Frequently Asked Questions
What is your rate?
Our hourly rate effective March 1 2008 is:
- $70 per electrician hour.
- A scale of $40-$68 per apprentice, technician, and laborer hour.See The terms of Service agreement for details.
Terms of Service Think Electric preforms all work as per
our Terms of Service Agreement. This agreement also serves as your Lien notice and constitutes signed contract.
Do you take credit cards? Yes via www.paypal.com you need a (free) paypal accout.
Would you give me a bid for X
amount of repair work? Due to the nature of service calls
there can be no estimates.
Would you
give me a bid?
- We can only give a limited number estimates per month depending on the scope of the work involved.
- We do not have the ability to accurately bid the cost of electrical work or a full time estimator. You will see a large disclaimer on your estimate explaining that it is not a bid.
- Electrical load calculations are not available as a free estimate in any case.
- Existing customers are given priority for estimates.
- Evaluating a old building or home for the suitablilty for adding electrical loads is design work and not part of an estimate. Design work preformed by a licensed Oregon electrical engineer is the only designs or plans accepted as such.
- Arriving on a "enforcement situation" or picking up where "someone left off" automaticly disqualify from a free estimate.
- Remodels including bathrooms, Kitchens, garages, offices, living rooms etc, require an electrical plan to be drawn at the customers cost. Digital Photos (.jpg format) and Plans may be sent to us in .dxf format via email.
Is the estimate free? Yes if you allready have electrical plans or have contracted us to draw the plans other wise No. An estimate is $80 and refunded off your first invoice.
Exceptions:
- Within the urban growth boundary of Eugene Springfield an estimate meeting criteria is free.
- All current customers.
What if you find horrible things someone wired in?
Do I have to replace it? Yes If it is in the work area and not up to the
code in effect when the structure was built it should go. If it is a safety hazard it has to go.
Afterwords what if I change my mind where some electrical thing goes? You will be paying to have something installed twice.
Do you charge for travel? Yes,1way.
Do you do volunteer work? If you are
a 501 (c) (3) We do do a few jobs per year based on application.
Can
I make payment arrangements? Yes.Can I do some of the work to save
money? Studies show most homeowners do
not save money doing there own electrical work. Here are tips on saving
money. Here are Tips on saving money doing electrical rewiring:
- Email us a equipment list listing each electrical appliance you are installing and the Watts, Kw (Kilowatts), Hp (Horse Power), or VA (Volts X Amps) it demands.
- Conduct an inventory of all the electrical equipment presently installed that you are keeping. Dont forget to include: heat pump or furnace, water heater or all the electric space heaters.
- For equipment lists things like heaters, Saunas, hottubs, kilns, pumps, ovens, airconditioners, freezers, refrigerators are important items not to miss.
- Square footage of the building and any other buildings served by the service.
- Vacate property during work. tempory wiring is automaticly done by electricians unless requested otherwise.
- Remove walls, flooring, ceilings prior to start of work in needed areas.
- Have a 28" or better crawlspace and attic where
needed. Including all
access holes. OR plan on extensive demo of needed areas.
- Move furniture, job materials out of the way.
- Preform all clean up work our workers will automatically clean up unless requested not to.
- Schedule inspections and meet inspectors.
- Provide parking as close as possible to the work area.
- Think of as many questions, changes, and factors as you can prior to or at the beginning of work.
Can someone else
do some of the work?
Oregon's Administrative Rules OAR 918-282-0120
& State laws ORS479.540 show cope of work that requires a license. Someone said we do not need
a permit. A electrical permit is required for all electrical work in the the state of Oregon. We automatically pull a permit before we start work.
Who meets with the inspector? You or us at our hourly rate. If the building is occupied the occupant is the best person to greet the inspector. All that the inspector will need is access to the work area.
When will the inspector come? Inspectors
may come at any time during the day of the inspection. Inspectors do
not make appointments.
When
can I call for an inspection? When the job lead gives the OK.
Do
you work on weekends or holidays? Yes, weekend rate is time plus 1 half. Holidays are time times 2.
Can you
work evenings after I get home
from work? Starting
work after 4PM until 7am is billed at time plus 1 half. Example Forman rate 70 X 1.5 = 105 rate = $105/hr
