ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Care to run some ROUGH numbers?

This is in relation to my Bidding Question post. Looking for a real rough idea here...

What might you bid?
3000 sq ft home wired to code
22 cans
2 PFs
200 amp service
1 whirlpool
4 phone
3 cable

Shooting from the hip...

$10.5K

Are you serious!? I mean - I knew we weren't making millions but if that is where I should be then we are getting ripped!

Man I have so much to learn...

So bigblue - that 3.50 - 4.00 per square foot includes everything? Does that generally include any certain number of cans, paddle fans, GDOs, whirlpools, etc?

Do you think a square footage price for code wiring and then additional charges for extras (cans, PFs, GDO, etc) sounds like a fair way to estimate?

That definitely helps. I think we got the square footage idea from an older electrician. Maybe that's the old school way but it seems to work for us. Like I said too, our experience is only with one builder. I'm trying to get ideas so that I can approach other builders and not be completely dumbfounded if they throw me a curve ball...

Thanks again!

If you could get that for that house, we would be doing houses.

The last time this was discussed, you guys were saying $3500 - $4000.

Where is arsegee?

Master66, we're getting $4,000 - $6,000 for wiring basements (1200-1500sq ft), no new service, just a sub. Our house prices are all over the place due to specs, but they work out to $3-$4 per foot, but we don't price by the foot. It think the thread where this was discussed before was a smaller house with very few cans, but i could be wrong.

Last Spring, I bid a job for a house, about 2800 sq ft, quoted $4350 and was talked down to $4000. Finished basement (not in the sq ft listed above) and all phones, TV and everthing but the fixtures. I made an average of $10.00 per hour.

I figure I'm worth more like $30, and so is my partner Joe. So I bid this last job, 2800 sq ft, unfinished basement, no LV or HVAC in my proposal, and bid $10.2K and got the bid. These homes are actually less elaborate and easier to wire as well!

Go figure... Your worth what you think you're worth, and if you bid jobs low, you will win jobs, but if you bid jobs high, you will also win jobs.

I guess my current GC wants quality, so the lowest bidders don't win.

I've learned alot in the last year or so...
(Once again, thanks ECN members...)

Ok guys I have stopped running payroll and withholding deposits to jump in here. Hey master66. Boy I hate to give all my little secrets. If you are trying to figure this house, you will average a drop for every 14 sqft (there is a multiplier I use for different square footages but thats for me to know). This will give you about 215+ drops. Now if this 3000 heated space plus garage and porches you need to figure those areas too.

At 215 drops with the other things you mentioned plus you 240V stuff and TV/Phone I would price this at $6022.00 and give them the specifics as to what this included.

And yes we pulled 19,250 ft of 12/2 this week and the week is not over!

So I am beginning to think that our pricing isn't too far off. The example I put above is real similar to a house we just did. We bid it at 6700 I think. We got it of course because this builder doesn't use any other electrician than us but at least I know we aren't too far out.

I have been told that you should always stand behind your bid no matter what.