material costs

[paul copeman]

Hi,

I am going to hit all the local shops and offices twith aim of selling them the idea of changing their lighting to LED

my question is when doing jobs where the material costs are going to run into the High hundreds or even thousands would you ask for material costs upfront?

 

[NozSpark]

You know that they might be able to get a grant for this kind of thing from the "energy saving trust"

 

[Steve3948]

Hi,I am going to hit all the local shops and offices twith aim of selling them the idea of changing their lighting to LED

my question is when doing jobs where the material costs are going to run into the High hundreds or even thousands would you ask for material costs upfront?

Answer = No

Businesses that ask for money up front normally don't go down well and is not normal business to business etiquette.

 

[steptoe]

I'd agree with that, looks very unprofessional and very fly-by-night esque

difference is, if I am doing a re-wire [or similar] for a new client I will often ask for a retainer up front, often enough to cover my materials, but not put in such a way,

the thing is though, its not work I have chased, you really cant go out looking for work then asking for money before you have done anything, your not likely to actually get the work at all then.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Proffessional businesses have wholesaler accounts to cover this surely?

Doc H

 

[baldelectrician]

Proffessional businesses have wholesaler accounts to cover this surely? Doc H

Yep they do, but I always ask for a deposit (95% of my work is domestic) and have only lost 3 jobs in 8 years- they were trying it on, booking 2 sparks and cancelling at last minute incase one never turned up

I don't ask for a deposit for regualr clients, but ALWAYS for new unknown business

 

[Sharpend]

Don't see a problem with asking for a deposit for materials, as if the client is genuine a out having the work done then they will not mind a deposit payment. Admittingly this is not the rule for business to business dealings, although not impossible to achieve. I guess it depends on several factors, how much can you afford to loose?, how much does image mean to you or your client? What size client are you working for, for some reason the bigger clients tend too believe they can pay when they like, so I'm not really into lottery games, I like to know when I'm getting paid not if I'm getting paid.

And whilst Doc may be correct in his summation of wholesaler accounts, some of us through no fault of our own can't get them.

 

[steptoe]

ATM wholesalers are chasing bona-fide sparks to open accounts,

I had eddies on my case for about 3 months, and then for the next 3 wanting to know why I wasnt buying,

I used it to my advantage to get a better discount.

any SE spark without at least 1 if not more trade accounts I'd be worried about their actual genuineness TB perfectly honest.