Basic Calculation For New Construction

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CRS

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Hello fellow electricians,
I am looking to see if there is a basic formula to calculate price for new construction. I am looking at 4200 sq ft with 2 floors. The gc is looking for a bare minimun estimate. No lighting,hvac and jacuzzi. Just your required branch ciruits. It is 5 bedroom 3 bath with a 200 amp service. Is there something to use with square footage? I just want to see if i am in the ball park. Thanks
 
CRS said:
Hello fellow electricians,
I am looking to see if there is a basic formula to calculate price for new construction. I am looking at 4200 sq ft with 2 floors. The gc is looking for a bare minimun estimate.
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GC is looking for a low-ball bid? No way! :D

CRS said:
No lighting,hvac and jacuzzi. Just your required branch ciruits. It is 5 bedroom 3 bath with a 200 amp service. Is there something to use with square footage? I just want to see if i am in the ball park. Thanks
Click to expand...

Lighting is required. Take a peek at 210.70.

Bare code minimum I'd guess would go for about $2/sq ft. Of course, that would result in a poorly designed system, but it would be legal.
 
1) Tell the GC your new & ask him what he wants to pay.
2) Then tell him you have no money or credit established & need 1/2 up front to start.
3) Then cash the check & tell him you'll get started when ever you feel like it.
4) You never told him or wrote it down when you would start. So he'll have to break the contract & find another EC to do the job. You keep the money & file suit on him for breaking his end of the contract & you can then collect the rest of the money.

I should write a how to book, huh?
 
77401 said:
1) Tell the GC your new & ask him what he wants to pay.
2) Then tell him you have no money or credit established & need 1/2 up front to start.
3) Then cash the check & tell him you'll get started when ever you feel like it.
4) You never told him or wrote it down when you would start. So he'll have to break the contract & find another EC to do the job. You keep the money & file suit on him for breaking his end of the contract & you can then collect the rest of the money.

I should write a how to book, huh?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't work for a GC who would accept those terms, and I certainly would never propose them.

(And yes, I knew you were joking.)
 
I don't know who builds a 4200 sq' house and installs just the minimum, but I wouldn't be interested in working for him.
 
You know, in all reality, either your going to wire a intricate custom home or replace a defective GFCI for another customer. You'll charge for your time for both. Give him a price your comfortable with doing the job. I just would not spend a lot of time on the estimate.
 
Just be very carefull, GC that ask for very low prices are very close to do anything to make money for themselves in other words it is very possible to use any little mistake or misunderstanding to take advantage and really hurt you. Give him a high price for the risk your taking if you really need this project.
 
There are no shortcuts. Find out what the builder wants installed in the house and estimate the job. At this point you do not have enough information to even know if the 200-amp service is adequate. There is no point in giving him a low-ball estimate and then have him try to hold you to it, when the actual job may cost three or four times as much! You will need to know the equipment, the heating and air conditioning loads, electric or gas appliances, and the floorplan so you can estimate the number of outlets. Does the builder want you to provide light fixtures or is he going to provide them. If he provides them, who pays for the lost time when you find one is defective or broken when you open the box? Spend the time gathering information up front and you will save headaches later. If the builder does not want an accurate quote, just a bare-minimum bid, why fool with him, he probably won't be around long anyway. You may want to work up an outlet price and tell him you charge so much for each outlet, so much for a 200 amp service, etc. Then he can come up with his own idiotic estimate.
 
77401 said:
give him a low ball price but don't quote a per unit price.
Expect Extras, & this is where you can really bend him over backwards.
By then you'll have the permit & the job is your to finish at your price!
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"Oh, you wanted breakers in that breaker panel?"
 
This GC most likely, under bid this job, so now he is looking for subs to share his loss, he either finds some subs, to go under with him, or he finds a new area to to work, like 3 or 4 states away.
 
Profit can be increased by either (or both) of two ways: More income or less outgo.

If the GC can't charge more for building, he has to figure out a way to pay out less.
 
Get paid for each house at completion. Don't fall into a schduled payment scam with a lowballer. More respectable places, I would feel comfortable falling in line with.

This guy, I wouldn't give much leash to. He can hang you with it.

My inexperienced two cents. :)
 
Ever considered a "Load Calculation". It is required by nec and even by some AHJ's. 200 amp? Must have mostly gas appliances.
 
CRS said:
Hello fellow electricians,
I am looking to see if there is a basic formula to calculate price for new construction. I am looking at 4200 sq ft with 2 floors. The gc is looking for a bare minimun estimate. No lighting,hvac and jacuzzi. Just your required branch ciruits. It is 5 bedroom 3 bath with a 200 amp service. Is there something to use with square footage? I just want to see if i am in the ball park. Thanks
Click to expand...
I would check this guy out, before you put any effort into pricing this job and if you do go ahead with it. Make it very clear in your contract that your responsible when the place doesn't pass inspection
Personally I would dump this one.
 
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