I know it's not Friday yet...

fieldgrade

fieldgrade

waiting...
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
29,264
Location
Wake/Harnett
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
But why do electricians charge twice what plumbers and HVAC guys charge? Literally. (my plumber is a Duke grad, and my independent HVAC guy was service manager for Johnson Controls at Glaxo's pharma plant. Neither one of those guys is exactly chopped liver.)

Was just billed $267 to change two F40 ballasts in one office lighting fixture. Billed me for an hour and a half. I know I am paying the first hour for him to darken my door.

I can do it, and have done the work myself, but just don't want to since I have multiple properties to tend to, and prefer to hire a licensed professional from a liability standpoint.

I keep calling this guy because he is responsive and gets the work done. Plus he's presentable to send in my occupied properties, as are the other guys. I've had three other electricians that are just real hit or miss, mostly miss, about returning calls or scheduling with my tenants. I tell them exactly what needs to be done, what parts they'll need in advance, it's never a panic rush, unlike plumbing and HVAC issues, and I pay immediately. I must be the chopped liver.

/Rant off
 
Last edited:
Mike Overlay said:
Twice? How do you know that? Did the plumber and hvac guy give you a quote on changing the ballast?
Click to expand...

It's an hour job tops. I've done it plenty of times. It's not rocket science.

When I have the HVAC or Plumber come out for an hour they are often doing work I am not competent to do, stay as long, and charge half. And is usually work that needs to be done pronto. Either due to leaks, or no heat/air. Electrical work for my properties can wait a week, or two.

Changing ballasts is less complicated than what the other two guys do for me as far as I am concerned. Turn off breaker, remove ballast, strip wires, screw on wire nuts. No offense to electricians.
 
Last edited:
Dang it @fieldgrade, you jinxed me because I read your thread. Wife just texted to say the HVAC guy says we have an electrical issue instead of an HVAC issue. Thanks!! :mad:
 
I think I nearly never pay my plumber or HVAC guys more than $150 with parts for a visit unless there is something beyond routine. Usually $130
 
My intent is not to bash trades here in general, or any one in particular, beyond the fact that I struggle to find reliable electricians for the most routine tasks, and just wonder why I pay them 2x for the same amount of time as other skilled trades and for simple jobs I could do myself if I had the bandwidth to keep doing them.
 
@fieldgrade . If you think they are high you obviously don't have elevators in your buildings. The current local billable rate for a two man team on straight time is a little over $600 bucks an hour. Not including parts and travel time is billed to the call as well. No calls are done in less than two hours. If you want a good old fashioned raping, you need an elevator.
 
Elenaidan said:
@fieldgrade . If you think they are high you obviously don't have elevators in your buildings. The current local billable rate for a two man team on straight time is a little over $600 bucks an hour. Not including parts and travel time is billed to the call as well. No calls are done in less than two hours. If you want a good old fashioned raping, you need an elevator.
Click to expand...
Holy crap
 
fieldgrade said:
But why do electricians charge twice what plumbers and HVAC guys charge? Literally. (my plumber is a Duke grad, and my independent HVAC guy was service manager for Johnson Controls at Glaxo's pharma plant. Neither one of those guys is exactly chopped liver.)

Was just billed $267 to change two F40 ballasts in one office lighting fixture. Billed me for an hour and a half. I know I am paying the first hour for him to darken my door.

I can do it, and have done the work myself, but just don't want to since I have multiple properties to tend to, and prefer to hire a licensed professional from a liability standpoint.

I keep calling this guy because he is responsive and gets the work done. Plus he's presentable to send in my occupied properties, as are the other guys. I've had three other electricians that are just real hit or miss, mostly miss, about returning calls or scheduling with my tenants. I tell them exactly what needs to be done, what parts they'll need in advance, it's never a panic rush, unlike plumbing and HVAC issues, and I pay immediately. I must be the chopped liver.

/Rant off
Click to expand...

I think that last paragraph explains it. Finding good, reliable cool contractors that look decent in front of stuffy Cary ites are worth a few extra dollars. Plus HVAC and plumbing are more basic and safe than electrical work. Screw up plumbing and there is some crap and water. Screw up electrical and the building burns. Fast. Keep thst guy you are happy with happy.
 
Elenaidan said:
@fieldgrade . If you think they are high you obviously don't have elevators in your buildings. The current local billable rate for a two man team on straight time is a little over $600 bucks an hour. Not including parts and travel time is billed to the call as well. No calls are done in less than two hours. If you want a good old fashioned raping, you need an elevator.
Click to expand...


I put an elevator in a three-story house I built back in '03. I said I'd never do that again, then ended up putting a 240' elevator in a paper mill in Tennessee in '15.

Really. Never again.
 
trcubed said:
I put an elevator in a three-story house I built back in '03. I said I'd never do that again, then ended up putting a 240' elevator in a paper mill in Tennessee in '15.

Really. Never again.
Click to expand...


Yeah they are a hard lesson learned.
 
Because someone has to pay for the health care system.

Really- Our prices went up because I have to buy BCBS. It went 125% this past year. SO yeah, shit is going up more and more.
 
mj1angier said:
Because someone has to pay for the health care system.

Really- Our prices went up because I have to buy BCBS. It went 125% this past year. SO yeah, shit is going up more and more.
Click to expand...

Wow, you mean there are cost distortions across the economy when the .gov's mess with our lives? No way! Does that explain why cars cost about 1000% more than 20'years ago too?
 
It saves us from seeing the building as nothing but a pile of smoldering ashes.

We've been thru this before with you not to long ago.
 
Tailhunter said:
It saves us from seeing the building as nothing but a pile of smoldering ashes.

We've been thru this before with you not to long ago.
Click to expand...
You'll be pleased to know that I just paid the bill, and will now shut up about it.

*grumble*
##kicks cat##
 
Bigdug said:
As my electrician once told me, " No ones house ever burned down because the toilet leaked"
Click to expand...

Sounds like he should stick to being an electrician and not speculate on what leaking toilets can do. If it's an undetected blackwater leak it can destroy a home. If it's a vent leak, it can blow up the home, set it ablaze, or make the occupants deathly sick.
 
The Green Heron said:
Sounds like he should stick to being an electrician and not speculate on what leaking toilets can do. If it's an undetected blackwater leak it can destroy a home. If it's a vent leak, it can blow up the home, set it ablaze, or make the occupants deathly sick.
Click to expand...

Water heater explosions. Very bad.
 
fuelpiper said:
It's worth mentioning that ballasts cost more than whole fixtures and take longer to install, probably.
Click to expand...
I discovered that last weekend, changing out the lights in our master closet.
 
fuelpiper said:
It's worth mentioning that ballasts cost more than whole fixtures and take longer to install, probably.
Click to expand...
I've replaced them many times. They charged $24 apiece for two which is fair. But it just doesn't take 90 minutes to change two ballasts in one fixture unless you've never done it before. I've changed ballasts in that office before so I know the fixtures.

It's just their cumulative price of their "trip cost", the first hour flat rate, the added half hour. My only point is that my HVAC guy and plumber have spent that on parts and spent the same amount of time and charged me half what I just spent.

I guess it is what it is. I''ve got another electrician recommended to me by my builder neighbor who I may use to relight, or repair all lamps, ballasts and lenses in a 1500 foot office next month. My neighbor said the guy is reliable but expensive. I'll have two reliable and expensive electricians.
 
sec electrical service, (919) 271-3264
Andrews Elec Service : (252) 257-5290
Harris Elec Service (252) 586-2610


The first is an old friend of mine. I've not spoken to him in years but he was/is a great electrician and a heck of a great guy.

The next two are electricians I have worked with for several years on Lake Gaston. I'm not 100% sure they work in Raleigh but I am 100% sure they are good people. (tell them Chris from Triple A Gas gave you their numbers)
 
Last edited:
Don't know about your guy, but I hafta charge that much cause I'm so good-lookin.
Does he ever say "gotta do it like that..Code.."
We use that all the time.
And then when nobody's watching, I go around and rewire all your 3-way switches to only work half the time.
:D :p
 
Friday said:
Don't know about your guy, but I hafta charge that much cause I'm so good-lookin.
Does he ever say "gotta do it like that..Code.."
We use that all the time.
And then when nobody's watching, I go around and rewire all your 3-way switches to only work half the time.
:D :p
Click to expand...

...and unscrew half the light bulbs in the house...
 
GoWolfpack said:
I think you answered your own question there.

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
My HVAC guy and Plumber are likewise. I guess I was making a case for why I call that electrician at all.
 
Friday said:
Don't know about your guy, but I hafta charge that much cause I'm so good-lookin.
Does he ever say "gotta do it like that..Code.."
We use that all the time.
And then when nobody's watching, I go around and rewire all your 3-way switches to only work half the time.
:D :p
Click to expand...
I was wondering when you show up in this thread. Lol. 'bout time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom