jjnz1:

 

I think the only problem here is too much transparency.

 

A lot of sparkies and plumbers are now reverting to quote like the below, exactly because of this situation. I support this model, and it comes down to - were you happy with the price when you accepted? Sounds lik you were. Any sparkies and plumbers out there.. please consider this model.

 

 

 

Estimate $477.52+GST:

 

Install client supplied heater, allowing for the following:

 

15m cable

 

1 junction box

 

double gang light switch

 

labour and travel

 

COC

 

 

 

Then the invoice should have come in with the following:

 

Invoice $477.52+GST:

 

Install client supplied heater, allowing for the following:

 

15m cable

 

1 junction box

 

double gang light switch

 

labour and travel

 

COC

 

 

 

You are lucky - the sparky charged you less.. Bet he won't make that mistake again!

 

 

 

When I did invoicing for a contracting firm, it would depend on the nature of the work.

Quoted jobs (like the one in this post) were simply billed out as "invoiced as per quote", the detail was already in the quote. Saved grief at the payment end of things. If we'd allowed for 4 hours and completed the job in 3.5, then win for us, if we quoted 4 hours but it took 5, win for the customer, but the price was the price.

Mark-up / charge-up jobs were just that and would have all time and costs detailed. For time, that time started when the tradie left the base, so 1 hour on site could well be charged at 1.25 or 1.5 hours depending on travel time. There was some discretion on getting bits from a supplier, if it was things they ought to have in their vans (cable, sockets, mounting blocks, etc etc) then time wouldn't be charged. If it was a specific unknown item (ie customer didn't tell them they wanted specific items), then thats chargeable.

300% + margins in electrical? hardly, at residential level, more like 25-40 (now in security, thats different and some parts did have very high margins).