residential outlets price

[tonyou812]

To anwser previous questions....I live in Southern Maryland.

Im new to owning a business so I am not at a point to pick and choose. Im also not saying that I let people tell me what I should make. I figured up cost of materials and labor. Then priced it like he said his other ec's did and I realized I was cheaper.
Im going to go over their on saturday and rough it in. It should take me 4 hrs tops. and with only recessed cans and plugs I can come back and trim it out in an hour. I know I wont be making a killing but I just started working for this contractor. I would like to let him see my work instead of bidding too high and having him just tell me no. Before anyone says this " I know its not good to work cheaper because then they will expect it all the time".

Eventually I will be at a point with my business that I wont have time for something like this job. I will be handing jobs like this to other guys that are just starting.

Be careful with that kind of talk your liable to awaken the "Craken" also known as Emaler....... I didn't mean to come off so dramatic but 75 a can is really low in my book. I usually start at 125 and have charged as much as 210 a can in plaster ceiling/vermiculite insulation and limited access. I really dont think you can put a standard labor rate in old work and make money at the same time, but many can prove me wrong im sure.

 

[CopperTone]

If you are just starting out - you'll probably make money on this today, but 2 years from now - you'll be working for free or wages only at that price. Maybe right now your overhead is so low you could almost be a daytime trunk slammer.
My point is - those prices are low - you won't be able to grow at that price, buy more equipment, pay health insurance, max out your retirement every year, take at least 3 weeks vacation and holidays off. How about give a future employee benefits?

A typical basement remodel - all exposed ceiling and studs - we charge about $50/receptacle $50/switch $25 more for dimmer, $75 - 3way , $100 - 4way, $100 for a surface mounted light or wall sconce - not including fixture price,

Recessed lights - 6" white baffle trim - $110-$120
5" or 4" white trim $140-$150

more for homeruns, arc faults, gfi's, etc. - All jobs end up being a little different on each one so the numbers aren't a science - pita factors, condition of existing panels - upsell to make existing repairs, sub panels.

 

[quogueelectric]

And the skilled electrician needed to install them should be charging between $100-200+ an hour to install them.

Cows only get 75 have to lay on my side to put outlets in.

 

[emahler]

Be careful with that kind of talk your liable to awaken the "Craken" also known as Emaler....... I didn't mean to come off so dramatic but 75 a can is really low in my book. I usually start at 125 and have charged as much as 210 a can in plaster ceiling/vermiculite insulation and limited access. I really dont think you can put a standard labor rate in old work and make money at the same time, but many can prove me wrong im sure.

nah...this one is a different kind of lost...how are you making out up there?

 

[bth0mas20]

Thanks for the eye opener. Ill take your responses in consideration for my next bid. This is the kind of info I need to be sucessfull.

 

[tonyou812]

nah...this one is a different kind of lost...how are you making out up there?

Im still working alone but cant complain. I just got a nice little job at a local college that should keep me busy for a while. Sorry for the slow response there is a nice show on Don Rickles on HBO and it has my attention

 

[cadpoint]

Cows only get 75 have to lay on my side to put outlets in.

I wanted to ask how many of ya'll, ever will crack a base board (remove the wood) to run circuits? OR even cut sheetroock on short runs, maybe :| ?

I know mine are in the baseboards, 7-8" splash of wood, and it is an old house, but I didn't have to do that...!

 

[emahler]

Im still working alone but cant complain. I just got a nice little job at a local college that should keep me busy for a while. Sorry for the slow response there is a nice show on Don Rickles on HBO and it has my attention

good to hear. keep at it, it will come...just never stop learning.

 

[quogueelectric]

I wanted to ask how many of ya'll, ever will crack a base board (remove the wood) to run circuits? OR even cut sheetroock on short runs, maybe :| ?

I know mine are in the baseboards, 7-8" splash of wood, and it is an old house, but I didn't have to do that...!

I am a pretty good carpenter and have all the props probably 10in to 7in wetsaws 14in gas stihl cutsaw 20+ nailguns 4 compressors 4 generators 12" slide mitre down to 8 1/2 slide and am setup to do anything from roofing to stair stringer layout.
I easilly have 50k in general contracting equipment.
New home framing is probably the only thing I havnt done for work.
Anything interior sheetrock trimdoors windows flooring wood laminate tile marble stone Just finished an 800 sq ft timbertech/cedar deck I have done for money.
Take a little base moulding off worst case is a new moulding some paint and a little alex plus to hide any shadows and make it look like a million bucks no problem.
I generally avoid this by going north and south with my wires.
attics and basements are my friends. I am too old for crawlspaces and i hate spiders.
There is nothing I cant fix but i try to avoid having to fix anything unless I have too.
I shouldnt have to i am the electrician.
Carpentry is fun because I dont have to do it every day.

 

[CopperTone]

one more thing - that contractor is probably lying to you about the regular price he usually gets from other EC's. If he gets the work for so cheap from others, why is he looking for a new EC? is he trying to help you out? ha ha nope. I've given contractors deals in the past only to find out what they charged the homeowner in the end for my work. I'm not saying a GC isn't entitled to a mark up and profit - I'm saying that they aren't passing on the savings to the customer. I've flat out had a stupid contractor tell me " the cheaper I can get you to do it, the more money I'll make"
You'll get tired of not making much and raise your prices on the contractor and then he'll just find someone else. Thats a promise.

Best advice I can give is - raise your rates and the riff raff low balling hack bottom of the barrel contractors amazingly go away.

 

[bth0mas20]

I totally agree. Ive worked some of them out so far.

 

[peter d]

All I can think of right now is "What would Haskins be saying in this thread?"

 

[emahler]

i don't know....well actually I do...but things posted on this forum get picked up by search engines...there is a reason why many guys do not put their full name and/or company names on here...we don't necessarily want potential or current customers to find everything we say...

 

[360Youth]

I wanted to ask how many of ya'll, ever will crack a base board (remove the wood) to run circuits? OR even cut sheetroock on short runs, maybe :| ?

I know mine are in the baseboards, 7-8" splash of wood, and it is an old house, but I didn't have to do that...!

I have done it several times, both methods. IMO, it will be cheaper for the HO to speed up my work and deal with the patch jobs than to pay me, and possiby a helper, to crawl over or under to fish a wire. Either way they are going to pay for somebody's time and material. Make such holes and grooves is way down on my list of prefered methods, but easily within consideration.

 

[jmsbrush]

one more thing - that contractor is probably lying to you about the regular price he usually gets from other EC's. If he gets the work for so cheap from others, why is he looking for a new EC? is he trying to help you out? ha ha nope. I've given contractors deals in the past only to find out what they charged the homeowner in the end for my work. I'm not saying a GC isn't entitled to a mark up and profit - I'm saying that they aren't passing on the savings to the customer. I've flat out had a stupid contractor tell me " the cheaper I can get you to do it, the more money I'll make"
You'll get tired of not making much and raise your prices on the contractor and then he'll just find someone else. Thats a promise.

Best advice I can give is - raise your rates and the riff raff low balling hack bottom of the barrel contractors amazingly go away.

That is so true

 

[mivey]

I wanted to ask how many of ya'll, ever will crack a base board (remove the wood) to run circuits? OR even cut sheetroock on short runs, maybe :| ?

or cut the ridge of a roof open to get wire to a cathedral ceiling (installed ridge vent when wiring completed). I do not like exposed wiring methods in a finished area.

 

[macmikeman]

i don't know....well actually I do...but things posted on this forum get picked up by search engines...there is a reason why many guys do not put their full name and/or company names on here...we don't necessarily want potential or current customers to find everything we say...

Bingo........

 

[cadpoint]

i don't know....well actually I do...but things posted on this forum get picked up by search engines...there is a reason why many guys do not put their full name and/or company names on here...we don't necessarily want potential or current customers to find everything we say...

7th page of Google...

 

[Len]

pricing

pricing

You are way too cheap, hurting us contractors who really do this for a living

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Based on his signature, my guess is southern California.

How about Maryland based on his signature at the bottom