OfflineYesterday I called several plumbers and electricians to get an estimate on repairs for a flip. My question, is anybody starting to get charged for a fuel surcharge to do an estimate? The estimate is free but they won't come out unless I pay them $75 upfront for what they are saying is fuel surcharge. I called more than five plumbers and more than seven electricians and all of them had this fuel surcharge in place. Is anyone else running into this?
Thanks in advance
Raymond
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I havent heard that. I wouldnt pay it. You look around ,craigslist, REIA Meetings, etc, you will find people that actually give a FREE estimate, with NO charges like that.
I have a General Contractor that does it for free, but 50 % of the time , I will take him to lunch $5-$6 , thats how I do it.
Curtis Fillers
(Charlotte,NC)
Curtis, thank you for your advice. Let me get on Craigslist and start calling.
Thanks
Raymond
You could actually advertise on Craigslist for a Handyman, and explain what you do and see how many contact you.
Curtis Fillers
(Charlotte,NC)
Thank you for that very helpful information
Raymond
I own several businesses and add a fuel surcharge to some of them if I can. It's just a way to add dollars to the bottomline that people understand. Raising general prices doesn't go over as well. But just look around as there are plenty of plumbers, electricians who will drop it if you ask them to. They don't want to lose business anymore than I do.
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Rents up fuels up surcharges are coming into play again. My trash company just added a fuel surcharge again. I raised my service fee to compensate for the change. Free estimates are still out there the cost of doing business fluctuates with the times.
A lot of these companies will drop the "fuel charge" if you hire them for your job. Usually these were only charged by companies trying to rip you off OR out of town companies who had to travel TO YOU to try to earn your business. But with the proverbial fi$ting we're all getting at the pump, "fuel charges" are becoming a main staple of legitimate businesses nationwide.
Another way to balance this out is to have these clauses in any contract with any contractor: 1) Fuel surcharge can be charged ONE time ONLY. 2) Contractor will be docked $75/day every day the job goes past schedule. It's low enough that most will laugh when they read it, but high enough that they will take you (and your time) seriously. And of course, if they won't agree to those clauses, you don't use them anyway. So you see how one thing can make up for another? Just another example of "thinking out of the box."
Paul: "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when my fear is gone I will turn and face fear's path, and only I will remain."
Duke Leto: "I'll miss the sea, but a person needs new experiences. They jar something deep inside, allowing him to grow. Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken." - "Dune."