Grrrr...electricians

I just built a new garshop and need electric service out to it. The city here doesn't mind me doing the other work, but they require an actual electrician to do the electric work. I had two guys set up to come out sometime today to take a look. Of course, while I was finishing up with the first guy, the second came along. He handed me his card and I told him that I was just finishing up with another guy. He said he was real busy, mumbled something else, and then said he didn't want the job and wanted his card back. Do these guys think they're the only game in town? Don't they expect that you'll be getting a few numbers? In retrospect, I'm glad because I suspect that someone that unprofessional would not be someone I would want to work with anyway.

todd

Reply to
todd
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Yes, they do think that they are the only game in town. Luckily, they are not all like that. The name of the game is Intimidation. This approach works goods with older retired people asking for a quote. At time, they will blackmail you with your house insurance coverage and charge you big bucks. In your case you probably need a 220V Pony panel in your garage connected to your house main supply. The question is to find out if your house distribution panel has the spare breakers and well suited to supply power to your pony panel.

The size of electrical cables and panels have to be determined as per your local area code. It would not be a bad thing to review the addition with your insurance companies. It is best to talk to more than one companies At the end of the day if you asked for about 4 to 5 quotes you will end up with a fair one. Many people are doing the installation on the QT and nothing bad happens. On the other hand if something happens in your garageshop your insurance company may start to pick of some little things to avoid or minimized damages payment. In theories some municipalities may required some permit as per their by laws.

Reply to
<marierdj

It has nothing to do with electricians Todd, but everything to do with the individual. Yup - he's got an ego problem. And yup... you should be glad he took his card back and left. You're better off without that kind of guy.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

This is an often spoken misunderstanding. Insurance companies pay out everyday for house fires due to all sorts of negligent wiring - right down to stupid things like light weight extension cords used in place of real wiring. They pay out simply because they have to.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

"todd" wrote in news:GeudnWWA1JSmVezYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

It does pay to know a good electrician, and to pay what he asks. Knowing him well on a social basis outside of the working relationship will help get a fair price.

I could save a couple bucks doing certain things myself. Minor electrical work is one of them. When it starts to pass minor, I call Bob. When my son needs electrical work, I give him the Home Depot how to book, and Bob's phone number.

Finding an expert, who is not an a##$o%#, is a really good thing. When you do, treat him/her fairly, and with respect. You really don't want to find out about your insurance coverage the hard way. For any reason.

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

Open to a viewpoint from the other side of the fence? I'm not an electrician, but I can tell you what went through the electrician's mind. He's thinking that you're stacking up electical quotes in a folder - price shopping. How much price shopping is the question. When you have the electrician's coming in a revolving door (for all he knows) then it's obvious to him that you're just shopping for the lowest price and getting as many bids as you can until you're satisfied. You know, wasting his time. If a guy has a healthy business he usually doesn't want to be in a race to the bottom of the barrel. The better electricians have brisk businesses and don't see a reason to waste their time giving a bid to someone whose only concern is price.

It's also uncomfortable for both electricians. Some people think that having the guys giving estimates "accidentally" run into each other on the way in/out of the house will give them both reason to sharpen their pencils and give a lower estimate. It doesn't work that way. Usually what will happen is one of the guys, if not both, won't even bother getting back to you with a price. Think of it this way - say you're dating and in a non-exclusive relationship with a couple of women. Are you going to have one drop you at the house and have the other one waiting there to pick you up - have them run into each other on purpose? No. It would make both of them uncomfortable and the only person that would end up losing would be you. It's disrespectful.

I'm not saying that is actually what you did, and I don't know whether the two appointments were set up so closely or if one guy was delayed, but that is definitely what the guy is thinking.

Asking for his business card back is odd. Maybe it was his last one. ;) The normal thing to do in that situation would have been to either never get back to you (avoid confrontation), or to say he's not a good fit for your project and recommend the worst electrician in town (passive-aggressive). You should be happy that he told you up front. Other than wanting his card back, it's actually a point in his favor.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Are you sure about that? Towns will frequently require licenses to work as electricians, but not to actually do work. My town requires that of plumbers, but not electricians; and only for plumbing water, not gas.

Reply to
Toller

Reply to
Wilson

I'd say that would be a big assumption on his part, if that was the case. It's isn't like I had five electrians lined up outside the door. It gives me the idea that he knows his prices are consistently high and he can't compete. If that's the case, he should stick with the little old ladies who don't bother getting a few estimates.

It wasn't my intention to have them there at the same time. One was supposed to be there earlier in the morning and one closer to noon, but the early guy got delayed. It works out better for everyone, IMO, if they come separately.

Not that I had it in my hand long enough to be sure, but I think it was one of those magnet business cards. I kinda wish I had told hime he couldn't have it back.

todd

Reply to
todd

According to the electrical inspector, that's the case. And if you have any experience in these sort of things, that's the only opinion that matters.

todd

Reply to
todd

I spoke with one gentleman that I suspect would have let me do some of my own work and just checked it. Here's what happened with him. I called him on a Wednesday. We set up to have him come out Friday afternoon. On Friday morning, the first guy I had come out and look called to give me his price. I thanked him and told him I was waiting for a couple of other numbers. 30 minutes later, guy #2 called and told me he decided he didn't want the job because he was too busy. Coincidence? Maybe. But it gave me a bad feeling.

The other thing that gave me a bad feeling is that guy #1 wants $2200 to run

70' of 3/4" from the panel in the house into a disconnect panel in the garage and pull #8 wire. The trench outside has already been dug. I say fuggetaboutit.

todd

Reply to
todd

Old joke among contractors is the first thing the winning bidder says is what did I forget to put in my bid. Some contractors base their bid on whats the least that they have to do to satisfy the contract while others quote on what it takes to actually satisfy the customer. You're some times ahead to pick the contractor you are comfortable with dealing with, as he may pick customers the same way. Nice part of contracting is the price is alway subject to change according to the customers attitude.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

I'm sure there were assumptions made, and I'm sure that you didn't try to stack the guys up. Nevertheless, you were probably made to pay for the behavior of some customers that the electrician had run into over the years. Not much you can do about it in that case.

I had one years back where a potential customer gave me a mimeographed (remember those?) sheet that started off, Dear Mr. Contractor, and included an itemized list of all aspects of the project that I was supposed to estimate, fill in the blanks and mail back to him. I've never been the lowest bidder on anything, most of my projects are negotiated contracts, and I don't sell by price alone. There was no point in me taking the time to fill out a "test" to see if I would pass.

Of course. Like I said, I'm sure he made assumptions. Generally in such situations where there's a little awkwardness it pays to have a sense of humor about it, make a little joke and apologize. If the guy doesn't give you the benefit of the doubt in such a situation, you're probably better off not dealing with the guy.

Nah, you should have sold it back to him for a buck. ;)

R
Reply to
RicodJour

It's not really a big assumption on his part at all Todd. Remember - he does not know you from Adam, but he does run into this sort of thing every day, more times a day than he'd like. I did agree largely with you in an earlier post, and I still do, but with this particular point, I think you're taking the incident too personally. You're really reading too much into his reaction.

>
Reply to
Mike Marlow

Why? You've got a lot of good thinking going for you Todd - why the "bad feeling" stuff? You'll certainly see lots of boogy men lurking in shadows if that's what you're looking for. Life's way too short for that. Besides, that's what the wimmin folks are for.

No kiddin', Fuggetaboutit. It's an easy job to do at this point. Do it yourself for a couple hunnert bucks in materials and salute it from the coffee pot.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

Now that would have been funny.

todd

Reply to
todd

It's just odd that the day before the guy was gung ho and two hours before he's supposed to arrive he's too busy to take the job. Hey, I'm not sayin....I'm just sayin.

If I could, it would already be done. Sadly, the electrical inspector doesn't share my opinion of my electrical skills. The city requires a licensed electrician complete the work or no final inspection. No final inspection, no final C of O.

todd

Reply to
todd

I would guess that you not only returned his card (what are -you- going to do with it?) but were kind enough to point him in the general direction of the door.

Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

My Dad was in a similar situation many years ago. Note that the electrician has to complete the work ... but perhaps he does not have to rough it in.

The deal my Dad worked out was that he would pull the wires and mount the boxes but not connect the wires to anything at either end. That was left for the electrician, who looked over the rough work before pulling out his screwdriver.

The inspector was in and out in about 5 minutes once he saw the electricians signature on the work.

Might work for you, too.

Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

Next thing you know, you'll need a licensed designer to tell you what color your walls need to be... but I have to go, the licenced member holder is here so I can take a whiz (otherwise the insurance company won't pay-out water-damage claims).

(I didn't actually type this, it was typed->>>I just built a new garshop and need electric service out to it. The city

Reply to
root

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