Feel like I'm being used

[ayjay]

i had a similar situation a long time ago, i priced a job on a nursing home extension ,
when i had completed it ,the guy wouldnt pay me the price id quoted
his reason being that i hadn,t been on the job from 8 till 5pm
i pointed out that all the work was completed on time and was a fixed price (first fix) the ----er still wouldnt pay up
get it in writing!! and sighned by the client

 

[Dave 85]

What area you in lofty? A subby with van, tools and tester would get £120-£150 a day round my area (Bucks/Berks/Oxon). What you did sounds like a days work. Did you supply any materials? either way, you got shafted hard.
Its difficult to advise people on whats worth doing, for what, these days because some guys really are desperate but I'd never of subb'ed for anyone for less than £120 a day after tax, I wouldn't even do that anymore.

 

[Cbigfoot]

Lofty if you are looking for work i may be looking for someone to help me out for a while!

 

[sedgy34]

£300 all day every day

 

[sedgy34]

What area you in lofty? A subby with van, tools and tester would get £120-£150 a day round my area (Bucks/Berks/Oxon). What you did sounds like a days work. Did you supply any materials? either way, you got shafted hard.
Its difficult to advise people on whats worth doing, for what, these days because some guys really are desperate but I'd never of subb'ed for anyone for less than £120 a day after tax, I wouldn't even do that anymore.

no wonder your on the forum in the daytime lol

 

[craigj85]

Surely that job will have left you out of pocket after travel and materials?? you should be getting an hourly rate off the guy or agree a price before. its an easy one to fall into as you dont want to lose the work. i would tell him you aint happy with what he paid and see if he'll sort it out . a days work for a spark with any contractor averages about £90-100 but thats with all the gear provided so you should of been looking at £150 at least with ur travel

 

[ASL]

set your sights higher, see if you can get a copy of the local authority schedule of rates for electrical installation work ! along with your investment in yourself gaining your qualifications you'll be suprised! what electrical jobs are worth, all the best

 

[Robinson]

I've had a guy ring me before telling me what the job was and the rate he would pay. Told him that I set my rates not him and he hung up on me, last I heard of him he was using DIY Dave.
Pay peanuts, get monkey.
Lofty, tell him to go away mate he is using you as per your title

Yeah there seems to be a trend of these ones who like to tell you how much they are going to pay and what they want. whether what they want is even possible or not. ! like They do a few searches on google for average price they look at cheapest fittings and think they are electricians. Its hilarious sometimes. I never hear of this attitude towards plumbers tho. weird aint it.

So i not even got half way through this thread and just seens its from years ago , BUT STILL LOFTY ! WALK FROM THIS GUY. if you aint already . which im sure by now you must of. And i hope your fullfilling your desire to be a decent honest sparks.


Oh and would of been defiantly over £200 beans from me

 

[Marvo]

If I were you Lofty I would get Part P registered but from what I've read of your dilemma I don't think you're going to make it self employed. I know it sounds harsh but there's a lot more to being successfully self employed than just doing the electrical work. I think you're going to need a lot more experience with someone who knows the ropes and is willing to teach you before you go it alone.

 

[saudkhan]

my initial call out charge for the first 1/2 hrs is £75 and then £ 38 per hr i am not cheep but they do get a good done and i have never have any come back that my job is not right

 

[saudkhan]

when i started initially for my self i was charging a lot less you only live and learn

 

[gaulty]

Lofty your 28 years old and you sound like an idiot"I never tested because I don't have a tester""I never knew moving the meter was illegal"You have your 17th edition and you're quite happy to do half a job no wonder the guy pays u peanuts the both of you's sound like cowboys. How can you go part p if u havent even completed ur trade test? No AM2 means your not fully qualified yet your quite happy to rewire houses "sub contracted" moan about the price but u haven't even tested the job.Wise up u'd be better getting an office job somewhere.

 

[mountainman]

Getting similar threads over on the Gas and Plumbing forums.

It seems my ambitions of becoming a qualified spark after a six week course and earning 50k a year ma be over ambitios.

 

[mickys86]

Lofty your 28 years old and you sound like an idiot"I never tested because I don't have a tester""I never knew moving the meter was illegal"You have your 17th edition and you're quite happy to do half a job no wonder the guy pays u peanuts the both of you's sound like cowboys. How can you go part p if u havent even completed ur trade test? No AM2 means your not fully qualified yet your quite happy to rewire houses "sub contracted" moan about the price but u haven't even tested the job.Wise up u'd be better getting an office job somewhere.

Exactly what I was thinking. Just didn't want to say it. Someone earlier bravely offered him a job for a few weeks. Seems the best option!

 

[mickys86]

Getting similar threads over on the Gas and Plumbing forums.

It seems my ambitions of becoming a qualified spark after a six week course and earning 50k a year ma be over ambitios.

It really doesn't matter what job you do, experience is crucial. McDonald's seems like an easy job, everyone used to tell me when I was younger 'you'll be flipping burgers at mcdonalds' . Doesn't mean I could walk in with a couple of days training and just start work no problem.

 

[pwsincd]

No AM2 means your not fully qualified .

absolute rubbish.

 

[lofty84]

Alright gaulty whilst I obviously dont agree with what you saying fair play for saying what you think so respect there at least your not ----- footing about like micky86. Ps I have tested but they didn't leave me a tester and they haven't ever let me do it as I'm say I think in just cheap labour. What am I supposed to do. Marvo we will have to agree to disagree I know 100 percent that with a bit more experience my business would be a great success. The business side of it is in the bag its just the slight lack of knowledge in some things on the electrical side but I've only got to be shown things once for them sink in.


This is what I'm up against this guy who I did this work for trusted me enough to do the instillation but I'm guessing only because his other guy was unable to do it and instead of loose anypotentilla work/money I was asked to do it. 9/10 when I work for him I'm doing all the loft insulation removal and chasing which I don't actually mind as at least you get to make a nice neat hole for the back box and chase for the cables. He trained another guy who also gives me the odd days work here and there depending on how busy he is he's actually a city and guilds Assesor now and he doesn't even trust me enough to do bits and bobs for him and his guys because I might put the wrong color sleeveing on a switch line cable or cpc. On one job my mate his sunny had to go to the top of a ladder to clip some cables down a slopping roof this guy is an absolute perfectionist and one of my jobs was to foot the ladder, I said to this guy that I can do more then this and his opinion was he was not sure I was a bit insulted by this lol and we exchanged words but I didn't burn my bridges with him which is handy really as he said he will help me with my Nvq it I get stuck (nice one if your reading) anyway after telling me how important this job actually is I don't doubt it for the guy up the ladder and after exchanging words he went on to say that how can he trust me to do more when the client at one of the jobs (the one where I was holding the ladder) said all I was doing was standin about well yes on that particular day evening I was I think I got 60 for a 12 hr day that day so **** knows how much he charged me out for. When people just want to make money how can guys like me expect to get to do the good stuff as the saying goes time is money. How can I expect to buy a tester 800 quid when I'm on 50 a day after tax the. I've got to find rent and general living expenses

 

[RISElectrical]

I know 100 percent that with a bit more experience my business would be a great success. The business side of it is in the bag

No offence but I would question that, if you business side of things were to be "in the bag" as you said, then you wouldnt be in this situation. The first rule of business is to clear your overheads and make a wage, hopefully also making a profit. Its about having contractual structure in place to ensure this and prevent exactly what your post is highlighting. Like I said this isnt meant in offence but more as a pointer as to the direction you need to be heading in.

 

[Guitarist]

How can I expect to buy a tester 800 quid when I'm on 50 a day after tax the. I've got to find rent and general living expenses

You should have the tester before you even START to carry out electrical work. You can't simply hope that the builder provides one for you.

 

[lofty84]

I guess all we can do is see where I am in 2 years time im fairly confident the new guy I work for is spot on I'm paid fairly on time and the CIS voucher is there without having to ask for it, he also gives me a nice variety of work and lets me do testing so I think it all comes down to luck at the end of the satin wether you get in with a good guy or a bad guy. If the offers still


There big foot I would love to have another sparky I work