Cost to install 11 surface mount light fixtures.

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bassphisher

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I have been asked to bid myfirst job.I have been an electrician for 20 years but have allways worked for someone else.
The job is pretty straight forward.All labor,no material.Trust me on the material part.I allready purchased it and they paid for it but now they want labor estimates.
The other contractor that is bidding it charges $35.00 an hour.I think that is too low.
The job is replacing 11 surface mount light fixtures.Drywall ceiling.clean office area.
Do you think that $385. is in the ball park.I came up with that useing his $35.00 x 11.(1 hr per fixture)
What does every one else think?
 
Hi,
Where are you from? How do you know that is what he charges? Couldn't you make that working overtime for your boss and save yourself a lot of hassel? How much did you mark up the light fixtures? Why would someone pay you to buy 11 light fixtures and put installing them up for bid? If you want to be in business, you need to stay away from this type of customer. I've been caught helping people out before, but pretty much knew that was what I was doing going in. If they aren't making enough to pay true contractor prices, than they are really doing it for a hobby or are to cheap to work for. All that being said, you can bid it a light an hour, and if your doing it yourself and they are just cheap easy lights and you can really do them in 20 minutes each and make a half day of it and do something else with the other half day it would be decent.
 
Replacing 11 fixtures. Other guy at $35.00 = handyman ( cheap but slow). I would say that $385.00 is about all you will get for a side job if they normally use a handyman. The problem with work like this in most areas is that it does not require an electrician to replace a fixture. I find the handy types replacing fixtures all the time, some for around $25.00 an hr. ( the guy actually doing the work is only getting $8 or $10 an hr. ) If you don't have a business license make sure they hire you as temporary labor only. That way if you fall you can still sue them ( I love it when that happens even if it's fake ). Don't you guys normally make enough money from bribes.
 
Re: Cost to install 11 surface mount light fixtures.

bassphisher said:
The job is replacing 11 surface mount light fixtures.Drywall ceiling.clean office area.
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Assuming these are:
- standard 2 tube fixtures with a wraparound lense
- able to be mounted using sheetrock (or similar) screws to joists
- not more than 8' over floor
- floor area is clear of obstructions (desk, computers, people, etc)
- circuit can be de-energized for duration of swap
- etc

My number is closer to $600 (labor only).

I did a job 2 years ago where we installed 9 of these lights and 1 switch supping all materials and labor from panel to last tube...this was a new install - BUT, we had to come back after rock was up to mount to the fixtures. Price for this job was almost $2500.
 
I was trying not to make a long post with a huge explanation.
Here is a little more info.I'm sure that you guys will get a kick out of it.
First the work will be done at the city hall of a small town in Nebraska.The city has a pop. of 3500.I am the sole electrical inspector and I hold a Journeymans a contractors and 2 inspectors licence.The city that I work for is extremely cheep.They wanted me to do this during work hours but I don't have time.They refuse to pay overtime.
The other person that would be bidding this job is a new young inexperienced Contractor.Since I work for the city and the records are public I know that he charges $35.00 hr.He does all the little odd jobs for the city because hes because he is buddys with the head maintence guy.
I use the term mainteance guy very loosely because all he does is pick up the phone and call for service when anything is broke or need to be replaced.Productivity around here is really discouraged.
I'm going back to working with the tools at a shop.
 
So you can act as a contractor and then inspect your own work? Sounds kinda odd to me.

That kind of thing is explicitly prohibited here. In fact, if you work as an AHJ inspector anywhere in the state, you are prohibited from having any other electrical-related employment.
 
Bid what you want. You know the other guy's price. Do you or do you not want the job? If you bid at $34.99 you'll get the job. If you are higher than $35, he'll get it.

Everywhere I've been the inspector is not allowed to do any electrical work in a municipality he inspects---conflict of interest!
 
If you think your town is cheap. Think of this. Around here small jobs like that are done by inmates from the city jail ( for free ). They used inmates to remodel the permit office and I don't think they bothered to get a permit. Cities normally do what ever they like. If I had a friend in the maintenance Department and was only billing at $35 an hr it would probably take about 16 hrs. for me to install 11 fixtures. My friend would get a slight kick back because it's the American way.
 
Bid what you want. You know the other guy's price. Do you or do you not want the job? If you bid at $34.99 you'll get the job. If you are higher than $35, he'll get it.
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They want a total Price not a price per hour.
I don't plan on doing the job.I just wanted to hear from other people how much they would charge.
They are so cheap here they will not even buy plastic spoons!But they did at one time.
 
Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject:

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I was trying not to make a long post with a huge explanation.
Here is a little more info.I'm sure that you guys will get a kick out of it.
First the work will be done at the city hall of a small town in Nebraska.The city has a pop. of 3500.I am the sole electrical inspector and I hold a Journeymans a contractors and 2 inspectors licence.The city that I work for is extremely cheep.They wanted me to do this during work hours but I don't have time.They refuse to pay overtime.
The other person that would be bidding this job is a new young inexperienced Contractor.Since I work for the city and the records are public I know that he charges $35.00 hr.He does all the little odd jobs for the city because hes because he is buddys with the head maintence guy.
I use the term mainteance guy very loosely because all he does is pick up the phone and call for service when anything is broke or need to be replaced.Productivity around here is really discouraged.
I'm going back to working with the tools at a shop
Click to expand...
Bravo for not taking on the job. I would hate to think that my local inspector had access to my numbers and outbid me by a few cents. It just sounds like it would be unethical.
 
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