Home/Rants/⚡ Electrical/$175 to swap a GFCI and reset a breaker? These clients are killing me
$175 to swap a GFCI and reset a breaker? These clients are killing me
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CircuitSmasher
·1y·34 replies·27 participants
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CircuitSmasher⭐ ExpertOP1y
97
Been in the Chicago area my whole career, dealing with rental properties for a few units I own. One of my tenants hit me up saying the bedroom outlets and lights were dead, so I sent over an electrician without being there myself. Guy shows up, says he replaced a bad Leviton GFCI receptacle and reset the tripped breaker to get everything back online. Resetting a breaker is just flipping it off and on, right? But he hits me with a $175 bill, no quote upfront, no call to confirm the issue, just did it and left. TBH, feels like highway robbery for what sounds like 10 minutes of work max, especially since GFCIs are what, $15-20 at Home Depot? Saw a similar rant on r/electricians about overcharging on simple service calls, and someone in Electricians Network group mentioned clients like this always nickel and dime but then complain about prices. I'm pissed, should I pay it or push back hard? FML, these difficult clients make me want to sell off everything.
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LawnLad⚒️ Journeyman1y
19
Nah, $175 is spot on for a callout, covers the truck roll and liability.
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TenYearVet19⚒️ Journeyman1y
21
Add in the time to diagnose which GFCI was protecting the bedroom circuit.
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GeneralFixIt⭐ Expert1y
20
Exactly, tenants probably overloaded it with space heaters or something.
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VentVagabond⚒️ Journeyman1y
24
Or just a faulty one, happens all the time in older rentals.
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DrainDevil3⚒️ Journeyman1y
23
I hate these no-quote jobs, always bites you in the ass later.
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ScrubLord⚒️ Journeyman1y
42
Tell me about it, had a client do the same and then disputed the charge.
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FloorKing99⚒️ Journeyman1y
22
Charge T&M next time, get it in writing before they touch anything.
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RoofRatRicky2⚒️ Journeyman1y
10
Smart move, I use Jobber for that now, sends the estimate via text instantly.
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KeyMaster99⚒️ Journeyman1y
17
GFCI replacements should be under $100 if it's quick, but callout minimums are real.
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WattTheHeck13⚒️ Journeyman1y
15
Depends on the area, but yeah, explain the costs upfront to avoid this crap.
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MopMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman1y
19
Upfront or not, some landlords just see dollar signs and freak.
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SpotlessSteve5⚒️ Journeyman11mo
23
SharkBite style quick fixes are overrated, stick to proper wiring.
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SlateSlinger2⚒️ Journeyman11mo
1
How old is the panel? Might need more than just a reset.
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DoorJammer4⚒️ Journeyman11mo
20
These tenants sound like they cause half the trips themselves.
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BugBlaster8⚒️ Journeyman11mo
13
For real, educate them on not daisy-chaining extension cords.
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TenYearVet20⚒️ Journeyman10mo
31
Haha, or plugging in the vacuum to every outlet like it's a lottery.
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GeneralFixIt⭐ Expert10mo
22
Electricians Network is full of these stories, clients think we're miracle workers for free.
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VentVagabond⚒️ Journeyman10mo
15
Pay it this time, but next electrician gets a firm quote rule.
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RollerRabbit2⚒️ Journeyman10mo
15
Watched Electrician U video on GFCI troubleshooting, saved me time on similar jobs.
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LockoutLou⚒️ Journeyman9mo
5
Is the tenant complaining too, or just you footing the bill?
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ScrubLord⚒️ Journeyman9mo
41
Same boat last month, client accepted the eff you price after I walked.
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RoofRatRicky2⚒️ Journeyman9mo
14
Out here clients try to haggle every breaker swap, it's exhausting.
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WattTheHeck13⚒️ Journeyman9mo
13
These cheap landlords deserve what they get, hire pros or DIY and risk it.
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MopMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman8mo
10
GFCIs trip for a reason, better safe than sorry on the cost.
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BugBlaster8⚒️ Journeyman8mo
38
Haha, next time tell the tenant to flip it themselves and see what happens.
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TenYearVet20⚒️ Journeyman8mo
11
Insurance companies love these small claims, jacks up your rates.
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TileTerror10⚒️ Journeyman7mo
16
Square processing fees eat into that $175 already, cut them some slack.
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FlushFreak2⚒️ Journeyman7mo
22
From what I saw in a Mike Holt forum post, $150 min is standard for outlets.
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WeedWhackerWill2⚒️ Journeyman7mo
15
Proud of my setup now, I quote $125/hr flat and no surprises.
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DeckBuilderDan⭐ Expert7mo
18
Bullshit clients like this make the whole trade look bad.
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WireWhisperer3⭐ Expert6mo
4
Ever tried explaining NEC 406.4 on receptacles to them? Eyes glaze over.
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PackRatPaul2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
2
$175? I'd take that deal over fighting with the invoice.
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NailBender⚒️ Journeyman6mo
17
Just paid $200 for a similar fix on my own house, no regrets.
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MopAndGloGuy2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
3
How do you handle repeat tenants who keep tripping breakers?