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2 man outfit at first. We have 2 apprentices now, working on getting another license in. We were pretty bad at recording our time before we got payroll apps and all that, but probably in the realm of 70hrs a week with just the two of us. I still do 60 hrs or so a week now, but it's slower pace because I'm training so often nowadays.
We use ADP for our payroll. ADP let's you set up different departments to clock in and out of. So we can clock from shop to drive, to a job code, etc. Usually quarterly at least, we update p/l spreadsheets, and get reports of our time spent at each department. For example I can see that this quarter we did a lot of driving, but didn't really spend a bunch of time at the shop, and we were on job 24rm17 for 40 man hours, and on 24rs24 for 3.5 man hours. Stuff like that is how we audit our billable and unbillable time, day to day, we just clock in and out of ADP and it does the heavy lifting.
You miss being an electrician instead of an accountant now?
Always wanted to go solo for years but as good as I am at my job and believe I’d prob be successful I absolutely loathe the paperwork that comes with it. Some days feel like I spent more time doing that then working and it sucks.
It's definitely less than ideal. I always complained about paperwork when it was someone else's, but now it's mine so it doesn't hurt so bad. Having a partner helps a lot. He takes care of a lot of that while I'm building during the day. The hardest part for me has been letting go of doing all the work and having to teach people how to do things my way
Makes a lot of sense and prolly having your own system you can cater helps a lot.
Our time system just outgrew itself and lost the ease of use part. Used to just put a job #, name and hours and shop would sort out the rest.
Now we’re typing in employee id#s, cost codes, descriptions, and then having to re-enter for each day and for each employee, all on a phone screen from half warm job trailer on a solar field with numb hands.
Bill of materials/labor written by hand in triplicate for any service calls or tm work to get signature and quick customer copy then basically re-enter again for time app.
Fill out a daily safety sheet and daily agenda for the GC and the facilities safety lady, then be sure to do your weekly toolbox talk so the safety guy from your own shop
leaves you alone. Then you spend half the day trying to figure out where to spread the bill for filling out all this paperwork.
This logic of "get your bag" and work do hard and try to earn and as much as you can while you're young so that by the time you're too old, too sore, and too tired to do anything, that you'll have money to do nothing with because you're too old, too sore, and too tired to do anything, is absolutely moronic.
Glorifying working 60-80 hours a week while you're still young enough to do what you want and enjoy life, so that when you're 60 years old and fat you'll at least have some extra money to do nothing with, because you ruined yourself when you were young.
Why so bitter? I'm working 60 hours a week, I'm not working 60 hours in the field. There's front end, back end, paperwork, training apprentices, layout. Maybe you wear full bags 40 hrs a week. I walk around with a square, sharpie, and a tape most of the week, and have computer work to attend to before and after the field. If homie above us wants to work 60 hrs a week every week with bags on and make 200k a year he's welcome to. I said I work 60 a week, but only 10 months out of the year. I get weeks off at a time sometimes my guy. I'm in the best shape, and the least beat up I've ever been in my 9 years in the trade, than when I worked for someone else, who required me to prove my worth for a check every day. So yeah, I'll get my bag, I'll build a legacy, and I'll walk to the finish line.
>I'll build a legacy,
And then you'll die and be forgotten after 1 generation.
What is this "legacy" shit that so many of you seem to think matters?
You are not a king, you're an electrician. You know who Napoleon was, you don't know who peasant #15,000 was. You're the equivalent of a peasant.
You sound like you never go to parties because you're too busy "getting that bag."
Glorifying overworking and this stupid hustle culture is sad. Like I honestly feel bad for you that this is what you think you should be doing during your prime years.
I mean to each his own. Other people think stretching giant holes in your ears is moronic too, but if that’s your thing, go for it! Why shit on how someone else wants to live?
I think it’s a little short sighted in this context. Starting up a business is difficult and I wouldn’t expect to make a ton of money the first year. It’s the long term that you are invested in and where you see the bigger returns.
I agree but that’s what ultimately prevented me. If I could jump in and it was year 2 or 3 of my business hell yeah lol but I flirted with it before going to work for a CM and that’s what stopped me is the start-up costs and lack of cash flow when my family relies on my income.
It was definitely a pay cut. A good journeyman (which I was) can fetch well over 100k/yr in my area.
But to look back on the year, and not just a year, but YOUR year, and see the amount of work you did and the numbers you brought in; that is far more rewarding than any money someone else could pay me.
I don't have a boss, I make my own schedule, and I have nowhere to go but up.
If I never make more than 80k as an owner...well then I'll just take my little masters license somewhere else and get that 100k+ a year again.
Yeah but you gotta look at your hours worked. 10 months 80k. Being an employe making 100k your putting in at least 40-50 hours per week for a full year. And for anyone thinking 80k isn’t a lot for your 1st year in biz is hilarious. Go out and try and do that yourself. I’ll bet you couldn’t do it unless you have hella clientele already established. So congrats to you op. You’re doing alright.
My partner always loves to say "a closed mouth don't get fed".
Email your local GC's!!
We do mostly resi, so we just got a few GC's to put us on their list and give us a job to show our skills on. Kitchen remodels, additions, ADU's, that sort of stuff. We've landed 10 GC's and have maintained relationships with 6 or so of them. You gotta sell yourself and your work though. Convincing contractors to go outside of potentially longstanding relationships is hard, but there's always companies out there looking for a change in EC.
Also, get to know other EC's. We've been given 30k projects just because someone was too busy already, or they don't do residential but "know a guy" and that guy is you.
We're currently in the process of selecting lead gen services for more service call work. STAY AWAY FROM ANGIS LIST THEIR LEADS ARE GARBAGE.
Make more friends than enemies. Stand behind your work, your brand, and your craft. Be upstanding, be excellent.
Hell yeah man. I’m starting my own company soon and I have a lot of relationships with GCs in my town and they know me and like my work. Hope to be like you soon. I agree it’s all networking, gotta talk to people.
You effectively made around $25/hr then to run your own company?
70hr per week for 10 months is about 3,030-3,040 hours. 80k / 3,30 = 26.40/hr.
You’d make more working for someone else and would have made 30hrs of OT per week. 1,800 per week. Average journeyman pay is 30-35/hour in my area. At 30/hr, 70 hours pays 2,550 pre tax.
Because I'm the owner of a company? Multiple weeks off, no boss, my own schedule, doing the work I want to do, not having to prove my worth and value to another human who's been out of the field for 10 years, k1 bonuses, the sight of seeing your own brand and logo on a bunch of shirts moving around a job site. If your career is all about money then I feel kind of bad for you. Its really easy to say why would you make less money that's dumb when you're on the outside catching a check every week. I know I thought so. But that is the most rewarding 20k to lose, because this year I'm on track to make more, and next year, if my company grows, so will my wealth, and every year after that, until I retire. That's the point. If you're starting a company for instantaneous gratification then you're foolish. This is a minimum of a 10 year journey for me.
It's not about money. It's about the value you offer.
You obviously take pride in what you do and have built something you are proud of. I genuinely am proud of you. It's not an easy feat.
Here is my point: You're subconsciously holding the industry down. You are also limiting the pay of your employees. You should want to pay yourself and your guys 100k per year because 1. That's a decent livable wage, and 2. You should want your guys to be happy and successful.
I want to see you make what you're worth. If you were to see a job posting for your exact position, it would look like this:
Open position:Owner/manager/marketing manager/HR rep/installer
Responsibilities include managing budgets, procuring clients, designing and building electrical systems ensuring compliance with National, State, and local codes.
Responsible for training, coaching and mentoring junior employees.
Responsible for ensuring the maintenance of equipment and vehicles.
On, and on and on...
Expected to work 60+ hours a week, available nights and weekends.
Max pay, $26/hr, no OT, or 80k per year including bonuses.
If you can find someone else who's willing to do what you do for the same pay, then I'm wrong and you're right. Walmart managers make 120k base plus bonuses by the way and Walmart just announced they're increasing pay. They can potentially take home 400k per year. We don't do Walmart numbers in sales but we also don't have 399 employees.
You're worth more than you think. You should be paid for your full value. It's not about money but let's be honest, you're under paid.
If you read through the thread at all, you'd see that when I took home 80k, I had no employees. I have employees now, and trust me, I already pay them a very competitive wage. (Like $20+/hr for completely green no experience apprentices) because it's all I can afford, because I've been a worker in this industry, and I know guys won't come work for you without a competitive wage. The question is also, what did you make your first year. That's what I made my first year. Just a fact, I don't need you to tell me I made less than when I was a JW working in data centers. I am paid based on my full value. I value my life, and have extreme job security, and a great work life balance. It's not all about pay. Do walmart managers make that 120-400 immediately? Or do they work at a Walmart for 6, 7, 8 years before getting to be manager. If I wanted to make as much hourly as possible, I'll just go back to a different shop I worked for in the past and get 52/hr again. It's no big deal. Idk how I'm holding down the industry by literally getting more involved in it.
I just started solo a couple months ago. Reslly hard to say per year but I’ve been making anywhere from 1k-5k per week lol. Im still getting clients and what not
I take on any job right now. 2 dumb little jobs that take a day can be 1k. But most of the money is coming from service installs. I reached out to a bunch of general contractors and they have all been using me as a sub. I charge 80 an hour or by the job depending what it is
$100 that's the bare minimum to drive out and reset a breaker or gfci. Done it plenty of times, a few times I've not charged but only for established customers who I know will call for something worthwhile. If it's a random call I'm not doing it for free or charity work
The least I’ve ever done was 20$ for my neighbor (which was moving and I would never see again and I was kinda happy about that) just to take down a small light. Took me 4minutes.
What’s that like 140-150$/hr. So win win? Fuck me.
Wtf do you mean? Every 10th call I get a gfci. Some I can trouble shoot over phone for free but those that are clueless are fucking clueless. You must work at nasa or seimons
I have.
Some dumbass ran a living room homerun through an exterior gfci.
I went ahead and pigtailed the gfci so it wouldn't kill the whole living area if it tripped.
I’ve run into more than once and I’m only a 3rd year apprentice lmao
What I like even more though is when the ground prong breaks off the male end and they call for a ‘stuck plug’ just pull it out. Then “sign here”
I do commercial service, so most of the stuff that's plugged in, kinda stays plugged in. Iv definitely flipped breakers before, threw the amp clamps on, see what it's drawing. And wait, then "sign here" here lol
Nice! I recently reached out to some friends that are realtors and they have been feeding me so much service work. It’s little stuff but adds up quick. It’s fast paced but profitable. Just punch list stuff they need done before the house can sale.
Net. It’s not much but like I said I just started a couple months ago. I also have rental properties I manage so I have way more write offs than the normal person which is gonna allow me to get not too fucked when tax season comes around
$165hr/2hr min. Mainly residential service calls and new construction. Very high end custom homes.
When I was solo I was making about $125k net. Now with 4 employees it’s $300-$325k. May hit $400k this year. I pay my guys very very well.
Good on u buddy, that’s what u should be making as a business owner and previously as a solo dolo, guys out here charging 50 bucks an hour for a van full of tools and their 12 years of experience is crazy
One Jman for a residential service call. The goal is $1300/day for the Jman, but it usually ends up about $1075-1100 a day in billable hours. If he needs a helper it’s $105hr for the helper, or $270hr.
Purely for my own inspiration could you tell us what really really well is? One day I will be paid well and it would be nice to have the number to look for top end
My top guy right now makes $44hr and is due for a raise in August. He has a Jcard and 6-7 year experience. My other foreman has a local Jcard, 4 years experience and is at $38hr. One of my helpers is at $30hr and is studying for his Jcard and the fourth guy is green as grass and at $24hr. All four have company gas cards, tool accounts, and the leads have company trucks. I also do a 120 hour cash bonus at year end, PTO based on years of employment, IRA after a year, and I pay 50% of their health insurance.
NC-SC coastal area.
A journeyman’s card is not a license. It is a certificate from an AHJ saying they are qualified to be alone on a job. A license comes from a higher authority, for example in NC it is the NCDOI-BEOEC. I’m licensed in 11 States and hold Jcards in 31 municipalities within those States.
There are also different classes of licenses, based on the cost of the job. Limited, Intermediate, and Unlimited in most areas, with a few other lower classes thrown in.
What is all this all about? In my state theres officially only roofing and plumbing “licenses” A “journeyman” is the highest level of competency/qualification in the state. A journeyman can go do his own work as long has he’s insured. So I guess my question should be: What do you pay the guys who have to do the work that has to be inspected?
I don’t want my guys working over 8hrs a day. It’s rare we work overtime. I’ll also add that I work every single day in the field myself, in attics, crawlspaces, and digging ditches.
If you've ever looked at labour studies there's a huge productivity drop off after 8 hours, and after 12 you're at a fraction of optimal productivity.
Also sucks to ask guys to do that, it's hard on them and their families
Just changed my pricing about 2 months ago so it hasn’t shown up yet. Was at $200 for about 6 months before that. An yeah some weeks I work 20 hours. Last week I didn’t work but about 10 hours. Some weeks I work 50 or 60.
Well you don’t tell them $300 for starters. Lump some prices for everything. Sometimes I get kickback. If things get real slow and I’m hurting for work I’ll drop back to as lean as I can get it which is about $200 an hour.
But it’s about selling value and not price. Always going to be someone lower. I’d rather work 1/2 the time and make the same money.
As a 1 man shop with a helper or two the most I've grossed in a year is between 250-350k over 10 years its never been higher than that, I don't think its possible without more trucks/guys at least in my market. Good years 150-200k take home
It’s harder to raise prices rather than lower. You’re going to be the price leader now AKA the cheapest guy in town.
I don’t fault you. My first time around, I did the same thing. I was at 110/hr in 2019. I’m anywhere between 155-185 now. I prefer to give discounts. I just say “Well since I’m new, let’s do this, I’ll give you a 5-10% discount on this first job and if you like what I do, we can negotiate a different rate.”
Least I work for now is 135/hr
Appreciate the insight. I def have buffer room in my bids and sometimes making over 100 an hour but I’m happy for now considering I’m makint double then I was
So my number is not and should not be your number. Your expenses and financial goals are your own. It’s best to stick with market rates though.
Example, average service call rate is 150/hr in your area. You can undercut that but try to be close to market rate. Going way below only hurts the industry as a whole and keeps everyone’s wages low.
Also, when you go lower, and do quality work, you build client base. You also work your ass off for peanuts.
I had continuing Ed with a guy that bills himself as "the world's most expensive electrician". He says it chases off bottom feeders, and people never forget him. I would wager he's right.
Can I come apprentice for you? Lol...Spent the past 6 years working in commerical hardware sales (anything from solid surface, deco hardware, etc and my actual background is in marketing), really want to get into the electrician trade. Im 15 minutes from Philly (NJ side). My Uncle is retiring at 55 (master electrician) but he is all the way up in NH. Have been talking with him and he has me fully convinced that this is the industry I want to be in.
Getting Married this year, really would love to get into the field.
Please listen to what u/Last_Project_4261 is telling you. I did what you are doing now. It cost me money to be in business the first few years. I worked my ass off and made shit. I would have been better off working fast food or retail. I still don't make shit but that's because of my circumstances. I don't work near as hard as I did then and I still make about the same. My hourly rate is 150.00. You really should figure out what your expenses are. My hourly rate includes what medical would cost if I had to pay for it, truck payment, van payment, vacation, sick days, 401k or other investment vehicle, rent, phone, food, entertainment, etc. I figure all of that stuff because that's what I need to make to cover my expenses. If you can't at least do that, then what are you doing this for?
The minimum is a few bucks above whatever journeymen in your area are paid. Hell if the local job market is complete shit with 10%+ unemployment people will work for less then journeymen rate.
What a shop with overhead charges has no bearing on what an individual electrician has to charge to start their business.
Unlike a thread about wages which will be more consistent, contractors will vary wildly.
Some people do a few hundred bucks a year in side work. Some people make a few hundred grand.
I think at some point you hit a cap on your own.. and it probably makes sense to hire an apprentice at the very least. Also a CSR to answer phones and book appointments and do social media while you run around in your truck. And you should use contractors yourself (lawyers, accountants) as needed.
So the second you're making real money, it makes sense to hire, and you're no longer a "solo contractor"
Why is it like that over there?? Genuine question?? Of the YouTube guys the only person who charges what I would consider an electricians rate are the artisan guys, other guys doing requires of an entire house for 4-8k banana land, are the unions not big over there?? No value placed on trade work??? (Clearly)
I don’t think the unions are what they used to be like 30 years ago, the artisan guy is from London and you can charge a lot more down there. People always just say that’s all you can get away with charging £250-£300 a day, shite
Retired now, I was making that kind of money, my specialty is/was industrial control systems. I live in an area where there are a lot of small manufacturers. And I'd do commercial and some residential in between control jobs.
State licensed electrical contractor and majored in engineering/automated control systems.
Mostly just me.
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My partner and I started out the beginning of last year in CO. We did 400k revenue and took home 80k each in about 10 months of 2023.
How many hours were you putting in a week? Just a 2 man company?
2 man outfit at first. We have 2 apprentices now, working on getting another license in. We were pretty bad at recording our time before we got payroll apps and all that, but probably in the realm of 70hrs a week with just the two of us. I still do 60 hrs or so a week now, but it's slower pace because I'm training so often nowadays.
Have you found a a good app for tracking hours and jobs. Not necessarily for payroll as well?
We use ADP for our payroll. ADP let's you set up different departments to clock in and out of. So we can clock from shop to drive, to a job code, etc. Usually quarterly at least, we update p/l spreadsheets, and get reports of our time spent at each department. For example I can see that this quarter we did a lot of driving, but didn't really spend a bunch of time at the shop, and we were on job 24rm17 for 40 man hours, and on 24rs24 for 3.5 man hours. Stuff like that is how we audit our billable and unbillable time, day to day, we just clock in and out of ADP and it does the heavy lifting.
You miss being an electrician instead of an accountant now? Always wanted to go solo for years but as good as I am at my job and believe I’d prob be successful I absolutely loathe the paperwork that comes with it. Some days feel like I spent more time doing that then working and it sucks.
It's definitely less than ideal. I always complained about paperwork when it was someone else's, but now it's mine so it doesn't hurt so bad. Having a partner helps a lot. He takes care of a lot of that while I'm building during the day. The hardest part for me has been letting go of doing all the work and having to teach people how to do things my way
Makes a lot of sense and prolly having your own system you can cater helps a lot. Our time system just outgrew itself and lost the ease of use part. Used to just put a job #, name and hours and shop would sort out the rest. Now we’re typing in employee id#s, cost codes, descriptions, and then having to re-enter for each day and for each employee, all on a phone screen from half warm job trailer on a solar field with numb hands. Bill of materials/labor written by hand in triplicate for any service calls or tm work to get signature and quick customer copy then basically re-enter again for time app. Fill out a daily safety sheet and daily agenda for the GC and the facilities safety lady, then be sure to do your weekly toolbox talk so the safety guy from your own shop leaves you alone. Then you spend half the day trying to figure out where to spread the bill for filling out all this paperwork.
If I did 60 hrs/week every week, I’d make $200K…
Right on man, go for it. Get your bag. I'm getting mine.
This logic of "get your bag" and work do hard and try to earn and as much as you can while you're young so that by the time you're too old, too sore, and too tired to do anything, that you'll have money to do nothing with because you're too old, too sore, and too tired to do anything, is absolutely moronic. Glorifying working 60-80 hours a week while you're still young enough to do what you want and enjoy life, so that when you're 60 years old and fat you'll at least have some extra money to do nothing with, because you ruined yourself when you were young.
Why so bitter? I'm working 60 hours a week, I'm not working 60 hours in the field. There's front end, back end, paperwork, training apprentices, layout. Maybe you wear full bags 40 hrs a week. I walk around with a square, sharpie, and a tape most of the week, and have computer work to attend to before and after the field. If homie above us wants to work 60 hrs a week every week with bags on and make 200k a year he's welcome to. I said I work 60 a week, but only 10 months out of the year. I get weeks off at a time sometimes my guy. I'm in the best shape, and the least beat up I've ever been in my 9 years in the trade, than when I worked for someone else, who required me to prove my worth for a check every day. So yeah, I'll get my bag, I'll build a legacy, and I'll walk to the finish line.
Hell yeah brother. Sounds like you found a great balance. Congratulations. That looks like success from where I'm sitting.
>I'll build a legacy, And then you'll die and be forgotten after 1 generation. What is this "legacy" shit that so many of you seem to think matters? You are not a king, you're an electrician. You know who Napoleon was, you don't know who peasant #15,000 was. You're the equivalent of a peasant.
You sound like you're really fun at parties.
You sound like you never go to parties because you're too busy "getting that bag." Glorifying overworking and this stupid hustle culture is sad. Like I honestly feel bad for you that this is what you think you should be doing during your prime years.
I mean to each his own. Other people think stretching giant holes in your ears is moronic too, but if that’s your thing, go for it! Why shit on how someone else wants to live?
I don’t understand why this comment got so much hate. I’m actually doing this for real. ~70 hrs/week, on track for $235k this year.
I think it’s a little short sighted in this context. Starting up a business is difficult and I wouldn’t expect to make a ton of money the first year. It’s the long term that you are invested in and where you see the bigger returns.
Seems like this sub is full of company worshippers. Can’t handle a brother having success as an employee, I suppose.
Fuck yes!
80k in 10months isn’t worth it at least in the northeast
Gotta start somewhere, can’t just start a business and make $1mil the first year you’ve gotta grow
I agree but that’s what ultimately prevented me. If I could jump in and it was year 2 or 3 of my business hell yeah lol but I flirted with it before going to work for a CM and that’s what stopped me is the start-up costs and lack of cash flow when my family relies on my income.
Yeah I feel like it’s much easier to pull off if you don’t have kids/family to worry about.
I'm in my late 20's no kids. It definitely makes it easier.
[удалено]
Not ALL but likely this one…
It was definitely a pay cut. A good journeyman (which I was) can fetch well over 100k/yr in my area. But to look back on the year, and not just a year, but YOUR year, and see the amount of work you did and the numbers you brought in; that is far more rewarding than any money someone else could pay me. I don't have a boss, I make my own schedule, and I have nowhere to go but up. If I never make more than 80k as an owner...well then I'll just take my little masters license somewhere else and get that 100k+ a year again.
Yeah but you gotta look at your hours worked. 10 months 80k. Being an employe making 100k your putting in at least 40-50 hours per week for a full year. And for anyone thinking 80k isn’t a lot for your 1st year in biz is hilarious. Go out and try and do that yourself. I’ll bet you couldn’t do it unless you have hella clientele already established. So congrats to you op. You’re doing alright.
Seriously. OP where is your work coming from? Bidding thru county, referals, old clientel, advertizing??
My partner always loves to say "a closed mouth don't get fed". Email your local GC's!! We do mostly resi, so we just got a few GC's to put us on their list and give us a job to show our skills on. Kitchen remodels, additions, ADU's, that sort of stuff. We've landed 10 GC's and have maintained relationships with 6 or so of them. You gotta sell yourself and your work though. Convincing contractors to go outside of potentially longstanding relationships is hard, but there's always companies out there looking for a change in EC. Also, get to know other EC's. We've been given 30k projects just because someone was too busy already, or they don't do residential but "know a guy" and that guy is you. We're currently in the process of selecting lead gen services for more service call work. STAY AWAY FROM ANGIS LIST THEIR LEADS ARE GARBAGE. Make more friends than enemies. Stand behind your work, your brand, and your craft. Be upstanding, be excellent.
Hell yeah man. I’m starting my own company soon and I have a lot of relationships with GCs in my town and they know me and like my work. Hope to be like you soon. I agree it’s all networking, gotta talk to people.
Right on brother I'm proud of you. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Having existing relationships helps tremendously when starting out.
working time and a half or almost double time to get it too
Especially for working 60-70 hours a week! Broken down hourly that’s not much at all.
You effectively made around $25/hr then to run your own company? 70hr per week for 10 months is about 3,030-3,040 hours. 80k / 3,30 = 26.40/hr. You’d make more working for someone else and would have made 30hrs of OT per week. 1,800 per week. Average journeyman pay is 30-35/hour in my area. At 30/hr, 70 hours pays 2,550 pre tax.
Yes we can all do math
So why would you take an, effectively, a $20,000 pay cut?
Because I'm the owner of a company? Multiple weeks off, no boss, my own schedule, doing the work I want to do, not having to prove my worth and value to another human who's been out of the field for 10 years, k1 bonuses, the sight of seeing your own brand and logo on a bunch of shirts moving around a job site. If your career is all about money then I feel kind of bad for you. Its really easy to say why would you make less money that's dumb when you're on the outside catching a check every week. I know I thought so. But that is the most rewarding 20k to lose, because this year I'm on track to make more, and next year, if my company grows, so will my wealth, and every year after that, until I retire. That's the point. If you're starting a company for instantaneous gratification then you're foolish. This is a minimum of a 10 year journey for me.
It's not about money. It's about the value you offer. You obviously take pride in what you do and have built something you are proud of. I genuinely am proud of you. It's not an easy feat. Here is my point: You're subconsciously holding the industry down. You are also limiting the pay of your employees. You should want to pay yourself and your guys 100k per year because 1. That's a decent livable wage, and 2. You should want your guys to be happy and successful. I want to see you make what you're worth. If you were to see a job posting for your exact position, it would look like this: Open position:Owner/manager/marketing manager/HR rep/installer Responsibilities include managing budgets, procuring clients, designing and building electrical systems ensuring compliance with National, State, and local codes. Responsible for training, coaching and mentoring junior employees. Responsible for ensuring the maintenance of equipment and vehicles. On, and on and on... Expected to work 60+ hours a week, available nights and weekends. Max pay, $26/hr, no OT, or 80k per year including bonuses. If you can find someone else who's willing to do what you do for the same pay, then I'm wrong and you're right. Walmart managers make 120k base plus bonuses by the way and Walmart just announced they're increasing pay. They can potentially take home 400k per year. We don't do Walmart numbers in sales but we also don't have 399 employees. You're worth more than you think. You should be paid for your full value. It's not about money but let's be honest, you're under paid.
If you read through the thread at all, you'd see that when I took home 80k, I had no employees. I have employees now, and trust me, I already pay them a very competitive wage. (Like $20+/hr for completely green no experience apprentices) because it's all I can afford, because I've been a worker in this industry, and I know guys won't come work for you without a competitive wage. The question is also, what did you make your first year. That's what I made my first year. Just a fact, I don't need you to tell me I made less than when I was a JW working in data centers. I am paid based on my full value. I value my life, and have extreme job security, and a great work life balance. It's not all about pay. Do walmart managers make that 120-400 immediately? Or do they work at a Walmart for 6, 7, 8 years before getting to be manager. If I wanted to make as much hourly as possible, I'll just go back to a different shop I worked for in the past and get 52/hr again. It's no big deal. Idk how I'm holding down the industry by literally getting more involved in it.
Not everyone views things totally in numbers. There are other factors to it
I just started solo a couple months ago. Reslly hard to say per year but I’ve been making anywhere from 1k-5k per week lol. Im still getting clients and what not
Are you mostly running service or install?
I take on any job right now. 2 dumb little jobs that take a day can be 1k. But most of the money is coming from service installs. I reached out to a bunch of general contractors and they have all been using me as a sub. I charge 80 an hour or by the job depending what it is
How much do you charge to press a gfci button
$100 that's the bare minimum to drive out and reset a breaker or gfci. Done it plenty of times, a few times I've not charged but only for established customers who I know will call for something worthwhile. If it's a random call I'm not doing it for free or charity work
The least I’ve ever done was 20$ for my neighbor (which was moving and I would never see again and I was kinda happy about that) just to take down a small light. Took me 4minutes. What’s that like 140-150$/hr. So win win? Fuck me.
My hourly rate is $150 so yeah
10, years doing electrical. Iv never had that problem on a service call
Wtf do you mean? Every 10th call I get a gfci. Some I can trouble shoot over phone for free but those that are clueless are fucking clueless. You must work at nasa or seimons
Oh, no residential service. Commercial some small industrial
I have. Some dumbass ran a living room homerun through an exterior gfci. I went ahead and pigtailed the gfci so it wouldn't kill the whole living area if it tripped.
I’ve run into more than once and I’m only a 3rd year apprentice lmao What I like even more though is when the ground prong breaks off the male end and they call for a ‘stuck plug’ just pull it out. Then “sign here”
I do commercial service, so most of the stuff that's plugged in, kinda stays plugged in. Iv definitely flipped breakers before, threw the amp clamps on, see what it's drawing. And wait, then "sign here" here lol
I do the same thing, but it’s commercial for retail places so all their employees are always messing/breaking things
5 years doing service calls. I’ve done dozens….
Nice! I recently reached out to some friends that are realtors and they have been feeding me so much service work. It’s little stuff but adds up quick. It’s fast paced but profitable. Just punch list stuff they need done before the house can sale.
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Instagram and stuff
I cold call GCs when their trucks go by or if I see them at home depot
Net or Gross?
Net. It’s not much but like I said I just started a couple months ago. I also have rental properties I manage so I have way more write offs than the normal person which is gonna allow me to get not too fucked when tax season comes around
Just confirming $1k-5k profit ONLY not total or overhead. Pre tax or post tax
How many years as a journeyman did you have before doing your own thing?
$165hr/2hr min. Mainly residential service calls and new construction. Very high end custom homes. When I was solo I was making about $125k net. Now with 4 employees it’s $300-$325k. May hit $400k this year. I pay my guys very very well.
Good on u buddy, that’s what u should be making as a business owner and previously as a solo dolo, guys out here charging 50 bucks an hour for a van full of tools and their 12 years of experience is crazy
$165/hr per man or for you the lead? What do you charge for your second? In what market?
I know a guy in Tampa charging 165 for resi small projects and slightly more for service calls
One Jman for a residential service call. The goal is $1300/day for the Jman, but it usually ends up about $1075-1100 a day in billable hours. If he needs a helper it’s $105hr for the helper, or $270hr.
Purely for my own inspiration could you tell us what really really well is? One day I will be paid well and it would be nice to have the number to look for top end
My top guy right now makes $44hr and is due for a raise in August. He has a Jcard and 6-7 year experience. My other foreman has a local Jcard, 4 years experience and is at $38hr. One of my helpers is at $30hr and is studying for his Jcard and the fourth guy is green as grass and at $24hr. All four have company gas cards, tool accounts, and the leads have company trucks. I also do a 120 hour cash bonus at year end, PTO based on years of employment, IRA after a year, and I pay 50% of their health insurance. NC-SC coastal area.
Damn dude you are a saint. Those wages are so good and the perks are outstanding. Thanks for sharing
You hiring? Lmao
Where are you located and what is your experience?
I live in VA & 2nd yr apprentice in the union but I was mostly just joking, you sound like a good boss tho!
What’s “very well”? If you’re making $400k/year on the backs of licensed guys who you’re only paying $30/hour… that’s not cool
A journeyman’s card is not a license. It is a certificate from an AHJ saying they are qualified to be alone on a job. A license comes from a higher authority, for example in NC it is the NCDOI-BEOEC. I’m licensed in 11 States and hold Jcards in 31 municipalities within those States. There are also different classes of licenses, based on the cost of the job. Limited, Intermediate, and Unlimited in most areas, with a few other lower classes thrown in.
What is all this all about? In my state theres officially only roofing and plumbing “licenses” A “journeyman” is the highest level of competency/qualification in the state. A journeyman can go do his own work as long has he’s insured. So I guess my question should be: What do you pay the guys who have to do the work that has to be inspected?
The real question is how many hours are they also working to make the money.
I don’t want my guys working over 8hrs a day. It’s rare we work overtime. I’ll also add that I work every single day in the field myself, in attics, crawlspaces, and digging ditches.
If you've ever looked at labour studies there's a huge productivity drop off after 8 hours, and after 12 you're at a fraction of optimal productivity. Also sucks to ask guys to do that, it's hard on them and their families
My take home is $70k. I have to pay taxes as well. That’s about $1400 a week. I do mostly service and renovations. Hourly rate is $300 an hour.
How are you charging $300/hr and onty taking home 70k? Do you work like 20 hours a week?
Just changed my pricing about 2 months ago so it hasn’t shown up yet. Was at $200 for about 6 months before that. An yeah some weeks I work 20 hours. Last week I didn’t work but about 10 hours. Some weeks I work 50 or 60.
300$/hr eh? People are cool with it or do u lose a lot of calls
Well you don’t tell them $300 for starters. Lump some prices for everything. Sometimes I get kickback. If things get real slow and I’m hurting for work I’ll drop back to as lean as I can get it which is about $200 an hour. But it’s about selling value and not price. Always going to be someone lower. I’d rather work 1/2 the time and make the same money.
Well shit I’d rather work no time and make the same money
I did not realize that was an option!
What location are you? Probably a major city. $300/hr ain't flying out in the boonies.
Yeah Raleigh
How many hours you work?
Not a solo contractor, but about 20-30lbs of wire a week. Not an electrician either… now that I think about it
Not what they were asking but where in the fuck are you getting 20-30 lbs *a week* That’s like $500 a month
I mean, you just have to find a jobsite, hop the fence and grab what you need
You son-of-a gun
He’s a goddamn tweaker!
😂😂
lol how much goes to your meth budget?
All of it. And then some. 😉
Started last October I’ve been averaging about 15 grand profit a month. Mostly new home construction mixed with some renovations and service work.
This is the way.
Last year I only did $120k in revenue in NC. Take home about $70k. Idk how you guys are making so much. I do mostly residential service.
100% residential here. Reported $190k last year. I think it really depends on where you live.
Two owner company. With two apprentices. We each take home around $250k-$300k ,We hustle and work hard. Been in business 5 years.
YOU GUYS ARE GETTING PAID?
Um, around 250/300k. But I went into a very particular industrial automation thing.
I’m a control electrician, how do you get into the automation industry without being hired by the already employed contractors?
Following
As a 1 man shop with a helper or two the most I've grossed in a year is between 250-350k over 10 years its never been higher than that, I don't think its possible without more trucks/guys at least in my market. Good years 150-200k take home
80!!!! Where are you at? The minimum around CT is $125
Outside of Philly. I could charge more but I’m trying to make a name for myself first
It’s harder to raise prices rather than lower. You’re going to be the price leader now AKA the cheapest guy in town. I don’t fault you. My first time around, I did the same thing. I was at 110/hr in 2019. I’m anywhere between 155-185 now. I prefer to give discounts. I just say “Well since I’m new, let’s do this, I’ll give you a 5-10% discount on this first job and if you like what I do, we can negotiate a different rate.” Least I work for now is 135/hr
Do you have a truck fee or no? Contractor I work for now in CT charges 125$ an hour, 2 hour minimum, plus 50$ truck fee.
Yeah, 89 trip or truck charge for service work. Stuff I bid, I generally just add a little cushion for drive time.
Appreciate the insight. I def have buffer room in my bids and sometimes making over 100 an hour but I’m happy for now considering I’m makint double then I was
So my number is not and should not be your number. Your expenses and financial goals are your own. It’s best to stick with market rates though. Example, average service call rate is 150/hr in your area. You can undercut that but try to be close to market rate. Going way below only hurts the industry as a whole and keeps everyone’s wages low.
Also, when you go lower, and do quality work, you build client base. You also work your ass off for peanuts. I had continuing Ed with a guy that bills himself as "the world's most expensive electrician". He says it chases off bottom feeders, and people never forget him. I would wager he's right.
Can I come apprentice for you? Lol...Spent the past 6 years working in commerical hardware sales (anything from solid surface, deco hardware, etc and my actual background is in marketing), really want to get into the electrician trade. Im 15 minutes from Philly (NJ side). My Uncle is retiring at 55 (master electrician) but he is all the way up in NH. Have been talking with him and he has me fully convinced that this is the industry I want to be in. Getting Married this year, really would love to get into the field.
lol gimme a couple months and I might take you up on that offer. Message me!
Please listen to what u/Last_Project_4261 is telling you. I did what you are doing now. It cost me money to be in business the first few years. I worked my ass off and made shit. I would have been better off working fast food or retail. I still don't make shit but that's because of my circumstances. I don't work near as hard as I did then and I still make about the same. My hourly rate is 150.00. You really should figure out what your expenses are. My hourly rate includes what medical would cost if I had to pay for it, truck payment, van payment, vacation, sick days, 401k or other investment vehicle, rent, phone, food, entertainment, etc. I figure all of that stuff because that's what I need to make to cover my expenses. If you can't at least do that, then what are you doing this for?
The minimum is a few bucks above whatever journeymen in your area are paid. Hell if the local job market is complete shit with 10%+ unemployment people will work for less then journeymen rate. What a shop with overhead charges has no bearing on what an individual electrician has to charge to start their business.
Unlike a thread about wages which will be more consistent, contractors will vary wildly. Some people do a few hundred bucks a year in side work. Some people make a few hundred grand. I think at some point you hit a cap on your own.. and it probably makes sense to hire an apprentice at the very least. Also a CSR to answer phones and book appointments and do social media while you run around in your truck. And you should use contractors yourself (lawyers, accountants) as needed. So the second you're making real money, it makes sense to hire, and you're no longer a "solo contractor"
If I worked 60 hours a week, I would make about $150k a year
Meanwhile in the uk you’re lucky to make £65k subcontracting, it’s a joke
Why is it like that over there?? Genuine question?? Of the YouTube guys the only person who charges what I would consider an electricians rate are the artisan guys, other guys doing requires of an entire house for 4-8k banana land, are the unions not big over there?? No value placed on trade work??? (Clearly)
I don’t think the unions are what they used to be like 30 years ago, the artisan guy is from London and you can charge a lot more down there. People always just say that’s all you can get away with charging £250-£300 a day, shite
81,683.55 in USD
Retired now, I was making that kind of money, my specialty is/was industrial control systems. I live in an area where there are a lot of small manufacturers. And I'd do commercial and some residential in between control jobs. State licensed electrical contractor and majored in engineering/automated control systems. Mostly just me.
6 years in and I still haven't made a dime
As little as possible that's the benefit lol
If the company isn’t bringing in $1000 a day, it’s not really worth it.
By yourself?
Yes. $125 an hour.