touchy;it's the principle, what the hell difference does it matter what trade you are.

 

[big-all]

has he quoted a fair price for the work or underpriced to get the work knowing somone else will be doing the work and passing on a tax free holiday bonus!!!

working for 20% less than your normal rates then giving someone 20% is no favour

 

[Chri5]

Lets consider a ghost job- £1000 quoted and not enhanced to include a bounty fee.

On that lets say £200 materials, 2 days work (man and boy) at £250 a day.

So cost is £700, profit (gross before ins, van, travel, suppliers order,scheme membership etc) is £300

To then give £200 of that away is daft, unless your sitting on your hands and need the work.

Why not suggest 20% of the job profit

 

[bongos]

I have several friends in the trade who often pass jobs between each other if they can't do the work themself. They don't expect or ask for payment.

That's what mates do - help each other out when they can!

Sounds like you're being subcontratced to me .

 

[Thermo]

what goes around comes around, thats how i work. If someone new passes on some work, then a bottle to cement the relationship helps.

 

[crystal ball]

I have always had the notion that if someone passes me a job, and i pass one to someone else it will all be square one day

I got my ex brother in law a huge decorating job on a refurb i was on as he was just starting out, not so much as a thanks mate, a few years later I gave a big school job to his opposition, he never said thanks either

 

[1john]

If you need the job then i suppose you have to do it. If you don't then politly decline and explain that the 20% is hugely excessive.

 

[chapeau]

Lets consider a ghost job- £1000 quoted and not enhanced to include a bounty fee....

Any fee is part of your expenses, it doesn't come out of profit. Exactly as the £250 for man and boy is (expense that is money in your pocket).

20% is a nonsense sum for finding a job and then walking away. 10% is reasonable, I would happily pay 10% commission to anybody who found me work, would save me all the hassle of getting it myself.

I'd want a document which would allow me to prove it was a legitimate business expense when the taxman came sticking his nose in where it wasn't welcome.