New Construction by square foot

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rclacey

Member
How many guys (and gals) here bid new construction by the square foot
(i'm talking resedential, but would like to hear about small commercial too)
Whats a fair $/sq foot rate right now in New England? It seems like a good starting point for a base price, but what do you experienced contractors do when a home owner starts adding ten outlets on every wall and fifteen ceiling fan locations? Obviously extras like this can't be included in a genaric figure. I am a young Master just getting my own shop going.
I think alot of us can relate to working for someone for years, but just feeling a little lost when it comes to putting a price together.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
I'm curious....... How much per square foot does wire cost? How about breakers? Devices?

A 200-a service costs exactly the same in a 1500 ft? house as it does a 4500 ft? one.

To calculate a square foot price, you figure out the material needed, and how much labor is necessary, add those together and divide by the square footage of a house and that's your square-foot price.

The only way square foot pricing works, IMPO, is in tract housing developments where all the homes are cookie-cutter. They need to be roughly the same size. If some are 2000 and some are 3000, square foot pricing will fail you.

If you come up with a price for a 2500 home (let's say $4), then it will work for houses 2250-2750 ft? ($9,000-11,000). Take that same price to a 5000 ft?, and you'll lose the job because you don't have all the bells and whistles (150 cans, whirlypool, hot tub, exercise room, home theater, etc.). Price a 1250 ft? spec ($5,000) and you'll lose your shirt before you even start.

My suggestion: Bid per opening, based on plans and specs.


Oh, and welcome to the forum!
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ceb58

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
I agree and disagree with 480's statement. I can bid per sq ft. but it is only code min. However it doesn't include the service. Then if there is any add ons, cans, three ways not requried, whirlpool tub, extra recpt,fans and such then it is priced per item. Remember a dishwasher and a disposal is extras.The sq ft price gives me a base price to start with. But I will stop here to say this the sq ft price I have is based on experience and past records. My price runs in the $3.25 per sq ft range which is well in line with others in my area. As far as commercial go's there are too many variables to consider to even think about sq ft pricing.
 
360Youth

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
I start with a square foot price that includes certain standards and a 200 amp back to back service. Then we get to extras and add-ons, including if the panel is larger and/or remotely located from the service. I do not know if that is what others consider a true square foot price.
 
C

cdslotz

Senior Member
I would never actually bid a job by the sq/ft. Even residential I would unit price based on actual assembly costs, like I do with tenant finish commercial.
I only use sq/ft prices on commercial to decide the magnitude and risks of a job I'm evaluating whether to bid or not.
Even though I'm pretty close sq footing a church, office, warehouse, etc, I would never, ever offer a bid until I know my best estimated raw cost. There are too many variables like, owner furnished gear, fixtures, systems. High dollar extras like generators, decorative lighting, etc.
I evaluate my final mark up based on margin dollars per man-hr. Period. So if the owner is furnishing the fixtures, my labor risk goes up, so my mark up goes up.
A good job for me, is about $22/man-hr margin. Anything lower than $15 is a bad job.
There is no way of knowing this without a hard takeoff, and a known raw cost.
 
electricmanscott

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
360Youth said:
Also, if I ever had a true set of electrical plans to give a price-per-item quote then I might do it more. :smile:
Click to expand...

That never seems to happen in resi work around here. If there are electrical plans, they seem to be drawn up by someone who knows nothing about what is desired vs required and as such are usually unusuable.

I have used the sq foot method many times. It works for me and plenty of other guys.

As for the sq foot $$ "going rate" in new England, I don't think there is one. The back woods of Maine probably has a different rate than say Dover Mass.

More importantly...to the op, Where are you starting this new shop and where are you finding the work?
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
electricmanscott said:
..............As for the sq foot $$ "going rate" in new England, I don't think there is one. ...........
Click to expand...

Nor can there be one.

What one EC uses to base his/her price in is totally different from what the next EC has for expenses.

There's just too many variables involved in the cost of doing business. The overhead for a 50-person shop is not the same for a 2-person shop. Nor is the overhead for Tom's Electric (a 2-person shop) the same as what Fred's Electric (also a 2-person shop) is.
 
B

bamit

Member
I contract work in the DC area and I bid by the device, last year I was up to 75$ a device, as work slowed down my price fell to 65$ a device plus permit fees, fixture cost, panels & special devices [decor, dimmers, etc.].
 
E

electriciansnet

Member
Average Sq. Ft. As Guideline

Average Sq. Ft. As Guideline

I was just about to post a similar Q when I ran into this thread (Avg $/sqft. for mall stores in Florida). I agree 100% that the environment can vary dramatically. For instance: a 6000 sqf. retail store can have 20-30 parabolic 2x2s or thousands of feet of light track with as many heads. EMS/ no EMS, reuse transformer & switchgear or provide new etc.
But, anyone who as ever done any commercial estimating knows that the GC/ Engineer has a cost analysis/ cap on this.

What I'm looking for is a yard stick for mall retail store work.

A year ago I was bidding some TGI Fridays and the average cost per square foot was 11.55 but these, of course, are loaded with high-dollar kitchen circuits.
Lately it seems that more often than not this figure is unknown to the subs unless they have done a job for the same owner before and was able to compile their own analysis.
I've just started chasing mall jobs and I'm operating out of my home with a 4% overhead and still seem to get beat every time. I'm using Quantum XP and it seems to always run items/labor way high and I find myself adjusting it down to the point that the science of is out the window and the guesswork kicks in. As an estimator I'm a great electrician but we gota do what we gota do.

Does anyone have any recent data they can share for mall jobs in Florida or any solid estimating advice that will possibly make my life easier?

 
George Stolz

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
bamit said:
I contract work in the DC area and I bid by the device, last year I was up to 75$ a device, as work slowed down my price fell to 65$ a device plus permit fees, fixture cost, panels & special devices [decor, dimmers, etc.].
Click to expand...
Wow! My average (the average of all items on my takeoff) isn't quite half that, but close, and I'm high for my area!
eek.gif
 
O

Ohmy

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta, GA
Add your labor, material, overhead together. Multiply that by your desired profit. Then divide by the square footage of the house.
 
Dnkldorf

Dnkldorf

Senior Member
Ohmy said:
Add your labor, material, overhead together. Multiply that by your desired profit. Then divide by the square footage of the house.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the easy way.
If they want a sq/ft price....


$XX.XX/ sq ft

Inclusions:

blah,blah,blah

Exclusions:

blah,blah,blah
 
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