We put in our bid $30 per duplex receptacle on a new construction bid. For some reason I am beginning to think that is too high a price...Any input? Am I just second guessing myself because its been a couple weeks?

Has the job been awarded? Will the GC tell you how close your bid was? Were the other bidders in the same league with your materials and quality of work or trunk slammers?

I lost one house, the GC electrician was $2800, me $4200. Before the job started his price had come up very close to mine. I wonder where it would have ended up given the increase before construction started.

Live and learn.
PS the house never got built, the GC got the deposit and that was the end.

I think the builder will let us know one way or another. I just hope they will give us feedback regardless.

By the way - anyone ever work for Toll Brothers? That's who the builder is. I know they are one of the big ones, like Dominion, or Centex or M/I. Not the we WANT to work for these guys but we have to start somewhere...

Wow, Toll Brothers! They are big, they don't build in my area, but I know who they are. There's a lot more to bidding than your basic outlet cost. If that's all they asked for, then you will certainly be too high. Most tract builders pay $10 - $12 per opening, plus extras. Or they pay a fixed price per house if they are almost all the same. Your total home price might be the same, but you want $30 per opening and XXX ELE wants $10. They might charge $2200 for a 200 amp service and you might charge $1500. Did you give them a complete bid or just per opening?

Yeah - Toll Brothers are new to this area (Central Ohio) but apparently they are pretty large on the east coast...

At any rate - yeah I gave them a complete bid but it then was broken down in a spreadsheet by Duplex Receptacles, Single Poles, 3-ways, GFIs, Ceiling Lights, Exterior Coach Lights, Weatherproofs, Paddle Fans, and so on and so forth. I have been especially curious about receptacles just because I figured we were high on those - why? I don't know...some things we knew how to price, others we took a shot in the dark...guesstimated...

We sat down with the plans and counted each item - even where the plans were incomplete we figured, for instance, how many outlets there would be per code. Smokes in each bedroom, arc fault breakers and so on...hopefully they will be impressed with our ability to account for things that don't show up on their plans.

All in all, there were two basic floor plans and then each had two kitchen lighting opts, and a loft opt and a basement opt. Basic floor plan was 1850 - 2000 sq ft., gas appliances, 200 amp service (they told us 150 amp serivce but the plans specified a 200 amp). To code wiring + phone and cable. We came to about $4800 for the basic floor plan and then broke out additional costs to add each opt. For instance, Kitchen Lighting Opt #753 will be an additional $330, etc.

Do builders generally give you a chance to negotiate prices? Its all so nerve racking...I really want to be successful at this...