Boilers and Pricing

[dirk]

Guys,
Just looking for a little feedback here. I recently gave a plumber a price to wire an existing to be replaced with new, three zone boiler (circ pumps and relay). the project is approx and hour away from my home and a saturday turnover project that I have not looked at. I told him $600.00 (Massachusetts area). I know that this is a great price for me and will no doubt make a good days pay. He thinks it is way over (double) what I should be charging. Do you not agree that this is what most electricians would approx charge him to do this if he called on them and if he finds someone to do it at that price that it hurts us all?

 

[jeff43222]

Re: Boilers and Pricing

Your quote doesn't sound out of line if you are including material costs (assuming they aren't trivial), and you are spending most of a day on the project. On the other hand, if the job will only take you an hour and your material costs are small, then $600 might be a little high. You can only charge what the market will bear.

Keep in mind that having prices too high often leads to people hiring their unlicensed handyman buddy at a discount rate. That kind of thing happens in my area, and the authorities don't do much about it.

 

[dirk]

Re: Boilers and Pricing

Thanks Jeff,
I now think the price may be a BIT high but it is close to the market for a days work and only assuming what I may run into. It also has to be worth leaving the family on a Saturday to go get dirty. It is high enough for me to make good money and if it is too high then another electrician who needs or wants the work can do it. I dont agree with you however with your handyman statement. If someone wants to hire a handyman friend, that is unfortunate for both electricians and the homeowners however we should not keep ourselves from putting food on the table because we are worried what someone MAY do. Just to note to avoid confusion this is weekend warrior work.

 

[jeff43222]

Re: Boilers and Pricing

My comment about handymen wasn't intended to imply that electricians should try to compete with them. I agree that it's unfortunate that homeowners hire these guys. The only reason I can think of that a homeowner would hire an unlicensed handyman over a licensed/insured electrician is cost. If it were up to me, I'd make sure all the handymen stay away from electrical work as long as they are illegal, but I don't have that power.

The bottom line is that you have to quote whatever price it is that will make the job worth your while. I certainly don't suggest that you try to underbid an unlicensed handyman just to get the job, only to lose money in the process. It's a losing game if you try to compete with unlicensed guys on cost.

I guess the intent of my original handyman comment wasn't what I was aiming for. I must have started typing before my brain was fully engaged.

 

[JohnC0310]

Re: Boilers and Pricing

Hi Dirk, my past experience is that other trades may submit a price to a customer for the whole job. They then go out and sub out the part of the job that they cannot do. I bet that the price that you gave him is more than he budgeted for to the customer so he is worrying for his take now. Based on what you have described here, the price is fair to you and that is what you should charge.