Electrical Work in Canada/US Based Company

3347 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Ricky&Julian, Aug 6, 2009

Lighting Retro

Discussion Starter · Jul 20, 2009

Looks like we have landed about 400 US based locations for a large Petroleum fitting company, and they have about 80 of them in Canada. We are also in the bidding to win about 110 fast food relighting projects across Canada.

Sounds like some possible retail coming as well. We work across the US, but have yet to venture into Canada. I have found some contractor lists online to look for subs by province, as I can't imagine we can bring out own crews across the border without possible issues.

Can you lend a brother a hand and share with me anything you know, resources, etc to speed up our learning curve?

Are contractors in Canada able to cross Province boundaries without issue, or do we need to look for a separate sub in each province?

Can we bring in some of our own guys?

What type of pay rates are expected for apprentice, journeyman, masters?

Are you an electrical contractor in Canada interested in energy efficient lighting work? Hit me up.

Either way, I appreciate any and all input that helps our research stage. Thanks.

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Lighting Retro

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jul 26, 2009

bummer, was hoping I'd get some input on this one.

anyone know any good contractors in CA to sub to, or a good place to find one?

Thanks.

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Ricky&Julian

· #3 · Aug 1, 2009

In Canada for lighting retrofits, if you have an 8ft lamp you have to install 2-4ft lamps with a single ballast each. We dont have any multi lamp ballasts, and they cant be used. One lamp per ballast, every third one has to be battery backup. Even replacing hibay MH, you can use T5 lamp "troffers" but one lamp per ballast, one battery backup per. Wages start for non union journeyman at just under $75 per hour, an extra $15 for working overhead, so retrofit would be overhead unless you can get them to lay down and do it on their side, that does work. US workers can't work up here due to HIGeh and the GAFClue Statute.:whistling I hope this didnt ruin your proposal and you still are able to make money on these jobs

`

On another note I am going to bid on a job in Ukraine, anyone know......

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Softy

· #4 · Aug 2, 2009 (Edited)

Ricky&Julian said:
In Canada for lighting retrofits, if you have an 8ft lamp you have to install 2-4ft lamps with a single ballast each. We dont have any multi lamp ballasts, and they cant be used. One lamp per ballast, every third one has to be battery backup. Even replacing hibay MH, you can use T5 lamp "troffers" but one lamp per ballast, one battery backup per. Wages start for non union journeyman at just under $75 per hour, an extra $15 for working overhead, so retrofit would be overhead unless you can get them to lay down and do it on their side, that does work. US workers can't work up here due to HIGeh and the GAFClue Statute.:whistling I hope this didnt ruin your proposal and you still are able to make money on these jobs `

On another note I am going to bid on a job in Ukraine, anyone know......

That explain why I don't get to work up there. We do lots of work across U.S. and Caribbean Island but not up north. I wondered why multi-lamps ballast can't be use there? Is it harmonic resonance? Are you on 50hz. grid?
Sorry, just google it. You're same as in U.S. but still wondered why no multi lamps?

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Speedy Petey

· #5 · Aug 2, 2009

Ricky&Julian said:
In Canada for lighting retrofits, if you have an 8ft lamp you have to install 2-4ft lamps with a single ballast each. We dont have any multi lamp ballasts, and they cant be used. One lamp per ballast, every third one has to be battery backup. Even replacing hibay MH, you can use T5 lamp "troffers" but one lamp per ballast, one battery backup per.

You HAVE to be freaking kidding me!!!
This has got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.
WTF could the logic possibly be for this insanity? I mean the rest of the world is going in the opposite direction with electronic ballasts. It is very common for us to replace the two ballasts in an older 4-light fixture with one electronic 4-lamp ballast. It makes obvious economic and environmental sense.

Ricky&Julian said:
Wages start for non union journeyman at just under $75 per hour, an extra $15 for working overhead,

An EXTRA $15/hr for working overhead???? Once again, you HAVE to be kidding me!!
Isn't that 50% of what we do?
Do they also get a bonus for taking a crap during lunch instead of during working hours?

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Ricky&Julian

· #6 · Aug 4, 2009

Yes I was kidding, I was amazed at the fact that a company would actually bid a project and not have any clue as to what the specs were. No idea on wages, how to work in Canada etc. I would be surprised if they knew where it was.

B.T.W. HIGeh is "Hows it going eh?" and GFClue is "Get a Fricken Clue" statutes. No additional for pay for crapping on own time! funny though.

Sorry, but I couldnt resist messing with them.:jester:Canadian dry sense of humor.

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Softy

· #7 · Aug 5, 2009

Great, what a clown. Also it's not unusual atall for some of these jobs assign to us and we've no clue "or little" of what to do. It's simply means that the company is so big and that they don't operate like typical company.

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Winchester

· #8 · Aug 5, 2009 (Edited)

Ricky&Julian said:
In Canada for lighting retrofits, if you have an 8ft lamp you have to install 2-4ft lamps with a single ballast each. We dont have any multi lamp ballasts, and they cant be used. One lamp per ballast, every third one has to be battery backup. Even replacing hibay MH, you can use T5 lamp "troffers" but one lamp per ballast, one battery backup per. Wages start for non union journeyman at just under $75 per hour, an extra $15 for working overhead, so retrofit would be overhead unless you can get them to lay down and do it on their side, that does work. US workers can't work up here due to HIGeh and the GAFClue Statute.:whistling I hope this didnt ruin your proposal and you still are able to make money on these jobs `

On another note I am going to bid on a job in Ukraine, anyone know......

What the... this is not true... :blink:

edit: sorry didn't read the whole thread. We need an "Idiot" button next to the "Thanks" button.

edit again: Actually, going back and reading it again, it is pretty funny :laughing:

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Winchester

· #9 · Aug 5, 2009 (Edited)

...sorry...

check your PM Lighting Retro
http://www.hamiltonelectrical.ca

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Ricky&Julian

· #10 · Aug 6, 2009

ah man, idiot? that hurts, fellow CDN. Glad you saw the humor in it. Being Canadian and living in the US you wouldnt believe how many times I had to explain that yes there is colour tv, you can build houses in the winter because it it isnt under 4ft of snow. I even had one guy going on the metric clock, 100 seconds per minute, 100 minutes per hour, 10 hours per day etc.

Anyways, all in good fun.

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