re: Shop Lighting

I’ve think I’ve told this story before, but I had plans to pull a sub panel to the shop. I did the math and looked at our house panel and could get away with 125A out there…I was all set to do it and SWMBO gently suggested that I get a quote for it. I had three guys come in and quote it. Two of the three quotes were the same, the third was right at 50% of the first two. I called the guy back and clarified what I wanted, etc, etc. He was right on with all his answers, says it’s a one day job, all good…and he was quoting to do it for pretty damn near what I’d priced the materials at. Go for it! He shows up, and gets into it…at the end of the day, I check in with him. He’s looking pretty tired…and says he’s got one more full day of work. So I hand him a beer and we get to chatting. Turns out he’s from Idaho and just moved down here to sunny CA. He’s working for an outfit that has the sparky do the quotes for their own jobs…something he hasn’t done before. He admits he under bid the job by about half…owing substantially to the cost of materials in this damn state. He comes back the next day and finishes up mid afternoon. He did a bang up job, but just shook his head. I paid the invoice by credit card and gave him I think $100 cash since I figured he wasn’t going to be getting paid by his boss for two days of work… I know that didn’t cover a day of work for him, but better than nothing!

Long story short, having 125A in the shop is a godsend!