Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Fred, your putting words in my post..I said I could easily wire a 5400 sqf home from a clean slate...I never said that I would use the same equipment and devices used in this post.

Relying totally on electricity where I live is insane. Sometimes the power will go out for days due to severe storms and ice. I would either use gas/propane for my heating and cooking, hw and dryer..

voltage drop on a 4/0 cable from 125 feet is less than 5%. I use all SQ-D equipment. Never had a single problem in 27 years. I have seen single pole breakers stop tripping though.

The total square foot on the house is 4800 sq feet not including the 790.5 sqf ft garage so I do not see any problems.

You said.
"The electrical contractors I know who bid by the sq.ft. estimate a job by the opening and divide their total figure by the sq.ft. The guys I have known in the past who actually bid by the sq.ft. are no longer in business."

Lets consider that a moment...although you did not give all the information I need to compare I can assume that you will charge a certain dollar amount for each opening. It doesnt even matter what you charge per opening.

If you have a $10000 estimate and a 5000 sq. ft house and you divide that I get:

10000/5000=2

Is that $2? You got me.

If you have a $20000 estimate and 5000 sq. ft house you will not get the job so it doesnt matter.

Please enlighten me as to how this works so that I may understand you more clearly.
So far I can not imagine how this would work even for a sole proprietor who can charge less than a business with 5 or more employees if they want to.
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Say you have a 5000 sq. ft home and estimate the cost at $10000 then divide by the opening...say there is 100 openings, then you are charging $100? More openings and you get even less. I dont get it.

Another way I can think of..

If a house has only 100 openings (just an example) and it is 5000 square feet then according to my example I get 5000/100=50. So are you charging $200 per opening? Still dont see it.

Why would you divide anything?

Try the per opening method..

If I use $35 per opening that is $3500 based on 100 openings.

If I use $70 per opening that is $7000 based on openings.

I would have to charge $100 per opening on a 100 opening home to match the starting point on a per sqf bid. I can imagine the look on a clients face when you say that the cost is $100 per opening!

Even if there was 200 openings that is $20000 and you can't get $20K to wire a 5000 house where I am at even if it is a custom.

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Lets look at my method:

$2 per sqf for required wiring and standard appliances. Anything beyond that is extra and I do not pay for fixtures I will only install them if they are on the job. I provide all recept, switches, smokes, phone jacks and cable tv outlets. If I have to return for any work it is $45 per hour. This includes a couple phone jacks and a cable tv outlet in the living room, and all bedrooms. Cat 6 cable is extra and I also wire the garage door opener controls as well. I include a service with the $2 sqf but not the conduit to the poco. If it is overhead then I will throw that in. All my work is warranteed for a year or more if I decide.

So given 5000 sqf home I get:

5000*2=10000

Recessed cans go for $65 a peice and I always end up with a few thousand dollars in extras on a large custom home. I am happy. For now I do not see a better method.

I have even figured up material and manhours to do the job and that is about the best method besides per square foot. Even if you figure material and manhours you will come out better on per sqf bids I think.

I have done all kinds of bids, turn key, by the opening, by the sqf, actual cost, etc.

I am sure there are more opinions on this. I use a little program called the National Electrical Estimator that is pretty good.

Thanks for the comments...

-regards

Greg



[This message has been edited by mustangelectric (edited 01-04-2005).]