Reasonable quote for electrics?

Reasonable quote for electrics?

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Mr Obertshaw

Original Poster:

2,174 posts

230 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
quotequote all
Just having out kitchen, dining room and pantry all knocked into one total space approx 12x4m after. I've had a quote from the electrician who works with the builder today as follows:

Change distribution board to 16way duel split RCD. Test all existing circuits.
Isolate all cables to make safe for building works.
New kitchen and utility wired with all relevant circuits as per plans, pendant in middle and 11 led spotlights in lowered ceiling.
Sockets in basement.
5 double sockets to be raised off the skirting board,
Centralise light and isolate and remove fan.
All accessories in white except spotlights where they can be white, chrome or polished chrome.
For the spotlights the ceiling will require to be dropped about 6”.
For other cabling in ceiling the laminate will need to be lifted or I can damage the ceiling and a plasterer will need to repair or overboard. (I suggest looking at the ceiling that it would look better if they were over boarded)

Quote does not include any remedial works discovered when initially testing existing circuits.

All works certified in accordance with BS 7671 and Part P.

Total quote £2,300.00

Wiring includes 8 double sockets in kitchen area as well as the 5 they are moving from skirting at other end Points for oven and induction hob. Seems like a reasonable enough bloke and has been described by others as a bit oodm meticulous about his wiring which I don't think is a bad thing. From a logistics point of view it would be useful to use this bloke as he has experience of working with the builder we've used.

Reasonable price? I have no idea with electrics!


Alucidnation

16,810 posts

170 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
quotequote all
How much do you think it should be?

I would say its very reasonable apart from the dual RCD CU.

Mr Obertshaw

Original Poster:

2,174 posts

230 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
How much do you think it should be?

I would say its very reasonable apart from the dual RCD CU.
I dont know, hence me asking. In my head I had £1500 to £2000, but this was based on nothing really.

Can you elaborate on the dual rcd? He did mention that it would be significantly more expensive to have individual rcds.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

170 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
quotequote all
Individual RCBO's will be a bit more expensive but believe me, when you get a problem circuit you'll be glad as all the rest will still be working.

Dual RCD will mean two banks of circuits, and if there is a fault on one of those RCD's , the whole bank would be off until the fault is rectified.


As for the price, unless he has said what make of downlights and accessories he is using, it's anyones guess.


We never fit dual RCD CU's.

MJNewton

1,728 posts

89 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
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Dual RCD CU is fine. If you have problems that are causing nuisance trips they need sorting - it's not normal nor something you would be expected to tolerate. If there are circuits you absolutely need to not be affected by an earth leakage trip elsewhere then a high integrity dual RCD unit can be fitted to allow a small number of dedicted RCBOs to be fitted where necessary.

Price seems okay to me, particularly given the end result and the fact you sound confident in the guy given the builder link which is worth it's weight on gold in my view. Last thing you want is a cheaper, yet unknown, person on the job.

V8RX7

26,820 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Seems expensive to me.

Less than 3 days work there and depending on spec possibly £300 materials


Alucidnation

16,810 posts

170 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Seems expensive to me.

Less than 3 days work there and depending on spec possibly £300 materials
£300 for materials?

Please do let me know where you purchase yours from as I will open an account immediately.



MrDan

290 posts

190 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Dosent sound to bad to me, Even if all the fittings are LAP specials from screwfix id say theres 6-700 materials there ? 3 days work for a man and junior



dhutch

14,317 posts

197 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
I am not an expert, and its really had to know without seeing the job.

Equally if they do a nice job, it worth paying a bit more,and saving the disruption of them making a right mess of it!


- Split-load dual-rcd boards are common as much an a reasonable compromise. It what we speced for our house, which was a £7k re-wire job. Hager make nice boards, and switches/sockets, we spec'ed their switches and sockets, but ended up with an MK board which is fine. MK pendants.
- You can pick which circuites are lumped together, so get some sockets and some lights if one half goes off, typically crossed over so you get sockets in one and lights in the other of visa versa.
- If you are making a right mess and plastering anywhere, then go through the ceiling, its a lot easier to cut and over board that than a laminate floor.
- Unless you really want them and work out where they are located carefully, personally I would avoid downlighters, certainly in the kitchen where you otherwise end up working in your own shadow the whole time.


Daniel

V8RX7

26,820 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
£300 for materials?

Please do let me know where you purchase yours from as I will open an account immediately.
Screwfix / Toolstation


SuperPav

1,080 posts

125 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Change distribution board to 16way duel split RCD. Test all existing circuits.
Isolate all cables to make safe for building works. 1 man day

New kitchen and utility wired with all relevant circuits as per plans, pendant in middle and 11 led spotlights in lowered ceiling. 2 man day assuming easy access to voids, if you expect them to "lift laminate" etc. then could be double.

Sockets in basement.
5 double sockets to be raised off the skirting board,
Centralise light and isolate and remove fan. 2 man day

All accessories in white except spotlights where they can be white, chrome or polished chrome.
For the spotlights the ceiling will require to be dropped about 6”.
For other cabling in ceiling the laminate will need to be lifted or I can damage the ceiling and a plasterer will need to repair or overboard. (I suggest looking at the ceiling that it would look better if they were over boarded)

11 spotlights call it £150
assuming 12 sockets in the kitchen/living space + 5 in basement - £50
additional fittings/cooker switches/FCU/light switches - £70
backboxes and junction boxes - £20
6mm cooker cable x 10m £20
2.5mm cable x 100m £50
1.5mm cable x 100m £40
Meter tails if required £10
Additional cabling/clips/connections £15
Bulbs - £25
If they are supplying any fancy fittings or things like USB sockets or smart bulbs, then add that to materials.

^The above include VAT but are not the lowest price you can get all this for obviously! So round that up to £500 materials and 5 man days.

Off the top of my head, £1,500-£1,750. They'll probably round up to 6 man days if there's two of them to cover their backsides, but will probably be out after two days rather than three.

This also assumes nothing particularly tricky in terms of access or routing or chasing etc. and no making good of plaster etc.

  • disclaimer: not an electrician!






V8RX7

26,820 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
SuperPav said:
Change distribution board to 16way duel split RCD. Test all existing circuits.
Isolate all cables to make safe for building works. 1 man day
  • disclaimer: not an electrician!
I saw my Sparkie do this last week - 1/2 a day


dhutch

14,317 posts

197 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Screwfix / Toolstation
Yeah, I mean, you actually could just about do.

Its £135 just for the board, £90 for 11 downlighters, £20 for 1 sockets, £45 left over for cable, pendant, switches, conduit, earth sleeve, handful of wagos, etc?

You might just about get it if use used branded budget end cheap tat, but even that's fairly borderline and knowing PH the spark has probably realised that LAP isn't going to cut it and that the little bits you dont budget for add up..


Daniel

brman

1,233 posts

109 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
SuperPav said:
Change distribution board to 16way duel split RCD. Test all existing circuits.
Isolate all cables to make safe for building works. 1 man day
  • disclaimer: not an electrician!
I saw my Sparkie do this last week - 1/2 a day
Quite likely, but if he charged less than a days labour he is not doing himself any favours.
Actually, I think SuperPav did a pretty good job of estimating especially as he claims not to be an electrician smile

I would say the orginal quote is not cheap but not excessive either. Cost is not the same as value.....

On the subject of dual RCDs vs rcbos, there are pros and cons both ways. Nothing wrong with dual rcds but can be less convenient if they trip. On the other hand single pole RCBOs do not give the same protection as a RCD so ideally you would go with dual pole RCBOs which are not so common. (or weren't when I was fitting them)

dhutch

14,317 posts

197 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
brman said:
Quite likely, but if he charged less than a days labour he is not doing himself any favours.
Actually, I think SuperPav did a pretty good job of estimating especially as he claims not to be an electrician smile

I would say the original quote is not cheap but not excessive either. Cost is not the same as value.....
This,

You can swap a board and test all circuits in half a day, if its an easy job, and you don't find anything wrong with the circuits, but if you find any fault at all you can loose half a day to that easy! I think superpav missed the actual board of the materials list.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

170 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Alucidnation said:
£300 for materials?

Please do let me know where you purchase yours from as I will open an account immediately.
Screwfix / Toolstation
Ah yes, the purveyors of quality products.

rofl

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

170 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
SuperPav said:
  • disclaimer: not an electrician!
Blatantly obvious.

sjj84

2,390 posts

219 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Doesn't sound outrageous to me. I'd be going for a full rcbo board personally, they're not that much more and it's not like it's something that needs repeating year after year. Maybe different if it was a doer up and sell job and you want the rock bottom cheapest, but not if it's your own house. Also be aware of MK, they're pulling out of the consumer unit market and so stock is being sold off cheap, you don't want to be a few years down the line and not able to get parts for it.

brman

1,233 posts

109 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
V8RX7 said:
Alucidnation said:
£300 for materials?

Please do let me know where you purchase yours from as I will open an account immediately.
Screwfix / Toolstation
Ah yes, the purveyors of quality products.

rofl
To be fair, imho CEF sell as much crap as screwfix and at least screwfix prices are not all over the place. You just have to pick and choose. But yes, pricing a job on LAP or whatever the toolstation equivalent is is silly.

brman

1,233 posts

109 months

Wednesday 26th February 2020
quotequote all
Alucidnation said:
SuperPav said:
  • disclaimer: not an electrician!
Blatantly obvious.
maybe the estimate was not up to your high standards but I think superpav did a better job that a lot of "proper" electricians I knew. So I am not sure you needed to be that condescending.