new ec needs help!

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jonzlab

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Hello everybody!
I'm a brand new electrical contractor in the Colorado Springs/ Denver area. First of all, I really enjoy doing new residential work but I'm not sure how to bid it. I've heard people say $30 an opening, and I've heard that it's so much $ per square foot. Second, is the trim bid by itself, and what are good prices for that. Thanks for help.

jon
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Trim and rough need priced together.Very few EC will even touch a house some other company started.Per item or opening is only safe way.Keep in mind you cant do 3 ways or 4 ways for same price as a single pole.
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Greetings from O.E.llc
I would like someone to tell me what they think of this idea for bidding per opening of a single outlet.
Per Opening:
Wire 14-2= .27 per foot * 16 feet (code rule)=$4.32
Standard Recept: about .50 per
Standard outlet Plate s.g. =$1.00
Tax = 8% (pretend) (0.4656)$6.2856
Markup: (50% = 3.1428 (because I forgot my box and staples.
Total Materials w/ tax: $9.42
I charge $65.00 per hour (northern Colo)
It would take me about 15 min's to install 1 outlet. =$16.25 per 15 mins
$16.25 + 9.42 =$25.67
This is the lowest I would want to go, but I think $30.00 per opening would be competitive.
I am open to everyone's thoughts and critisizm (spelling is off) Thanks!
MrO' :D

[ February 13, 2005, 10:28 PM: Message edited by: mro ]
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Mro,


I am not quite sure how or if you would make sustainable profit operating at this rate. The hourly rate is on target for service work (1 Man). The remainder based on the information you have given does not seem to be enough; you know your situation better than I do. I don?t know how you could pay for insurance, Vehicles, Vehicle expenses, Employees, phone, office supplies, etc, etc, etc.. The average rate per square foot for new residential construction for me falls between $4.85 and $5.25. I want to state this very cautiously because there are a lot of variables to figure.

Best of Luck
 
Re: new ec needs help!

there has been an on going discussion about square foot vs opening bidding so i did an experiment on my own 1700 sf house 200 amp service. i came up with 90 opening ( 240 volt = 2 openings) code minimum recptacles, 1 ceiling light per room. = 90 x 30 =2700
200 amp service =1700
grand total $4400

4400/1700sf = 2.59 per square foot
$40 per opening = $3.11 per square foot
in my area the going rate is 3.00 -3.50 per square foot.
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Greetings from OE (MRo)
Thanks for the continued posts.
I've thought about S.F. vs. opening. S.F. would probably work on track homes (quick builds) but maybe not on a custom home with lots of extras. I am new to this bidding thing still and haven't yet set in stone any price guides for new const. But I like the input I am getting. So I haven't given any proposals to any G.C's. I have seen outlet openings as low as $12.50 per.
I have no overhead, no employees, yes on the insurance,,, but I am also in business to get ahead not fall behind or break even.
Thanks :D
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Colorado boys are falling out of the trees today!

IMO, you bid based on 15 minutes per hole, you're playing with fire. I guess if you're a one-man outfit and know yourself well, okay. But any warranty issues (real or imagined), installing the service, making up the panel, clean-up, driving, bumping shoulders with other trades, etc, are going to push that efficiency number down, as in higher. :)
 
Re: new ec needs help!

I would recomend going out and buying a good book on electrical estimating. Personaly I use a book writen by Craftsman Books. I buy the book year by year. The current is titeled "2005 National Electrical Estimator" The ISBN# is :1-57218-143-5 and you should be able to order it from your local book store.

The book will show you the material cost to date and the amount of time per man hour to complete the job. Figure your hourly rate and multiply by the time requred to finish the job then add the material price. I have a price sheet that I use and provide to builders to estimate a budget.

e.g. If I look up a 15Amp, 120 volt, commercial spec, Duplex w/o indicating light, with wall plate: has a man hours of 0.20 to complete, a material cost of $10.10, So if I take my per man hr rate of $55 X .20hrs and the material cost I come up with $21.10 per GFCI installed.

Just an example.

Its worth the $55 and also comes with a program that intergrates with QuickBooks.

Steve
 
Re: new ec needs help!

With pipe were close to $50 per oopening. I don't think I would even replace a house full of devices for $12.50 a hole.

You don't want to finish another persons work. They could have been incompitant and fired or not paid and walked off. Eather one is bad for you.

Tom
 
Re: new ec needs help!

coppertreeelectric,
That's the best advice I've heard yet on bidding, I met a G.C. that is willing to teach me the ropes of bidding for Custom Residential new const. I will buy that book. Thanks!

georgestolz:
Fort Collins huh,, used to live there, great place (Big City Burrito Rocks!!) now I'M in Longmont, We probably crossed paths during the span of time.

The ART of bidding: In my other post applied to track homes, I calculated the cost of materials and marked them up 1.473 (50%) and since I charge $65.00 per hour I figured it would take me 15 minutes for each outlet/ opening??
15/$65.00 so I figured about $30.00 per opening,
Yes I think $30.00 is low but it's in the ballpark of what I've been hearing.$20.00 to $50.00. Also if the G.C. likes a certain electrician, he is most likely to stick with that person even if the price is over what he thinks it should cost. (word of mouth type of thing)
Then again I haven't tried my price ideas against other Electrical companies, I'm excited to find out.


Again Thanks everyone.
:D
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Originally posted by mro:
Fort Collins huh,, used to live there, great place (Big City Burrito Rocks!!) now I'M in Longmont, We probably crossed paths during the span of time.
Click to expand...
Ever been in the kitchen area? I had to replace some switches and plugs back there. I guess burrito makin's look more attractive in the burrito. :D

I worked in Longmont for about three to six months. We wired (still are, sorta) the Engle project on County Line Road, between 9th and 119. Seems to be booming pretty decent through there. Engle hit the brakes, but are coming back with a passion soon (the bosses probably hope)...
 
Re: new ec needs help!

Ah yes,,, Thanks for the info,,, LOL
:eek:

[ March 02, 2005, 08:37 PM: Message edited by: mro ]
 
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