Bidding Large Customs in a volatile supply market

[Aledrell]

I have some large custom homes coming up and I like to know how everyone is bidding these projects with supply costs up as high as 300% in some cases.
For a 400A service vaulted great room, 100+ cans, 20ft UC lighting, 8 kitchen appliance circuits, etc. I find myself at $12/sq ft. GC wants me more around $10/sq ft and I think that’s too low. Thanks for the input.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I had a contractor say the doors on the electric panels didn't shut right. I said I know, I hate that brand. But when you asked me to cut cost, all the good stuff had to go. ..

BTW I'm guilty of stocking up on boxes, wire and can lights. The odd size Gfci 240 volt breakers too. I order them way in advance.

 

[brantmacga]

I’m around the same price right now on residential. Sounds like the GC has promised the customer a price he can’t deliver.


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[Aledrell]

I’m around the same price right now on residential. Sounds like the GC has promised the customer a price he can’t deliver.


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GC is the builder, it’s a spec home.

 

[hbiss]

GC is the builder, it’s a spec home.

You will never make any money working for those guys.

-Hal

 

[petersonra]

You will never make any money working for those guys.

-Hal

Have the GC supply the expensive parts.

 

[electrofelon]

I have some large custom homes coming up and I like to know how everyone is bidding these projects with supply costs up as high as 300% in some cases.
For a 400A service vaulted great room, 100+ cans, 20ft UC lighting, 8 kitchen appliance circuits, etc. I find myself at $12/sq ft. GC wants me more around $10/sq ft and I think that’s too low. Thanks for the input.

I have no tolerance for cheap people right now. Find someone else, I don't really want to do the job anyway. You think being an electrician is my dream job?????? I'm going backpacking instead - yup, no I just decided I don't want to do your job for any price........

 

[Fred B]

I have some large custom homes coming up and I like to know how everyone is bidding these projects with supply costs up as high as 300% in some cases.
For a 400A service vaulted great room, 100+ cans, 20ft UC lighting, 8 kitchen appliance circuits, etc. I find myself at $12/sq ft. GC wants me more around $10/sq ft and I think that’s too low. Thanks for the input.

If you've done your calculations and you're at $12/sq ft, anything under will be having you eating any price fluctuations of materials, as well as your profit margin and any wiggle room you might build in, not a place you want to be. That would work out to a little more than 16% off your price. Most of these guys I've come across will have given a price for the home and never contact the mechanical subs for input on the front end, and then to maintain their price margin will undercut the mechanical subs pricing. They also only see their costs of materials usually framing and such and if their materials have come down some, will assume everyone else have come down too.
If GC wants a 16% price drop, tell him ok, you can give him the 16% but the bid price is $14.25/sq ft.

 

[cpickett]

I have no tolerance for cheap people right now. Find someone else, I don't really want to do the job anyway. You think being an electrician is my dream job?????? I'm going backpacking instead - yup, no I just decided I don't want to do your job for any price........

We are making our paying customers (PO in hand already) wait due to workload and materials backlog. You think we have time for cheap customers or tire-kickers?!

Move on to the next job and tell that GC good luck.

 

[petersonra]

We are making our paying customers (PO in hand already) wait due to workload and materials backlog. You think we have time for cheap customers or tire-kickers?!

Move on to the next job and tell that GC good luck.

The situation you have now will not last forever, and if you take advantage of them now they will not forget it.

 

[cpickett]

The situation you have now will not last forever, and if you take advantage of them now they will not forget it.

You are absolutely correct, and maybe I phrased that a little harshly. We are continuing to quote jobs for new customers and take in every opportunity we can, but we are having to be a little more stringent in our vetting process, if we feel that a project is not serious it gets lower priority than other projects, and we are not quoting jobs as tightly as we have in the past. The material shortages are making projects drag out which keeps us from wrapping them up and moving on a quickly as we should too.

 

[brantmacga]

You are absolutely correct, and maybe I phrased that a little harshly. We are continuing to quote jobs for new customers and take in every opportunity we can, but we are having to be a little more stringent in our vetting process, if we feel that a project is not serious it gets lower priority than other projects, and we are not quoting jobs as tightly as we have in the past. The material shortages are making projects drag out which keeps us from wrapping them up and moving on a quickly as we should too.

Having the same issues... can't get a project completed because of material shortages by all trades. Its hard to get back to a job once you've pulled off and mobilized elsewhere. And had to just stop taking new business to keep up with existing business.

 

[jmellc]

I had a contractor say the doors on the electric panels didn't shut right. I said I know, I hate that brand. But when you asked me to cut cost, all the good stuff had to go. ..

BTW I'm guilty of stocking up on boxes, wire and can lights. The odd size Gfci 240 volt breakers too. I order them way in advance.

Good that you have the cash flow to do that. You never know what we will be short of next week.

 

[Aledrell]

Thanks for all the feed back, but the real question was where are you at approximately per sq ft when bidding a custom similar to what was described in the OP. I’m trying to match inflation of supply with market value/demand for electrical work both of which are the highest I’ve ever seen.
Even higher demand then in 2006, let’s hope it’s not proceeded by another 2009.


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[James L]

Those quantities you listed mean nothing without knowing how many square feet you have.

Also, "custom" and "spec" don't really belong in the same context.

I do mid-size custom homes which have those kind of specs and quantity, and I'm usually nowhere near $10 or $12 per sf.

I recently wired one that was really a duplex but listed as single family + ADU - about 4500 sf with 400 amp service, 2 kitchens - all electric. It was a spec home with about 80 cans, 5 circuits in each kitchen, total 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, with soffit mini cans outside, data in each living room and all bedrooms.
Total was $19,000

I did a 3800 sf custom with 4 bed, 5 bath, 9 kitchen circuits, 2 separate garages, 95 gimbal cans including exterior soffits, car charger, data at TVs, 12 ceiling speakers, bathroom floor heat and more.
Total was $24,000

I don't know if maybe you're using MC cable or conduit, but if you're using Romex $10/sf seems like a really good price.

 

[Aledrell]

Those quantities you listed mean nothing without knowing how many square feet you have.

Also, "custom" and "spec" don't really belong in the same context.

I do mid-size custom homes which have those kind of specs and quantity, and I'm usually nowhere near $10 or $12 per sf.

I recently wired one that was really a duplex but listed as single family + ADU - about 4500 sf with 400 amp service, 2 kitchens - all electric. It was a spec home with about 80 cans, 5 circuits in each kitchen, total 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, with soffit mini cans outside, data in each living room and all bedrooms.
Total was $19,000

I did a 3800 sf custom with 4 bed, 5 bath, 9 kitchen circuits, 2 separate garages, 95 gimbal cans including exterior soffits, car charger, data at TVs, 12 ceiling speakers, bathroom floor heat and more.
Total was $24,000

I don't know if maybe you're using MC cable or conduit, but if you're using Romex $10/sf seems like a really good price.

Idk what state your in, but with Romex at $120 + a roll and $55 cafci breaker requirements for 50% of circuits, material cost alone could run $12k without lighting and trim materials.
I think your low and should charge more, and that’s why I started this thread. If you disagree, then pm me and I’ll sub you as much work as you can handle.


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[Aledrell]

4400 sq ft let’s say and I say spec/custom bc the homes sell before drywall and become a custom with change orders (not included in the pricing we are discussing) bc we are in a hot real estate market.


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[James L]

Idk what state your in, but with Romex at $120 + a roll and $55 cafci breaker requirements for 50% of circuits, material cost alone could run $12k without lighting and trim materials.
I think your low and should charge more, and that’s why I started this thread. If you disagree, then pm me and I’ll sub you as much work as you can handle.


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You wouldn't be able to sub to me because you might never sell any work here

Maybe you're just too slow
It's a really common phenom

Or maybe it's not really what would be considered spec grade. That picture you have looks like one I priced but didn't get. About 3800 sf and I was at $35k which is about $9.00/sf

I'm on one now that's kind of spec grade 5500 sf w/ 400a service and 100 cans. I priced it at $29,000 and the builder said he had $25k allowance. I told him to take a hike. He hired me.

 

[brantmacga]

My average when done right now is $12/ft. My base bid code minimum price is currently around $7/ft; that doesn’t include any fixtures or low voltage. Too busy to do it for less, and material is at an all time high. I’m in GA for reference.


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[Aledrell]

My average when done right now is $12/ft. My base bid code minimum price is currently around $7/ft; that doesn’t include any fixtures or low voltage. Too busy to do it for less, and material is at an all time high. I’m in GA for reference.


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Thank you, this is the kinda of response I needed. I even include standard fixtures (25lbs or less, 25 pieces or less).
I’m in AZ, residential market down here is on fire.


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