Paying contractors upfront

[Maimouna Sow]

So I just had a an electrician visit my property cause one of my outlets tripped.

This is in my house hack in Newark.

This is the first time this one outlet tripped, because I am plugin g my microwave in there since the dedicated microwave outlet doesn’t Work.

He comes in, he tells me the panel needs to be changed, because the panel is over loaded.

So we’ll change it from at 16 slot panel to a 24 slot. He said 900$ (is this a good price or Newark?)

Then I ask him to run some new lines for me, he said 475$ each. He doesn’t have to open up the walls or anything? It would a total of 2400$

I tell him that’s too high, so he said how mich do I want to pay? I said 2000$.

He said okay. Without a fight really.

I still think that’s high, so I tell him I’ll speak to my brother and call him later.

Later on after he check all of my out let, I asked him how much I owe him for the visit, he said 180$. Before he showed up, (he was late) I decided to flip the switch board and the outlet that tripped was now on.. before he showed up.

I asked him what is the 180 for?

He said for the fact that he looked at all of my outlet and diagnosed it, I was like aight. I paid him.

Then I told him 2000 is still to high to replace the panel, and run 3 new lines for the outlets. Really he’s probably just gonna plug the out let lines to the new panel switches, right? If u know about this please explain.

Then he said what’s my budget, I said 1500$. He said okay, this time he was getting annoyed. I still think this might be the price after all.

Then he wanted a deposit so he can come fix it, he said he wants half, I told him I’m not about to give money to a stranger, I just met him.

He was revered by DC electric. But still. He has all of my info, but I don’t have his. He kept saying he is licensed, but when I ask him for an ID or credentials he keeps redirecting. I dotn really care if he is licensed as long as he can do it right. He seems like he knows what he was doing.

But I still wasn’t gonna give him 750$ on the spot.

So he was really offended. But I knew if I held out he would do it, he wrote me a bill and I told him first thing in the morning when he comes in with materials I will pay him half. What do u think? Am I wrong? Was he just playing anoyed? Or is it really rude of me to offer him no deposit. He seems old school, maybe that was really a thing back then.