Average hourly rate for electrician?
dainaadele
17 years ago
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annzgw
17 years agomamacotti
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Skilled garden maintenance: hourly vs. flat rate
Comments (39)The client who has the lower rate probably won't be asking -- you might raise that rate, too. If the client with the higher rate was a referral, chances are the friend revealed your rate, which you'll find out if you quote a different (higher, but not a lot higher) one. So you can explain your rates go up periodically, and then, say, describe your recent continuing education or professional honors etc. -- some specialized thing that makes you different from other fine gardeners. (I've observed colleagues leverage high-profile volunteer gigs this way -- the pro bono stuff gets them name recognition, which gets them more referrals, which enables them to charge more...) If the client with a higher rate happens to have a good friend who is one of your other clients, same thing: rates go up periodically, they're still getting a good deal because (cite your skills, knowledge, etc.) and (cite your projects, pro bonos, awards, etc.). Jobs are different, too. I've charged more for steep gardens with poison oak (where I sprained an ankle on the loose steps) than for level sites where it was easier to haul things around. I've heard the same kind of anecdote as INK, where someone tries to set the price too high to force the client to say no, and instead gets the job. The one I heard was a photog, tired of traveling, who quoted what he thought was an absurdly high rate for an annual report for a bank in Asia. The bank had wanted a conservative, dull report, with photos of the suits. The photog said, if I were to do this, I'd take pix of the people in native costumes at specified sites all over the country, and not only my high rate but also first-class travel and accommodations and a big expense account. On the one hand, he was thinking, this would make it worth doing and be sort of a vacation, but on the other he went so overboard that he thought, there's no way they'd go for this. They did. (One of Rick "Day in the Life of..." Smolan's stories.) The art is to set your rate so you can be selective and do mostly jobs you love for people you like....See MoreAverage labor rate for HVAC repair?
Comments (31)Ddr Hazy hit it on the head. Everything is so secretive (and everyone you talk to so thorny and ornery) only so you can't find out how hard you're getting screwed. Some contractors are making $4-6k-plus PER DAY labor for installs before paying one helper (maybe $20/hr). You might get charged $8k for new condenser and coil (1-day job) that's not much over $1k in parts. Or $5k for a 3-hour new furnace that's barely $1k for the actual furnace. Then there's the blatant 10x-plus markup on refrigerant. With installs they could work 10 days per year and make the median US salary or better. Even when you find online companies that sell parts direct, the contractors are paying way less than that. If you try to buy any parts or equipment yourself, the contractor will get on a high horse and refuse to install it (because you are partially exposing his labor rate, and cutting into his additional profit on equipment mark-up). The suppliers will not quote you any prices, and won't sell you so much as a length of drain line. The manufacturers themselves refuse to even talk to you unless you are HVAC certified, and no I'm not exaggerating; many literally will not speak to you and will hang up . Even the state governments are involved (probably pressured by lobby groups); in NJ it takes 5 years experience to even get a license and that's after years of trade school - that huge bar to entry keeps competition relatively low. I'd say HVAC puts plumbers' rates to shame. If you want to avoid getting hosed, I recommend finding an employee for a larger company or a retired technician and offering him a very healthy hourly rate (like $60-80/hr) to do jobs on the side and order parts through his license #. It's still a lot but you'll save 50 to 75%-plus parts and labor versus a company. That or buy parts online, find a handy guy (e.g. plumber/electrician) to do most of the install, and then have an agreeable HVAC guy (if can find one) spend one hour and wrap the job up for a couple hundred bucks. For some people though, the few thousand $ extra paid every few years isn't worth that hassle....See MoreInterior painting & hourly rate
Comments (18)I charge $1.75+ a sq.ft to do interior painting to cover cost of materials and man hours...those pervious statements about flat hourly rate works into the sq.ft. price by figuring out how many men you need and how long it should take to paint the job..now asking what the hourly rate is depends on the company used. I charge $40 an hour for my self and $25 for help but like I said if the job is 10,000 sq.ft. then my price to do 2 coats and doors and trim is 1.75.. there is alot of work involved and it would take a crew of men a 4 days to paint this with a sprayer, and that includes the paint the tape the plastic, and overhead cost so convert that down to a small 2600 sq.ft. home and apply it there it's going to take 2 men 2 1/2 days and the paint and supplies if it's a repaint with patch and scaffold work that cost $2.25 a sq.ft. keep in mind you are paying for skill and what those ladies did for $15 an hour was nice but most painters aren't old ladies looking for part-time work they are pro's that want a living wage so consider that when paying your tradesmen, you like to get paid a fair wage for your job right, that man or women has spent the better part of their life's perfecting their skill so give the some credit...See MoreKitchen designer: hourly rate or flat fee?
Comments (5)This is a perennial question. I'm a KD and I sell cabinets. Nowadays (more in the past year or so) I also do freelance design and drafting (heavy on the drafting) for other professionals (not homeowners). Here's a bit of rambling- bit of a summation at the end if you want to skip the drivel. When I first went out on my own I expected to be emphasize just design, not sell cabinets but quickly gave that up for a lot of reasons. In this region the business model for selling cabinets is "the design is included". There are those, myself included, who require a retainer which is credited toward the cabinet purchase. But the design fee as such does not change. So how does that work for the consumer? Depends. First let me say that It can be very difficult to find a good designer-of any kind using any business model. I find that many cabinet sales designers do minimal drawings (which is where my other work comes from) often lacking in detail. Many do not work with more than the walls that the cabinets are on (don't even ask my opinion of that). Is there incentive to charge more? I don't think so, making budget is always an issue. Don't make the budget you don't make the sale. BUT I know that some KDs will up the charge if things drag on-of course that is well within the clients control. Will a GOOD designer do minimal work-by definition NO, pride comes into play. Still, I can only speak for myself and I don't really care how long it takes so long as we move forward not backward. Some take less, some take more but it's all pretty much built around the best possible project for the budget. I don't think I'm alone in that. Freelance kitchen designers who does not sell cabinets can be difficult to find and there is no guarantee they are good. The good ones often charge between $75 and $130 per hour which adds up quickly. That can quickly reach several thousand dollars, especially if there are other spaces involved. Drawings alone can be a couple of thousand for a complete set on a full reno. Flat fee- I do flat fee work for some of my pro clients but in those cases: drafting is the major component, there is a clear idea of the scope of work, how it will proceed, AND they are regular repeat clients (so it comes out in the wash) Alternatively "Some" architects do well with kitchens, as do some interior designers. but many not so much. Very few are familiar with all the possible cabinet specs. Rarely for manufactured brands. Most often they are leaving the fine details of the cabinets to the "cabinet person". In either case the net cost is higher since very few cabinet dealers or makers will give an adequate discount for coming in with plans drawn. They still have to write an order, double check it with the client, check it with the factory acknowledgement, assume delivery and be responsible for it all. Professional certification may or may not help in selection. II personally don't put any stock in it on it's own. Summary-if you are a pessimist thinking that everyone is likely to be out to overcharge you, if you have a hard time trusting. No professional will solve it for you. That is always a relationship of trust. This forum-if you know what you want and are willing to invest the time then using the good folks here on the forum may be your best option. Realize it will take longer and that the "design" you end up with is incomplete. Someone still has to turn it into an order of some sort and do final drawings. That is likely easier taken care of with a custom builder but again YMMV. A good KD that sells cabinets. This can be the best value for the average consumer is to find a really good KD that sells cabinets, knows something about space/structure/building, supplies thorough drawings, and is capable of keeping you on budget. You will find none selling low end brands and only a few selling base semi custom. It gets to a question of being lucky. Region matters but that too has no clear indicator. Shop for the designer NOT the cabinet. Most people work the other way and many suffer for it. Architect- will always supply good drawings, that's what they do. I know two who are very good with kitchens, many without a clue. A good one will be great with space. Some architects have a good KD they work with all the time. It would be wise to interview both. Interior designer- I know fewer of those that are good with kitchens. They should be good with finishes, may or may not care what you like. Some are paid to be tastemakers. Beware of the artist/houseperson/SIL... with taste. Many of the better ones have a good KD in their pocket and some are also excellent with space making them a great choice. Design Build firm or person- the biggest advantage is one stop shopping. Again all can be hit or miss. The best are pricey. They too will have a cabinet person they deal with- be sure to interview both up front. (essential) A freelance KD- find one, shop the same way you would for one who sells cabinets. Whichever way you go always - have a budget, supply it honestly up front, and always, always shop for a person not a product....See Morebus_driver
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