Residential service and basement estimate

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codeunderstanding

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I was wondering what some of you guys would charge for this job.
Its a 1000 square foot 1970s style split entry house. I bid on the basement and to change a 100 amp to a 150 amp service. This is what I inclueded.
15- receptacles
2- three ways
6- light opens
3- smoke detectors
3- single poles
1-arc fault circuit
I inclueded 10% misc and inclueded 3 hours labor for demolition of old wiring.
Price 1429.00

For the service I bid at 1346.00. This is a riser servic going to a mast service for a window that is next to the service drop. Service is in the basement.
I seem to be loosing on bids like these and just would like to know what some of you guys think. This is in Minnesota.
 
Service price is in the right ballpark. Basement price is low.

I'm in the middle of a basement job in St Paul with the following:

9 recessed cans
4 single-pole switches
2 three-way switches
1 four-way switch
12 duplex receptacles
2 GFCI receptacles
1 dryer receptacle
1 cable TV outlet
1 phone jack
1 30A2P CB
1 smoke/CO detector

Total price is about $2500.
 
The other guy had a larger scope of work and did it for less money? I don't know how he'd stay in business for long doing that.

Are you sure he's a licensed EC? If not, I know some people at the state who would like to hear about him. :D
 
a couple of things I can offer is ...ya hear a lot of HO's scare away from low bidders that are too low.

The other is how much on time you are for your appointment & how fast you get a price back to them.
Do you call with a verbal price? hand write it? Type & Email it or what?
Do you show up reaking of cigarette smoke?
Do all of you hub caps and fenders match on your truck?

If I don't get a job, I want to leave them wishing that they could afford me.

When I need work done & have to shop bids, I prefer someone who is on time, written(typed) proposal on a real letterhead, professional appearance, vehicle is clean & not years of whiskydents, and most important they better show signs of confidence in what ever they are talking about.
 
It's interesting to hear what people are bidding work at. I work for a large shop in Minnesota, but have plans to go out on my own in the next couple of years. I would have guessed the service would be slightly higher. It seems like you are bidding work pretty tight. It's a shame that you're losing out on bids at those prices! Good luck to you guys.
 
I just got a 200A service upgrade for $1525. I also recently did a 200A underground service (plus a couple of extras) for $1700. The last 150A overhead service I did was $2175, but that one required an expensive outside disco switch and several unfavorable job conditions.

Earlier this year I didn't get a 200A upgrade for $1920, and I also didn't get a 100A upgrade (new mast through the roof) for $1575. I know for a fact that it wasn't because my bids were too low. One was a flipper, and the other was a landlord who was looking for a rock-bottom price.
 
codeunderstanding said:
I bid . . . to change a 100 amp to a 150 amp service.
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Generally speaking, I consider this too small of an upgrade to bother. If 100 amps is genuinely not enough, I would go up to 200.

The labor is the same, and the materials cost difference is minimal.
 
jamelec said:
It's interesting to hear what people are bidding work at. I work for a large shop in Minnesota, but have plans to go out on my own in the next couple of years. I would have guessed the service would be slightly higher. It seems like you are bidding work pretty tight. It's a shame that you're losing out on bids at those prices! Good luck to you guys.
Click to expand...

It's kinda tough out there. There's a lot of competition, both licensed and unlicensed, and not so much work. I do strictly residential work, so I don't know if commercial shops are busier. Lately I've been pretty busy, but last month was slow.

I heard the other day that the two IBEW locals in the metro area have had several hundred licensed journeymen on the bench for a while. That shows you how much work there is (for the larger shops, at least). I've also had several cold calls from guys asking if I'm hiring.
 
LarryFine said:
Generally speaking, I consider this too small of an upgrade to bother. If 100 amps is genuinely not enough, I would go up to 200.

The labor is the same, and the materials cost difference is minimal.
Click to expand...

Actually, I've found the materials cost to be about the same, since the only place I can get a 150A panel is the supply house, and it's the same price as a 200A panel. The exact same 200A panel at Big Orange is way cheaper.

I usually use 2" PVC regardless, so the only other cost difference is in the SE wires. With the savings from the box stores, 150A vs 200A is pretty much a wash in terms of material prices.
 
77401 Since I started on my own most of the customers never complain about a low bidder. They always seem to take the low bidder no matter what so far. I think they think every electrician works the same.
 
Myself, I would have proposed about 4600 or so and if they called back and told me ok do it, then good. If they called back and told me to go fly a kite, also good, cause I'm in business to make a profit, and hate to work dirt cheap like some of those I see posting in this thread, so I would rather pass some up and wait for the fatter calf's to wander within reach. Boy's ya need to sell the sizzle, not the steak.
 
I recently had my service upgraded from 60A to 150A, added A/C, and added a handful of basement outlets. Frankly the low bids I received scared me, most especially the guy that said "anyone worth his salt can estimate a job in a minute". Then he did just that, and had a bid lower by $1000 than anyone else. I had visions of "hey homeowner, look what I just found" dancing in my head.

I went with a local outfit with licensed electricians, and the journeyman and apprentice did a great job. When it came time to sell the house, the prominently displayed county inspection sticker and high quality work WAS A SELLING POINT. And it was mentioned several times by buyer's real estate agents that they were impressed with the work.

I encourage any lurker HO's to consider their service upgrade an investment, and look for a quality job from a licensed contractor that can be used as a key selling point in the future.
 
Thank you KC & Mac Mike.
I never give price on the spot, I always tell the HO I'll Email, Fax or Call with an estimate, even if I do know how much it is.
But New EC's have to learn the business & are usually so scared they won't be able to pay the mortgage they will work for as little as the hackers.
If they can make it, they will learn.
Permit or not I always leave my "For Service Call 77401" Yellow NEBS sticker displayed.

I had a rent house 15 years ago & needed Soffit & facia replace when I bought it, I had a hard time getting bids & one guy gave me a low bid of $800. I was excited to get it done so cheap! He asked for 1/2 up front, took my money & never showed to do the work. Every time I called he said he'd be there is a few days.
 
I don?t do very much posting in this thread but I feel compelled to give a little advice in this one.

Listen and listen close my young electrical friends as these words have a hidden meaning.

I can sit on the couch and starve to death and not be tired doing so or I can work my butt off starving to death and be wore out when I die.
Base your price on what you think you are worth. I just turned down a job that offered a real nice salary but no benefits. If I am going to have the problems involved with doing the job and all the benefits I will get are the ones I can afford to give myself then I am going to place a very high value on my time. ($$$ and more $$$)
Without a doubt I am very easy but I ain?t cheap!
 
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