Hmmm, seems high!

[D Skelton]

First time I've had to do this but quoting for a small job for an elderly couple up the road. I was called up there a few days ago when half of their front garden pathway/spike lights stopped working. Traced the fault to a cut length of flex that was buried in the ground (bad I know). The circuit was shot to bits with Wiskas all over the place filled with all kinds of muck, sludge and water. They asked me to sort it out and do a proper job hence my post.

I was toying with the idea of going down the flex and SELV route but with the lady and her 50 hours per week gardening habit and the fact that she has twice gone through cables hidden in bushes with spades/shears, I just feel that SWA is the better option by a long way.

The job:

Install five mains IP65 GU10 spike lights with high power LED GU10 lamps down front garden pathway (pathway about 12-13 meters long). Cable will be SWA (2 core x 1.5mm) and will be terminated in 5 x Wiska boxes mounted on short treated timber fence posts and secured into the ground on steel bolt post harnesses (75mm x 75mm fence posts). Wiska boxes will be filled with magic gel. SWA will not be buried. At supply side I will be replacing the current SFCU protecting the circuit with an RCD SFCU. A Steinel 'eco night' photo cell will be installed to control the lights.

A seemingly small and simple job but the price I'm coming out at 'all in' seems rather high for what it is. I'm not usually into pricing small jobs like this and haven't done so for a few years, maybe I'm out of practice.

What would you guys be looking at charging roughly (including all materials, markup, labour etc) not including any VAT? I'm not looking for a price breakdown or a debate/squabble on regional labour rates, just a rough price 'all in' if possible

My location is Brighton (London by the sea).

Feel free to PM me prices if you don't want to disclose on an open forum

 

[telectrix]

without looking up all the material prices, i'd say around £400 labour + materials marked up by 15-20%.

 

[D Skelton]

without looking up all the material prices, i'd say around £400 labour + materials marked up by 15-20%.

Rough idea on total price?

Ballpark figure?

 

[Scornio]

A rough guestamate would be £550-£600.

 

[brman]

I'd have guessed at around £600, half in half labour and materials but given Tel said £400 for labour I might be a bit cheap.

Total guess though and I suspect materials might mount up on that one.....

 

[Guest55]

you sure you dont want to use 3 core swa ?

;-)

 

[MDJ]

700 plus Vat

 

[telectrix]

i'm guessing at materials around £250, so £650 on my watch. but prob. 25% more dahn sarf.

 

[Richard Burns]

I am in the same ball park area 500-600.

 

[onions1066]

What did you come out with skelton?

 

[Welchyboy1]

Approx £500+vat

1 days labour

roughly £250 mats maybe a little more depending on quality of led gu10s

 

[D Skelton]

you sure you dont want to use 3 core swa ?

;-)

Dammit, I knew I was doing something wrong!

- - - Updated - - -

What did you come out with skelton?

I came out at £700 not including any VAT.

Materials come to £430 alone not including any mark up.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

With the Wiska boxes I would use galv T boxes instead and Wago inside, much less hassle when getting continuity on your SWA. I would say 300 labour and if its 430 that's 730 plus the dreaded.
plus vat.

 

[D Skelton]

With the Wiska boxes I would use galv T boxes instead and Wago inside

With Wiskas I rip out the terminals and use Wagos anyway.

 

[Marvo]

Feel free to PM me prices if you don't want to disclose on an open forum

I can move this to the Arms if you like.

I came up with a price around 11000.00 Exc 14% VAT

 

[D Skelton]

I can move this to the Arms if you like.

No need buddy, just thought that a PM would be an option for anyone not comfortable disclosing their pricing in public

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

With Wiskas I rip out the terminals and use Wagos anyway.

galv T boxes though there is no messing about with the banjos been linked.

 

[GMES]

I would be inclined to charge approx. £5000.00 + vat if they are elderly, to make up for all the times I've been cut up by the blind buggers on a busy road, or got stuck behind them in a queue while they count all their coppers at the check out, or been nearly crippled by their pesky shopping trolley's in the supermarket, need I go on.

 

[Badged01]

I would be inclined to charge approx. £5000.00 + vat ...

Leave off talk of wanting VAT too, you would confuse them! They'd probably think you were talking about a whiskey they used to drink ....

 

[Guitarist]

I'd have said £750-£800 personally. Priced a few of these myself, and the customer always goes pale, then decides that those "new solar lights" might be a good idea at £5 a pop.

 

[D Skelton]

galv T boxes though there is no messing about with the banjos been linked.

Don't need banjos on Wiskas, they sell the earth nut facility that just slots in with an integrated fly lead. No galv box comes with that which I might add I would still banjo/pirahna and fly lead as I cannot determine the copper equivalent csa of the steel galv box in order to ensure a suitably sized CPC.

No offense but I simply wouldn't entertain using a galv box outside unless it was IP rated accordingly.

Appreciate your input though

 

[netblindpaul]

£500 + mtls @ +30% mark up on materials from cost, (+VAT, as we are reg'd).
Sorry, can't be bothered to work out a materials list & price it up.
Not worth it for less, as at the end of the day you have to give a warrant on labour & materials.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

wiska box n compound....much more secure...

 

[Guest55]

i couldnt price a job if my life depended on it ! lol.
always been rubbish at estimating.

a man needs to know his limits ;-)

 

[Guest55]

I cannot determine the copper equivalent csa of the steel galv box in order to ensure a suitably sized CPC.

you could by comparing it to the nearest sized trunking equivolent , a few csa sums later and away you go.

i can assure you its massive
;-)

 

[telectrix]

i think spinks meant galv. conduit boxes. plenty meat in them for cpc.

 

[Guest55]

i think spinks meant galv. conduit boxes. plenty meat in them for cpc.

ah , got ya.
in which case , no probs at all !
if its good enough for a shared cpc steel conduit system then...........

 

[telectrix]

think it was him saying "t boxes" that gave it away.

 

[D Skelton]

Yes, I had thought of them, the problem is linking the cpc within as the light fittings aren't class II. Fine if it was just SWA to SWA but not when there's three core flex to join as well.

 

[Guitarist]

I assumed he meant galv conduit trouser boxes.

 

[D Skelton]

you could by comparing it to the nearest sized trunking equivolent , a few csa sums later and away you go.

i can assure you its massive
;-)

I'm sure it is, but I cannot verify it. Are you saying that for the sake of 5 mins work you wouldn't fly lead a galv T box?

The words 'yeeeeeee' and 'haaaaa' spring to mind ;-)

 

[D Skelton]

Aaaaaaaaanyway,

We digress slightly. Am I right in thinking that many of you don't seem to think that £700 is too much?

 

[Guitarist]

Aaaaaaaaanyway,

We digress slightly. Am I right in thinking that many of you don't seem to think that £700 is too much?

No, £700 is way too much for a few lights, but it IS what it costs.

 

[telectrix]

£1000 is way too much for a fender strat. but it's what it costs. :74:

 

[hbrad92]

days labour (8 hours) @ £30 per hour (an average price) - £240

Materials (Inc vat)
SWA 20m - £24
Cleats - £2
Glands - £18
RCD SFCU - £36
Wiska boxes - £21
Spike lights - £48
LEDs - £60
P.I.R - £12

- total of £217 + 20% mark up £260.40

Labour (£240) + Materials (£260.40) = £500.40

I'd shave off the 40p

Hope this helps I may have missed one or two things but this is near enough. All the best.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Yes, I had thought of them, the problem is linking the cpc within as the light fittings aren't class II. Fine if it was just SWA to SWA but not when there's three core flex to join as well.

if your on about t boxes damian then its just a case of drill & tap out the back of the box for a 5mm roofing bolt....couple of crimps & G/Y sleeving on the black core..and away you go...

dont worry about water ingress where the roof bolt goes through....the compound will see to that...

 

[HandySparks]

I think if they're all above ground, I'd drill a good sized drain hole in the bottom of the Wiska boxes and make sure that the lid seal is undamaged, and leave out the potting gell. Easier to fiddle about with later if necessary.

Doesn't answer the question, but that's par for the course round here!

The cost of installing a few outside lights is always a shock.

 

[longboat]

ADD UP THE MATERIAL COST.
HOW MANY POUNDS DO YOU WANT FOR DOING THE WORK.
ADD THE TWO TOGETHER = wait for it














TOTAL COST.




SIMPLES.





:clover:

 

[D Skelton]

ADD UP THE MATERIAL COST.
HOW MANY POUNDS DO YOU WANT FOR DOING THE WORK.
ADD THE TWO TOGETHER = wait for it














TOTAL COST.




SIMPLES.





:clover:

£1 for the eggs,
£0.50 for the gas to cook 'em up and hard boil 'em,
I'll suck 'em for free.

Total cost = £1.50

 

[Engineer54]

galv T boxes though there is no messing about with the banjos been linked.

Think you mean Y (trouser) boxes!! Anyway galv conduit boxes are not exactly the ideal choice for this type of installation. Issues with sealing and conductors termination space....