I have had my contractors license for 4 years I really didn't do any work un till lately I bid my first house I really did all right the owner of the house wanted to supply the parts he thought the supplier was his friend but the supplier made it look like he was getting a good deal by selling him every part separately all I did was bid labor but the supplier tried to make it look like I was ripping the owner off telling him I would add alot of money to the parts and anything else he could think up the owner finally seen that I wasn't trying to rip him off but the supplier still tried to mess me up at every turn I wanted a 40 ckt 200 amp panel the supplier sent a 20 ckt panel with 40 thin breakers the panel had no provisions for the extra grounds and neutrals alot of the parts I ordered he sent the most expensive thing he could find and thin made it look like that was what I ordered so the price was hirer than the owner expected I charged $4200 for the labor the house was 2400sq ft I live in new Mexico and the prices are a little bit lower here I fill the bid was fair the question I have is how do you control some nut at the supply house
just starting out
- Thread starter james6
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brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
Re: just starting out
Go to his boss the supply house employees should be looking out for everyone. But unless there is more than your telling his boss needs to know or shop elsewhere.
Go to his boss the supply house employees should be looking out for everyone. But unless there is more than your telling his boss needs to know or shop elsewhere.
Re: just starting out
The way I see it, you did what your bid promised, if the customer is happy then all is good in the electrical world, as for the person who tried to burn you, I would file a complaint with his boss, and remember if you do bad things then trouble is your reward, the person that was trying to burn you will in time have his reward. Happy contracting.
The way I see it, you did what your bid promised, if the customer is happy then all is good in the electrical world, as for the person who tried to burn you, I would file a complaint with his boss, and remember if you do bad things then trouble is your reward, the person that was trying to burn you will in time have his reward. Happy contracting.
bclymer
Member
- Location
- Nichols, NY.
Re: just starting out
Good job on your first house. Maybe the solution is as simple as changing supply houses, that is if you have another one you can use. I'm one to confront someone who gives me undo mental strain, because if I do not than it makes me stress, and why should I stress out because of someone elses stupidity. Also one thing that I have learned, "Lesson #1 is to make change orders-and get them signed"
Good job on your first house. Maybe the solution is as simple as changing supply houses, that is if you have another one you can use. I'm one to confront someone who gives me undo mental strain, because if I do not than it makes me stress, and why should I stress out because of someone elses stupidity. Also one thing that I have learned, "Lesson #1 is to make change orders-and get them signed"
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
Re: just starting out
That is why I never ever let others supply material. First I need to make money fom the material. Second there will ALWAYS be screw ups that will cost YOU time and aggravation.
That is why I never ever let others supply material. First I need to make money fom the material. Second there will ALWAYS be screw ups that will cost YOU time and aggravation.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: just starting out
I let an owner supply materials once for a large job. He had a friend of a friend in the business who was going to give him a deal.
A 40-foot 18-wheeler showed up with a bunch of pallets of material. The driver says, "where's your forklift?". We had to unload by hand.
The end result:
1. We had to unload by hand.
2. The owner was charged a delivery charge and standby time.
3. The materials were mostly wrong and could not be used.
4. Due to pricing methods not understood by the owner he paid more than he was expecting.
5. My prices would have been less.
6. I made no profit on the materials.
7. It wasted a lot of my time and stressed me out.
8. The owner wished he hadn't stepped outside his comfort zone by ordering materials he knew nothing about, for prices he didn't understand, and from somebody he didn't know directly.
9. My supplier would have brought his own forklift or furnished his own help to unload the truck.
What a fiasco! Charge a "corkage" fee if an owner wants to furnish parts-- and charge for your consulting time in smoothing the order when it goes bad. Make your time billable.
PS: Another gotcha is T&M jobs where when you get to the end the client decides to buy all the trim himself and cut you out of your profit on those items. The point is when you get to the "easy" money some will figure out a way to burn you. Better to put a clause in the T&M contract that you get your P&O on all goods furnished to the job-- not just P&O on goods that you furnish directly. Otherwise your P&O gets diluted on the job as a whole.
[ September 17, 2003, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: awwt ]
I let an owner supply materials once for a large job. He had a friend of a friend in the business who was going to give him a deal.
A 40-foot 18-wheeler showed up with a bunch of pallets of material. The driver says, "where's your forklift?". We had to unload by hand.
The end result:
1. We had to unload by hand.
2. The owner was charged a delivery charge and standby time.
3. The materials were mostly wrong and could not be used.
4. Due to pricing methods not understood by the owner he paid more than he was expecting.
5. My prices would have been less.
6. I made no profit on the materials.
7. It wasted a lot of my time and stressed me out.
8. The owner wished he hadn't stepped outside his comfort zone by ordering materials he knew nothing about, for prices he didn't understand, and from somebody he didn't know directly.
9. My supplier would have brought his own forklift or furnished his own help to unload the truck.
What a fiasco! Charge a "corkage" fee if an owner wants to furnish parts-- and charge for your consulting time in smoothing the order when it goes bad. Make your time billable.
PS: Another gotcha is T&M jobs where when you get to the end the client decides to buy all the trim himself and cut you out of your profit on those items. The point is when you get to the "easy" money some will figure out a way to burn you. Better to put a clause in the T&M contract that you get your P&O on all goods furnished to the job-- not just P&O on goods that you furnish directly. Otherwise your P&O gets diluted on the job as a whole.
[ September 17, 2003, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: awwt ]
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