ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Estimating...

Yeah, the way I would do it is hire sparky66 and add 75% to his price.....

Darn it, Virgil!
You need to charge what you're worth, (sorry if you'd never get any work)
You continually underestimate your worth.
You're a pro. I know it, the rest of us here know it. I just wish your market would bear it
(And saw the pic. You look kinda' like Bob Dylan after a stretch on "The Rack" )

$150 per can for labor(discounted because ceiling/attic is supposedly open) + matl(fixtures) + $50/hr. playing at finding the right fixture for the owner...$250 minimum for the fan with caveat I inspect the fan first and the bid may go higher...$75 dimmer (if owner supplies it or accepts an 'off the shelf' model, $50/hr. if I have to go on a shopping spree for him)...$200 fan control (figuring new wiring, box) + cost of fan control).

I normally charge $200 per outlet (switch, recep, ceiling fixture), (more for ceiling fans) which includes most materials . . .I normally tell homeowner to go to a lighting showroom to find their fixture (rather than paying me $50/hr. to play with catalogs...they always go to the showroom when I tell them the catalog route can take 4-8 hrs. extra at a minimum....i.e. - get a catalog...play with homeowner...order fixtures....pickup fixtures). Almost all my clients are by referral and I get most of the jobs referred ('cept those who spoke with 'uncle Bob'...who paid $85 back in '42 to have his house wired).

I asked my buddy Joe Musser (Musser Electric) what he would charge for the items mentioned above...

$500 was his "shoot from the hip" response.

Looks like Tom guessed about the right price for this area...

On another note...

I was talked down on a bid for a 2700 sq ft house today, from $4350 to an even $4000...

That's $1.48 per sq ft, or $22.86 per stop.

3 ceiling fans, 6 can lights, a lamp post, 4 bathrooms, 3 bed, etc. etc.

I'm embarrassed...

I've already installed the service, so it's not included in the price.

Tom, if I were to move to another place in WV, (so I don't have to get all new licenses) what area would you recommend?

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 03-21-2002).]

It is amazing how far off we can be. I guess different states/area's play a role in the price but even still we should be somewhat close to one another. I also see $50.00 per hour a lot. Were most of you aware the national average is $65.00 per hour? When I heard that my prices went up to that.. But I still charge the contractors $50. I do one favor job more or less at cost for every contractor. I tell them to use it on there own house but sometimes they get into a jam and the favor comes in to play.. yatta yatta yatta, I like to ramble a little..
I like Manegt pricing best of all.. But I agree with electure, we should charge what we are worth. Lets not forget many people are afraid of electric and we put our lives on the line everytime we do it. We are the ones who went through the schooling, testing, digging those trenches as greenies.. So we should charge. As for the people who think well its just black to black and white to white. Well why are they calling you then? Your name and reputation goes on every job that you do. If something happens to injure or kill someone even 5 years down the road trust me they will know who to sue in court..
Curious about something else.. It seem's most of us charge $50.00 an hour for t&m jobs. What percentage do you mark up your material? Personally, contractors get a 25% markup and homeowner get a 50% markup on all material.

James

James and et al;
I use the Means electrical cost books, and their national average, for an electrician is $ 52.90/ hour this includes all benefits,workmans comp, fica and ad neuseum.
In my area the going rate is about 96.8% of the national average, the bigger the city the higher the wage rate.
-Mark-

Contractor or bid @ 20%,
Service calls @ 30%
Some get base=actual cost, others get right off of Traser or Biddle Book.
Just depends on how they act.

You know it's funny how we all speak in terms of how much everyone else charges. I think that the reason it is such an issue is because we live in a competitive market. I will add that I wouldn't have it any other way. Freedom! Amen!
What really matters is "how much things cost". If you can tell me how much it "costs" to run a service truck for a year, shop overhead, insurance, payroll, etc., etc., etc., I can tell how much needs to be charged for anything.
Our company doesn't do residential work, but I would have a very difficult time giving anyone a price based on openings, fixture types, etc., even if we did.
I respectfully ask, for someone to enlighten me on how this is done. Please open my eyes to the "residential electrical world". I'm honestly interested in how these estimates are calculated.

Hopelessly Blinded by Commercial Electric,
Doc

The problem is that there are too many people out there who know the actual cost of everything but the true value of nothing.

Fred, that's very elegantly put...