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#29639 09/21/03 06:15 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 246
R
rmiell Offline OP
Member
Got an interesting request for a bid on a new church building. Has the normal pulpit/alter area, with pews and cathredal ceiling, and a few offices. It will also have a few (4) small classrooms, a kitchen and a dining area, as well as the necessary bathrooms.

How would one go about bidding on this job? Would you who do this normally bid it at a square foot price, or another way?

I am sure that it would have to be pipe/a/c cable, and would expect it to have fluorescent wrap-a-rounds in all rooms except the cathredal proper. What type of lighting would one put in this area? Floods, recessed cans, indirect fluorescent?

It will also have a walk-in babtismal pit, full of heated water. Anyone have experience with wiring for this? I am leaning towards the hot-tub type of setup, without the jets.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.

Rick

#29640 09/21/03 06:49 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507
G
Member
Rick,

Bid this the same way you would any other commercial project. We bid by the opening, but it seems that everyone has their own method.

Lighting is really up to the customer and their budget. The last one we did used recessed cans, but that is the low cost/ high maintenance solution. You can ask your lighting supplier for recommended lighting levels to make sure you provide adequate fixtures.

Most of the baptismals I have seen have used some type of residential water heater. I cringe every time I see one of these set-ups. Your idea of using a listed pool / spa heater is a much better way to go and the only one I would recommend to a customer.

Good luck,
GJ

#29641 09/21/03 06:56 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
S
Member
watch those high cielings Rick, i really wished for wings last church i had anything to do with

once the pews are bolted to the floor, the staging becomes a nightmare....

#29642 09/21/03 07:44 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 456
C
Member
The lights in the cathedral proper would propably be pendants, unless headroom is low.

Then again, just about all the churches I've been in are of the tradiotional gothic revival type, and all have pendants.

#29643 09/21/03 10:55 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 558
G
Member
We've done a couple of churches.

The lighting in the sanctuary (what a Baptist calls the cathedral here)is generally a mixture of recessed and chandlier type fixtures.

Usually the lighting around the pulpit and choir area is dimmable recessed.

The problem we have around here is the lack of code enforcement allows the hacks to bid them in nm-b.

The ones we've done have been in emt/ac cable.I'd figure in some wheeled scaffolding also.

Russell

#29644 09/22/03 09:15 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 110
M
Member
No AC in places of assembly, use MC instead. Treat the baptizmal the same as you would a pool or spa. The stage area lighting can get pretty elaborate with controllable dimming, and expensive. Also, check with the person doing the audio/video. They may want isolated ground circuits. Putting the A/V on the same leg of a 3 phase system also reduces the chance for noise in the sound system. They may need special wiring needs. Don't forget to ask for a prayer request while you are there.

Blessings.
Mark

#29645 09/22/03 06:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,429
L
LK Offline
Member
If you are missing fixture information on the plans, that may be telling you something, like many hours of planning and approval. The lighting in a church can be a project by itself, as noted if the fixtures are not staged before the pews are in you will need a prayer request. The MC cable install needs another prayer request. So I guess if schedule enough prayer requests, It will help with the bankruptcy also.
Not sq ft.estimate , every church is not alike.
List every stop and carry labor and material,
with extended costs for both.
One of the local contractors had a church project, that the lighting control panel came in at the cost of $14,000 , He estimated the cost at $3,000 a little off.
It was stage lighting, they told him it was dimmers.

Check all the items and Good Luck
Les


[This message has been edited by LK (edited 09-22-2003).]

#29646 09/22/03 08:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 558
G
Member
Apoligies guys,It was mc cable we used. [Linked Image]

Russell

#29647 09/23/03 02:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 169
R
Member
My company had a policy of never to perform work for any church group or lawyers. It saved us from whiners wanting to get free work and lawsuits. Based upon what a friend, who does churches, told me they have the potential of a quagmire.
Rowdy

#29648 09/24/03 12:13 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 642
N
Member
Rowdy
You must have meet the same church clowns I have. I had to go to court to get paid. Took almost 3 years.
Now the only way I'll even look at a church is if the put the money in an escrow account and make at least a 35% down payment.
Have done 4 church jobs, have had more problems with each of them than any 10 other jobs.
Rmeil
Make sure you have every thing nailed down legally. If there is a way to cause you a problem, one of the loudest psalm singers will find it.


ed

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