priced the following at 4080.00 too high??? Basemdnt that was gutted. only thing left was wires in wall, with outlets. NOt all to code. HO wanted me to change all outlets to white. put in 17 recessed in drop ceiling with switching, two lights in mechanical room with switching. run new switching for office recessed. 1/2 day of demo. add co detector, reattatch smoke to ceiling. add outlet under stairs. Also up stairs, in bath , move vanity lights up approx 4 feet. and GCI up about 8 inches. Carpenter referred, he did not pull a permit. Of course I will fix anything not to code.
Basement pricing too High?
- Thread starter justajake
- Start date
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charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
who's buying the 17 fixtures?? hay, your price is your price!!! you will find out, your way too low on jobs and you need to get a few jobs that you figured too high!!! of course your h.o. doesn't understand that... i priced out a very large university's job of retrofitting all their parking lot light fixtures from h.p.s. to metal halide---400 watt fixtures. the job had over three hundred fixtures and the work had to be done on the weekends. my price was almost half of the other six contractors ----i went over the estimate three times to check myself--- two of the contractors came out during the work to see how we were doing it!!! three areas the other contractors had added money for was labor to block off the parking areas(we had the university police secure the areas), transport the original fixtures off site(we had the maintainance engineers take them for spare parts) and an extra crane to remove fixtures (we lowered the old fixture and raised the new one with the same crane) and we prefabed all the fixtures and had them at the base of their pole during straight time weekday.... it's less nerve racking to know your going to make money on a job as your working it. as an apprentice, i witnessed the contractor i worked for, discuss a price with the customer that was twice what he had figured----16k was what he figure and the customer offered him 38k before he had a chance to tell him the bid... was he happy??? yes! but then he explained "son, you need a job like this one, to make up for the ones we loose money on!!!".........
growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
justajake, I bid an addition just the other day that I thought the price was a little high but I couldn't bring myself to reduce it any. I know the people and I know the house ( have done work there before). There are other factors to bidding than just counting up the devices. If you think the job is woth 4K then that's what you should bid at. You have seen the job and talked to the owner and we haven't. There is no set price for electrical work, if someone wants to do it cheaper then let them have it and move on to the next job. Some contractors try to get every job but I think you are better off to pass on a few.
Minuteman
Senior Member
- Location
- The Sooner Nation
You are miles ahead o yourself by biding the $4080 than doing it T&M and it coming to $4500 and then listen to them squeal.
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
The single most satisfying thing about losing a bid on a basement remodel is turning in the homeowner and the carpenter for no permits if you don't win the work. 
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Isn't there a way to let new-to-the-forum guys know that their posts will not appear right away?
Even then, why show all the "deleted - duplicate" posts?
Even then, why show all the "deleted - duplicate" posts?
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
justajake said:
Hey no prob...at least you know now. Stick with your price but I would advise against Mdunks thoughts about turning in fellow mankind who are also just trying to feed their families.
jaylectricity said:
I would advise against jaylectricity advise regarding Mdshunk's advise.
There's a right way and wrong way to do things.
Doing things the right way levels the playing field(to some degree).
If this other person needs to feed his family, how is that my problem?
My problem - along with many other legit contractors - is the illegitimate guys cutting our throats just to feed "their" family...what about ALL the families that depend on US to keep their Dad employed?
stickboy1375
Senior Member
- Location
- Litchfield, CT
If its one thing I REALLY learned here, is that doing illegal side work is not the way to feed your family...
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
Well then I guess you guys are all saints and have never had to compromise against the government's will.
I guess if you find some unscrupulous EC that is cutting your throat you might want to speak up but in my hippie opinion we are all on this earth together.
I guess if you find some unscrupulous EC that is cutting your throat you might want to speak up but in my hippie opinion we are all on this earth together.
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stickboy1375
Senior Member
- Location
- Litchfield, CT
Has nothing to do with being a saint...
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
stickboy1375 said:
Damn that was fast. Too fast for my editing to add a sentence.
- Status