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I was scratching for the ECA recommended rates for a quote i have to submit...but its a complicated one ...where i have to detail everything... i know they are looking for a cover quote ...but you never know ...i might get the job... the other company has been working the site for a long time so generally the prices become realistic...like R900 per hour for an electrician.
I found the ECA recommended rates ...TCA services (electrical) from the year 2000
under variable inputs
Artisan R34.68 plus O/HEAD 85 %
Assistant R19.46 profit 15 %
20 mm bosal pipe fixed to the surface - lab R11.35 mat. R6.15 total R17.49
Heres a good one R 28.60 per linear metre in soft ground (300X600) ...i dont even think it has reached this price yet ...20 years later...anyone have the going rate to dig a trench for a cable (not the recommended ...the reality price... i know back in 2000 i was charging R12.00 per metre and i was expensive... paying my team members R30 cash per day... 10 member teams were digging installing and backfilling around 100- 150 m per day in soft ground.
Wake up people.
So you ever wondered why all the old die hards are still arriving at the wholesalers ... in what once use to be a nice new white toyota bakkie with a canopy ...but now they on the bones of their backsides barely making ends meet ... some well over 70 years old still trying to make a living because they dont have a pension to fall back on...we all have ourselves to blame ... we created this ourselves by allowing each other to set such low standards in the industry....being paid peanuts for our services...you can blame all the ya bros at the ECA meetings for not pushing for better rates and better profits...and for not forcing the rats out of the industry....enforcing legislation...instead of just taking your money every month... massive pressure should be put on the DOL to employ suitable skilled people who can perform the job required.
I keep these recommended rates and generally use them to quote after 5 years...that when they become realistic if you actually want to get work as a small contractor...and we wonder why so many contractors come and go ...you see the inexperienced newbies all excited with their big contract to wire up one of these badly built estates (even if you paid R5M ...the workmanship is still just as bad as long cost housing) new teams ...new vehicles ...some of them last a year maybe 2 maybe even 3 if they lucky.
One thing i have learnt ...when it comes to "jobbing" ...something a lot of small electrical contractors do ... there is no rate or profit limit... you dont have to feel bad charging a R950 call out fee or R650 per hour ...get that silliness out your head...until you have actually been in the industry and done jobbing to try make a living ...rather dont comment... its shytie rat race...only the strongest survive.
As for the markup ...I wanted to sell my fishing rod stands to a big company to sell online... their markup is 800 % on my product ...yes people 800 %... so your silly little 25 - 50 % markup... Carte Balnche is actually insulting us with this bullshyte and the fact that the ECA climbed on the band wagon makes you realise they dont give a rats a$$ about you... but instead few minute of free advertising for themselves ...can anyone show me how their input positively impacted on our industry... illegally interfering with the integrity of the electrical installation ...just makes it worse ...people are quite happy to walk into places like builder and pay 300 - 400 - 500 maybe be even more % on a plug socket ...so why do you feel bad delivering the same product to a customers property ....installing and offer a warranty...for F%^&&* sakes people wake up and pull head out the ground and start make a livable wage for yourself.
do you see Carte Blanche at places like TEDs home store ...i hear the ads every weekend and i think to myself do people actually buy stuff at Teds home store when there isnt a 50 % discount...just imagine the markup at these furniture stores if they can unload stuff at half the price and still make money?
Jut imagine the markup on products sold at places like woolworths ... i was watching as they load all that food which is not sold that day ...somebody has to pay for it sold or dumped ...woolworths certainly dont loose.
I found the ECA recommended rates ...TCA services (electrical) from the year 2000
under variable inputs
Artisan R34.68 plus O/HEAD 85 %
Assistant R19.46 profit 15 %
20 mm bosal pipe fixed to the surface - lab R11.35 mat. R6.15 total R17.49
Heres a good one R 28.60 per linear metre in soft ground (300X600) ...i dont even think it has reached this price yet ...20 years later...anyone have the going rate to dig a trench for a cable (not the recommended ...the reality price... i know back in 2000 i was charging R12.00 per metre and i was expensive... paying my team members R30 cash per day... 10 member teams were digging installing and backfilling around 100- 150 m per day in soft ground.
Wake up people.
So you ever wondered why all the old die hards are still arriving at the wholesalers ... in what once use to be a nice new white toyota bakkie with a canopy ...but now they on the bones of their backsides barely making ends meet ... some well over 70 years old still trying to make a living because they dont have a pension to fall back on...we all have ourselves to blame ... we created this ourselves by allowing each other to set such low standards in the industry....being paid peanuts for our services...you can blame all the ya bros at the ECA meetings for not pushing for better rates and better profits...and for not forcing the rats out of the industry....enforcing legislation...instead of just taking your money every month... massive pressure should be put on the DOL to employ suitable skilled people who can perform the job required.
I keep these recommended rates and generally use them to quote after 5 years...that when they become realistic if you actually want to get work as a small contractor...and we wonder why so many contractors come and go ...you see the inexperienced newbies all excited with their big contract to wire up one of these badly built estates (even if you paid R5M ...the workmanship is still just as bad as long cost housing) new teams ...new vehicles ...some of them last a year maybe 2 maybe even 3 if they lucky.
One thing i have learnt ...when it comes to "jobbing" ...something a lot of small electrical contractors do ... there is no rate or profit limit... you dont have to feel bad charging a R950 call out fee or R650 per hour ...get that silliness out your head...until you have actually been in the industry and done jobbing to try make a living ...rather dont comment... its shytie rat race...only the strongest survive.
As for the markup ...I wanted to sell my fishing rod stands to a big company to sell online... their markup is 800 % on my product ...yes people 800 %... so your silly little 25 - 50 % markup... Carte Balnche is actually insulting us with this bullshyte and the fact that the ECA climbed on the band wagon makes you realise they dont give a rats a$$ about you... but instead few minute of free advertising for themselves ...can anyone show me how their input positively impacted on our industry... illegally interfering with the integrity of the electrical installation ...just makes it worse ...people are quite happy to walk into places like builder and pay 300 - 400 - 500 maybe be even more % on a plug socket ...so why do you feel bad delivering the same product to a customers property ....installing and offer a warranty...for F%^&&* sakes people wake up and pull head out the ground and start make a livable wage for yourself.
do you see Carte Blanche at places like TEDs home store ...i hear the ads every weekend and i think to myself do people actually buy stuff at Teds home store when there isnt a 50 % discount...just imagine the markup at these furniture stores if they can unload stuff at half the price and still make money?
Jut imagine the markup on products sold at places like woolworths ... i was watching as they load all that food which is not sold that day ...somebody has to pay for it sold or dumped ...woolworths certainly dont loose.
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