Beat out on quote by "legit" contractor

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[FONT=&quot]Just quoted a rewire on an @ 1930's home. House has all K&T wiring, so it's a total rewire in lathe & plaster.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]My Quote: $16K
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]6 5", 23 watt fluorescent can w/ lamp and trim[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 Single pole dimmer [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]17 SP Switches[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]15 Standard duplex outlets (most on AFCI)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 120v ded circuit (GD, DW, Hood, Refer, )[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6 Kitchen & dining room outlet (GFCI protected, small appliance circuit)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6 Re-wire of existing can lights in living room[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 Smoke detectors (120v w/ battery backup, interconnected)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]14 Lighting outlet including install of customer supplied fixture[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 Laundry circuit[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3 Garage GFCI's[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 Bathroom GFCI's on dedicated circuit[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 Outdoor GFCI's w/ bubble cover[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 Nutone remote bathroom fan (roof vent by others)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 Fluorescent closet light (includes fixture)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 Flat screen 120v outlet over fireplace[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 200 amp 20/40 electrical service (surface mount)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 Attic space light, outlet & switch[/FONT]

Winning Bid: $7900

What's the world coming to?
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]​
 

hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
What's the world coming to?

Can't be apples for apples the low guy missed something.

You never know.

We live in the county so we pay for trash pickup. Up until 6 months ago the least expensive service was $42 for 2-months with a fuel surcharge. Then we got a flyer for a new company charging $55.50 for 3-months and no fuel surcharge. Today we got a flyer for another new company charging $46 for 3-months.

It's the reset economy. I'd say more, but I don't want to have to apologize again, :grin:
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
[FONT=&quot]Just quoted a rewire on an @ 1930's home. House has all K&T wiring, so it's a total rewire in lathe & plaster.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]My Quote: $16K.... [/FONT]Winning Bid: $7900

What's the world coming to?





The last time I got involved with a plaster and lathe rewire I was able to talk the owner into just gutting the place out to bare studs. It did get the price of the rewire down and made things easier for everyone involved. Now all the cable is in the walls where it belongs and not fished up through the crawl space, there is insulation in the walls and all termite damage repaired , all holes caulked and it's a nice tight house.
 

Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
Home owner knowing that holes in walls will be cut, beat, broke, etc.. and repaired by others.

Labor
2 guys very expierienced in this type of wiring.
1 week max -full 8 hour days = $1500
Trim out 3 full days = $900

Material .............. $2500.
Taxes, Insurance, vehichle ........$750

He might make about $2000. If all goes well.
 

macmikeman

Senior Member
I get whipped on rewire estimates all the time. Who cares what the other guy charges that won is my attitude. If they want a great job done, call me. If they want a mediocre or poor job done by somebody who charges less- call them. You know what, some of the guys who underbid me do a pretty good job of it as well. But then I look at where and how they live. I live in the high end of town in nice digs, kids go to good schools, nice cars, etc. They live in the slums, probably rent, they have to use dirt cheap foreign helpers, and so on. So the sum of all this is if you want to live like a dog, charge like a dog and you will get all the jobs. If you want to live first rate, charge more, work less, cause you don't get all the jobs. Yea, it is a drag that some fools charge way too little. There is no way you will educate all them, so just put them on your ignore list and move on to the next rube.....:cool:
 
Home owner knowing that holes in walls will be cut, beat, broke, etc.. and repaired by others.

Labor
2 guys very expierienced in this type of wiring.
1 week max -full 8 hour days = $1500
Trim out 3 full days = $900

Material .............. $2500.
Taxes, Insurance, vehichle ........$750

He might make about $2000. If all goes well.

$37.50hr (x40 = $1500) is my cost for the 4th year apprentice. I would either be working with him myself, or have an $18 (my cost) (x 40=720) 1st year doing the underfloor & attics.

So I could pay my guys, but make nothing on the job.

What's likely is: 2 undocumented, untrained, unschooled laborers making $15 an hour under the table, with no workers comp, no liabililty insurance and a tail-light guarantee.
 

Chamuit

Grumpy Old Man
Location
Texas
Occupation
Electrician
$13,050 from me and my imagination.

Can't go screaming through those. Always, always something. Framing's not always standard. Gotta remove all the old stuff.

1 week max -full 8 hour days = $1500

That would be 18.75 an hour per man hour minus federal payroll taxes = 16.26 minus state and federal unemployment, minus workmans comp blah blah blah.
 

Rich R

Senior Member
Home owner knowing that holes in walls will be cut, beat, broke, etc.. and repaired by others.

Labor
2 guys very expierienced in this type of wiring.
1 week max -full 8 hour days = $1500
Trim out 3 full days = $900

Material .............. $2500.
Taxes, Insurance, vehichle ........$750

He might make about $2000. If all goes well.

Where did you come up with this ridiculously low labor price ? 2 experienced guys cost you $300/day ? what are you paying experienced guys $10/hr ?
 

WinZip

Senior Member
I get whipped on rewire estimates all the time. Who cares what the other guy charges that won is my attitude. If they want a great job done, call me. If they want a mediocre or poor job done by somebody who charges less- call them. You know what, some of the guys who underbid me do a pretty good job of it as well. But then I look at where and how they live. I live in the high end of town in nice digs, kids go to good schools, nice cars, etc. They live in the slums, probably rent, they have to use dirt cheap foreign helpers, and so on. So the sum of all this is if you want to live like a dog, charge like a dog and you will get all the jobs. If you want to live first rate, charge more, work less, cause you don't get all the jobs. Yea, it is a drag that some fools charge way too little. There is no way you will educate all them, so just put them on your ignore list and move on to the next rube.....:cool:

macmikeman,

You hit the nail on the head with that statement,good job.
 
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