Electrician quote for materials

[Hayley Evans]

Hello there, this is my first post, I am not an electrician but I wondered if anyone could help me out with a quote I have been given.

The electrician was recommended by our builder and I just wondered if his quote was accurate. I've looked myself at the same materials and they are half the price - but other than the downlighter they are the same brands etc as he said he would be installing (so not cheap stuff that's going to break).

I've priced it at 50% less than the electricians quote for materials. The one thing I can't price up is the cabling and I imagine there is way more cable used that I would have initially thought.

Before I ask the electrician about the price and potentially ---- him off, I just wondered if it was possible that the wire could come to £400? It's a standard 3 bed semi, on the 1st floor the lighting ring and sockets need rewiring and a new (large, 9m x 5m) loft needs to be wired.

Thanks

 

[Squid]

My kitchen fit was close to £800 on materials alone, not a huge kitchen either.

However £250 of that was materials solely for the solid oak lamp over the dining table...

Cheaper then getting divorced, VOE......

 

[Squid]

What sort of property s this as 7 smokes seem extreme, people need to make a living and a bit of a profit to pay their bills, if the sparks is supplying the products then he should warrantee them for a set period of time, you could offer to supply your own stuff but if anything goes wrong then prepare to be billed for his/their time in resolving any issues.

 

[Hayley Evans]

The electrician said I can get the materials myself that's why I'm asking, I don't know if it's worth the potential stress, if the smaller things make up the £400 difference.

@MG201 the materials are £840 from the electrician, £400 if I get them (and they are chrome, not white as the electrician quoted). He said I could get my own materials so I was asking if the cable and stuff like that I don't know about as a consumer, might come to £400 or there about; in which case it's easier to let him get everything to save any hassle.

Also I don't play the lottery, what procedures would be in place? Should the electrician come back with no costs if something goes wrong in the future?

@SWD the smokes are instead of fire doors. I'm assuming any warranty wouldn't include labour fees?

 

[MG201]

If I’m not wrong all works carried out are the responsibility of the contractor for 5 years ( excluding parts warranty unless agreed )

 

[Hayley Evans]

I love customer start complaining about the quotes and the much things cost , next time you take your car to a garage and they say your big ends gone ..what would you say then when the man in the garage .
Fix it or scrap it .
Things cost, a penny saved or a pound lost ...

I think I've been misunderstood. The electrician says I can supply my own materials, he gave me a list of brands he recommends but not a complete list of materials. I looked up the big branded things he mentioned and it's £400 cheaper than he says.

So I'm asking will the cabling (and other stuff I don't know about) make up that £400 - in which was it's easier to just let the electrician supply everything. But if it's £400 cheaper I'll order myself and deal with potential problems, which may end up costing more.

 

[Squid]

So tell us what sort of property is this as it seems to be a BTL or HOMO as in a domestic you don't need that amount of smokes or fire doors, tell us the full story.

 

[MG201]

Let him get it then it’s up to him to replace should there be any issues , and yes cable and accessories could easily be 400

 

[Hayley Evans]

So tell us what sort of property is this as it seems to be a BTL or HOMO as in a domestic you don't need that amount of smokes or fire doors, tell us the full story.

It's just my house, a 3 bed semi, soon to be 4 bed as we have a loft conversion being done. We don't want to replace the original 1930s doors with fire doors. Building regs say as the doors fit in their frames we can keep them, but we need an alarm in every room and on every landing.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

I think I've been misunderstood. The electrician says I can supply my own materials, he gave me a list of brands he recommends but not a complete list of materials. I looked up the big branded things he mentioned and it's £400 cheaper than he says.

Just supply them then Hayley, as he's invited you to. Sounds a decent chap, so don't try to push it and squeeze a few more ££ on all the fiddly stuff that will become a PITA for you!

 

[Hayley Evans]

Let him get it then it’s up to him to replace should there be any issues , and yes cable and accessories could easily be 400

Fab thanks and just to clarify by accessories you mean like clips and other electricians stuff (that I have no idea about), not switches, sockets, smoke alarms or light fittings?

 

[Toneyz]

From Screwfix 2.5 £51, 1.0 £32 1.0 3core+E £73 it soon adds up, and that's for one drum (100mtrs).

 

[Squid]

It's just my house, a 3 bed semi, soon to be 4 bed as we have a loft conversion being done. We don't want to replace the original 1930s doors with fire doors. Building regs say as the doors fit in their frames we can keep them, but we need an alarm in every room and on every landing.

Thats a bit drastic with the planners but then again you are adding a loft convo, thought you would just need a fire door/fire curtain for the loft. You should query what they have said/recommended, do you have an architect?

 

[Toneyz]

I know from when I used to do new houses that were 3 stories they had to have fire doors for the doors onto the stairs/exit route. I suppose having S/D in each room you get an earlier warning as the existing doors would not hold the fire back so long.

 

[Hayley Evans]

Thats a bit drastic with the planners but then again you are adding a loft convo, thought you would just need a fire door/fire curtain for the loft. You should query what they have said/recommended, do you have an architect?

Yup we have an architect. It works better for us too because we don't close the doors at night as we have a cat (catalpa in kitchen) and small kids (who like the door open).

 

[Spoon]

The electrician said I can get the materials myself that's why I'm asking, I don't know if it's worth the potential stress, if the smaller things make up the £400 difference.

@MG201 the materials are £840 from the electrician, £400 if I get them (and they are chrome, not white as the electrician quoted). He said I could get my own materials so I was asking if the cable and stuff like that I don't know about as a consumer, might come to £400 or there about; in which case it's easier to let him get everything to save any hassle.

Can you post the list up, so we have more of a clue what parts you are going on about.
Why did you not ask for a full list if you want to supply everything?
What parts are missing?
Please be aware that for the parts you supply, you will be responsible for them. If anything goes wrong with them, then it's down to you to supply new parts and pay for the electrician to fit them.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If I've read this right, we're comparing apples with oranges. The sparky wants £840 for all materials, but you've priced up the headline items at £400 while substituting chrome faceplates for plastic. Out of the £440 difference come all the other materials including cable, and whatever saving you're hoping to make in addition to the upgrade from plastic to chrome, that would otherwise be mark-up for the sparky less his handling cost and the value of guaranteeing the finished job as a whole.

With respect, this is one of the many reasons I wouldn't touch domestic work. If I were the sparky, I'd just add the lost mark-up onto the labour, although I wouldn't offer the customer the option in the first place. A professional electrician has many legitimate overheads that are covered by a percentage on both parts and labour. Parts being the smaller fraction in this case, it seems like he's offered you the chance to shop around. Do it if you want, but even if you make a saving, don't assume he was just profiteering. That assumption gets things off to a bad start.

 

[MG201]

The electrician said I can get the materials myself that's why I'm asking, I don't know if it's worth the potential stress, if the smaller things make up the £400 difference.

@MG201 the materials are £840 from the electrician, £400 if I get them (and they are chrome, not white as the electrician quoted). He said I could get my own materials so I was asking if the cable and stuff like that I don't know about as a consumer, might come to £400 or there about; in which case it's easier to let him get everything to save any hassle.

Also I don't play the lottery, what procedures would be in place? Should the electrician come back with no costs if something goes wrong in the future?

@SWD the smokes are instead of fire doors. I'm assuming any warranty wouldn't include labour fees?

If u get materials it’s up to u to chase up any faulty items not the electrician, worth paying that wee bit extra to get piece of mind ,

 

[mattg4321]

Every time I've had a customer supplying materials it's always wrong, missing, poor quality, turns up at the end of the day I need it etc etc

If someone wants to supply materials my labour cost goes up by 50% now.

Generally though and in all honesty I try and avoid those customers now as it doesn't really work for me personally.

 

[westward10]

I have had to temporarily closed this thread to delete multiple posts which were of no relevance or help to the OP. If you have nothing constructive to post can you walk away and leave alone.
Thread reopened.

 

[Deuce]

10-15% Above retail for materials is pretty typical for most trades in my experience, and fair enough. Of course many trades people also have discounts setup with suppliers, but that's their business

As others have said, sound a bit steep, and if the £400 really is just for cabling it sounds a bit insane - but that could very well also include various minor components and it could be more realistic than it sounds...

As always, I would get another quote. I know it seems like a hassle when you have a ready to go solution... But the fact is that many people know the value of offering a quick solution and will bump up their margins in the hope you simply don't check elsewhere.

 

[Spoon]

We can't really comment on the electricians quote for £840 until we see the full list of equipment the electrician is quoting for.... It's all guess work...

 

[Deuce]

We can't really comment on the electricians quote for £840 until we see the full list of equipment the electrician is quoting for.... It's all guess work...

My reply pretty much assumed that such detail wouldn't exist. I find it totally realistic that they simply listed the major visible components (lighting etc), and then bundled every other component under 'cabling'.

Can't really expect them to list every minor component, they would end up working full time just putting the quotes together lol.

But in any case, the best test for bulls**t is just to get another couple of quotes. If one is substantially lower for materials, you have the answer.

 

[buzzlightyear]

if a customer get their materials and i fit them , i will not garrantee the work , so you better get a spark in and supply you with the lot and any problums later on the work will have a garranttee.

 

[peterhyper]

Search around and I'm sure you will find someone cheaper especially if you buy all the parts from scewfix. The job might not be as good going with the cheapest electrician, but at least you will save a little money even if they aren't as reliable and the attention to detail is lacking.

Anyone who has a decent mechanic but tries to price match the parts and runs around getting their brake pads a couple of quid cheaper than the mechanic supplies them for definitely isn't my target market.

 

[davesparks]

So tell us what sort of property is this as it seems to be a BTL or HOMO as in a domestic you don't need that amount of smokes or fire doors, tell us the full story.

Yes you do, it's having a loft conversion therefore firedoors or a lot of smoke alarms are required in a normal house.

 

[mattg4321]

I just finished a loft conversion where the BCO gave the client that exact choice. Fire doors all round or smoke alarms in every room in the house. We fitted smoke alarms throughout.