Your rates are bang on. Here in Joburg we charge a little more.Originally Posted by ians
My inspection for a small townhouse would be R850,00 and increase on a sliding scale as per the size of the electrical installation.
COC not included as this takes an extra 30 to 45 minutes to assemble
To make a mistake is human, to learn from that mistake is knowledge and knowledge is strength.
Don't come back unless you're Black, the governmunt have just pushed through new amendments to B-BBEE, whitie is screwed!
Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.
What in principal is happening now. What are they doing now
Dude, I have my JIB technician card and was styling in London about 5 years ago. I spent all my money on getting up and running here and there is no way I would do it again. The big difference between here and there is that in the UK there is standard and electricians work to that standard, its a level playing field. I'd say the 1% that give a shit about how work is done are probably on this forum. Yes,there are dodgy workers there as well be here... Holy S&^%.
Why don't I go back, because I put it all in to come here.
The BBEE is just, in the Englishmans eyes, madness. Even in 2014 the colour of your skin is more valued than qualifications and experience when it come to getting jobs.
If your coming here you going to have to do your own thing, so get your wiremans sorted as soon as you can and go from there. Unless you want to work for (at today's exchange rate) about 4 pounds an hour.
Another thing i find insane, my running costs are higher here than in the UK???? A big part of that is the cost of vehicles. you don't get much for 1000 pounds in the way of cars here.
I did a rough calculation today. The going rate for a double socket outlet here is around R450 installed connected and COC issue.
I have started doing service sheets for callout to keep better records.
So today I get a call to install 1 x double socket outlet. Not a breakdown, so no callout rate.
I left the office at 8 am to try miss the traffic, got to site at 8.35, took a few measurements and planned the route etc.
Left site at 8.50 and headed to the wholesaler to collect materials, got there at around 9.10, ordered the stuff paid and collected at 9.30, back on site at 9.50,
installed 2 lengths of 25 x 16 trunking ran 10 metres of 2.5 mm twin +e and connected in the DB. Finished installing the 4x4 extention box, connected and tested. Packed up and left site at 10.30.
How on earth do you install a plug for R450?
Something to consider is I use laser levels a battery hilti TE 7 which is fitted with a hilti dust extractor or the hilti GX 120 to set my saddles if I use piping, so there is no mess to clean up marks to clean up etc, I use a battery Hilti to drill the holes for glands etc so there is no wasting time with extention cables etc. So my time is cut to the absolute bare minimum. It is still impossible to install a plug for R450. If I still had to do a COC for the new plug that would be at least another r15 to 20 min filling out a form which was half filled in at the office.
Cost 2 hours labour + materials , more than R1000.
Maybe Bergie from the Cape who works at a lot cheaper rates can tell us if it is possible to do a plug install for R450.
Hi Ian,
It is all about planning, and please I am not trying to tell you how you must work, but rather the way I would have handled it.
I always have stock of the most common items I use at my premises. In your case it would be many lengths of conduit, corners, glands, saddles and other fittings that are used in your day to day work. Also I would have a bunch of boxes and switches and plugs (single and double) and a couple of rolls of wire, red/black white and blue of a few sizes, for plugs, lights and what ever is common. One or 2 SP ELBs, 1 or 2 3P ELBs and an assortment of CBs. This stock of course would be built up over time, and would be adjusted accordingly.
When you got the call to install the plug, I am sure you had a rough idea what was required to do the task. Before you even left to go to site, you should have loaded the items already in to your van ensuring that you had more than enough. When you arrived at the site, you would visualize what is required, and if you have all the stuff in the van, you could have completed the job in an hour, and continued your day. Made a note of the stuff I used, and ensured that the next time I am at the wholesaler, I replenish the used stock.
If I need anything from the wholesaler, I ensure that I build up a good relationship with one of the sales people, and instead of placing my order at the counter when I arrive, I simply phone my contact, place the order via telephone, and request that he pulls the stock out. At the same time I will replenish my used up stock. By the time I arrive there, the stock is ready for collection, pay and drive off. Following this methodology, I avoid the wasted time waiting for materials at suppliers.
I always try and avoid the JIT (Just In Time) ordering, whilst this is great for large manufacturing businesses who have forecasts and have a constant production line, it is not really suitable to adhoc type of business. However with planning, you can have most of the stuff ex stock, to be as efficient as possible in your daily business.
Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za
Easier said than done. Unfortunately I only have a van not an 18 wheeler, I already carry around 600 kg of stock and tools in the van.
Yesterday for example I had piping a saddles twin +e, but, I didn't have trunking. The installation would have looked really crap with piping and I couldn't put the piping on the outside wall because it is face brick and would have looked ridiculous with white pvc pipe. The problem is whether you go to collect 1 screw or the entire material list you still have to leave the site and go waste time at the wholesaler.
When I am ready to start expanding again, I am going to look into meeting at my local wholesaler in the mornings. It will save staff coming to my workshop, then heading to the wholesaler then to site. wasting time in the morning. They can make up material list before they leave site. I can order it in the afternoon and it will be ready for collection in the morning.
If I can get to point where I have teams which is industry specific then I can kit each vehicle out for that type of work, but for now we just have to make do with what we have.
Another problem I have been experiencing lately, I ordered a lamp and only one supplier had the lamp, so I collected it on the way to site, got to site opened the box to find one that some one had changed the lamp in the box, so I had to go all the back to change it. When you ask the wholesaler to deliver they tell you the truck has already left. So either you go change it or get it delivered to site then have to return to the site to fit 1 lamp. I am beginning to see the value in a runner who has a motor cycle or small van to help with this type of stuff, especially with the way the petrol price is going ( I hear it should be over the R16 after the elections)
I also heard that electricity is due to for a 30 % increase, then hear that Sutcliffe is due for a huge bonus. The increase could be to cover his bonus.
Hi Ian,
I hear you. Was attempting to think out the box.
Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za
Why don’t we all have a fixed rate instead of creating a cut throat business out there, just look at electric fence industry a person does a three day COC course and charges R800 for an inspection that take ±10 minutes with no complaints from the client. But an estate agent is only willing to pay R 500 to R750 for dwelling COC
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