Any tips to attract a contractor?

[zippyslug31]

From all the folks who have asked about finding a contractor for their given build, finding a licensed contractor that will give you the time of day is a major challenge. I know when we built our house and barn a few years ago, it was like pulling teeth just to get an estimate, much less have somebody show up to do the work.

Currently I'm trying to get power run to a new shop (didn't want to post this in the Lighting section since the topic here is contractors in general) and I'm striking out big time. I've told them that I can do the trenching, will install the circuits afterward, am willing to do the physical installation of the panel, and would even be their grunt for anything while they're here - I mainly need them for the permit. Of the 8 electricians that I've managed to get on the phone (and not voicemail), most say they aren't interested. A few simply don't "get back to me" like they promise. Nobody will give me a solid reason other than "we're really busy".

To me, this seems like easy money. A day's work, charge a grand or two, and they'd be on their way... but all I'm hearing is crickets.

I live in a pretty active construction market, between a housing boom and some high-profile data centers going in around this region. Maybe I'm just out of touch... is this just the reality of the world today with all of the "housing crunch" that's taking place? The dwindling numbers of kids going into the trades? If this is the case, permitting bodies are going to need to alter their restrictions by allowing more homeowner installs for things like this.

Really, I'm trying to understand what the issue is and if anybody has some advice for how I can make my project more "attractive" for somebody to book my job. Soooo very confused.

 

[FMB4]

Seek bids for a 'start to finish' job.

 

[jack stand]

Yeah, by your offer of doing a heap of the work, he might size you up as thinking...... $300 job.
If that comes out as an offer later in the conversation? Hard to say.

 

[P0234]

Ask them what their normal hourly rate is, up it 30% and tell them when you want them to show up.

 

[Rc_Guy]

do it yourself

 

[Grimpala]

do it yourself

Sounds like he already pretty much is. What exactly do you need the sparky to do if you're digging the trench, running the circuits, installing the panel, etc...

 

[billconner]

It sounds his jurisdiction requires a licensed electrician.

 

[quickfarms]

Pull the permit yourself as owner/builder

 

[RivennHewn]

Offer double$$$$$$

 

[nadogail]

Start a rumor that you have just won the Lottery and are looking to have a "Hobby Shop" built, PRONTO.

 

[Bert_]

I wouldn't do the job described unless it was for someone I know. It's not happening the way you describe unless the guy is your buddy.

Tell them you want a panel installed in your building and don't offer to do anything else!

 

[billconner]

Pull the permit yourself as owner/builder

That varies and some jurisdictions don't allow unlicensed owners to install panels.

 

[ZRX61]

I just had a flashback to Norm MacDonald's joke about welders...

 

[Walkers]

Install everything yourself. If asked about which licensed electrician did it, say his name was Frank, he showed up and wired it but I haven’t heard back from him.

 

[Rst277]

Don't take this personally, but contractors don't want to work with home owners. It's a pain in the ****. It's like helping a mechanic at the shop fix your car. He doesn't want to coach you, tell you how to do it, listen to you when you want to do it differently, work on your schedule, be micromanaged, etc. He wants a clean slate with no hassles, you drive away to work, he gets down to business. If he makes mistakes, he fixes them, you never know - all good in his mind. Life has enough hassles why create more?

 

[rburke65]

#14……hey, Frank did mine!

 

[DPG]

Maybe ask the contractors what it would take to get on their wait list?

 

[kelpaso1]

Don't take this personally, but contractors don't want to work with home owners. It's a pain in the ****. It's like helping a mechanic at the shop fix your car. He doesn't want to coach you, tell you how to do it, listen to you when you want to do it differently, work on your schedule, be micromanaged, etc. He wants a clean slate with no hassles, you drive away to work, he gets down to business. If he makes mistakes, he fixes them, you never know - all good in his mind. Life has enough hassles why create more?

Words of wisdom. Tell him what you want and let him deal with it. You are paying him for that experience aren't you?

 

[Conrad]

Echoing RST277, the tradesman doesn't need a homeowner poking his nose around and getting in the way, you may be trying to be helpful but it really just creates drag especially on a small project. Fact is homeowners like most of us on this board are small potatoes for any licensed contractors, I went through the same pain 2 years ago trying to get my kitchen remodeled, now that I'm doing the garage I'm just acting as my own GC and doing as much as I can myself.

I would recommend asking in your personal/professional local network for recommendations and be prepared to pay a bit extra, leave all the bit about the trenchwork off the table until he comes out to have a look and see what he says about getting it done

 

[Northislander]

Plumbing Contractor here. At the moment we are extremely busy. I have a list of contractors we usually work for and I am presently telling the contractors I can't book any new jobs in for at least six months. So the last thing i would want is a homeowner job. At least most contractors are organized I can't say that with a lot of homeowners we've worked for and when you can't show up on a days notice they think its your fault not theirs for giving you no notice. Then when your finished they want to negotiate the price because they helped out. No Thanks.
Only suggestion I have that might work is to ask the people your calling if they know of any new electrical contractors starting out. We have a couple phone numbers we give out to callers of young guys just starting out that have the time to take on smaller jobs. usually hear feedback good or bad and delete or add to the number list based on what we hear.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I mainly need them for the permit...

This is your problem. You're not even really offering them a job. Don't expect any professional to let you do the work on their permit.

 

[billconner]

I have not lived where owners can't do work on the single family house they (and mortgage company) own and live in, but know that this does exist.

Solicit quotes to do whole thing with maybe just two or three branch circuits - a couple of lights and receptacles. After under contract see if you can get a credit if you dig trench, but that's it. When it's done and inspected, add and/or extend all the branch circuits you want. That's the best you're likely to do IMHO without a relative or friend who is licensed.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you're really serious, walk in and talk face to face. Any Ricky Bobby can dial a phone and "waste" their time.

 

[niget2002]

I don't know of too many electricians that would be willing to put their name on someone else's work.

Let them install the panel and run at least one circuit... an outlet and a light. Then do the rest yourself.

 

[ace10]

What, specifically, do you want them to do and provide for a "grand or two?"

 

[PoorUB]

I can only echo what everyone else has said. No contractor wants your help. They want to show up, do the job start to finish and leave. You would be much better off asking them for quotes to install the service from start to finish and you go to work or go fishing.

I worked in the HVAC trade for years. The last thing I want id the home owner "helping". It generally adds time tot the job because he needs instruction which takes time. Get a couple guys on the job that know what they are doing and it goes faster.

 

[dcg9381]

I think you might try to get bids for an end-to-end "install the main" job. Likely those bids will come with line items for trenching/conduit (my electrician outsouces this). We just dropped them out of the bid when they were "done" when they got here.
If you can pull the permits, that will be a LOT more attractive to them. Permits are a pain in the ***.

 

[zippyslug31]

In typical "if figures"-fashion, not more than 30 mins after posting this, one of the companies I reached out to actually called me back! I assume a total coincidence... or we have a lurking Garage Journal member.
Got their quote and am scheduled, so I feel better about the state of my project. The guy I'm going with seems very responsive and organized, which is a big bonus.



I think this is a valid topic for conversation as many here on GJ have fought with this. There's a range of thoughts here, some are conflicting. Either (1) the owner doing too much of the work and not leaving enough profit in the job, (2) doing it all yourself, or (3) somehow insisting on receiving a quote (?), although this last one seems to have missed the point of the thread in that many simply aren't interested in the job, thus aren't going to spend the time to work up a quote.

Indirectly responding to some of the thoughts put out here...
- Physically walking into an office is an interesting idea and might be of value. Over the phone you can ask all you want, but in my experience most simply aren't investing the time or effort to generate quotes. This seems shortsighted by contractors since they are up to their eyeballs with work. Come the day that things slow down, then what? I did have one electrical company tell me that they are charging their standard minimum ($125 for the first hour, including travel time) just to come here and look at my project; they'd then decide if they want to bid it. Please tell me this isn't common practice.
- Plenty of counties don't allow for homeowners to energize a structure, or really do much with electricity at all. That's the blocker in my situation. This restriction is similar to what others here on GJ have expressed time and time again - namely permits. Don't confuse one's ability to do a task with what is allowed by your local building board.
- Offering to do a little/some/most of the prep as an offer to a contractor to demonstrate you're flexible to work with them and their schedule. Assuming the owner isn't insisting on doing X, I'm not sure how any contractor would view this as a bad thing as some here have insinuated.
- I agree that a contractor who would allow their client to perform a bunch of work under their license is probably not a contractor you'd want.

 

[ez-duzit]

...Offering to do a little/some/most of the prep...I'm not sure how any contractor would view this as a bad thing...

Unsubscribed.

 

[PoorUB]

I did have one electrical company tell me that they are charging their standard minimum ($125 for the first hour, including travel time) just to come here and look at my project; they'd then decide if they want to bid it. Please tell me this isn't common practice.

It is not common practice, but, bet that contractor is busy and the $125 charge and it weeds out the tire kickers. If a person is going to do a several thousand dollar job and is serious, what does the $125 amount too?

 

[Bert_]

- Offering to do a little/some/most of the prep as an offer to a contractor to demonstrate you're flexible to work with them and their schedule. Assuming the owner isn't insisting on doing X, I'm not sure how any contractor would view this as a bad thing as some here have insinuated.
- I agree that a contractor who would allow their client to perform a bunch of work under their license is probably not a contractor you'd want.

I'm an electrical contractor and I'm telling I wouldn't want your help. I've been through it before, guy says "I'll dig the trench". I show up and it's 10" deep. Or a guy asks for my advice then argues about it when I tell him to change stuff.

Sure you might be different but no guarantee. Easier to just let it be someone else's problem. I've got more than enough work that I want to do.

 

[BillK]

I mainly need them for the permit.

https://www.oregon.gov/bcd/Documents/brochures/2671.pdf

Sounds like you are doing everything anyway. I did all of mine when I built my detached garage. Had to take a simple open book NEC test but otherwise it was no problem.

 

[TTMotorsports]

100% ask for a start to finsh total job. Once job starts then you can chime in saying you will be a sub contractor on some work.

 

[dcg9381]

- Plenty of counties don't allow for homeowners to energize a structure, or really do much with electricity at all. That's the blocker in my situation. This restriction is similar to what others here on GJ have expressed time and time again - namely permits. Don't confuse one's ability to do a task with what is allowed by your local building board.

I'd wager that almost "no" jurisdictions (at least those that require a permit/inspection) alllow home owners to do the work of a "professional" trade. That being said, here - there is absolutely nothing preventing the home owner from applying and getting the permit. Essentially you're operating in a GC capacity. Permits are a pain in the *** and to get the guys that are working for builders and those associated non-consumer rates, you've got to behave like a builder. The permitting process can take days, especially if a revision is needed, and that's time that doesn't make sense for a small job. Not saying this works elsewhere.

I've had great luck in assisting "electrical" trades, but complete **** luck in adding to plumbing (past inspection) with a plumbing trade. Literally adding a shower head and the plumber threw down in a yelling fit, saying he'd refuse to warranty any part of the job. So I think YMMV quite a bit.

Electricians may have trenching equipment. If they do, they may want to trench. If they don't and they're going to outsource that job, I take that job on. It's my responsibility to do it right - correct depth, correct materials. And I usually check in on conduit size and schedule before I do it. If I was to trench at 10" instead of 24" and the electrician wasted a trip, that's on me, and I expect to be charged.

I think the most "universal" way to do it is probably to have the permit pulled and ask them to bid the minimum job (meaning install the main)... Pieces within that, like trenching and conduit, I'd consider negotiable and if the electrician said "no" to doing that for him, I'd take his answer at face value.

 

[NUTTSGT]

This thread is just more proof of how things vary across the US, whether it's AHJ or contactors themselves.

 

[billconner]

"I'd wager that almost "no" jurisdictions (at least those that require a permit/inspection) alllow home owners to do the work of a "professional" trade. "

I don't know overall but all three states I've lived in allow an owner to do most anything on their owner occupied single family dwelling. I don't recall details - in 1980s - but was fine in New Haven CT. In Illinois, too much farming that legislature said owner can do it. Now I NY, I guess same rural farming tradition, I can do just about anything (except design septic - but I can install it). What a country!

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Your job is too small. That's why.

 

[bradpac]

I'd wager that almost "no" jurisdictions (at least those that require a permit/inspection) alllow home owners to do the work of a "professional" trade.

I'm just a little east of you in Williamson county, Taylor, TX. I can do all my own electrical work as this is my homestead. The only thing I can't do is disconnect/reconnect the feed, which the electric service company (Oncor) has to do, which I believe is how it goes even for electricians.

 

[Rc_Guy]

I'd wager that almost "no" jurisdictions (at least those that require a permit/inspection) alllow home owners to do the work of a "professional" trade. That being said, here - there is absolutely nothing preventing the home owner from applying and getting the permit. Essentially you're operating in a GC capacity. Permits are a pain in the *** and to get the guys that are working for builders and those associated non-consumer rates, you've got to behave like a builder. The permitting process can take days, especially if a revision is needed, and that's time that doesn't make sense for a small job. Not saying this works elsewhere.

I've had great luck in assisting "electrical" trades, but complete **** luck in adding to plumbing (past inspection) with a plumbing trade. Literally adding a shower head and the plumber threw down in a yelling fit, saying he'd refuse to warranty any part of the job. So I think YMMV quite a bit.

Electricians may have trenching equipment. If they do, they may want to trench. If they don't and they're going to outsource that job, I take that job on. It's my responsibility to do it right - correct depth, correct materials. And I usually check in on conduit size and schedule before I do it. If I was to trench at 10" instead of 24" and the electrician wasted a trip, that's on me, and I expect to be charged.

I think the most "universal" way to do it is probably to have the permit pulled and ask them to bid the minimum job (meaning install the main)... Pieces within that, like trenching and conduit, I'd consider negotiable and if the electrician said "no" to doing that for him, I'd take his answer at face value.

I'm just a little east of you in Williamson county, Taylor, TX. I can do all my own electrical work as this is my homestead. The only thing I can't do is disconnect/reconnect the feed, which the electric service company (Oncor) has to do, which I believe is how it goes even for electricians.

Same in Minnesota, buddy of mine did his whole house And I did my whole barbecue trailer conduit pulled wire everything from start to finish, they nit picked my buddy a little more than an electrician might get nitpicked but I would expect that. He’s not an expert

 

[reader2580]

Same in Minnesota, buddy of mine did his whole house And I did my whole barbecue trailer conduit pulled wire everything from start to finish, they nit picked my buddy a little more than an electrician might get nitpicked but I would expect that. He’s not an expert

I'm also in Minnesota and I've done almost all of my own electrical work with permits and passed every inspection first time. The idiot inspector would not allow homeowners to install solar themselves even though the state would allow it. He retired and the new guy allows homeowners to install solar. I know some would just avoid getting the permit, but they aren't that expensive in the big scheme of things. (Certainly if I replace a switch or outlet I am not getting a permit.)

I replaced the meter base and I couldn't avoid a permit that time if I wanted to. The power company would not reconnect me without a permit and passed electrical inspection.