Ballpark the little jobs

[Jerseydaze]

So as some of you know im knew in business and Ive been trying to do a lot of little jobs .I was hoping some one could ballpark this job for me install two surface fixtures replace excisting.Install two bath fixtures in place of strip lights will need old work boxes .Install one two foot closet fixture (i provide fixture and bulb)with new wall switch about ten feet of RX a little snake work customer provides hall and bath fixtures I know its small just making sure Im where I should be.I figured $535 but the lead came through service magic so i know someones going to do it for fifty bucks.Im in north New Jersey.

 

[growler]

Jersey, I would think that you are in the ball park. In this area we are not forced to get permits for small jobs like this and that helps keep the cost down. It sound like four or five hours in labor ( from past experience have not seen job ) and then bill about $100 in materials. It sounds cheap enough to give you a shot at getting the job.

The thing to remember is that you can't bid a job cheap enough to be assured of getting it. You never know who you are bidding against, as you say there may be someone hungry enough to go a bit cheaper.

If you feel comfortable with this price then submit it and wait and see what happens. Look for other jobs to bid and don't count on getting any one job.

Good Luck.

 

[BryanMD]

So as some of you know im knew in business and Ive been trying to do a lot of little jobs .I was hoping some one could ballpark this job for me.

Can I suggest you ask how much time X task requires instead?
Think back in your own experience how long it would take YOU to do them.

1)Install two bath fixtures in place of strip lights will need old work boxes.
2)Install one two foot closet fixture.
2a)New wall switch about ten feet of RX a little snake work.

Good luck.

 

[celtic]

- install two surface fixtures replace excisting.
- Install two bath fixtures in place of strip lights will need old work boxes
- Install one two foot closet fixture (i provide fixture and bulb)with new wall switch about ten feet of RX a little snake work customer provides hall and bath fixtures

Depending on the condition of the existing wires...assuming the worst:
Figure it will take 8 hours @ whatever your rate is.

 

[mdshunk]

I might be around 450 for that work, but I don't normally give a price ahead of time for piddly work like that.

 

[aline]

So as some of you know im knew in business and Ive been trying to do a lot of little jobs .I was hoping some one could ballpark this job for me install two surface fixtures replace excisting.Install two bath fixtures in place of strip lights will need old work boxes .Install one two foot closet fixture (i provide fixture and bulb)with new wall switch about ten feet of RX a little snake work customer provides hall and bath fixtures I know its small just making sure Im where I should be.I figured $535 but the lead came through service magic so i know someones going to do it for fifty bucks.Im in north New Jersey.

This sounds low to me but you need to answer some of the questions below to really know what you need to charge for this job.

Have you gone out and looked at the job?
If you did how much time do you already have invested in going out and looking at the job and figuring up a price?
Do you plan to be compenstated for this time or just the actual installation time?
Do you plan to go to Home Depot or a supply house to purchase the fixture and bulb?
If so are you planning on being compenstated for this time as well?
How much do you need to bring in each day to cover expenses and make a profit?
Although this job may take 4 to 6 hours to complete will you be able to complete another job that day or will this pretty much kill your whole day?

These small jobs can often take longer than expected with interuptions from the customer. Some customers have a lot of stories to tell while your trying to work.

I would consider this job a full days worth of work and my price would be around $750 to $800.

 

[mdshunk]

I would consider this job a full days worth of work ...

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Some of you guys crack me up. A full day's work to change four fixtures and fish in a closet light? If you weren't done by lunch time without a real good explanation as to why, you and me would have an issue to discuss.

 

[aline]

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Some of you guys crack me up. A full day's work to change four fixtures and fish in a closet light? If you weren't done by lunch time without a real good explanation as to why, you and me would have an issue to discuss.

That's why I would not do work for you.

 

[mdshunk]

That's why I would not do work for you.

Yes, Utah to PA is one heck of a morning commute.

Seriously, though, why would this work ever take a whole day, barring some real special situation?

 

[satcom]

So as some of you know im knew in business and Ive been trying to do a lot of little jobs .I was hoping some one could ballpark this job for me install two surface fixtures replace excisting.Install two bath fixtures in place of strip lights will need old work boxes .Install one two foot closet fixture (i provide fixture and bulb)with new wall switch about ten feet of RX a little snake work customer provides hall and bath fixtures I know its small just making sure Im where I should be.I figured $535 but the lead came through service magic so i know someones going to do it for fifty bucks.Im in north New Jersey.

Ok how old is the existing wiring, that can make a big difference, you get there, and the existing bathroom wiring is rotted, to the core when you remove the fixture, same with the other fixtures, consition of existing wiring, the closet itself can turn into a project, are you working with lath and plaster or rock? Just because it appears small does not assure a speedy job, from years of experience, my bet is plan on spending the day there.

If the wiring is not rotted, you may be able to get out of there in 5 or 6 hours.

 

[keesha]

When I get these calls, My first questions are,
How old is the House?
what type of house?Whith these and the knowledge of how many houses and periods were constructed, you can give a closer "estimate".Always qualify it with "depending what I find for existing wire". That will change everything.

 

[aline]

I just recently did a job that consisted of replacing two 175 watt MH lamps and six PAR 30 lamps. Customer said none of his outside lights were working on a commercial building he leases to one of his clients. Customer had no idea what type of light fixtures where on the outside of the building.

Travel to job .50 hours.
Meet with customer, get extension ladder off truck climb up on roof and cover photo cell, diagnose fixtures and determine what lamps are needed or if ballast are bad. 1.00 hour.
Travel to supply house, pickup lamps and return to job site. 1.00 hour.
Replace lamps in fixtures. .50 hours.
Paperwork and invoice customer .50 hours.
Travel from job .50 hours.

Total 4 hours just to change some light bulbs.

I didn't need to get out drop cloths, drills, and a lot of other tools.
I didn't need to do any clean up either.
I didn't have to try to squeeze up through an attic opening located in the closet that had built in shelves leaving me about 18 inches from the top shelf to opening.
I didn't have to clean out all the crap that was stored in the closet.

If I can get the job completed before lunch, then great, that just means I'll actually make some real money for a change. It'll also help make up for the ones that didn't go so well.

 

[celtic]

Some of you guys crack me up. A full day's work to change four fixtures and fish in a closet light? If you weren't done by lunch time without a real good explanation as to why, you and me would have an issue to discuss.

We haven't seen the job...or what is involved and yet you can look into your crystal ball and make that assumption(lunch time)?

In a perfect world of NM and sheetrock...maybe by lunch, barring ANY unforseens....for all we know....it's wood lathe and plaster, wallpaper, cats in the wall, K&T wiring or some brittle old BX....and we still haven't even figured out where to park.

 

[aline]

It also sounds to me that the original poster has already spent time going out and looking at the job. If this is the case and he did it as a free estimate he would want to factor this into the price.

While I agree the actual work would probably not take a whole day I would still price it as a whole days worth of work.

 

[mdshunk]

We haven't seen the job...or what is involved and yet you can look into your crystal ball and make that assumption(lunch time)?

Nope, don't need a crystal ball. I have enough historical data. Some people are just paranoid. Like I said, barring the unforseen, lunch time and you shoudl be ready for your next call.

 

[satcom]

Nope, don't need a crystal ball. I have enough historical data. Some people are just paranoid. Like I said, barring the unforseen, lunch time and you shoudl be ready for your next call.

He gets there, opens up, and the wiring is from the 40's 50's, and rotted out, he will be finished at lunch time only problem is it will be 2 days later.

The big question is, did he actually open the fixtures while he was there?

 

[mdshunk]

He gets there, opens up, and the wiring is form the 40's 50's, and rotted out, he will be finished at lunch time only problem is it will be 2 days later.

I agree with that assessment for the most part. That would be an unusual matter, in that case.

 

[aline]

Customers will usually tell me how long it's going to take on the initial phone call. It's just a small job they say. It shouldn't take him more than about 15 minutes.

 

[iwire]

He gets there, opens up, and the wiring is form the 40's 50's, and rotted out, he will be finished at lunch time only problem is it will be 2 days later.

So your bid would be for 2.5 days?

 

[aline]

Originally Posted by satcom
He gets there, opens up, and the wiring is form the 40's 50's, and rotted out, he will be finished at lunch time only problem is it will be 2 days later.

I agree with that assessment for the most part. That would be an unusual matter, in that case.

For me an unusual matter would be that it's a new home with new wiring in good condition.

Most of the time when I'm called out to do work like this it's not for a new home but for an old home built years and years ago. The wiring has usually been hacked up by several homeowners and do it yourselfers over the years.

Working on clean new homes is the exception for me.