Electricians are specific contractors that may seem daunting when you first see them pull up. Their trucks literally have tons of bells and whistles, and you may be surprised at just what you can negotiate with them on. There’s a certain way to talk to any contractor, including electricians. But it’s how you speak to them and put your foot down. You’ve probably heard of how some auto mechanics will tailor and get additional money out of women for example, but when they’re faced with one that actually knows what they need and knows about cars, they’re thrown for a loop (and end up doing work for a lower price most of the time too). THG Electrical & Data says the same applies when you talk to an electrician.
Negotiable Costs
You’re probably not going to save a ton of money when it comes to parts and items that are needed, as well as material costs in general. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that they’re going to end up being able to talk them down for the work. For example, a retailer electrician will often speak to you and be all about their services, show you the best of the best of their products, and then say they can do it for a certain price – don’t ever fall for this first estimate. This price is usually just what they want you to fall for, because they have to make a living too. However, you can get them to go lower on labor in most cases.
Asking the Right Questions
When it comes to talking to any question, asking them the right questions is how you get the best service for the lowest prices. They may not like it, but they’ll stop trying to swindle you out of extra fees and payments. Some questions to ask are:
- Can you show me your license and insurance information?
- How long will this project take you?
- How much are you wanting to charge?
- Why are you charging that much per hour?
- Will you separate the material costs from the labor costs?
Most of the times, their price is going to be too high for what a normal contractor would charge. Look for a ballpark figure of anywhere from $25-$40 bucks as an average. You also want to make sure that you can put them in your place if necessary, and don’t be rude about it, but you CAN be assertive. If you’re not assertive with your reasonings or have any education to back up your claims and deny them theirs, then they’re going to try to talk you into a slew of things that you don’t want to end up paying for in the long run.
Conclusion
So, in a nutshell, you want to be stern, get the right references (not just the three that they give you, but also about 3-4 of their most recent customers’ contact info). Question gaps between contracts, and make sure that you’re not going to pay for more than you would with a service such as a handyman that can offer you a lower price (as long as they’re licensed and insured). You also want to make sure they’re insured to avoid any liability in case of an accident (they do happen from time to time in the construction business).
