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

 

[Deleted member 105166]

@davesparks I don't know which ones the electrician will install but the ones I priced were Aurora MPRO1 7W LED 2700K Extra Warm White, at just under £25 each which included VAT and the Bezel.

Hi Hayley

As you are going with Scolmore sockets, why not go for their downlights as well? I'd highly recommend their Inceptor Nano range, this will save you some money over the Aurora.

Hope this helps.

 

[AJshep]

The trouble is the general public can pretty much always buy the materials for same price as someone in the trade. Especially if you are getting them from mutiple places online im sure you will find them cheaper.
Clips, capping/oval, backboxes, grommits screws cable etc. Do add up though and is surprising.

Worth remembering if you brought the materials and something (a downlight) went faulty then you would have to expect to pay for the revisit. So its also worth bearing that in mind.

 

[Hayley Evans]

Regarding warranty, again I'd discuss with the Electrician. FYI, some lamp manufacturers offer an extended warranty if the product registered. I think your selected brand have this - you'll see if it's there on their web site.

Yup, I tried to price products with a warranty but I sort of assumed that if anything failed (say 2 years later) the electrician would still want paying again?

@Murdoch - no, it's a loft conversion and instead of fire doors we can use heat/smoke alarms in every room.

 

[Hayley Evans]

Hi Hayley

As you are going with Scolmore sockets, why not go for their downlights as well? I'd highly recommend their Inceptor Nano range, this will save you some money over the Aurora.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, I'll have a look

 

[Markyd]

why 7 smokes?.......but if needed and 1 heat will come to about £250 alone for quality ones

 

[Idpost]

Hi Hayley, are the smoke alarms being interlinked with cable or via radio link? If it’s the latter then they are a lot more expensive.

 

[Wilko]

Yup, I tried to price products with a warranty but I sort of assumed that if anything failed (say 2 years later) the electrician would still want paying again?

Hi - probably want some payment, but you can discuss this. My standard terms are 1 year on lamps and dimmers. Longer warranty period is entirely possible but would likely incur an additional charge.

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

"I don't have a materials list, just a price, £840. So I've probably missed stuff off. It's 10 x white double sockets, 7 smoke alarms, 1 heat alarm, 1 three way switch, 1 dimmer, 3x1 way switch, 4 downlighters, 6x6"pendants and a bathroom light."

Is this price just for the materials or is it to wire all that lot up as well?
If wiring then the sockets alone would come to £700.As a very rough price it would come to over £2000 for that lot wired,supplied and fitted.

 

[Hayley Evans]

why 7 smokes?.......but if needed and 1 heat will come to about £250 alone for quality ones

Yup, it's £233 for the ones that the electrician recommended (AICO EI161E) and it's £264 for the multi sensor ones which I prefer (from fire angel)

Hi Hayley, are the smoke alarms being interlinked with cable or via radio link? If it’s the latter then they are a lot more expensive.

Cable, the radio ones (We'd have NEST) are £366 more, if it takes 1/2 day for 2 electricians to link all the smoke alarms together then it's only slightly more expensive for the wireless ones (roughly £100 more). But I'm not sure how long it would take?

@Bob Geldoff1234 it's just materials, labour is £3,000 plus vat.

 

[Octopus]

Yup, it's £233 for the ones that the electrician recommended (AICO EI161E) and it's £264 for the multi sensor ones which I prefer (from fire angel)

My advice to you

Accept the sparkies quote or get more sparkies to quote

Messing around to try and save a few pennies will just leave you in dispute or with an unfinished job on your hands

When you take your car to the garage you leave them to it

PS : Aico produce the best alarms

 

[MJPD29]

If you don't like the quote don't take it, simple as that. I certainly wouldn't be going ahead with the work or providing an itemized breakdown of the quote either

 

[Hayley Evans]

My advice to you

Accept the sparkies quote or get more sparkies to quote

Messing around to try and save a few pennies will just leave you in dispute or with an unfinished job on your hands

When you take your car to the garage you leave them to it

PS : Aico produce the best alarms

I think that's part of the problem, when I take my car to the garage they let me go in the pit and have a look at what needs doing, they give me a price for a part and sometimes I get my own part if it's much cheaper to do so. I've used the same garage for 14 years. I'm used to fixing things myself but gas and electrics I wont touch.

I am worried about messing him around hence me asking if it's feasible all the small ratings come to around £400, but £400 is a lot of money I think, not pennies?

Good to know that you rate Aico, is that from an installation and longevity point of view? I read on their website they rate the multi sensor alarms more over the separate optical / ionisation alarms? But their multi sensor alarm is slower than the fire angels / nest in some fire instances like wood fires.

It's only a 3 minute difference but I am deaf so it will take me longer to hear the alarm and I live with my father who is disabled so 3 minutes can make a difference to us.

I'll wait and see what the other electricians say, the second quote was £3000 and it included changing the RCD (£600) and steel rather than white fixtures, they aren't VAT registered so excluding Vat it's £900 cheaper than the first guy.

 

[Toneyz]

You will be surprised how getting just a few items soon add up.

 

[Silly Sausage]

I think that's part of the problem, when I take my car to the garage they let me go in the pit and have a look at what needs doing, they give me a price for a part and sometimes I get my own part if it's much cheaper to do so. I've used the same garage for 14 years.

And here lies your problem.
You've obviously got a long term relationship with the garage and they're happy to accommodate you. Whereas, you're expecting the equivalent with a brand new (to you!) electrician. It's not going to happen ... really!

 

[Hayley Evans]

And here lies your problem.
You've obviously got a long term relationship with the garage and they're happy to accommodate you. Whereas, you're expecting the equivalent with a brand new (to you!) electrician. It's not going to happen ... really!

They've always let me