# Should I just get a new electrican?



## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I have complained about a guy in the past yet my dumb ass stays sticks with him. He does not return calls---I repeat does not return calls. In November I was trying to recruit him and he calls back in December. Im like your kidding right I got someone else, then I find out his father past at the time and he was all out of sorts so I appologized for coming off pissy in my message. I am finishing a bathroom dormer that I framed with one guy for to days, the rest of the job I roofed,sided, insulated, rocked,spackled, trimmed plus other custom alterations all by myself no help. Under one month time. I pulled in the plumber, electrician, a tiler and HVAC guy all rough inspections as well like clock work. The job came out great and the customer is thrilled with the quality and timely fashion but........... The frigging electrician. I started calling him early last week to tell him by the middle of the following week to squeeze me in for final hook ups. No call back, four calls nothing. Now the job is done and no power. For a week alreadly. Ive been making excuse for him all week he really busy he'll be here soon but really I have no idea. You would think he'd call and say hey Tom Im a little behind I got three jobs going on a rough in by bla, blah blah the best I could do is maybe by xxxxx. Thats all is would take I understand. Instead the Homeowner is like when is the guy coming, if he isnt here I'll have someone here tomorrow to finish thing up. Now Im like this is great the job was flawless till now, I explain to be patient and the permit is under his license so not to touch anything. Then out of nowhere he comes today on a Saturday mourning unannounced with a house full of people sleeping to finish. Im so pissed off..... I totaly understand the business I know electricans have to juggle many jobs to stay busy but come on man this stuff can hurt a refferal. Am I wrong should I sit down again for the hundredth time an try to explain the importance of communication or just move on?


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

tom m said:


> I have complained about a guy in the past yet my dumb ass stays sticks with him. He does not return calls---I repeat does not return calls. In November I was trying to recruit him and he calls back in December. Im like your kidding right I got someone else, then I find out his father past at the time and he was all out of sorts so I appologized for coming off pissy in my message. I am finishing a bathroom dormer that I framed with one guy for to days, the rest of the job I roofed,sided, insulated, rocked,spackled, trimmed plus other custom alterations all by myself no help. Under one month time. I pulled in the plumber, electrician, a tiler and HVAC guy all rough inspections as well like clock work. The job came out great and the customer is thrilled with the quality and timely fashion but........... The frigging electrician. I started calling him early last week to tell him by the middle of the following week to squeeze me in for final hook ups. No call back, four calls nothing. Now the job is done and no power. For a week alreadly. Ive been making excuse for him all week he really busy he'll be here soon but really I have no idea. You would think he'd call and say hey Tom Im a little behind I got three jobs going on a rough in by bla, blah blah the best I could do is maybe by xxxxx. Thats all is would take I understand. Instead the Homeowner is like when is the guy coming, if he isnt here I'll have someone here tomorrow to finish thing up. Now Im like this is great the job was flawless till now, I explain to be patient and the permit is under his license so not to touch anything. Then out of nowhere he comes today on a Saturday mourning unannounced with a house full of people sleeping to finish. Im so pissed off..... I totaly understand the business I know electricans have to juggle many jobs to stay busy but come on man this stuff can hurt a refferal. Am I wrong should I sit down again for the hundredth time an try to explain the importance of communication or just move on?



Stop the mental masturbation.........Get a REAL Electrician. A professional! 

Decision making is THE KEY to success. Remember that!


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## AllAmerican (Nov 17, 2007)

I would let him finish up this job and find another electrician for your other projects. You cannot allow a subcontractor to affect your project or more importantly your Client's overall experience with you. 

It seems to me that you have given him many opportunities to change his ways. How hard is it to return a phone call?

_*NEXT!!*_


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Are you sure this isn't my boss? He does the same crap. I hope he doesn't read this board. :laughing: I swear every job he sends me to people complain that they've tried to reach him over and over and left several voice mails and he never calls back. I know I'm not supposed to admit to doing side work but, I always call back as soon as possible. Hell, I call the customer if I'm going to be 5 minutes late. In this day and age there's no excuse for not calling and returning messages. Fire his ash.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

Get a new one he is toast. 

Here is a tip. Dealing with smaller subs sometimes can be hard for remodelers especially if the sub is a one man show. Our work schedules vary so much it is hard to plan a sub coming and they have to plan around there jobs and ours hard to do when you are one man show only so much you can do. Either find a small sub that has 4-5 guys or pay the money and get the big boys. I know it is hard sometimes to swallow or justify the sub costs especially when starting out but the few extra dollars usually pay off end the end.

There is no excuse for him not calling you back period


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## Stickman (Mar 7, 2008)

I use to kick over all my side work to my company i worked for as the owner took great care of me for such and i did not have allot of down time. However I would go out and do the estimate, turn it in to him and he would take weeks to get things back to these people if ever. In the mean time they are calling me wondering what is up or worse yet it was clients of my wife, thats always looked great for me. After several months of this i gave up and stopped giving him work. I soon realized that even his own customers would complain about call backs and canceled appts. Turned out this guy was a great electrician just had no skills with multi tasking or ordering materials etc. Didn't stay much longer as things slowed down. Wonder why.


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## SelfContract (Dec 6, 2007)

He has too many side jobs... He do whatever pay most/easy on the list, then goes down ... till the cheapest/hardest one... LAST! (Run-around monkey-wrench!)


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Magnettica said:


> Are you sure this isn't my boss? He does the same crap. I hope he doesn't read this board. :laughing: I swear every job he sends me to people complain that they've tried to reach him over and over and left several voice mails and he never calls back.


Man I hope not. I seriously doubt it. Hes a great guy I know him for 22 years, they clean up after themselves the work is neat and they are corteous with the customer but dam business is business pick up the phone.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

tom m said:


> Man I hope not. I seriously doubt it. Hes a great guy I know him for 22 years, they clean up after themselves the work is neat and they are corteous with the customer but dam business is business pick up the phone.


I doubt it too. I would never name names here on this forum either. Our company operates out of Hudson County.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

I think if a guy had a way to tap into the phone numbers of all the people other electricians didn't call back, you could be really busy. I can't tell you how many times I've been on work for new customers who told me that more than one electrician never even bothered to call them back. I've even had people tell me that other electricians came out to look at their work, and never called back or sent an estimate. What a waste! Why go out and look at work you don't intend to follow through on? Maybe they're too picky? I dunno. The more I hear this, the more I think that the key to staying busy is to just return phone calls. People are perfectly willing to wait on you, as long as you give them a date certain when you'll be there. Communication is the key to any business, and returning phone calls is all the communication you need, many times.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

mdshunk said:


> I think if a guy had a way to tap into the phone numbers of all the people other electricians didn't call back, you could be really busy. I can't tell you how many times I've been on work for new customers who told me that more than one electrician never even bothered to call them back. I've even had people tell me that other electricians came out to look at their work, and never called back or sent an estimate. What a waste! Why go out and look at work you don't intend to follow through on? Maybe they're too picky? I dunno. The more I hear this, the more I think that the key to staying busy is to just return phone calls. People are perfectly willing to wait on you, as long as you give them a date certain when you'll be there. Communication is the key to any business, and returning phone calls is all the communication you need, many times.


Not to exclude other trades.....But Sparkys are typically, in my experience, Ego-Maniacs! "Above" others in their minds. But that is just my Not-So-Humble-Observations speaking here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am an Idiot, Ego-Maniac, opinionated, prick!!!! But that is me!


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Not to exclude other trades.....But Sparkys are typically, in my experience, Ego-Maniacs! "Above" others in their minds. But that is just my Not-So-Humble-Observations speaking here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I am an Idiot, Ego-Maniac, opinionated, prick!!!! But that is me!


It's not your imagination. We are well above you. Way above. We're not above all people, but we're definately above you. That must be why you notice that. :laughing:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

mdshunk said:


> It's not your imagination. We are well above you. Way above. We're not above all people, but we're definately above you. That must be why you notice that. :laughing:


At least YOU think so!!!! Good boy! Now sit.:w00t:


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Not to exclude other trades.....But Sparkys are typically, in my experience, Ego-Maniacs! "Above" others in their minds. But that is just my Not-So-Humble-Observations speaking here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I am an Idiot, Ego-Maniac, opinionated, prick!!!! But that is me!


I think alot of people have that opinion of Contractors as well. I had many people tell me they thought I was an a-wipe before the really got to know me and I think I am pretty laid back. I do like trash talking though keeps the mind sharp


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

I think electricians have this ego about themselves because our work is more important than any of the other trades on the job.


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

I have worked with the same Sparky for over 12 years. I don't even get bids, I get his price, if I sell the job its his. I pay fast and he makes me look good. Of course he thinks all GC's are chuckleheads. Wouldn't be a real electrician if I didn't hear that every now and then.:laughing:


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I have people call me everyday looking for tradesmen because I know a lot of the best. I once thought of going into the referral business, just sit and take/make calls and $$.

I'm really suprised at the amount of contractors who lose jobs for all of the aforementioned reasons.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Magnettica said:


> our work is *more important* than any of the other trades on the job.


 Magnettica gives a shinning example of what I mean...........BUT..........It IS the most TECHNICAL in the Home Building/General Construction.

But tell that to the homeowner who wants to Crap INDOORS! Or stay cool during the summer!:w00t:


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

Just for the debate, I have had plumbers tell me they are the most important because of the health aspect of their work, the HVAC guys tell me without them life is unbearable, the electricians tell me nothing works without electricity, and all of them (different guys) have let me know carpenters are the least advanced of the trades. Bulls**t, and lets ad we all have varying degrees of business and technical skills. This is a schoolyard argument. Still, my plumber always gives me unsolicited design advice, but he's a good plumber and I'm not so insecure that it bothers me. So what came first, the chicken or the egg? Return calls, finish on time, accept responsibility for your part. Anything less means your a dilettante.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

This guy doesn't seem so bad, I think things will work them selves out.


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## threaderman (Nov 15, 2007)

I am extremely un-pleasant when I feel I'm being put-off.I have next to Zero tolerance for that.I pride myself on being prompt ,as my time and your time are important.If I am more than a few minutes late for a appointment I'll call.Usually I'm 5 min. early and I sit there for a few :laughing:.You need to have a serious heart-to-heart with this guy and find out if he's with or not.If he stutters,fire his ass!


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

The lack of communication is the is so poor that I really cant sacrifice my own intrests for the loyalty. I need an updated insurance certificate and a revised estimate for any changes we incurred. Now I am afraid by the time I get this Info will not have an opportunity to adjust my numbers with my customer and will eat it any difference. For what a lack of communication---I dont want to get started about who is most important. Besides the fact he never has to deal with homeowners or product as a business owner or tools and skills for only one trade. The only thing he has to manage on a job is his time. This guy makes his living on contractors---they allow him to exist. He just goes into a "zone" of trying keep up with the multiple jobs, inspections, and changes that he doesnt even acknowledge the importance of the simply things. To him he he managed to satisfy me and my customer by getting there yesterday. The fact he told know one he was going there and came unannounced doesnt matter. I know alot of work he does is new construction where it doesnt matter when he goes or calls anyone. That doesnt make it right with me the end result is the customer has the right to be pissed off at me. Im the one in charge, I did not notify them that they're day off the door bell would be ringing early. Thank god its only one sub and the client is very happy with my work. Other wise the customer would be telling thier friends that Tom was a great contractor but he works with some very unproffessional guys, I would be cautious hiring him again. Then we all lose. Imagine I have to go to them and say we exceeded our electric allowances by xxxx and I need to charge more. Even though more work cost more it leaves a bad taste in peoples mouth.


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