Electrical advice neeeded - Is the price fair?

[Big Easy]

I've just had a split system aircon installed but the guy doing the install didn't have his own electrician. Not ideal I know but I had to get it done in a hurry and he was doing me a favour with only a day's notice. Anyway, I rang an electrician and he said he could help and that it would likely cost me $250 providing there were no unusual circumstances on the site. So he sends two guys around who turn up 45 minutes late (no big deal) and spend about 2 - 2.25 hours on the job. During this time we ask them if everything is OK, is the job straight forward and they reply "Yeah, everything's fine". The unit is installed and working beautifully and they leave an invoice in the letter box as we have to leave in a hurry just as they are finished.

On my return about 10 minutes later, I am astounded to find a bill for $495 in the letter box. After I pick myself up off the floor my astonishment turns to confusion and then anger. Firstly they have claimed 3 hours labour when they were only onsite for 2.25 hours max. Secondly, I was quoted $250 for the job (not in writing) or it could be a little bit more if difficult circumstances arise. Lastly, they did not indicate to me that there were any problems and the job took almost exactly the time quoted to complete.

My question obviously is, what would be a fair price for such a job? The wiring and the switchboard in the house are relatively new (late 80's) and the unit was installed only a few metres away. The house is weatherboard on stumps. The following parts were used:

1 x 20A circuit breaker
5m x 25mm currugated conduit
20m x 2.5mm2 2C+E TPS cable
1 x 56 series isolator

[JDub]

The following parts were used:

1 x 20A circuit breaker
5m x 25mm currugated conduit
20m x 2.5mm2 2C+E TPS cable
1 x 56 series isolator

Im not going to be of much help but I recently got quoted 90c per m for corrugated conduit and $2 per m for the 2.5mm2 cable (from an online ebay store). Just thought it might help.

[johnc]

Your best bet is to ring the electrician and ask them to explain the bill and why it ended up over the estimate of $250. FWIW I think you will find that it is normal to be charged for travel. Off the cuff quotes are invariably wrong, and trade school does not equip these blokes to be snappy cost estimators, so the trades can be all over the country side in their efforts to give you an idea of what you will finally get stung for.

If it is any consulation I recently paid more than that for a power point to be installed with it's own circuit breaker, and that was pre-arranged. You were extremely lucky to get someone at short notice, and the bill although painfull is not out of the ball mark of reasonable.

John.

[Timmo]

It's standard to charge from the time the leave the last job site to the onsite completion of the job. that leaves 45 minutes travel time. If rounded off to the nearest 15 minutes, it's about right.

Unfortunately tradesmen are ridiculously expensive nowadays, and you're lucky to get us on the same day.

[Big Easy]

When I asked the guy for a ballbark figure he said $250. The final price of $495 is not even in the same league as the estimate. My job would have been the first for the day and the company HQ is 10 minutes from my place. If they charge for travel time it should have been included in the estimate anyway. They are free to determine how they charge, it's their business but surely they should not be quoting totally bogus figures.

I can't believe anyone would think that's acceptable!

[Wood Butcher]

I would follow the advice of the previous posts and contact the electrician for his side of the story before getting too worked up about it. There may be a simple explanation and if your lucky maybe it was a simple mistake that can be rectified!

[Pulse]

I recently paid $330 for a connection of an AC in Cobar. The circuit was about 10m. I expect to pay a bit more because it is Cobar. I think your blokes overcharged. 4 of those jobs per day is $1000 each per day! that is way over the top.

Cheers Pulse

[Jack E]

If it was a plumber or a chippy I could understand your gripe, but this is a Sparky we are talking about.

Pay him, maybe even tip him, Sparkies all deserve it

I don't know the guy but maybe his quote was an honest mistake, quoting over the phone is difficult.

I have no idea what domestic Sparkies charge, I work in heavy industry.

However, most of the domestic jobs I do for friends end up blowing out.
There is ALWAYS something difficult in every domestic job.
These difficulties chew up valuable time and the cost rises.

2 tradesman being paid $30 each per hour (not much but I think that is roughly what domestic Sparkies get) for 3 hours = $180.
You would also be up for roughly $100 in parts.
Add to that the travel and what the boss needs to charge to make a profit and cover overheads, plus maybe a mark up on the parts and you are probably over the original $250.

Does the invoice break down parts and labour?

Cheers, Jack (The Electrician)

[tcns]

Not too bad really IMO - you paid for next day convenience plus a few other things here and there.

When I get a sparky out it is usually in multiples of 500 - I got a ceiling fan and a 20A circuit done for $500

However the board has just been rewired with 3 phas and there is easy access to everything under my hose (post war on stumps)

You air is running now so that is the main thing

Tom

[Big Easy]

Thank you everybody for the advice. I fully intend asking the boss for his explaination, in fact I have tried ringing a few times but no answer. Maybe they have broken up for Christmas already.

Is it normal that two electricians are required to connect a split system? We noted at the time that one guy was just standing there watching most of the time.

[Big Easy]

All credit to the boss, he rang me of his own accord and offered his apologies. Basically he got the paperwork in and realised the price was off the mark. Apparently the guys sent to the job were new and not fully aware of the charging structure. He reduced the total price to $335 - still 34% above his estimate but probably fair in the end.

He now has every chance of getting my return business and I now know his charging structure so will be better prepared in the future.

[Wood Butcher]

Good to hear it was resolved peacefully!

[JDub]

Good news

[tcns]

All credit to the boss, he rang me of his own accord and offered his apologies. Basically he got the paperwork in and realised the price was off the mark. Apparently the guys sent to the job were new and not fully aware of the charging structure. He reduced the total price to $335 - still 34% above his estimate but probably fair in the end.

He now has every chance of getting my return business and I now know his charging structure so will be better prepared in the future.

Great result - I would hang on to the guys details he sounds like a good tradie

Tom

[Pulse]

good work $5 more than I paid for the same job! good to see some indistry standard developing.

pulse