Design/Build

[blueheels2]

Hey guys, I've been asked to design a service for a 5200 square foot house built in the 50's. Currently has a 3 phase open delta for a service (100 amps). They are adding a pool, elevator and quite a bit of HVAC equipment. How do you guys charge for this service? I assume all my time spent gathering needed information and designing researching is billable. Higher rate for design or the same? Any tips?

 

[Cow]

If it's for a good customer, we often times just do it at our regular hourly rate. Knowing we'll be doing the electrical work on the project too.

In Oregon, an electrical supervisors license means we can design the electrical systems for most anything, as long as we are the ones to do the work. We can't do 3rd party engineering(someone else does the install) without an engineers license.

If it was for someone we hadn't worked with before, I'd probably be inclined to do a 1.25-1.5 multiplier on our hourly rate or agree to a set price for the design, but only with a VERY CLEAR SCOPE!!!

 

[Besoeker]

Hey guys, I've been asked to design a service for a 5200 square foot house built in the 50's. Currently has a 3 phase open delta for a service (100 amps). They are adding a pool, elevator and quite a bit of HVAC equipment. How do you guys charge for this service? I assume all my time spent gathering needed information and designing researching is billable. Higher rate for design or the same? Any tips?

We did design and build but for industrial.
We bid on the basis of a specification, usually a performance specification i.e. we were given what the kit was required to do It was fixed price for the design, build, and supply. Any agreed changes after the contract was placed required a VO, variation order.

Not sure if that is any help.

 

[JFletcher]

If you're basically being asked to do a load calculation, then time and materials. The load calculation will determine the size of the new service. not saying it is impossible, however I have never seen a home of that square footage that required more than a 400 / 320 amp 1ph service, tho a large on demand electric water heater and numerous HVAC equipment with electric backup heat could certainly do it.

as I found out the other day, homes can have this three-phase service for the original HVAC equipment, which uses just single phase for everything but the air conditioning, and would have an relatively small conductor (in relation to the other service conductors) coming off the highleg.

If you are doing the entire wiring project, I would check with the power company to see what they can or will supply and at what cost. even if your load comes out less than 200 amps single phase, at the very least the service drop and meter pan will also have to be changed out. I would also make sure the homeowner is not planning on using commercial grade 3 phase HVAC equipment as a) a new three-phase service may not be available or prohibitively expensive and b) even if it is available it will require 3-phase panel, which are going to be more money as well.

 

[blueheels2]

Thanks for the info.

I just started my business 3 weeks ago and this is my first customer. I was going to do nights and weekends but I am fast approaching quitting my job and going full time. That's the dream right. However I just sent my first bill this am so I may be fired come Monday lol.