I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

jsanders wrote:

I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

I can see why!

Where are you and what about travel time, other shop time if the job
required anything special, who did the parts procurement, etc., ...

And, of course, we have no clue where you are -- rates in downtown San
Francisco don't quite correlate w/ somewhere in Anywhere, USA.

What kind of contractual arrangement did you have? What level of detail
you're entitled to see is dependent on that and whatever rules/laws are
in your governing jurisdiction...

--

On Jul 10, 1:36 pm, "jsanders" wrote:
I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

I think you can do the math....

2400/14 = 171.42, but that doesn't count the time that they spent
doing the estimate, acquiring parts, driving to your house (probably
twice), overhead, etc, which would add the equivalent to several more
hours.

Having said that, if someone doesn't want you to know how much they
charge by the hour, I assume because it's probably too much.

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

jsanders wrote:
I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in
the amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was
at the job only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good
rate. He won't show on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

Did you get more than one bid on the project? Did you agree on a total
final price before beginning? If yes, what do you care what he charges.
You paid an agreed price for a specific job. You did not pay based on what
he in turn pays himself.

If you gave him a blank check to begin with or you did not check out his
price before he was done,. well ......


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

In article bbQki.4523$CJ4.3141@trndny08,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.

"jsanders" wrote in
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com:



I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in
the amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at
the job only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate.
He won't show on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?


Feeefte-fie dallah

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

IF you have not paid him yet, you are in the enviable position of being
ahead of a sub.

If you have paid him, then all this is mental masturbation.

You can demand an itemized bill, and if you have differences with it, submit
it to your State's Contractor's Board or the Governor's Council for Consumer
Affairs for arbitration.

BUT, what did the original agreement/contract say? Or was there even one?
It's hard to hold someone to an agreement that was never put on paper.

Good luck.

Steve

"Smitty Two" wrote in message
75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.

Keep him. He can't make a very good living at that rate. That is not to
bad as a salary plus benefits, but for self employment, double that is
closer to fair, IMO. Off the top is the 15% self employment tax. In
addition to his "living wage", he has to pay insurance, truck, fuel, etc.

"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article bbQki.4523$CJ4.3141@trndny08,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in
the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the
job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't
show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be
another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.


Then he's losing his ass by the hour!!!!

"George" wrote

The guy would probably better off working at wallmart with that rate. By
the time he covers his expenses he is basically working for free.

Do you speak for the free world?

There are a lot of electricians who will do side jobs for less, who are
retired, who live in rural America, or who just don't look at money as the
end all be all.

Steve

Smitty Two wrote:
In article bbQki.4523$CJ4.3141@trndny08,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...

I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?
To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.

The guy would probably better off working at wallmart with that rate. By
the time he covers his expenses he is basically working for free.

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:01:30 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article bbQki.4523$CJ4.3141@trndny08,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.

You need to check his work. I suspect he is retarded at best.

In article ,
ValveJob wrote:

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:01:30 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article bbQki.4523$CJ4.3141@trndny08,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the
job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't
show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

75 to 100 might be expected for a minimum one hour or less service call,
but my electrician charges 30/hr, and I live in one of the most
expensive places in the country.

You need to check his work. I suspect he is retarded at best.

All right, I get the consensus here that my electrician is an idiot.
Sorry to disappoint you all, but he's the best electrician I've ever
found. Brilliant, competent, thorough, knowledgeable, a genuine
professional.

Turns away work by the boatload. Can't find him in the phone book. Works
from an old truck. Drinks lots of coffee, smokes a few cigarettes,
always happy, always friendly. Never in a hurry, but very efficient.
Makes electrical work look like a ballet. Loves his trade. Been doing my
work and that of my company for thirty years.

jsanders wrote:


I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

I wouldn't hire one unless I knew in advance. We just had an
electrician do some work (Florida) and rate was $80/hour, counting
travel time. OK by me.

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:36:56 -0500, "jsanders"
wrote:



I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

$ 125.00 per HOUR.

On Jul 11, 12:37 pm, Smitty Two wrote:

All right, I get the consensus here that my electrician is an idiot.
Sorry to disappoint you all, but he's the best electrician I've ever
found. Brilliant, competent, thorough, knowledgeable, a genuine
professional.

Turns away work by the boatload. Can't find him in the phone book. Works
from an old truck. Drinks lots of coffee, smokes a few cigarettes,
always happy, always friendly. Never in a hurry, but very efficient.
Makes electrical work look like a ballet. Loves his trade. Been doing my
work and that of my company for thirty years.

It's great that you have such a person on hand, but...so what?

I suppose that in a discussion on housing prices, you'd mention that
you lived in one of the most expensive parts of the country and your
house cost you absolutely nothing. Then, in a later post, you'd
mention you got it as an inheritance. Not exactly relevant, now is
it?

It also sounds to me like your electrician is very probably not
licensed - may not be necessary in your area, but in most parts of the
country it is a requirement. If he says he is licensed, is it his
license? You can't "loan" licenses. It also sounds like his
moonlighting is strictly off of the books and I'd imagine that you pay
him in cash. All of that is your business, but I'd suggest that
people not hire contractors that way as the owner stands to lose far
more than the modest cost savings.

Your situation with your electrician has nothing at all to do with
anyone's reality except your own. It adds nothing to the topic at
hand and in fact detracts from it. Perhaps you'd like to add to the
discussion and help put things in perspective - what is the going rate
for an electrician in your neck of the woods?

R

SteveB wrote:
"George" wrote

The guy would probably better off working at wallmart with that rate. By
the time he covers his expenses he is basically working for free.

Do you speak for the free world?

I think I have a pretty good grasp of economics.


There are a lot of electricians who will do side jobs for less, who are
retired, who live in rural America,

Perhaps, but the question wasn't about hiring someone who works on the
side. And the $30/hour rate was touted as being in one of the most
expensive places to live.


One of the main reasons that so many startups and businesses go under is
they don't understand overhead. A $30/hour rate doesn't even cover the
cost of having someone on the road.

or who just don't look at money as the
end all be all.

I find that people like to be paid for the goods and services they
provide and it requires money to do that. To that end you usually need
to work and make sufficient money to pay for food and living expenses.

Do you get paid for what you do? Have you considered asking to have it
reduced?



Steve

"Smitty Two" wrote
All right, I get the consensus here that my electrician is an idiot.
Sorry to disappoint you all, but he's the best electrician I've ever
found. Brilliant, competent, thorough, knowledgeable, a genuine
professional.

Turns away work by the boatload. Can't find him in the phone book. Works
from an old truck. Drinks lots of coffee, smokes a few cigarettes,
always happy, always friendly. Never in a hurry, but very efficient.
Makes electrical work look like a ballet. Loves his trade. Been doing my
work and that of my company for thirty years.

Since you feel you're qualified to judge your electrician's work,
competence, and professionalism. Why are you hiring him?

"Your" company should get you to supervise the janitor to do electrical
work.

Bottom line is, your electrician is a total idiot. I don't live in one of
the most expensive areas in the country, but I do make $28.63 an hour, plus
bennies, which costs the company an additional 40% of what I make. I
wouldn't think of doing "side" jobs for $30 an hour, when I can get all the
OT I want @ time and a half. That's working under my employer's license.

Someday if your handyman gets an electrical license, he won't have to drive
that old truck.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"jsanders" wrote in message
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com...

I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at the job
only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate. He won't show
on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?

To that 14 hours, add some travel time and shop time, so it may be another
few hours, Even at 20hours, he is high. I'd expect to pay $75 to $100
depending on location.

googling a little finds

Electrical Labor Rate - Seattle $90 per hour ($150 for the first hour)
for one contracting firm (as it says, in Seattle). I would expect that
to be a fairly typical rate/schedule for most cities, probably higher in
Boston, San Fran, NYC, etc.

A 2005 Survey of rates by a trade association of facilities for
exhibitions for comparison

Anaheim Atlanta Atlantic City Boston Chicago
$78.83 $51.25 $85.58 $48.09 $98.30

Boston seem terribly low in comparison and compared to expectations.
There weren't any other "left coast" places in this tabulation. All
else found was wages for employees, not nearly as directly correlateable
to consumer charges.

The average of the three "high-price spreads" above is $90/hr in round
numbers, right in line w/ the Seattle contractor number.

W/ OP's original statement of 12hr (midpoint of estimate, that would be
about $1150 in round numbers for the labor w/o any of the other
adjustments that might have been reasonable.

No way to know how accurate the time estimate is, but if it's at all
reasonable, certainly would seem to be on the high end...

--

"George" wrote in message
news
SteveB wrote:
"George" wrote

The guy would probably better off working at wallmart with that rate. By
the time he covers his expenses he is basically working for free.

Do you speak for the free world?

I think I have a pretty good grasp of economics.

But one that only allows for your point of view.



There are a lot of electricians who will do side jobs for less, who are
retired, who live in rural America,

Perhaps, but the question wasn't about hiring someone who works on the
side. And the $30/hour rate was touted as being in one of the most
expensive places to live.

And then the conversation evolved to the point I commented on.



One of the main reasons that so many startups and businesses go under is
they don't understand overhead. A $30/hour rate doesn't even cover the
cost of having someone on the road.


The main reason is being undercapitalized.

or who just don't look at money as the
end all be all.

I find that people like to be paid for the goods and services they provide
and it requires money to do that. To that end you usually need to work and
make sufficient money to pay for food and living expenses.

Do you get paid for what you do? Have you considered asking to have it
reduced?

I make from $5 to $200 per hour for what I do when I do choose to work.
Each case is individual, and the amount depends on many variables.

I'm retired.




Steve

I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in
the
amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor.

If I understand this statement, you gave him a blank check. Is that
correct?

Steve

Al Bundy wrote:
"jsanders" wrote in
news:01d8d0e49f604a2351a8289d5503095f@homerepairli ve.com:



I had my basement done and I received a bill from the electrician in
the amount of $3150.00. $2400 being labor. My wife said that he was at
the job only about 10 to 14 hours. Do you think that is a good rate.
He won't show on his invoice how many hours he worked?

He said he did not want people to know what he is charging?



Feeefte-fie dallah
Hmmm,
Compared to auto dealer's flat rate like 90.00 per hour, my rule of
thumb is from total amount usually halfs is labour. Maybe he charged
travel time as well.(coming and going picking up material, etc.)
My rate is 2 hour minimu 250.00/hr plus T&L. I am retired now.
Wiring a basement, I do it myself after getting DIY permit from city
hall which includes two inspections, so it'll qualify for insurance
coverage.