Out in left field?

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velocity

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Alright guys...I bid this job..Tell me what you think. Its an addition to existing house, Bedroom, Office and bathroom including HVAC Airhandler and outside unit. Install 100 amp Subpanel, 7 cans, 3 light fixtures, 6 recept in bedroom, 4 recept in office, exhaust fan, GFI and lighting in bathroom. Install 2 smokes in addition and bring the rest of the house up to code ( interconnecting smokes) and also rewire all ceiling fixtures in the existing house that were removed for the addition. Approx. 450 sqft addition. And it would be a pain in the butt to get the feeds to the new addition. I bid it at $4200.00. Am I to high or is the contractor just cheap. Oh you now the drill "need it done yesterday" Any inut would be great. I'm located in MD.
Thanks
 
Minuteman said:
I don't know your labor rate, but that is a tad low for me. I would guess the GC is bid shopping to match his inept bidding.
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Very possible. Perhaps the electrical work is behind schedule because he's having a hard time finding an EC willing to work cheap.
 
I Dont Know What Md. Rates Are But It Sounds A Little Low For Me.
Have You Ever Worked For This Contractor Before? Are You Suppling All The Materials?
 
It amazes me that someone would ask a bunch as diverse and scattered as we are on this forum about pricing a job like this. Suppose we all said "you are WAY too high"? So what? Your price is based on your costs and your necessary markup. We can't help you much. You need to figure it out for yourself and carve your own nitch or fail. Go for it!! And don't worry about what the other guy is doing. I've seen more ECs fail than succeed and even though I've been doing this for over 30 years, I still feel like I have to prove myself on every job.
 
It amazes me that someone would ask a bunch as diverse and scattered as we are on this forum about pricing a job like this. Suppose we all said "you are WAY too high"? So what? Your price is based on your costs and your necessary markup. We can't help you much. You need to figure it out for yourself and carve your own nitch or fail. Go for it!! And don't worry about what the other guy is doing. I've seen more ECs fail than succeed and even though I've been doing this for over 30 years, I still feel like I have to prove myself on every job.
 
bkludecke said:
It amazes me that someone would ask a bunch as diverse and scattered as we are on this forum about pricing a job like this.
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Well I am amazing, just ask my customers. Just looking for a collection of thoughts. After I submitted my proposal the GC told me he has $3000 budgeted for the electric on this job. Poor planning and estimating on his part. Yes I am supplying all the materials, labor and permits. No disrespect meant to anyone here but if anybody can do it for that and still sleep at night, either they need the money real bad or they are just plain bored. No I haven't done work for him before. Thanks to everyone that chimed in.
 
I should have looked at this closer before commenting.

velocity said:
an addition to existing house, Bedroom, Office and bathroom including
  1. HVAC Airhandler and outside unit
  2. Install 100 amp Subpanel
  3. 7 cans
  4. 3 light fixtures
  5. 6 recept in bedroom, 4 recept in office
  6. exhaust fan
  7. GFI and lighting in bathroom
  8. Install 2 smokes in addition and bring the rest of the house up to code (interconnecting smokes)
  9. and also rewire all ceiling fixtures in the existing house that were removed for the addition
  10. And it would be a pain in the butt to get the feeds to the new addition
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#1. What size unit? Figure a 2 ton would require a 20a/240v circuit minimum
#2. How far from the main panel? Is the main a FPE, Zinsco, or Push-A-matic?
#3. Plastic trims or some type of metal Alzak? Halogen bulbs?
#4. There is no way of knowing what the HO wants.
#5. That is easy to figure, but what if they want decora with oak plates?
#6. A little 50cfm fart fan or a HVL?
#7. Again, what does the HO want for lighting?
#8. Is the existing attic fairly accessible?
#9. How many fixtures?
#10. $ounds like an extra co$t to me!
 
" Rule of Thumb"

" Rule of Thumb"

If you get every job that you bid, then you are working to cheap. I only try to get about 30% of the jobs that I bid cold like this. The other 70% I am probably better off without. The GC may get the job done for three grand but the EC will not make any money so what's the point.
 
velocity said:
After I submitted my proposal the GC told me he has $3000 budgeted for the electric on this job.
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So he either underestimated it or lied to you about what he has in the job. In either case, I would not sweat it much. He will either accept your bid or not.

Is there anything you could change in the bid that might reduce the cost that conceivably could reduce the bid amount? Sometimes things are put in a job that are "nice" but that are not required that can add up.

One time a long while back I had an EC point out that a spec I wrote added a lot of money in the job for spare wires, because in some cases it required he increase the conduit size. By reducing the number of spare wires in specific conduits from my arbitrary percentage, he was able to reduce the conduit size. Turns out there is a big cost difference in running a couple thousand feet of 1.5" rigid versus 2". Removing a couple of spare wires here and there did not materially affect anything but the cost.
 
Here is my quote

Here is my quote

subpanel: $1000.00 per 100 amps= $1000.00
recess cans 7 @ $130.00 per = $910.00
20 openings @ $130.00 per = $2600.00

Total bid= $4510.00

I think you are in the ball park. Add for difficulty of the job.
Average cost per hour for a company is $30.00 per employee on the job.
so add as needed plus 20% profit on labor.

Of this job of $4510.00 the break down is:
20% profit
35% labor
40% material
5% misc.

Try it..... I guarantee these numbers work........
 
bigjohn67 said:
subpanel: $1000.00 per 100 amps= $1000.00
recess cans 7 @ $130.00 per = $910.00
20 openings @ $130.00 per = $2600.00

Total bid= $4510.00

I think you are in the ball park. Add for difficulty of the job.
Average cost per hour for a company is $30.00 per employee on the job.
so add as needed plus 20% profit on labor.

Of this job of $4510.00 the break down is:
20% profit
35% labor
40% material
5% misc.

Try it..... I guarantee these numbers work........
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Those labor numbers won't fly out here. I'd have to charge twice that to make it work. I think labor prices are the biggest variable from place to place.
 
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