SINGLE MUM TRYING TO WIRE BUILT IN D.OVEN & HOB! HELP

[lettselectrical]

"My customers never get quotes from other people, and they always know that they're not being ripped off".

HOW DO THEY KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU AINT RIPPING THEM OFF!!!



ARE YOU SAYING THEN THAT WE ARE ALL RIPPING THE CUSTOMER OFF THEN!!!!!

THINK YOU NEED TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE and step into the 21st century where we live in a competative world where the customer is entitled to get more than one opinion, and quote.

All the leading organisations recommmend getting quotes from more than one tradesman!!!!!

 

[Softus]

"My customers never get quotes from other people, and they always know that they're not being ripped off".

HOW DO THEY KNOW?

Mutual trust.

AND HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU AINT RIPPING THEM OFF?

I charge a fair rate and a fair price, and which is always based on covering overheads and making a reasonable profit. My accountant confirms when I get it right, and usually tells me that I'm undercharging.

ARE YOU SAYING THEN THAT WE ARE ALL RIPPING THE CUSTOMER OFF THEN?

No. But some of you are. Last week I heard of a company that charged £150 for just looking at something that I repaired for £75. Then they charged another £2500 to replace a door.

THINK YOU NEED TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE and step into the 21st century

You're actually thinking? You astonish me.

we live in a competative world where the customer is entitled to get more than one opinion, and quote.

I'm not suggesting that anyone's rights be eroded. I'm merely pointing out the consequences of the ridiculous habit of getting more than one quote.

All the leading organisations recommmend getting quotes from more than one tradesman!

In that case I'd describe them as trailing, not leading, organisations.

 

[Chri5]

I think alternative quotes work well on jobs that warrant them.

For £100 stuff I accept that having 3 sparks quote is a bit of a farce, as in wasted time, fuel, resource.

Once the work becomes 'meaty' such as a CU change, a whole new circuit or a multitude of minor works that spread beyond a day then prudence by a client is acceptable.

Where the problem comes in is when you quote a very reasonable (and fixed) cost and a client then tells the next 2 guys in for a survey your quote cost and your method of doing the work.
That makes some just under quote for the work.

After quoting for full rewires I used to spend 4 hours drawing rough floor plans, schedules for circuit volumes, schedules for switches, lights, sockets on the circuits.
By supplying too much pre job 'awarded' detail I found the majority of clients ended up given my quote to the competition as a base specification to work their quote against.

Thus they had an easier time and less resource cost to produce a quote.

Fortunately as a sole trader my prices are competitive and I would still get a hit rate of 2 in 5.
Now the problem is that clients simply are not spending- I've quoted for 5 full rewires since June. Two were agreed (but cancelled / on hold) and three have gone elsewhere.
I have had the satisfaction of 2 of the lost jobs asking me if I'd take over mid way on projects and having to turn them down. Both suffered from guys lack of reliability and poor standards of work.

It's difficult for a client to know who is good and who is a chancer. Just because your a scheme member, just because you have been doing business for 20 years etc- There is no method for accurately measuring the work standard until the work is ongoing.

My philosophy is simple, be professional, communicate, explain pitfalls, explain costs, explain everything.

The number of clients I have that have bad experiences with electrical work is large, and simply things like explaining the work and disruption it causes seems to pay dividends.

Once you have trust, you have a loyal client.

 

[Softus]

SOFTUS.....
i'm sorry but you are on another planet.............

Yup - I'm on the planet where people say they're sorry only when they mean it.

so you think no one should get more than one quote for some work!

Am I saying that? Or am I pointing out the effect of doing it, and the fact that people just do it willy nilly, without thinking about that effect?

Am I saying "one quote only", or am I saying that quoting puts up prices across the board with a net negative effect on the GDP?

alot of my customers get several quotes and if you had the correct system in place this as an electrician should not take you long to do.

It doesn't matter what the trade is, assessing a job takes time and, invariably, fuel.

also most of these customers employ me to do the work and i quote them happy.

Would they be just as happy if you itemised, on an invoice, the time and fuel spent on the task of quoting?

i make a very good living and am booked up til the end of november!

You are absolutely marvellous.

the only electricians i know that don't like customers getting other quotes usually have some thing to hide i,.e high prices or some other thing!
Are you scared of competion or having your prices compered to others!?

No.

?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?

What?

And with this being a single lady i think your advice you gave her is ill-advised

I don't.

i take it when you buy something you only go into one shop and done price compare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You haven't put much thought into your post.

You're comparing the pricing of a bespoke service with mass-produced retail pricing. If shops didn't display prices, then customers would go elsewhere. My customers don't go elsewhere - they call me again.

Notwithstanding that, I very rarely done (sic.) price compare (sic.). When I can earn more than I would save in the time spent trying to save it, it doesn't make economic sense to do it.

 

[gas4you]

My customers never get quotes from other people, and they always know that they're not being ripped off.

My dear Softus, either you mix in a very eloquent and rich social circle where customers have more than enough money, or you are being a tad economical with the truth

Why, you may ask, do I say this? Well as every job you do is priced at £1,000,000 it has to be one or the other

(oh, is that £1,000,000 + VAT or inc )

 

[aptsys]

My dear Softus, either you mix in a very eloquent and rich social circle where customers have more than enough money, or you are being a tad economical with the truth

Why, you may ask, do I say this? Well as every job you do is priced at £1,000,000 it has to be one or the other

(oh, is that £1,000,000 + VAT or inc )

He works in the 'I saw you coming' shop.

 

[TanyaFairclough]

IS THERE ANY ELECTRICANS NEAR ESSEX!!!!
CUASE I NEED U AND UR FAIR PRICES!!
WELL IM GOIGN TO PUT THE COOKER WHERE THE ELECTRIC POINT IS FOR IT..AND IT ONLY NEEDS HARD WIRING..
WITH REGARDS TO THE HOB..THE HALOGAN HOBS ARE 30 AMP!! JOKE! I WAS HOPING I CAN PLUG ONE IN!
BOLLOKS!
DOES ANY ONE KNOW ONE WHICH I CAN PLUG IN WHICH IS 13AMP AND LOOKS LIEK A HALGOAN??
ANY IDEAS??!!
IF NOT TEH ELCTRICAN SAID HE IS GOING TO WIRE ME AND NEW LEAD THROUGH MY MAINS AND PUT A POINT ON THAT SIDE..THE DISTANCE FROM THE MAINS TO THE KITCHEN IS ROUGHLY 4 STEPS!! LOL NOT FAR AT ALL..
SO HE SAID HE WOULD DO THAT AND WIRE IN MY HOB FOR ME WITH THE NEW POINT HISD MADE AND ALSO WIRE THE COOKER WHICH IS PROB 5 MIN JOB ANWAY AS THE POINT IS ALREADY THERE
HE SAID IM LOOKING AT 100 TO 150 POUND?!!! IS THIS A BIT EXPENSIVE!! IM HOPING SO!! AS I DIDNT THINK IT WOULD BE THAT MUCH

PLEASE NO BLOODY ARGUIN!!
MEN!! NEVER GROW UP!!!
AHHAHA IM KIDDING..
UR ALL HELPING ME AND IM GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR HELP TO EACH ONE OF YOU!
BUT PLEASE DONT ROW OVER A WOMAN!! WERE NOT WORTH IT!"! HEHE
HAVE A STELLA AND A FAG AND PUT UR FEET UP GUYS!! WOT U DO BEST
LOL
XXX
IM OFF TO DO THE WASHIN UP!

 

[GaryMo]

That's not a bad price though ask him if the job will be notified in accordance with Part P and if you'll receive an Electrical Installation Certificate.

Also, get him to throw in a new keyboard as part of the deal. I think the CAPS LOCK key may be broken on yours!

Search for a competent person

 

[Softus]

My customers never get quotes from other people, and they always know that they're not being ripped off.

My dear Softus

What ho Dave!

Either you mix in a very eloquent and rich social circle where customers have more than enough money, or you are being a tad economical with the truth

Well it's clearly not the latter, so if I have a choice of only two possibilities then I guess it has to be the former.

Why, you may ask, do I say this?

Why, I ask, do you say this?

Well as every job you do is priced at £1,000,000 it has to be one or the other

Ah, I see. Well I admit to having adopted the practice of overpricing on all jobs on the forum, just to make sure I don't get them. Not that getting them would be a problem, but it wouldn't look good to then give a start date three months hence.

(oh, is that £1,000,000 + VAT or inc )

It includes labour, materials, VAT and everything you can imagine, plus a few little extras that you can't imagine, one being a recipe for the most delectable lemon meringue pie you'll ever taste.

 

[gas4you]

(oh, is that £1,000,000 + VAT or inc )

It includes labour, materials, VAT and everything you can imagine, plus a few little extras that you can't imagine, one being a recipe for the most delectable lemon meringue pie you'll ever taste.

In that case I've a light bulb that needs changing, sounds a good price to me then. I love lemon meringue