Tradespeople come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s a quick reference guide to your tradesperson, Homo collare caeruleum.

The Electrician

After nearly fifteen years as a manager of rental property, I’ve hired and fired dozens of electricians.

They come in three types - the Crusty Old Timers, The Career Guys, and the New Stuff Guys.

Crusty old timer was an apprentice, trained by a crusty old master. The apprentice absorbed the master’s attitudes. The Career Guy just does the work without fanfare. New Stuff Guy chases the high margin new install stuff. I know which one I’m working with after the first ten minutes of the job. Here’s a field guide to help you identify which variety of the species you’re dealing with.

Crusty Old Timer (COT)

COT apprenticed to a COT — it’s an incestuous business and self-perpetuating. COT’s are notable by the mess they leave — not just discarded boxes and pieces of wire, but candy wrappers and soda bottles. COTs are most likely to be the ones putting empty whisky bottles in the stud cavities, left for decades until the walls are reopened for the next remodel.

As an apprentice he absorbed the habit of never cleaning up, leaving the work site a mess and often causing collateral damage to finishes and surfaces. He disparages the work of the guy that was there before him. COT goes through apprentices like socks, with new ones appearing every six months or so, along with complaints about the previous apprentice’s work ethic. One of COT’s favorite grumbles is about how nobody wants to work these days, how everyone’s looking for a handout, how he’s the only one doing an honest day’s work. COT chews out his apprentices when they make mistakes instead of coaching and correcting, perhaps because that’s how he was treated during his own apprenticeship. COT doesn’t believe in Electrotech. Everyone knows a COT.

Work Ethic: COT is vague about when the work will be done, promising that he “won’t hold you up” but turns out to be hard to reach when you really are stuck. He will have trouble with “lead times due to supply chain problems” but a quick internet search finds that the components are available at a supply store a half hour’s drive away. COT works in bursts on odd days. He is not generally an early starter and is never working after three. If work stops it’s because the other trades are making it impossible for him to work. He needs the site to be free of all other trades, because god forbid he should make the plumber’s life easier.

Code Compliance: COT remembers the old code, the one in effect when he wrote his certification exam. He considers code a general guideline and readily installs non-compliant solutions because his old buddy the building inspector (that he grew up with and is married to COT’s cousin) will rubber stamp the inspection. COT will quote current code to avoid doing work he doesn’t want to do though.

Payment: Final amount sent in a terse text message, along with “when can I pick up the check?”

COT insists on payment as soon as the last face plate is installed. He will come by at odd hours if you’re not able to write the check immediately. The invoice is handwritten and vague about quantities and hours, the final amount always rounding to an exact multiple of thousands. You suspect there’s been some fudging of quantities and hours, but can’t pin him down to specifics. The bill and the estimate are very different.

If there is re-work due to his error, he will blame you for not being specific about what was needed, claiming that he did what you asked. He charges for re-work, even when it’s clear that it was his error.

Vehicle: Van, usually a mess, with political slogans plastered on the rear windows. COTs will occasionally have apprentices do the driving because they’ve had their driving permits revoked.

The Career Guy (TCG)

The Career Guy has business savvy — he knows that one visit can turn into a lifelong relationship. He treats you with courtesy and cleans up, knowing that respect will create business for as long as he wants it. These guys are like gold and very seldom take on new work. They don’t advertise and you’ll be lucky to get their number from your plumber or HVAC guy, but occasionally you’ll get a referral, possibly because you’re a good client (Hint: pay bills promptly).

TCG understands his business is going to involve a lot of Electrotech in the coming decade and has engaged in it. He knows how to install EV chargers and panels and batteries and knows how to help people integrate those elements into their existing homes.

Work Ethic: Occasionally arrives an hour or so late because he’s had to stop off at another job to help out. Always lets you know he’s going to be late and why. Works past five in the evening if necessary to wrap up. TCG has a portable vacuum cleaner and uses it before leaving, every time.

Code Compliance: He’s a problem solver and will bend code to help, because he knows where code is relevant and what it was written for, but he won’t create an unsafe situation just to complete the job.

Payment: Often a handwritten invoice, but occasionally electronic. He won’t chase you for payment and will give you a gentle reminder, but only one. If you don’t pay immediately after the first reminder, you’ll never see him again because he has dozens of people like you waiting for a chance to work with him. While his rates are fair, he’s not cut price and he tolerates no nonsense when it comes to settling accounts. He doesn’t charge for follow-ups if there were mistakes or things don’t work right.

Vehicle: Van, but often station wagon or minivan. TCG often doesn’t have a van, possibly because he already knows what tools to bring based on your five minute description of the problem on the initial phone call. If TCG does bring his van, it has his business name painted on the side.

New Stuff Guy (NSG)

New Stuff Guy hates old buildings, fishing circuits through drywall and all the grunt work that goes with actual electrician work — he just wants to plonk down some solar panels, install some batteries and show you a phone app. He won’t pull a new outlet or work with knob and tube and if you make him do it, the bill will shock you. He grumbles when you make him go into a crawlspace, even if it’s a concrete floor and well lit. NSG only sells Electrotech from a small set of brands that he knows. NSG doesn’t get out of bed for less than 10k and a 40% markup.

Work Ethic: This one is hyper-efficient, super organized and starts and ends like clockwork. He knows exactly how long the work is going to take and it takes exactly that long. He arrives five minutes early and prepares his work with a written plan usually on a tablet. Say what you will about NSG, he knows the things he knows and he knows them well.

Because NSG work with pre-packaged components, re-work is unusual, but he is fine with re-work if the products are faulty — he just brings in a new one and returns the broken one to his dealer buddy. This is one advantage to NSG — he is in tight with the dealers and suppliers.

Code compliance: NSG is a code lawyer, with copy of the code book in his truck. He’ll insist on pulling and reworking any components that don’t comply with the very latest code.

Payment: Billed electronically, usually via QuickBooks, Venmo or Zelle. There’s a “new customer discount” which somehow doesn’t feel exactly like a discount. The invoice is very detailed, with product model numbers and quantities, which doesn’t do much to take the sting out of the amounts at the bottom.

Vehicle: NSG has a shiny white Mercedes Sprinter or an electric Van, with immaculate racks and Festool screwdrivers. If NSG’s van has company id, it’s a full wrap in bright colours with a QR code for his web site.

Gender

The Electrician is almost universally male. Very occasionally, you’ll come across a female version of COT, TCG or NSG, but I’ve only ever met one who was apprenticing for a COT and she was trying for a change to a different line of business.