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Kings Electrical Contractors Tried to Rip me off for a 20 minute job CORAL SPRINGS Florida
I contacted Kings Electrical Contractors to install a wall switch timer. The company charges by the job - not by the hour. They explained to me the fee for coming out is 44.95, and this fee is subtracted from the job estimate if the job is performed.
Their job estimate for a 2O minute job was OVER $200.00. I was very mad. I explained to them that most electrical contractors in my area (Boca Raton, FL), charge from $65 - $80.00 per hour.
When I asked the technician how you can charge this much when other electrical contracts can do the job for $80.00 he had the cajones to say "they might not do it right".
I had another electrical contractor perform the job in 20 minutes for a flat hourly rate of $65.00 per hour. More than 1/3 cheaper than Kings Electrical Contractors. I learned a 44.95 lesson.
IF YOU LIVE IN THE POMPANO BEACH, PALM BEACH, CORAL SPRINGS AREA, DO NOT USE KINGS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS as your Electrical Contractor. THEY ARE A RIP OFF COMPANY.
Steve
Boca Raton, Florida
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Kraze
Marshall,Missouri,
U.S.A.
they charged you by the job? you knew ahead wheres the ripoff?
#2Consumer Suggestion
Wed, May 30, 2007
you stated you knew that they charged by the job and not hour. I to am a contractor and do work by the job, Though I agree the price is high, you did get a licensed and hopefully reputable contractor. I would have done it for lot less, I done construction for 12 years and have done alot of electrical though not licensed, Its hard to find a decent contractor that stays in business for long considering overhead and labor turnover, so this cost keeps him in business. If you didnt' like his price you should have went somewere else, Im assuming you got 3 estimates right? I mean I know its a small job, and that to is a good reason to charge alot more. Alot of contractors wont' even return your call to simply replace a switch cause they have 5 $10,000.00 jobs scheduled.
In your defense even the estimate is too high, you probably should have asked the average price of switches they install were, I mean I dont' know how much work was involved and every contractor does work differently, so you have to compare apples to apples. And hes right, maybe they have higher standard of work. Who knows if this other guy had any houses burn down, terrible thought huh..hope you checked out his insurance to make sure it was valid. I don't charge for estimates, they are free, and I spend alot of money on them, as I don't get them all. But I wouldn't dream of charging that much to look at a simple switch unless I was too busy, or was too far away considering gas and wear and tear..But you should have not even had him come out to look at it, knowing the estimate cost..
I did a job here locally putting in a 220 outlet for a old senior citizen who couldnt' get noone to come and do it, well I went in to get the permit and they refused to give it to me cause im not licensed. This is bs, I told the client about it, and I explained to her its all about money, cause if they would have given me the permit they would have came and inspected it for any faulty work. Its not the first time I was refused a permit and sure not the last, so far every client I spoke to granted me to continue with the project, Hey the city had the opportunity to collect their fee, their policy not mine..So i done the work, charged alot more for the 2 hours it took me and made a GREAT profit! the homeowner did not complain one bit, she knew that the chances to get some one else, let alone a license electrician woudl be impossible, mind you she waited a year already, bought a brand new sears stove and unable to use it. Shes happy, Im happy....no ones hurt, she accepted my price though I knew it was more than another person would have charged.
So you were charged some money, but had another contractor do it, perhaps you should wonder why he had time to do such a small job, But it could be legit. But rest assured since he's licensed, he has to carry insurance, and more likely bonded. And possibly has to have continued education to keep up on current building codes. So any problems your good to go, Im sure you can rest your head assured that there wont' be any problems with his work. But in the future if its money your concerned about, hire a handyman, NOT a licensed contractor, though remember hes 100% right, you get what you pay for.