how do you estimate this kind of job?

[wireperson]

It's a equestrian farm , the house is a forclosed property , the previous owners cut most of the home run wires at the panels , ripped conduitsoff the wall , we don't know where those wire go , and need to be repulled, missing some service feeder cables + grounding at service. my concern are the many cut wires at the panel that I don't know what they are , where they go , how long the runs are usually they are #12,#10 and #6 thhn's, its a 400 A service , 2 200A panels .
how do you usually estimate this jobs? would you go T&M?since we don't know how long its going to take to find out what those circuits are and the amount of material needed

 

[mcclary's electrical]

Two choices, 1) T&M then you can take all the time you want to figure it out. But alot of people don't want to be vulnerable to a high bill from somebody they don't know.

2) I would bid it at a set price, to calm their nerves. But that price would be for a complete rewire. New service, new brance circuits. If you don't EVER plan on reusing anything, then you don't have to waste time figuring it out. Just ignore it, rip it out, start over. I've done several of these where they weren't sure wheter to save the stuff or re do it. In the end,I think if you go in with intention of simply replacing everything, it saves you time in the long run

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I'll 2nd McClary's opinion. Just bid it new.

 

[iwire]

Ditto above.

Or we have at times told people we will do one or two weeks at T&M and at the end of that time been able to give them a contract price to finish it up.

These were for large commercial spaces that had been partially gutted.

 

[LarryFine]

Agreed. If they don't want an open-ended risk, then offer a price to do a complete survey, so that time gets covered.*

You'll have the info necessary to price the actual work, and can sell it to them for shopping, since they paid you for it.*


* Well.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

You said this is a foreclosed property . Does the bank still own the property ? if they do I will provide a detailed electrical inspection of the property for a price. Then give them a price to repair replace or a combination of both. This covers your time to research it out properly see where the wiring goes is it usable and compliant. If the price is to high and its happen to me in the past the bank will sell the property as is . You may want to price it out a few different ways and give them some options. For example you can give a price for just getting the place up and running and abandon and or remove damaged product or replace every thing as others said .