Change Orders for residential work

[jeff48356]

Suppose you're wiring a newly-built house, and the person in charge (owner, builder, GC, owner's wife, etc.) wants to make a change to something, namely moving a switch/outlet to a different location. Would you typically charge a fee for this? What about if the wiring had not yet been run or the affected boxes hadn't been installed yet? I probably wouldn't charge anything as long as I didn't have to redo anything that I had already done. But I would get annoyed if they asked me to move something after the fact, so I would charge $100 or so (sort of a 'Now-you-tell-me') clause.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Suppose you're wiring a newly-built house, and the person in charge (owner, builder, GC, owner's wife, etc.) wants to make a change to something, namely moving a switch/outlet to a different location. Would you typically charge a fee for this? What about if the wiring had not yet been run or the affected boxes hadn't been installed yet? I probably wouldn't charge anything as long as I didn't have to redo anything that I had already done. But I would get annoyed if they asked me to move something after the fact, so I would charge $100 or so (sort of a 'Now-you-tell-me') clause.

I give them a black magic marker and about a week to think about where they want things, with the suggestion to think about Christmas decorations and general living, such as “when you come in from work, where does your phone get dropped?” There we add a charger outlet... where is your bed? We put double gangs behind the nightstands, etc...

once I have started, it then depends on the size of the job and the owners attitude...

 

[hbiss]

Suppose you're wiring a newly-built house, and the person in charge (owner, builder, GC, owner's wife, etc.) wants to make a change to something, namely moving a switch/outlet to a different location. Would you typically charge a fee for this? What about if the wiring had not yet been run or the affected boxes hadn't been installed yet? I probably wouldn't charge anything as long as I didn't have to redo anything that I had already done. But I would get annoyed if they asked me to move something after the fact, so I would charge $100 or so (sort of a 'Now-you-tell-me') clause.

If you haven't started yet and the change affects the price then a change order is needed. After the fact changes should always trigger a change order. It's just good business.

After the first one they will get the hint that you don't work for nothing and maybe they will think about whether those changes are really needed.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

I probably wouldn't charge anything as long as I didn't have to redo anything that I had already done. But I would get annoyed if they asked me to move something after the fact, so I would charge $100 or so (sort of a 'Now-you-tell-me') clause.

I would do the same: only charge to undo or redo something. The good will is worth more than the $100.

 

[electrofelon]

I generally don't charge for changes/additions within reason. Usually I don't even have a hard electrical layout so the number of openings isn't even definite. Such things are built into the price. I don't do highly competitive type work where it matters to charge for a few extra openings.

 

[bkludecke]

We only do custom homes so we always figure on quite a few changes/additions/deletions and they are all buried in the price unless it is a significant change. Whenever possible we like to nail up all the boxes and let the homeowner have a look and make changes before the rough wiring is completed. Then the Mrs. comes by and makes changes, then the interior decorator swings by and changes EVERYTHING again............

 

[goldstar]

Suppose you're wiring a newly-built house, and the person in charge (owner, builder, GC, owner's wife, etc.) wants to make a change to something, namely moving a switch/outlet to a different location. Would you typically charge a fee for this? What about if the wiring had not yet been run or the affected boxes hadn't been installed yet? I probably wouldn't charge anything as long as I didn't have to redo anything that I had already done. But I would get annoyed if they asked me to move something after the fact, so I would charge $100 or so (sort of a 'Now-you-tell-me') clause.

I had this same exact experience several years ago. I did a remodel job for the daughter of a friend of mine from my church. They were never on the job but every time they showed up there was a drastic change. I didn't charge them for anything but expressed my anger for every change because they and their GC were never on the jobsite when needed. Then, during the job I was leaving on a cruise out of NYC and just passing under the Verrazanno Bridge when I got a call on my cell that there was a change in the kitchen. When I got back I found ALL my wiring un-spliced and dis-assembled. I almost shut the job down. Again I expressed my anger. Long story-short they don't speak to me anymore.

My advice - if it's not as big change and doesn't affect your pocket do the work, smile and walk away. Otherwise - get paid for the change.

 

[kwired]

I generally don't charge for changes/additions within reason. Usually I don't even have a hard electrical layout so the number of openings isn't even definite. Such things are built into the price. I don't do highly competitive type work where it matters to charge for a few extra openings.

I don't now I have ever had a hard plan that had to be followed on a dwelling. Most the time am lucky to even see a basic floor plan that has no electrical details whatsoever, and even those get some tweaks sometimes to what is the final outcome.

Most the time am not working under a set bid price either. You can't bid something that has no plans, all you can do is give an estimate and hope they understand that it based on unwritten plans and that any other competing estimates may not have the same unwritten plans they were based on. I do tell them cost can vary depending on what goes into the project before it is all said and done. I think as project goes on often they are looking at how much has been spent already and then later decide what things they can afford to add or delete from what they originally intended.

When doing those jobs that way, changes do cost the customer $$. It don't cost too much if they move outlets around before the cables have been pulled, even more $$ if they decide to change something after walls have been covered

 

[PaulMmn]

One thing to try-- put up all the boxes (or maybe just pictures of them), then have a mandatory walk-thru with the owners, the GC, the decorator, the guy who wires the hifi and the video systems, the gardener, and anyone else who might be interested. Tell them that if they have any ideas about needing more outlets (or moving them), whether for power or phone or speakers or video, NOW is the time to make the changes.

Any changes once the boxes are up are $5 each. After the wires are pulled, $50 each. After the walls are covered, $500 each.

One problem with this is that a lot of people walking through rooms of open studs can't imagine how much smaller things are once the walls are closed in.

I realize that my 'pricing schedule' is a blue-sky dream. But sometimes it's nice to dream!

 

[sparky1118]

I give them a black magic marker and about a week to think about where they want things, with the suggestion to think about Christmas decorations and general living, such as “when you come in from work, where does your phone get dropped?” There we add a charger outlet... where is your bed? We put double gangs behind the nightstands, etc...

once I have started, it then depends on the size of the job and the owners attitude...

That’s absolutely what I do


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