Service Calls and Omar Khayyam [RE-wrenches]

[Jim Hartley]

Joel Davidson wrote:
> Sounds about right. Electricians in Chicago suburbs make $100/hour 
> putting in
> backup propane generators for upscale SUVers while off-grid wrenches 
> have to put
> up with tightwad medicare pill-popping retirees who want a PV system to 
> back up
> their $500 Home Depot generator just so they can watch The Fall of the 
> American
> Empire on their big screen TVs. And 30 years ago, the same people 
> thought hippies
> Haight-Ashbury dancing to The Fall of the American Empire were weird. 
> Time to say
> a prayer for Senator Lott and go to bed.

Amen. 

I'm not sure these following observations are all that relevant but 
perhaps they are in some odd way.

There's a multi-trades contracting firm here locally with whom I'm 
familiar on a working basis.  In fact, I mentioned them earlier.  This 
is the one with the big hourly rates.  They have quite a few employees 
and lots of nice, new trucks they wash EVERY day.   Frankly, they do 
present a quite professional image which I'm sure garners them good, 
steady business.  At the same time I know that they have swallowed up a 
number of erstwhile competitors and made them full-time employees.  
Hence, there is now less competition overall which enables them [perhaps 
even forces them] to charge the higher rates generally.  Obviously, this 
isn't some new practice. It happens all the time in many areas of 
enterprise.  However, it will work as an obvious impediment where 
something like PVs is concerned should one have few or no options with 
respect to arranging installation work by others.  

What happens should you need to hire licensed electricians for this or 
that project?  How much are they going to want to become interested? 
Premium installation/service rates can be the kiss of death for an 
emergent technology, leastways for the average bloke. So, we end up in 
the grip of a dilemma of sorts.  Should I work in the manner of a 
"second class citizen" or go with the flow?  It's not cheap living 
around here anymore.  Frankly, it hasn't been for years now.  As it is, 
I'm trying to make three businesses work. I know this isn't "technical 
commentary" but is IS often technically problematic.  Focusing becomes 
difficult.  

Jim Hartley
http://www.homestead-specialties.com
JamesHartley at homestead-specialties.com
Direct Email: grail at inil.com
630-584-8780
630-584-9092 FAX

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