Genreral Pricing

[craig1000]

Just wondering , being new to pricing domestic work what prices people charge for generic things. I know each jobs is different & its own but some things i guess don't change much job to job! Understand if no one wants to give away their trade expertise but thought id ask!
Things such as
CU change, straight forward looking with no alterations
extra socket
extra light
change light
shower supply
garage supply
???

 

[trev]

Big jobs-price per point + a bit for certification contigencys etc
Smaller jobs- material cost +(estimated hoursX hourly rate)
There's no such thing as a straight forward looking CU change mate

 

[Taylortwocities]

Material cost + 20%

You've got to go and get it, or spend the evenings Internet shopping and do the goods in malarky + carry the cost of goods until payment.

Most jobs have their little quirks and you'll work this out as you get more experience.

I started out with a SPONS book. Totally useless for individual domestic jobs. Great if you are wiring an estate of 10 identical bungalows. Although it will remind you that adding a socket includes cable, the back box, grommets, fixings, cable capping etc. Filler too, if you feel you want to be a plasterer.

 

[sparky1ste]

Different area's have different prices? how many staff you have(if any) how long the job takes overheads material costs.eg you can get a ten way 17th edition board fully loaded for £50 do you go in cheap with a cheap board which might cause you problems with rcd faults etc or do you get a board for a little bit more and use blanks for spare ways.However saying all that if you are to cheap customers might think you are a cowboy and go for the middle quote.

 

[craig1000]

cheers guys, thought as much as you have said really but wanted to ask, it can seem such a fine line at times between feeling you are fair & that the customer feels you are ripping them off, some the customer are quick to accept & realise the skilled job you we are doing & pay up no probs, others question everything & seem to think they know more than us both in terms of work undertaken, quality & price!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Best advice I can give.


Sell yourself.
Use your personal skills, show the customer you understand what they are asking for.
Use words like "if it were my house I would do this...."
If you give them an estimate or outline quote say something like "the final bill will not be more than 10% of my estimate"
If others have quoted, try and find the little essentials that the others will have left off (and add as extras later). "Did they remember to include the upgrades to the main earthing". You won't be rubbishing them but putting doubt in the client's mind about the others capabilities.

 

[marcusone]

Don't undersell yourself. Always price up your labour and profit first. Set it in stone and then price the materials. Add them up and stick to the total. So many guys I know start trimming down the profit because " the estimate seemed a bit steep". What may seem expensive to one customer is cheap to another. It's usually relative. Good luck.

 

[Dave 85]

Different area's have different prices? how many staff you have(if any) how long the job takes overheads material costs.eg you can get a ten way 17th edition board fully loaded for £50 do you go in cheap with a cheap board which might cause you problems with rcd faults etc or do you get a board for a little bit more and use blanks for spare ways.However saying all that if you are to cheap customers might think you are a cowboy and go for the middle quote.

I bought a cheap board once and the main switch neutral completely melted and 5 or 6 RCBO's failed after 18 months. Coulda burnt the clients house down.

 

[Dave 85]

And seeing as noone's actually answered your question:
Approx:
Consumer unit change: £350 (£280 as part of a rewire)
Socket: £50 (if installing several)
Pendant and switch: £100 (on a rewire)
Downlighter £55
Shower supply £325 (20 meter run of 10mm t&e in bungalow)
Change faceplate £10 (occasionally include plastic faceplate in this price)
Change light fitting £20
Garage supply ...hard to say

I work out every quote using two different methods
Price per point as above
and then...
work out how long it will take me if everything goes wrong, times that by my dayrate (£225) times that by 1.5 then add the cost of matrerials
Usually the two methods bring me roughly the same figure