Need help estimating - (1st blueprint)

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relleston

Member
I have to give an estimate for an addition. The first floor remains except to add receptacles, switches and fans in three rooms -old work ofcourse.

The second floor will be all new.

The panel is located on the first floor on the outside wall of an attached garage.

How do I price? Thanks is advance for any help.
 
How do I price? Ha! That could takes years and years to get right.

You're lucky you have a blueprint to work from.

The easy part is to break down the job to it's components and then add up the items involved. X Lighting, Y switches, Z receptacles, etc.and the feed and panels work. Take note of any aspect that will be difficult or time consuming or a potential conflict with other trades.

The harder part is to calculate EVERYTHING required and related to installing theses things right down to the # of staples. Use your experience to think about each device box and it's stuff as an 'assembly' of separate parts.

The hardest part is putting a value to it all; and THIS my friend is where the wheat and the chaff get separated. Use your list of materials to get that price (the easy part) and your experience for the time required, add for aggravation and of course OH and profit. When you're done take it by the best EC you've worked with in the past for his comments.

One more thing... price it as though YOU are going to supply ALL material (eg light fixtures) even if you aren't.

Good luck (you'll need it).
 

Thomp

Member
relleston said:
I have to give an estimate for an addition. The first floor remains except to add receptacles, switches and fans in three rooms -old work ofcourse.

The second floor will be all new.

The panel is located on the first floor on the outside wall of an attached garage.

How do I price? Thanks is advance for any help.
The temptation is to price too low. But that doesn't always get you the bid. My latest bid was $1100 over the lowest price and $300 under the highest- just where you want to be. Sign the contract tomorrow. Good luck Thomp
 

wamegojim

Member
Location
NC
I don't envy you at all. The first time I went into business I at least had done some estimating beyond just working in the field. That experience is invaluable.

Renovation always takes way more time than new work.

Get a list of the materials needed. Price it.

Then you need to apply labor to the material to install. The inclination of a lot of new people is to say I can do it this fast. Keep in mind that not everyone works as fast as you. Imagine if your slowest guy was doing it.

Apply the labor rates with burdens, take into account all your general expenses including permit, add taxes, overhead, and profit. Then pray you covered everything and are competitive.
 

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
For simplicity sake I would figure 125 hh 50 bucks an opening/outlet/switch 125 an opening old work/fished in closed walls dont believe anyone who is telling you they are taking the sheetrock down they will not and then you are in a pickle so charge by current conditions not promises. couple of hundred per homerun and you should be in the ballpark. Dont forget arcfaults and smokes in bedrooms.
 
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wamegojim

Member
Location
NC
quogueelectric said:
For simplicity sake I would figure 125 hh 50 bucks an opening/outlet/switch 125 an opening old work/fished in closed walls dont believe anyone who is telling you they are taking the sheetrock down they will not and then you are in a pickle so charge by current conditions not promises. couple of hundred per homerun and you should be in the ballpark. Dont forget arcfaults and smokes in bedrooms.

This sounds like seat of the pants estimating to me.
 
Even if the seat of the pants estimate is correct (another discussion) the OP asked how to estimate from square onecluelessness. Better to learn to do it in a systematic way from jump so the (inevitable) adjustments can be made where they need to be in that system.

At some point in the future when he is comfortable with his numbers (however you define that)... sure, go ahead and wing a few off the cuff.
 

Minuteman

Senior Member
So, I'm at my desk with a set of floor plans. Had them for a couple days and put it off. GC called today and wants a price. House is from early 60's. All the first floor guts except the formal living room and the parlor, and there is a large add on. Second floor is untouched except for a new heat/air. The service is underground and was updated in '99. The wall where the service is will blow out and the service will have to be relocated to the garage. Oh... and the detached garage will become attached and have a laundry room where there was just a breeze way.

So, my head starts to swim in numbers. I think to myself, "How does a person bid this kind of stuff?" I decide to take a break and I pull up the MH forum.

Well, at least I'm in good company. :roll:
 

hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
wamegojim said:
This sounds like seat of the pants estimating to me.

I thought that looked like unit price estimating a little. Seems to me that style of estimating has been pushed on this forum. I actually thought it was a simple way that gets a number out to the customer w/out spending a whole bunch of time scratching your head, and I don't think you could get too hurt by doing it this way.
 

macmikeman

Senior Member
relleston said:
I have to give an estimate for an addition. The first floor remains except to add receptacles, switches and fans in three rooms -old work ofcourse.

The second floor will be all new.

The panel is located on the first floor on the outside wall of an attached garage.

How do I price? Thanks is advance for any help.

One variable will be how does this particular builder do his 2nd floors. While the prints may show little work on the ground floor, the builder may opt to rip off the entire roof and truss structure, which would in all probablility cause you to rewire the whole ground floor. This of course is also excellent change order territory if that is in fact what happens, but you may end up eating some of the cost if you are not good at standing your ground about extra work.
 

Minuteman

Senior Member
hardworkingstiff said:
I thought that looked like unit price estimating a little. Seems to me that style of estimating has been pushed on this forum. I actually thought it was a simple way that gets a number out to the customer w/out spending a whole bunch of time scratching your head, and I don't think you could get too hurt by doing it this way.
And that is basically how I came up with the price of my aforementioned project. Unit prices + Gut feeling + Fudge factor = Rough Estimate with provisions for change orders.
 
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