Furnace question, new home. (Stacyville: insurance, unemployment, construction)

[msina]

I use a contractor from Lincoln. They've done numerous jobs here and the bill was never that high. I had an electrician here (from that particular busines) all day last year installing new electrical sockets, light fixtures and doing repairs to existing wiring as well as install wiring for the dryer, I did buy the light fixture the rest of the parts were included in the bill. I've had the plumber here to install a hot water heater, (water heater incluced in bill) fix a leak and on another occasion set up water lines and drain for the washer. If you put all of the parts and labor together it didn't come to $5000.

[Zarathu]

Three years ago, i had a heating contractor install three propane stoves running th lines from a huge tank out back to the living room, the family room and to an upstairs bedroom. It included all the lines, all the valves, all the labor, and the purchase of the three stoves, one for 35K BTU, one for 45K BTU, and one for 75K BTU.

And this was in Bar Harbor, ME.

The total cost for the full installation, and labor was only $4500.

In my opinion, a hook-up for $5200 was way beyond highway robbery. It was fraud. I'd call the cops.

[JOSHTHEGOD]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I'll bet you have NO idea if he was fair..$3,000 would still be high around here....$5200 to hook up a hot air furnace in THIS state is steep "my friend". $125.00 an hour is a big jump from $5.50 an hour just 15 years ago.. HVAC guys don't make that kind of money in Maine...You might try to bill it but you won't get it. Psychiatrists don't make that much here.....

Why are you correlating 125.00 per hour and 5.50 per hour?

One is what I was making per hour as an employee grunt 15 years ago, one is what I charge as contractor/owner operator now.

Your statements are showing me that you have no idea how a contracting business works nor do you know the overhead that is involved.

Let's go back to my 5%-15% statement. I charge 125 per hour. That means I might make 6.25-18.75 per hour. And that is if everything goes just right. Any little hiccup and we are working for free.

You are right, I have no idea if the guy's price was fair. I just don't have enough information to answer that question. I do know that in most cases the margins are real small and any little problem or lowering of the price can put you out of business real quick. My advice? Ask him how he came to his price. I bet you it isn't as underhanded as you may think. If it is, then I am all about calling him out on it.


FYI, a good technician in our trade over here in Washington makes 30-40 dollars per hour. How on earth anyone can make a living charging less than 100 per hour is beyond me. With that 125 per hour billable I only pay myself 20 per so I can put more money back into my business. Some weeks it is real tough to even do that due to the small margins.

Just a little insight into how it works. Very little of our hourly charge goes in our pocket. I drive a 1997 Toyota pickup and have a 1996 Ford van, both of which are paid for in full. I live in a very modest 1400 sq. ft rambler that needs updating. We aren't rich.

[retiredtinbender]

[quote=JOSHTHEGOD;17740649]Why are you correlating 125.00 per hour and 5.50 per hour?

One is what I was making per hour as an employee grunt 15 years ago, one is what I charge as contractor/owner operator now.

Your statements are showing me that you have no idea how a contracting business works nor do you know the overhead that is involved.

Let's go back to my 5%-15% statement. I charge 125 per hour. That means I might make 6.25-18.75 per hour. And that is if everything goes just right. Any little hiccup and we are working for free.

You are right, I have no idea if the guy's price was fair. I just don't have enough information to answer that question. I do know that in most cases the margins are real small and any little problem or lowering of the price can put you out of business real quick. My advice? Ask him how he came to his price. I bet you it isn't as underhanded as you may think. If it is, then I am all about calling him out on it.


FYI, a good technician in our trade over here in Washington makes 30-40 dollars per hour. How on earth anyone can make a living charging less than 100 per hour is beyond me. With that 125 per hour billable I only pay myself 20 per so I can put more money back into my business. Some weeks it is real tough to even do that due to the small margins.

Just a little insight into how it works. Very little of our hourly charge goes in our pocket. I drive a 1997 Toyota pickup and have a 1996 Ford van, both of which are paid for in full. I live in a very modest 1400 sq. ft rambler that needs updating. We aren't rich.[/quote]

You should work for the gov't like I do. I live in a Chevrolet Caprice. Not sure how many square foot she is though.

[AustinB]

[quote=retiredtinbender;17741071]

Originally Posted by JOSHTHEGOD

Why are you correlating 125.00 per hour and 5.50 per hour?

One is what I was making per hour as an employee grunt 15 years ago, one is what I charge as contractor/owner operator now.

Your statements are showing me that you have no idea how a contracting business works nor do you know the overhead that is involved.

Let's go back to my 5%-15% statement. I charge 125 per hour. That means I might make 6.25-18.75 per hour. And that is if everything goes just right. Any little hiccup and we are working for free.

You are right, I have no idea if the guy's price was fair. I just don't have enough information to answer that question. I do know that in most cases the margins are real small and any little problem or lowering of the price can put you out of business real quick. My advice? Ask him how he came to his price. I bet you it isn't as underhanded as you may think. If it is, then I am all about calling him out on it.


FYI, a good technician in our trade over here in Washington makes 30-40 dollars per hour. How on earth anyone can make a living charging less than 100 per hour is beyond me. With that 125 per hour billable I only pay myself 20 per so I can put more money back into my business. Some weeks it is real tough to even do that due to the small margins.

Just a little insight into how it works. Very little of our hourly charge goes in our pocket. I drive a 1997 Toyota pickup and have a 1996 Ford van, both of which are paid for in full. I live in a very modest 1400 sq. ft rambler that needs updating. We aren't rich.[/quote]

You should work for the gov't like I do. I live in a Chevrolet Caprice. Not sure how many square foot she is though.

I liked it better when you had the wheels on it.

[JOSHTHEGOD]

[quote=AustinB;17741611]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

I liked it better when you had the wheels on it.

Useless comment, or are you trying to be funny?

[retiredtinbender]

Just trying to be facetious. Get it? trying to be trying to be funny? Someone needs to add a little levity to your posts. You get way too serious. Ever try "politics and other controversies" threads?

On the other hand, getting back to the OP; I'd say you probably should have gotten kissed. It does seem quite steep.

[mainebrokerman]

I had a new burnham boiler installed 4 yrs ago-the boiler and installation totalled 3800

he was a licensed installer, worked for the state, did this part time and worked hard when he was here.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by JOSHTHEGOD

Why are you correlating 125.00 per hour and 5.50 per hour?

One is what I was making per hour as an employee grunt 15 years ago, one is what I charge as contractor/owner operator now.

Your statements are showing me that you have no idea how a contracting business works nor do you know the overhead that is involved.

Let's go back to my 5%-15% statement. I charge 125 per hour. That means I might make 6.25-18.75 per hour. And that is if everything goes just right. Any little hiccup and we are working for free.

You are right, I have no idea if the guy's price was fair. I just don't have enough information to answer that question. I do know that in most cases the margins are real small and any little problem or lowering of the price can put you out of business real quick. My advice? Ask him how he came to his price. I bet you it isn't as underhanded as you may think. If it is, then I am all about calling him out on it.


FYI, a good technician in our trade over here in Washington makes 30-40 dollars per hour. How on earth anyone can make a living charging less than 100 per hour is beyond me. With that 125 per hour billable I only pay myself 20 per so I can put more money back into my business. Some weeks it is real tough to even do that due to the small margins.

Just a little insight into how it works. Very little of our hourly charge goes in our pocket. I drive a 1997 Toyota pickup and have a 1996 Ford van, both of which are paid for in full. I live in a very modest 1400 sq. ft rambler that needs updating. We aren't rich.

I have no problem paying for competency, however, some contractors are either very slow, very arrogant, or, will take calls from other jobs, spend 20 minutes on the phone, and who is paying for that at 125 an hr?????

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

I had a new burnham boiler installed 4 yrs ago-the boiler and installation totalled 3800

he was a licensed installer, worked for the state, did this part time and worked hard when he was here.

I had a forced air furnace installed about 8 years ago with two new vents for$3600 total. Licensed and top end installer and furnace.