How much you charge? HAHAHAHA - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Static Design · 09-07-2009, 08:23 PM

I am just wondering what you guys are getting on ballast replacements for your standard 4' florescent lighting. I am talking 8' ceiling, removal and new install, nothing hard.

I've been doing alot of these, I think I may be to cheap.

Celtic · 09-07-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Spool

I've been doing alot of these, I think I may be to cheap.

So tell us:
How cheap is too cheap?

Static Design · 09-07-2009, 08:31 PM

free fiddy

strathd · 09-07-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Spool

free fiddy

Free-Fiddy is much cheaper than Tree-fiddy.............

woodchuck2 · 09-07-2009, 09:39 PM

Free Fiddy!!!

Who is setting up that wage, the customer????

I usually charge by the hour but it is usually just for one, maybe two at most. But if you are doing a bunch then I would charge by the fixture for a little better profit.

Static Design · 09-07-2009, 10:12 PM

I normally do it at 35 a light plus the ballast, does that seem fair?

mrmike · 09-08-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Spool

I normally do it at 35 a light plus the ballast, does that seem fair?

Sounds very fair to me- doesn't take too long to change one out-- any more $$ than that, the customer might as well pay to change out the fixture............

Celtic · 09-08-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Spool

I normally do it at 35 a light plus the ballast, does that seem fair?

Barring the price and mark-up on the ballast & lamps....

Does that $35 take into account:

- drive time
- set-up
- clean-up [including disposal of lamps]
- working in "live" occupancies [does it apply?]
- etc

Basically...all that needs to be done that is "non-productive" work....but not including OH [as that is a completely other thread].

Celtic · 09-08-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmike

Sounds very fair to me- doesn't take too long to change one out-- any more $$ than that, the customer might as well pay to change out the fixture............

Many times, it is cheaper to just swap out fixtures.....cleaning the reflector and lense is generally a time killer that achieves maximum potential by tossing the old yellowed fixture.

Speedy Petey · 09-08-2009, 07:53 PM

$35 for one is a joke and will put you out of bidness real quick.

$35 each for 50 sounds about right since you can do at least three an hour start to finish.
I've done whole stores with 10' ceilings and typically average over four an hour.

Celtic · 09-08-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

... you can do at least three an hour start to finish..

27 in 8 hours is my best time to date....

3/hr is right on the money ....assuming "good conditions".

Static Design · 09-08-2009, 09:08 PM

It takes me 15 minutes a light on 8' ceilings and no obstacles.

macmikeman · 09-09-2009, 12:02 PM

Seventy five bucks each for 30-40. 148 each for 15-30. 175 for 5-15. 225 for each below 5.

Magnettica · 09-09-2009, 12:45 PM

That's funny because I just did this exact job not more than hour ago.

1 hour labor: $75
Remove and replace (1) 4-lamp T-8 ballast: $30
Total with profit: $116

But since the guy is my printer, instead I ordered another 1,000 business cards and ordered some custom CE invoices. It was just nice to do a job less than 3 miles from home instead going from Rahway to Bridgewater to Schrewsbury to Monroe to E Brunswick and back to Rahway.

mrmike · 09-09-2009, 05:08 PM

Man, I'd hate to pay someone these prices if I were the customer. I would much rather pay for a new one......... you change a ballast in an old fixture & maybe the lamp end connectors are shot too ! Hard to justify that amount of $ for such an easy quick job of changing a ballast. Would be out of business soon up here- word of mouth would travel fast.............

Speedy Petey · 09-09-2009, 07:07 PM

How can you say that? You actually think $35 labor is too much for changing a ballast, cleaning a fixture and installing lamps?

I think macmikeman's prices are a bit over the top, but we don't know where he is located. This makes a big difference.

Also, changing a whole fixture is WAY more labor that simply changing a ballast. If course replacing a fixture would be a better way to go, but sometimes that is just not feasible.

I'll tell you what, if I could live and work in the Adirondacks I would.

ampman · 09-09-2009, 07:51 PM

i didn't think we discussed prices here

Inner10 · 09-09-2009, 08:09 PM

35 a light sounds pretty reasonable, just do a labour analysis. If it takes 20 Min a light and you typically charge 100 bucks an hour I'd say your spot on.

Static Design · 09-09-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampman

i didn't think we discussed prices here

I thought this was a place for contractors, can we not mingle and talk money? I would understand if this was a diy'r with a 1 or 2 post count.

Metro M & L · 09-09-2009, 11:23 PM

I thought that people who only came here to find out what other people were charging was not looked upon kindly. On the other hand, full spool offered his own, legitimate, # to begin with.