Price per drop?

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mccayry

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
I personally have never priced a residential project this way. I wire only custom homes and do not do spec homes. I have a customer who is wanting a price per drop. Do any of you guys use this method? If so what is an average price per drop for labor/materials and just labor.Im in Tennessee so I know that it will vary depending on location. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
drop = opening? .... opening to me is every place there is a hole in the sheet rock, or outdoor siding, that pertains to my wiring .... all boxes, bath fan lights, under cabinet lights(no box just wire), WP (out door recept.), recessed lighting ...

just making sure i'm on the same page:)
 
drop = opening? .... opening to me is every place there is a hole in the sheet rock, or outdoor siding, that pertains to my wiring .... all boxes, bath fan lights, under cabinet lights(no box just wire), WP (out door recept.), recessed lighting ...

just making sure i'm on the same page:)

I am not familiar with the term but in a quick search it seems to refer to data cabling.
 
I am not familiar with the term but in a quick search it seems to refer to data cabling.


Not familiar with that term either, service drop is a common term in the trade, but I only have 40 plus years in this trade, so still plenty of terms to learn.
 
?Point?-

In Jersey. I laid out a price sheet per point some 20 yrs ago, new work, old work.....new work eg: 15 amp recept., 20 amp recept., 3 way, 1pole switch,.....etc.... add in 15 a circuit at 60........... my per point was 28 to 35........circs at 60 and 70 for 20a (this was when 250' 12-2 rx was $28)..............
a builder had me work for 23 per point instead........ kinda broke even.

Reevaluated the sheet some 20 yrs. later........per point might be ~45-55.

For time you may what to figure what it would take you to drill and wire + 12' for a recept. plus the material (box,recpt.,reg or decora,cvr.plate.misc.) smokes 3 wire, box,smoke time to wire,, 3 ways more money on the device, 3 wire, more that 12 ft........kinda go through with all the wiring scenarios
and well wing it. Add the circuits in after the points at about 65' of wire to hit the first point, labor, breaker.............



Edit............don't forget about that afci nonsense...........at another $50 to your circuit breakers.

Kinda a educated guesstimate.

Good Luck.
 
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I personally have never priced a residential project this way. I wire only custom homes and do not do spec homes. I have a customer who is wanting a price per drop. Do any of you guys use this method? If so what is an average price per drop for labor/materials and just labor.Im in Tennessee so I know that it will vary depending on location. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Give him a grand total price for the entire scope of the work at hand.

Price per drop is just away for him to cut out all of your profit don't waste your time.:thumbsup:
 
?Point?-

In Jersey. I laid out a price sheet per point some 20 yrs ago, new work, old work.....new work eg: 15 amp recept., 20 amp recept., 3 way, 1pole switch,.....etc.... add in 15 a circuit at 60........... my per point was 28 to 35........circs at 60 and 70 for 20a (this was when 250' 12-2 rx was $28)..............
a builder had me work for 23 per point instead........ kinda broke even.

Reevaluated the sheet some 20 yrs. later........per point might be ~45-55.

For time you may what to figure what it would take you to drill and wire + 12' for a recept. plus the material (box,recpt.,reg or decora,cvr.plate.misc.) smokes 3 wire, box,smoke time to wire,, 3 ways more money on the device, 3 wire, more that 12 ft........kinda go through with all the wiring scenarios
and well wing it. Add the circuits in after the points at about 65' of wire to hit the first point, labor, breaker.............



Edit............don't forget about that afci nonsense...........at another $50 to your circuit breakers.

Kinda a educated guesstimate.
U
Good Luck.
Remember that's $50 per circuit breaker.
 
Here in TN arc-faults are only required in bedrooms. :D

I'm confused in my reading here sometimes...................I have to.:happyyes:......you don't have to.:happyno:, they have to.:happyyes:, we don't have to.:happyno:.............isn't it the "National" electric code?????:D
 
Wow, i can remember my bosses telling me their rate per opening.
It was $8/opening. This was 1972.
I charged by the drop from 1979 thru the late eighties, started at $9 & $2 per amp, I know as time went on I added lines for dedicated & special circuits, started making more money as I graduated into t&m and into quoting total price.
 
I'm confused in my reading here sometimes...................I have to.:happyyes:......you don't have to.:happyno:, they have to.:happyyes:, we don't have to.:happyno:.............isn't it the "National" electric code?????:D

Yes, but it's not the National Electrical Law.

LOT's of rules and laws vary from place to place. Electrical rules are no different. At least our state has put its foot down and said that the entire state would all be on the same set of electrical rules. Before that local jurisdictions could make up their own and of course, they varied from area to area. I think some still want to make up their own and are going to get in to a pizzing match with the state, we'll see.
 
Sounds fishy to me. Sounds like the "customer" has been doing some talking and was told to ask for per opening prices. Give the total price and that's it. Anyone asking for anything else has a hidden agenda and it's not good.
 
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