pricing house wiring?

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reel-break

Member
Do most people price residential wiring by the square ft.Also how do you price such things as wiring the hvac and h2o pumps is this included?How about garages? That are built onto the home.

Thanks
 
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jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

Never would i bid by square foot, they could have ceiling fans thru out,track lights,wall sconces,and maybe a 100 cans.I always count the items.xx number of single pole switches @ $,xx number of 3 ways,xx number of recepticles,service,dedicated items,With what all might be in a house today , you could loose your butt by sq ft.Your price needs to include all the material plus markup and then labor @ $ per hour.Things like travel time,must be figured into it too.Garage might be as little as 1 light and switch or as much as 12 recepticles,6 wraps,220 for welder,AC.If this is your first job ,try to find out what others in your area charge.Good luck.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Re: pricing house wiring?

Using Jim's can count.

100 cans @ 75-90 each = 7500-9000.

On a low end home you could go with a sf price.

Please invest in an estimating program. It will pay for itself on the first job.

Mike P.
 
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jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

Do not forget that the state and town often effects the price you can charge.And if your going after major GC they likely use large EC companies that buy far cheaper than you can and have installers not electricians working for them.If your new you need to offer service and quality to get in many of the doors.
 
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d and o

Member
Re: pricing house wiring?

Square foot pricing is good for setting preliminary budgets, based on your own personal history of like projects.

Bidding by the square foot, is like playing with a rattlesnake.

If you fool with it long enough, you'll get bit
 
electricmanscott

electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
Re: pricing house wiring?

Contrary to other opinions here sq foot pricing is very effective when you know how to do it. Use it for minimum price. House wired to minimal code requirements. Then add per item over and above. Recessed lights, ceiling fans, closet lights etc.
 
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jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

My problem with using sq ft is this.Take a small bedroom say 10 x 10 =100 sq ft wall line is 10+10+10+10 =40,it likely will use 4 recepticles.Now take a bedroom 20 x 20 =400 sq ft but 80 ft of wall line,it will probably use 8 recepticles.Recepticles are required by footage along wall line not square footage.I have seen small bedrooms needing 4 and the master bed room needing 3.I probably would like your price on a small 3 bedroom 1200 sq ft house but not on a 3 bedroom 2400 sq ft house.20 years ago before all the cans and stuff sq ft was of some value in pricing.I have a self written computer program that allows me to bid a average 2000 sq ft home in 15 min. and it added the items ,sub total and the total and just hit print.Fast easy and accurate.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Re: pricing house wiring?

Jim it all comes with keeping careful records and applying the correct price per sq ft.

I work for a large company and they successfully bid by the sq ft on a wide range of projects.

The key is to have the experience to know what number to use, obviously a warehouse has a lower sq ft price than a data center but both can be successfully bid by the sq ft.

A large home will need a different sq ft price than a small one.
 
J

jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

I do a lot of high end homes.Have had kitchens that take 2 days to ruff.Above counter lights,under cab,in cab,islands,built in appliance garage,trash compactors,seperat oven and ranges,remote exhaust fans,cans, ceiling fan,desk for the cook,tv shelf,computer,pantry,the list can go on.Igave up on sq ft years ago.If its a trak home sure sq ft might work.We all have our own methods and as long as they work for us it's a winner
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
Re: pricing house wiring?

Jim

I believe what you said but.... "kitchens that take 2 days to ruff".

I have spent two weeks in a home never two days in a kitchen. I thought I was slow. LOL LOL


Mike P.
 
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tim

Senior Member
Re: pricing house wiring?

We bid by the opening. Then all 220 circuits are priced according to thier length from the panel. Such items as cieling fans would be double openings. Also, foyer light would be double opening. 4-gang switch- 4 openings. May lose on some parts of project, but make up for it on other parts. Seems to all even out in the end. Donuts?- 4 openings. Tim :cool:
 
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delfa

Member
Re: pricing house wiring?

I had a master bedroom and master bath that took me three days to rough-in. I got one of those bags of chocolate covered donuts the first day and that lasted until I finished. :p The total square footage was 850 sq/ft, about the size of my first house. It was the middle of winter, that cuts down on your productivity. I could have finished in 2 and a half days if they were nice summer days. A lot of things figure in on the price, weather for one.
 
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tim

Senior Member
Re: pricing house wiring?

Delfa, how could anyone spend three days roughing in a master bath? I have never spent more than 4 days roughing in a house with three people. Largest house being 5400 sq ft. Guess you spend to much time eating those donuts. :roll:
 
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jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

There are no limits as to what some people put in kitchens,baths,master bedrooms.I figure 15 min to rough an opening .Fans are easy if you use a laser,so are cans.Have had baths that take 12 switches.Seen them with everything from toe kicker lights,plant lights,Even had one that wanted a $1000 crystal chandelier over her jacuzi tub,got real upset when i refused to install that one.TV in bath you bet.Phone in bath is standard.
 
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delfa

Member
Re: pricing house wiring?

Originally posted by tim:
Delfa, how could anyone spend three days roughing in a master bath? I have never spent more than 4 days roughing in a house with three people. Largest house being 5400 sq ft. Guess you spend to much time eating those donuts. :D 34 mini cans, 2 bath fans, 2 paddle fans, 8 wall sconces, 5 SP switches, 8 3-way switches, 2 gfci circuits with 8 receptacles, all bedroom receptacles were split, not to mention the phone and data lines. I thought I was cookin!! The finish only took 2 days and 4 bear claws!! :p
Click to expand...
 
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jimwalker

Senior Member
Location
TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: pricing house wiring?

On a remodel in Naples Fl
The master suite was about 1500 to 2000 feet.
Included sconces all the way up a spiral staircase.
a master closet about 250 sq feet, door switch for 6 wraps
add several cans on dimmers in bath
install about 50 LV lights in bath ceiling
now the bed room
bed is on a 3 level pedestal to over look the gulf ,about 100 LV lights all around the 3 levels
electric shutters on individual switches to 10 windows
about 6 -3 way switches on both sides of the bed to control all kind of stuff as well as the shutters
This was just the bed room on a mansion on the gulf
owner had a string of 5 star hotels
2 of us worked about 3 days
Never judge how much time some houses take.
 
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