cost data for residential

[sid123456]

Who's got the best cost data book or program for residential?

I had mean resi for 2004. it was kind of gray.

 

[satcom]

Who's got the best cost data book or program for residential?

Who? The company that tracks their actuals, and keeps their own data, that is what the pros do.

 

[mdshunk]

Your own historical data is what you really need, but lacking that information at the ready, here's what I'd suggest. Get any book. Doesn't matter which one, just resolve on one. Price out a few jobs that you know "your" cost on, and see how they compare to "the book". This will help you develop a multiplier to use. Keep careful track of your numbers from here on out to slowly wein yourself off "the book" and make your own book, so to speak.

I never really liked books much anyhow. I still like to do a takeoff, send out an RFQ, then do the job in my mind's eye to come up with labor units (or, obviously, apply my own historical known labor units). Apply the appropriate markups, etc. and that's the price.

 

[Mule]

I just ordered the RSMeans electrical cost data on disc, its due any day....we'll see how well it works...

 

[Buck Parrish]

The best way to estimate a residential job would be to work on a few houses first. So you could get some idea as of what to expect. Perhaps you could work for some one else for a while doing residential. Keep track of the different wire types and amounts of wires, etc... And labor time that it will take to do the job.

 

[Brady Electric]

cost data for residential

I have found most books with there prices and mark up cost are way out of the ball park.

I keep my supply house tickets with me.
I have a list of what the items that I use most cost and keep it up to date, because these days it changes in some cases everyday.
I make a list of what parts I need and compare with my notes on prices, after a 20% and sometimes 50% mark up I have my price.
Then just estimate my labor and I'm off and ready to go.
Not ROCKET science but it works for me.
Semper Fi Buddy

 

[Mule]

I have found most books with there prices and mark up cost are way out of the ball park.

Yea like one book I have shows a new construction 7 inch can .95hr
come one? and that doesn't include the lamp or the trim.....It does take alot to "lay out" a room full of cans but .95 each?
Its just a tool, to balance the "good ole way" IMO

 

[R Bob]

Your own historical data is what you really need, but lacking that information at the ready, here's what I'd suggest. Get any book. Doesn't matter which one, just resolve on one. Price out a few jobs that you know "your" cost on, and see how they compare to "the book". This will help you develop a multiplier to use. Keep careful track of your numbers from here on out to slowly wein yourself off "the book" and make your own book, so to speak.

I never really liked books much anyhow. I still like to do a takeoff, send out an RFQ, then do the job in my mind's eye to come up with labor units (or, obviously, apply my own historical known labor units). Apply the appropriate markups, etc. and that's the price.

I use National Estimator and substitute my own numbers and modifications. Pretty cheap program. Nothing you can't do in Excel, they've just done a lot of the work.

 

[zappy]

I have found most books with there prices and mark up cost are way out of the ball park.

Yea like one book I have shows a new construction 7 inch can .95hr
come one? and that doesn't include the lamp or the trim.....It does take alot to "lay out" a room full of cans but .95 each?
Its just a tool, to balance the "good ole way" IMO

I charge a hr a can for remodel,plus material,plus the time to lay it out.Never seen a 7"can?

 

[Mule]

I charge a hr a can for remodel,plus material,plus the time to lay it out.Never seen a 7"can?

OOPS on the 7inch, thats probably why its .95 HAHAH:roll:

In seriousness.. we charge $75 per can (remodel) with open trims and the switch drop counts as one.....Most resi folks, fall backwards on that price.

Just like my wife and I just had a bowl of soup, bacon CB, onion rings, salad, and cokes and it was $24

 

[rich000]

$75 a can? That's cheap. We are at $125 a can up to about 6. After that, we scale back due to volume.

 

[SEO]

No matter what estimating material that you use be very carful. I've heard a lot of horror stories about contractors that relied on these sources entirely without really knowing how to use them. At best try one but do your own take-off and make a camparison.