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America's new millionaire class: Plumbers and HVAC entrepreneurs

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185 points hhs | 2 comments | 13 Oct 24 15:35 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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antisthenes ◴[13 Oct 24 16:38 UTC] No.41829398[source]▶
I wonder if that's the reason my HVAC guy tried to charge me $700 for running a thermostat cable less than 8 feet (that I later did myself in less than 30 minutes).
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SoftTalker ◴[13 Oct 24 16:41 UTC] No.41829435[source]▶
This is the typical trade tactic for rejecting a job that is too small to be worth your time. He still has to come out to your place, with his truck and tools, and install that 8 feet of cable. He could spend that same overhead doing an 8 hour, much more profitable job.

So he bid an outrageous amount. If you had said yes, he covers his overhead. If you reject it, he does something more profitable with his time.

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asdefghyk ◴[13 Oct 24 17:05 UTC] No.41829615[source]▶
RE ".... If you had said yes, he covers his overhead..." Really - a overhead of several hundred dollars. Seems far fetched to me.
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1. RyanCavanaugh ◴[13 Oct 24 17:09 UTC] No.41829650{3}[source]▶
It's not just the overhead of showing up, it's the opportunity cost of not doing contiguous hours at a bigger job. It's very difficult to fill up a day with 45-minute jobs all over town, so he's basically working part-time if he takes a small job.
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2. asdefghyk ◴[13 Oct 24 22:50 UTC] No.41832438[source]▶
Where I live , there is a "call out fee". that prevents tradesmen from not being paid for time costs driving to job investigations .... The customer also pays for the needed diagnosis time too. So I do not see a reason why not do small jobs.