Electrician Assistance Cost?

[rockcrawler]

I have an electrician that has offered to come by my shop and give me advice on adding a sub panel and hooking up my two mini spits. He has offered to provide a compete parts/price list and order everything from his local electrical supply house. He said I’d just pay them for the parts and pick them up. For those electricians out there, what would you charge to do something like this? I don’t mind paying someone for their time and expertise. I completely respect their knowledge and the fact that they make a living doing this and it shouldn’t be free. I just want to make sure I pay a fair price.

 

[u2slow]

Kind of a **** shoot.

An electrician is either a licensed contractor (that pulls permits)... or he's not; and shouldn't be doing this kind of work for anyone but an employer who is a licensed contractor.

Reality is friends and acquaintances help each other out with fixing and building things. I'm sure you can figure something out.

 

[rockcrawler]

Reality is friends and acquaintances help each other out with fixing and building things. I'm sure you can figure something out.

Ok

 

[Jlanciani]

If he's truly a friend, a beer.
If he's just someone you know, whatever the prevailing hourly rate in Dallas is.

 

[fitter30]

Im not a electrician but retired from running service on hvac large tonage ac and boilers dealing with a multitude of wire men. It seems extremely strange unless your a personnel good friend not to buy and markup material. All my time is worth something. If someone is charging $20 a hour i would be skeptical of their qualifications. You get what u pay for. When i called out for a electrician it wasn't for i couldn't do the work but wanted someone to take the liability when i push the button to start the machine. That their end was correct.

 

[rockcrawler]

If he's truly a friend, a beer.
If he's just someone you know, whatever the prevailing hourly rate in Dallas is.

I don’t know the guy, he was just referred by a neighbor.

 

[sparky 1971]

$200 the first time he comes out and $100 each time after. Keep each trip under an hour. Oh yeah, cash.

 

[Old tool guy]

get multiple quotes

Non-responsive comment.

 

[Kaizen]

Really depends on you imo. If you have done your research and can install it and just need a pro to look it over at rough in to get a permit then thats one thing. If you can only wire a light and basic outlet thats a lot different.
I have a 2 family house and my city requires an electrician as its not a single. I have 2 panels. I ran 75 feet of conduit burried in my basement and though my wall and burried to the garage where i put a 125 amp sub panel. I ran conduit for all switches lights and outlets including my lift and welding circuit. I found a guy that took a look and appoved of my work and then pulled the permit. He "felt more comfortable" doing a few hours of work at x amount per hour to pull the permit.
My work is close to pro level so he did some work for a couple hundred and passed inspection no problem. It was worth what i paid and I would have paid more as he noticed my feeder to my 200 amp house panel was undersized. He was able to correct that and point out a few other things to tidy up.

 

[nadogail]

Ask your friend what he thinks is fair, if you agree don't be afraid to be generous.

 

[Stuart in MN]

He may be planning on doing it for free or for a six pack, he may be assuming you'll pay him the prevailing wage, or anywhere in between. So whatever you do talk to him and come to an agreement beforehand, so there are no mixed signals.

 

[rockcrawler]

He may be planning on doing it for free or for a six pack, he may be assuming you'll pay him the prevailing wage, or anywhere in between. So whatever you do talk to him and come to an agreement beforehand, so there are no mixed signals.

I spoke with him on the phone and he stated that he was charging $300. I thought that to be a little steep, for me. I have the utmost respect for folks that are experts in their profession and I have no problem paying for help. Anyone should be able to charge whatever they want based on what they believe their time is worth. I told him I’d have to think about it because it was more than I could spend at the time. I said that if I decided to move forward with his assistance, I’d call him. I’m doing all of this on a slim budget.

 

[sparky 1971]

If he's letting you buy materials through his supply house account with contractor pricing, you're probably already saving a bit, at least on the panel and breakers, depending on what you already have and will need. It might not be $300 saved, but I get Square D for about 1/2 what the box stores charge. I've let friends go buy things through my account but as a cash sale, they always check what their price would be and they can't believe how much they saved vs. off the street pricing or even what Home Depot charges.

 

[Noltz]

I've let friends go buy things through my account but as a cash sale, they always check what their price would be and they can't believe how much they saved vs. off the street pricing or even what Home Depot charges.

This is accurate for me too. Buddy is in an electrical parts house and the savings are 20-40% off box store. Wire, EMT, hardware, and he's still got a small margin in there for the company. Oddly receptacles were about the same but even when they're a few points more I just bought through the brick & mortar store. I know they're not counterfeit and I know it's keeping volume flowing through a real business.

 

[Old tool guy]

I spoke with him on the phone and he stated that he was charging $300.

Ok, go ahead and save $300 … figure it all out yourself. That shouldn’t take more than a week and 6 trips to the supply house.

 

[inline five]

I spoke with him on the phone and he stated that he was charging $300. I thought that to be a little steep, for me. I have the utmost respect for folks that are experts in their profession and I have no problem paying for help. Anyone should be able to charge whatever they want based on what they believe their time is worth. I told him I’d have to think about it because it was more than I could spend at the time. I said that if I decided to move forward with his assistance, I’d call him. I’m doing all of this on a slim budget.

$300 is a bargain for professional advice, just pay the man

 

[Zeke]

I think 300 is fair given the discount. But he has no skin in the game so if he's wrong on anything, it will be your problem. And you might not be able to return anything by yourself.

I, myself, might look for another option. And if you don't know what to order, what do you know about electrical work? Sounds like picking up supplies listed by someone else is a small problem leading to a bigger one.

 

[rockcrawler]

Ok, go ahead and save $300 … figure it all out yourself. That shouldn’t take more than a week and 6 trips to the supply house.

 

[u2slow]

I think 300 is fair given the discount. But he has no skin in the game...

'Skin in the game' is what a licensed contractor provides, at contractor rates.

 

[Zeke]

'Skin in the game' is what a licensed contractor provides, at contractor rates.

With an obligation to pass inspection and repair it if if fails within 2 years (contractor's law in CA).

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

I tell anyone that questions me about my rates for a "quick consultation" to go down and see your friendly car dealership see their rates……… I will work for the same rate.
I am a retired electrical contractor turned electrical inspector with an electrical engineering degree and over 50 years experience and even though I am retired I feel my time is valuable.

BTW! I always said: "If I am going to loose money or work for free…….. I will stay at home"

TIP! Beware of the "electrician" who works out of the car trunk.…….. AVOID and RUN AWAY FAST!

 

[rockcrawler]

If I decide to use this guy, or someone else, what credentials should I request?

 

[Zeke]

Credentials are one thing, and a good thing, but references that you talk to are much better. Always ask for the most recent job done to avoid the shills and in-laws.

 

[sparky 1971]

You could ask for a license, but if all you are looking for is advice, you might get told to pound sand and to get your materials somewhere else. In my experience, the people that have asked to see licenses and insurance certificates are the biggest pains in the **** to work for. I make a living because I carry two licenses and am insured, telling someone what to put where and how to do it isn't really padding my pockets much so I'd be out...

 

[mm08822]

You could ask for a license, but if all you are looking for is advice, you might get told to pound sand and to get your materials somewhere else. In my experience, the people that have asked to see licenses and insurance certificates are the biggest pains in the **** to work for. I make a living because I carry two licenses and am insured, telling someone what to put where and how to do it isn't really padding my pockets much so I'd be out...

Red flags for sure. I did that once and never again! It was a job I was doing the install for. I told him I would only install the parts I wanted to use.

Guy couldn't read my shorthand, needed mfr and part #'s. I typed it up and charged him for that also and for estimating the entire job. He didnt save anything. Wasted my time.

 

[sparky 1971]

Red flags for sure. I did that once and never again! It was a job I was doing the install for. I told him I would only install the parts I wanted to use.

Guy couldn't read my shorthand, needed mfr and part #'s. I typed it up and charged him for that also and for estimating the entire job. He didnt save anything. Wasted my time.

The last time someone wanted my insurance info before the job was a 1970's house that had 100% stab wired devices. I changed every effing one of them, moving furniture, the whole nine yards. I also installed GFCI receptacles where they were needed. About two weeks after I was finished, he called me and wanted to make a claim on my insurance. The garage GFI supposedly tripped and everything in the freezer was ruined. They had a list of everything in there and what it cost, right down to 1/4 bag of Ikea Swedish meatballs. Rather than screw around fighting with him, I wrote a check for about $200. Then, he had the balls to tell me he was planning on a kitchen remodel and asked if I'd be interested in bidding it. I told him no, and I hoped to never see him again.

That was the last straw, now, if someone wants credentials, I can't hang the phone up fast enough.

 

[rockcrawler]

You could ask for a license, but if all you are looking for is advice, you might get told to pound sand and to get your materials somewhere else. In my experience, the people that have asked to see licenses and insurance certificates are the biggest pains in the **** to work for. I make a living because I carry two licenses and am insured, telling someone what to put where and how to do it isn't really padding my pockets much so I'd be out...

I hear ya. I wasn’t sure if that was a common thing to ask for. I guess not.

 

[sparky 1971]

I hear ya. I wasn’t sure if that was a common thing to ask for. I guess not.

Don't ask.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Op you are the type of client I would quote $2,000, time wastes.

 

[rockcrawler]

Op you are the type of client I would quote $2,000, time wastes.

Got it. I guess it’s best to just figure it out myself. Thanks for the honest input everyone. I apologize if I offended anyone.

 

[Zeke]

Don't ask.

It's true and it's too bad. People (customers) **** enough as it is, but honestly, they have the right to ask. However, most can be discrete. Many of the trades in CA are mandated to display their license number on their truck. Not all, and some that don't have to do it anyway. That way the customer can look you up on the state website.

I carried a license for 40 years and was never asked except at supply houses and building depts. Never by a customer. However, my estimate sheet holder had my info plastered on the inside so if I got that out it was easy for anyone to see. Could have all been phony and the bonding company's card had my number in the largest size, so I just put that one on top. The real license looked more like a driver's license and hard to read. Never had a card that showed ins info. No one asked.

I retired my license because of this. If I wanted to work under contract I wouldn't hesitate. It wouldn't mean anything but the contracts over the years didn't mean a lot. In fact, I used a proposal and contract as the quote, or estimate, as it is mislabeled. They sign that and we're off to the races. In my door and window business I took a deposit. For repairs and alterations, never.

Oh, and my proposals had the entire required spiel cut and pasted from the CA contractors website and printed on the back. This spells the laws out for the customer. Hardly did they ever flip it over to read. The overwhelming average of contracts that I saw by others had none of this info.

 

[u2slow]

If I decide to use this guy, or someone else, what credentials should I request?

Credentials usually come with a full contractor price....

If you ask nicely, he may agree to show you an apprentice or journeyman card.

 

[Boogerman]

Just pay him the $300, well worth that for the services you described if you don't want to hire a contractor for the work.

However, $300 seems to mean a lot to you. To a professional, making a living, it's nearly nothing. So, don't have a huge amount of expectations. I'd expect him to show up, talk to you about what you want to do, measure, maybe take a couple of photos, collect your $300 CASH and then go home and make up a list that he'd send to the parts house to pick up and pay for.

Those 2 to 3 hours are all you're paying for, not an inspection and future consultations and advice sessions.

 

[rockcrawler]

I called him back and had him come by. He gave me a bunch of advice and ordered some wire and a few other items that he thought he could save me some money on. Other items he said he couldn’t really get me a better price on, I just went out and bought myself. He ended up only charging me $200. The wire discount was significant and totally worth it along with the advice and ideas.