Was I Out Of Order

[cr0ft]

Hi all.

Up until recently my working relationship with my electrician has been getting worse. The final nail in the coffin was me twice having to fix wiring issues with his work. Recently he put a nail through a CH pipe and called me out to a place 30 miles from my home on an emergency callout one afternoon. I was there for around 1.5 hours fixing the issue, refililng the CH system. I charged him £120 including VAT for the work and then travelled another 30 miles home. Total time was around 2.5 hours including travel time to the job.

He paid it but 2 days later when I called him to explain my annoyance with him not wiring in an underfloor heating sensor to the thermostat, resulting in me having to lift a tile to lay the sensor, he exploded that he thought my charges where extortionate. He commented that he doesn't charge this much and he is an electrician.

I charge £200 a day plus VAT and for emergency work I obviously charge quite a bit more. I work in Hampshire and until this call I thought my charges were bang on the money.

Do people think I am charging too much? I know that with the many expenses of running my business I have to charge this much to earn a decent wage each year.

Honest opinions appreciated!

 

[mickie]

i think you're ok with that daily price, but a lot of people arent..

if that emergency job was through the day and you work for the lad a lot, i wouldnt have charged him 120, if it was through the night, id say its a good price too..

 

[cr0ft]

Heyup. Well it is kind of a 1 way work relationship in that I pass him all my electrical work. Never had anything back other than this tbh. Mind that was including VAT so the cash I saw was £100. It was an afternoon job if that helps.

 

[quality]

Well your electritian did not have to rectify your work like you had to rectify his. I think your rates are extremely reasonable

 

[Puddle]

He did well as I would not have gone to the job in the first place,would have said to busy,get someone local,this always happens,it is your time ,your materials,your diesel .what are you expected to charge for 2.5 hour out your life ,probably expected £20/£40.00
He probably believes attack is the best form of defense for his mistakes and that is what he has done,at least you got paid a decent amount for your time,as said,bet he would of still kicked off if you charged him anything over £40.00,only difference being you would have felt like a right mug for doing the favour

''He commented that he doesn't charge this much and he is an electrician.''enough said,get rid and good riddance to bad rubbish

imho

ps sorry ,in answer to your question,no you were not!!

 

[Resolute]

He's probably more annoyed with himself as it would've come out of his pocket, as his mistake.

If it was me I'd meet him for a pint and discuss it or cut your ties and get a new sparks!

 

[GQuigley67]

ohh so he should be earning more because hes a spark ??? imho sparks dont have to deal with the hassle we do, we have harder work, and i think they charge too much.

 

[Resolute]

ohh so he should be earning more because hes a spark ??? imho sparks dont have to deal with the hassle we do, we have harder work, and i think they charge too much.

I see your point but he may have meant that he's a tradesman too rather then sparks are better then us. As it stands I don't think the amount was unreasonable and down to him being annoyed with himself - still no excuse to let rip mind.

 

[cr0ft]

Thanks guys. I've already got a new sparky as I sensed the working relationship was coming to an end. Going to see his work in an hour or so but he is considerably cheaper, fingers crossed. I didn't think my rates were that unreasonable but when another tradesman tells you that it makes you think, you know?

 

[GQuigley67]

200 a day is perfectly reasonable, I get alot of work from a Joiner friend and I offer him discounted rates because he gets me regular work mostly kitchen sinks, for bigger jobs he puts me in touch direct with customer so I can charge my full rates, maybe the guy was expecting you to do him a turn and do it cheaper. His loss anyway mate as sparkys can't really offer us any work so its usually one way

 

[secret squirrel]

How dare he insinuate because he is a sparks he should be charging more than a
plumber.

I would have told him to ..... anyway you get my point.

He put the nail through the pipe, he's lucky you were able to get there straight
away and save his sorry back side.

And as for you having to correct his work, I'd have phoned him and got him
back or billed him again.

Anyway, no, I don't think you were out of order. Need to get yourself a new spark.

I'm very lucky with mine he's extremely cheap, so, cheap in fact I often pay him
a bit more than he's asked for. The downside is when he does something a bit
daft with a pipe I have to save him but only charge him peanuts, for us it
swings in round a bouts or something like that, see I've calmed down nowhone:

 

[SimonG]

Croft, yes you were out of order big time..........................for not putting him on his rs! You pull him out the crap, charge him what I would consider a very reasonable rate and then get a load of crap for it. Nice to see your looking elsewhere.

I'm dead lucky, I have 2 really good electricians that I use. I always put their names forward for any work and they do the same for me. Works really well.

 

[Blackcatgas]

My electrician (mark) is a good mate of mine, hes nailed a couple of pipes and Ive fixed them free of charge for him, I remember one sunday evening I fitted a shower for ,my mums next door nieghbour and drilled through the cable, Mark came around after his sunday dinner and fixed it for me... free of charge.
Mark is my mate, i wouldnt do stuff for himfor free if he wasnt though.

 

[boblydon]

Personally i would not have charged him, but in my case my sparky is also my best mate likewise if i did something he would not charge me.
It all depends on your relationship with him, but i think even in your situation i would not have charged him directly like that, however i may have suggested the next job he does for you is free to make up for it.