Why so big a difference in price?

S

steve_jones

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Hi All,

Just wanted anyone's views on why electricians prices are so different, had a few quotes for wiring in a kitchen, quotes came in at:

£1200
£950 (reduced to £850 when I questioned it)
£460

Went with the £460, did a great job, safety certificate the lot. I know none of you will have seen the job in question but how do people quote up for jobs and why the vast difference?
 
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Depends on the specification and work entailed, I have done very simple kitchen fits for the low price and for well over the top price.
Depends on business model and overheads which are different for each company.
Depends on the materials used. There are sometimes quite large differences in price and also quality.
There also some electricians that are great at their job but useless at business and work for peanuts.
 
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Rip off Merchant trying it on
Hoping to con you
Got a pic of the certificate we can have a look at? what was the extent of the work, how many sockets, lights, cooker points, bonding OK? was rge Bloke that won the work a CP Scheme member ( NICEIC, NAPIT etc) any part P notification to LABC?
 
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There's no set rates for electrical work (or any other building work), just as there could have been different costs involved. There's no saying they were even quoting for exactly the same work to be done.

Each of the electricians would have been a separate business; it could be that you've got a bargain, or it could be you get what you pay for.

What is certain is that if something goes wrong you'll have to go back to the electrician who you paid - you can't decide you've lost faith in them and expect someone else to come along and pick up the pieces for free.
 
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Thanks for the replies, the work consisted of:

-Move a couple of light switch down 10 cm.
-Move power socket behind unit for dish washer.
-Make new socket for extractor fan.
-Make new socket for washing machine in the utility.
-Replace all sockets and switch faces (I have bought already)
-Place 6 down lights in the celling. (basic white - supply and fit)
-Upgrade cooker as 16A required
-Wiring in under cupboard and plinth lighting (not supply)

Took him one whole day for first fix and a few hours for second, I'd say 10 hours in total.
 
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Adam W said:
There's no set rates for electrical work (or any other building work), just as there could have been different costs involved. There's no saying they were even quoting for exactly the same work to be done.

Each of the electricians would have been a separate business; it could be that you've got a bargain, or it could be you get what you pay for.

What is certain is that if something goes wrong you'll have to go back to the electrician who you paid - you can't decide you've lost faith in them and expect someone else to come along and pick up the pieces for free.
Click to expand...

I would more likely believe the chap who recently emailed me from Nigeria offering me a million pounds if I transferred some money for him than believing what the Doctor says.
 
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I paid the bloke cash, he runs his own business just himself, had a smart van with professional artwork on the side and fully registered.

The kitchen fitter recommend him and said he has worked on many building sites with him. I should think £460 for 10 hours work is a decent rate, minus the cabling and downlights he's easy made at least £350. £35 an hour seems reasonable for an electrician, or is £70 or £110 a more reasonable rate like the other chancers?
 
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steve_jones said:
I paid the bloke cash, he runs his own business just himself, had a smart van with professional artwork on the side and fully registered.

The kitchen fitter recommend him and said he has worked on many building sites with him. I should think £460 for 10 hours work is a decent rate, minus the cabling and downlights he's easy made at least £350. £35 an hour seems reasonable for an electrician, or is £70 or £110 a more reasonable rate like the other chancers?
Click to expand...

You almost got away with it with your first post as even I just thought that you were a fantasist, but you have made the classic mistake of slightly over doing it.

So come on own up, who are you really (I suspect you are a regular on here that has registered with a different email address and name)?
 
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steve_jones said:
I paid the bloke cash, he runs his own business just himself, had a smart van with professional artwork on the side and fully registered.

The kitchen fitter recommend him and said he has worked on many building sites with him. I should think £460 for 10 hours work is a decent rate, minus the cabling and downlights he's easy made at least £350. £35 an hour seems reasonable for an electrician, or is £70 or £110 a more reasonable rate like the other chancers?
Click to expand...

You almost got away with it with your first post as even I just thought that you were a fantasist, but you have made the classic mistake of slightly over doing it.

So come on own up, who are you really (I suspect you are a regular on here that has registered with a different email address and name)?
 
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Not too sure why there is so much negativity towards this thread. Seems to me its a bit like taking my car to get serviced at BMW, being charged a ridiculous amount for some apprentice to do the work and maybe make a hash of it. Where as I take it to my local garage who has many years in the trade, is well respected and does a decent job for half the price. Does that make him a bad mechanic? Not qualified or certified?
 
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steve_jones said:
I paid the bloke cash, he runs his own business just himself, had a smart van with professional artwork on the side and fully registered.

The kitchen fitter recommend him and said he has worked on many building sites with him. I should think £460 for 10 hours work is a decent rate, minus the cabling and downlights he's easy made at least £350. £35 an hour seems reasonable for an electrician, or is £70 or £110 a more reasonable rate like the other chancers?
Click to expand...
it's all relative to overheads and other costs. you could have had pimlico or britsh grasp quote.that would have been double the highest quote you've had
 
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steve_jones said:
Not too sure why there is so much negativity towards this thread. Seems to me its a bit like taking my car to get serviced at BMW, being charged a ridiculous amount for some apprentice to do the work and maybe make a hash of it. Where as I take it to my local garage who has many years in the trade, is well respected and does a decent job for half the price. Does that make him a bad mechanic? Not qualified or certified?
Click to expand...
you go to a main agent.e.g. bmw, and you are paying for receptionists, telephonists, paper shufflers, money shufflers, huge premises with mega buck business rates, and finally the mechanic's wages. you local independent has far less costs, s can be more competitive.
 
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Was it the same price if you gave him a cheque? I think most priced jobs are a bit of a gamble, if you can get in and out quick you can afford to be cheap, if you have a mare and are in there a few days you end up out of pocket. For a layman two jobs can look the same but may not be to the same (or any) standards irrespective of certification or how well a van is sign written. The NICEIC registered electricians who rewired the last house I worked on thought it acceptable to twist singles together and shove them in a rubber glove in the wall. They had lovely van and give him a proper certificate. Wouldn't let them within a mile of my house though
 
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If your happy with the work then it looks like you got an extremely good deal. For what it's worth, from your description of works, I would of been around the higher end of the quotes you received. There are plenty of good electricians who start out in business and don't last very long. They either price to low so when something unexpected happens they loose money or they are so cheap they are rushed of their feet, not making much money and generally being busy fools. Sounds like you got an absolute deal if the standard of work is good.
 
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Just another windup me thinks.... One of where do you wire the nest thing up to lot or the can I use American cable guy.

I filled the van up at Tesco today price was £1.299 per litre however Morrisons was £1.289 and one bp in the centre of town was £1.309 and the bp chanser on the main A road was £1.349
 
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steve_jones said:
Thanks for the replies, the work consisted of:

-Move a couple of light switch down 10 cm.
-Move power socket behind unit for dish washer.
-Make new socket for extractor fan.
-Make new socket for washing machine in the utility.
-Replace all sockets and switch faces (I have bought already)
-Place 6 down lights in the celling. (basic white - supply and fit)
-Upgrade cooker as 16A required
-Wiring in under cupboard and plinth lighting (not supply)

Took him one whole day for first fix and a few hours for second, I'd say 10 hours in total.
Click to expand...

Was there any additional work to your list ? Earthing and bonding was all in place and suitable ? consumer unit needed no adaptions or upgrades, specifically RCDs for the altered circuits ? Any making good of chases ?
 
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The fitter sorted out all the chases, but both other electricians expected him to do that, it seems these are jobs electricians don’t like or think they have to do?

Are you guys saying £35 an hour is cheap for an electrician?
 
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steve_jones

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Why so big a difference in price?
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