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Ok thanks for all the comments and views, it is helpful to get some perspective on here. The build is based in Surrey, it was a 1700 sqft 4 bed house with integral garage. The extra 1000sqft is by breaking into the integral garage and extending on top as a 2 storey side extension, and a 2 storey rear extension to increase size of bedrooms at back as well as living space and conservatory at rear, no outbuildings or anything - standard open plan living/kitchen downstairs, with separate loung and study. The builder has already been contracted and provisional sums for electrical work was £15000+VAT just for the new extended parts of the house (around 1000sqft)- this included a new consumer unit for these extended parts, installing pendant light fittings, switches and sockets (white plastic, standard); at the time they didn't mention anything about costs to do electrics to the original part of the house, and that was all working fine (oringinally 1950s house)- the place is a demolition site in any case and we have moved out - they are part way through the build, so we don't have much leverage now as it feels like we are stuck with whatever they say. But suddenly been told that the electrics/wiring to the old part of the house is in need of overhaul and this will be an extra £10,000+Vat. Not sure why they couldn't identify this at the time of giving the quote, but it is hard to enforce anything as we also don't want them to disappear mid-build. This extra electrical work hasn't been itemised into materials/ or labour, just 'extra electrical work to main part of house'. I don't know what that could be apart from re-wiring and a new consumer unit but struggle to see what can cost this much...
If the house is empty it would be very easy for another firm to come in and do all the wiring.

You're being ripped off. Get proper electrical firms with reputations in to quote. Never ever let a builder do your electrics.
 
I would first get something in writing explaining exactly why it will cost another £10000. I would want to know exactly what I was getting for that and also why that wasn't factored into the original quote.

They have gone significantly over the quoted price. I would ask another electrician to come in and quote. The builder has no right to be annoyed at this as he has charged you so much extra. If he does get annoyed, I think this would point to the fact he was trying to rip you off.

Why don't you post up some pictures of the work so far, it would give us an idea of the quality.
 
Ok thanks for all the comments and views, it is helpful to get some perspective on here. The build is based in Surrey, it was a 1700 sqft 4 bed house with integral garage. The extra 1000sqft is by breaking into the integral garage and extending on top as a 2 storey side extension, and a 2 storey rear extension to increase size of bedrooms at back as well as living space and conservatory at rear, no outbuildings or anything - standard open plan living/kitchen downstairs, with separate loung and study. The builder has already been contracted and provisional sums for electrical work was £15000+VAT just for the new extended parts of the house (around 1000sqft)- this included a new consumer unit for these extended parts, installing pendant light fittings, switches and sockets (white plastic, standard); at the time they didn't mention anything about costs to do electrics to the original part of the house, and that was all working fine (oringinally 1950s house)- the place is a demolition site in any case and we have moved out - they are part way through the build, so we don't have much leverage now as it feels like we are stuck with whatever they say. But suddenly been told that the electrics/wiring to the old part of the house is in need of overhaul and this will be an extra £10,000+Vat. Not sure why they couldn't identify this at the time of giving the quote, but it is hard to enforce anything as we also don't want them to disappear mid-build. This extra electrical work hasn't been itemised into materials/ or labour, just 'extra electrical work to main part of house'. I don't know what that could be apart from re-wiring and a new consumer unit but struggle to see what can cost this much...
So the £15k + vat for the electrics in the extension is a provisional sum which is a little different to a firm price quotation so is the £10k + vat a firm quotation or yet another wet finger in the air
I assume you have the marked up plans for the extension at least so find another electrician or two to price it up

It's not clear how your builder was appointed or whether you are paying an architect attendance to oversee the works but something doesn't sound right that the provisional sum is being taken as the quoted price of the electrical installation within the extension to this is smelling strongly of a rip off in the making
 
last job i seen builders do electrics in an extension, last week. was only a toilet light but they's managed to tap off a 32A circuit (socket) in 1.0mm, no fusing down whatsoever and to cap it all, they'd managed to nail a cable, causing RCD to trip and customer lose all sockets.
 
last job i seen builders do electrics in an extension, last week. was only a toilet light but they's managed to tap off a 32A circuit (socket) in 1.0mm, no fusing down whatsoever and to cap it all, they'd managed to nail a cable, causing RCD to trip and customer lose all sockets.
Maybe they'd asked for a 'fire room' and the builder got confused and thought they'd asked for the room to be on fire.
 
So the £15k + vat for the electrics in the extension is a provisional sum which is a little different to a firm price quotation so is the £10k + vat a firm quotation or yet another wet finger in the air
I assume you have the marked up plans for the extension at least so find another electrician or two to price it up

It's not clear how your builder was appointed or whether you are paying an architect attendance to oversee the works but something doesn't sound right that the provisional sum is being taken as the quoted price of the electrical installation within the extension to this is smelling strongly of a rip off in the making
Basically local recommendations, they were doing a number of projects in the area; they preferred not to be contract adminstered by the architect and had their own project manager, which seemed like a recipe for disaster, but rest of family keen to go with them as they had built a good rapport with them. Yup all plans are marked up, although not sure whether 'electrical' work is marked up - will need to check, I know the architect did extra drawings or details to help with ensuring there was a specification for tendering. Ultimately we are on a sticky wicket, because we cannot afford them to disappear mid build but also we don't have endless funds, so we need full detail as to what these extra costs relate to - they weren't even in the PCs, and so not sure why this could not have been foreseen at the time of quotation. If this continues for the PCs as well, we won't have the funds to complete the build at this rate! I would like to get someone independent to take a look, and even an electical subcontractor to provide an alternative quote, however, not sure how this company will allow that given they have their preferred subcontractors and particularly if they are slapping on an extra profit margin onto the actual cost of the work...i can appreciate they will have done that for the initial fixed quotation + provisional sums, but any unforeseen extras now should at least be at actual cost price, rather than an opportunity for them to claw in more profit....we are already being passed on costs of 'increased materials prices' as well, and I know there has been unprecedented issues with materials, but ultimately the initial quote and contract included all materials and labour, so it feels a bit one-sided, like we are taking on all the extra costs whilst they retain and even increase their profit margins on the intiall quotation....
 
I would first get something in writing explaining exactly why it will cost another £10000. I would want to know exactly what I was getting for that and also why that wasn't factored into the original quote.

They have gone significantly over the quoted price. I would ask another electrician to come in and quote. The builder has no right to be annoyed at this as he has charged you so much extra. If he does get annoyed, I think this would point to the fact he was trying to rip you off.

Why don't you post up some pictures of the work so far, it would give us an idea of the quality.
we have had some friends round who know their building work a little, and they have said the work so far looks like very good quality, so that is reassuring to an extent...the trouble is, given the stage that we are at teh build, we feel a bit at their mercy, as they are also project managing the whole thing, so its a bit difficult to say we want to get someone independent in to look at this electrical stuff because effectively we don't trust your figures here...but i agree we certainly need to get a full transparent breakdown of what this extra is actually for, in terms of materials, labour and the electrical work - and then it may be more obvious why this was unforeseen work, and how much of it is is extra margins, vs the actual cost of the work..
 
What age is the original wiring that is now deemed to be "too old"?
 
Basically local recommendations, they were doing a number of projects in the area; they preferred not to be contract adminstered by the architect and had their own project manager, which seemed like a recipe for disaster, but rest of family keen to go with them as they had built a good rapport with them.
I think the alarm bells should have been ringing with that comment, the builder not wanting the architect involved makes me wonder what is being covered up
Local recommendations is one thing but this should have been a minimum of three quotes with any provisional sums firmed up to quotations even with if needed contingency sums before even considering letting the build contract there must be more than one recommended builder in your area.
Yup all plans are marked up, although not sure whether 'electrical' work is marked up - will need to check, I know the architect did extra drawings or details to help with ensuring there was a specification for tendering. Ultimately we are on a sticky wicket, because we cannot afford them to disappear mid build but also we don't have endless funds, so we need full detail as to what these extra costs relate to - they weren't even in the PCs, and so not sure why this could not have been foreseen at the time of quotation. If this continues for the PCs as well, we won't have the funds to complete the build at this rate! I would like to get someone independent to take a look, and even an electical subcontractor to provide an alternative quote, however, not sure how this company will allow that given they have their preferred subcontractors and particularly if they are slapping on an extra profit margin onto the actual cost of the work...i can appreciate they will have done that for the initial fixed quotation + provisional sums, but any unforeseen extras now should at least be at actual cost price, rather than an opportunity for them to claw in more profit....we are already being passed on costs of 'increased materials prices' as well, and I know there has been unprecedented issues with materials, but ultimately the initial quote and contract included all materials and labour, so it feels a bit one-sided, like we are taking on all the extra costs whilst they retain and even increase their profit margins on the intiall quotation....
I think you need to consider getting a QS (Quantity Surveyor) involved before your bank account ends up getting a good caning from this builder, I don't know how long this project has been running but a good QS could quite possibly save you some money when scutinising the builders invoices especially with the rising cost of materials how much profit are they adding on to the increased material price
 

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