Book times for chopping boxes in walls

[stimpy]

Evening,

Anyone know the book/industry times for chopping 1g & 2g 35mm back boxes in concrete block and then fixing . All using power tools.

I know how long it would take me! But will be subbies... My luckins doesnt list it and my old spons only has chopping by hand times which I reckon my mum could do quicker...

TIA

 

[stimpy]

ive just re read op.

would be worth booking at least 1.5times how long it would take you.

some subbies wont go as quick as you yourself would

Yes, my biggest concern/ interest was in 'walking time and scratching your arse time' with subbies. It seems that with book methods folk are generally adding 15/20% to labour for this and break time on total labour. Then plus profit.

 

[stimpy]

I have to say guys, some of you are really takin the urine. You're trying to look at this from the perspective of what you do/ how you do it on the various jobs you work on. This query has nowt to do with that directly. This is the sort of stuff which allows a job to turn a profit or deliver a loss, and too many of the latter and it's no jobs for the boys.
A perfectly sensible question and some right leery answers.

Atlast!! Thank you for reading this post and not jumping to a completely irrelevant answer!!

This project is between £350/£400k. The largest I've done is £60k but with open book + %. So I have to get it at least nearly right!! Or I'm proper fooked....

it was a simple question.

 

[Richard Burns]

I hate to say this and I am not trying to be difficult,or anything like that, but you have a book with prices, this does not include chopping out boxes, therefore there is no book price for chopping out boxes.
What you would have to do is apply an average from similar jobs (or a maximum form similar jobs!) so if cutting a floor to ceiling chase is priced then charge the same for chopping out a box, or assume it takes half the time and charge that way. This may mean that you do not win the project, which can be very disheartening after all the work, but at least you may then try a lower rate for boxes. Experience counts for all unfortunately and you will just have to try.
Good luck.

 

[stimpy]

I hate to say this and I am not trying to be difficult,or anything like that, but you have a book with prices, this does not include chopping out boxes, therefore there is no book price for chopping out boxes.
What you would have to do is apply an average from similar jobs (or a maximum form similar jobs!) so if cutting a floor to ceiling chase is priced then charge the same for chopping out a box, or assume it takes half the time and charge that way. This may mean that you do not win the project, which can be very disheartening after all the work, but at least you may then try a lower rate for boxes. Experience counts for all unfortunately and you will just have to try.
Good luck.

Haha...

one of them does but they're unbelievable and its dated. There are other " programs" and references that one can purchase but that's not for me at this stage. Tbh it was just a quick question and the box chopping which we probably won't be doing anyway is such a minute part - I honestly never really expected this sort of bull**** over such a small subject. I'd just thought someone may know or some estimators from bigger firms may chime in... Quick q, quick answer....

Aware of the experience factor, but thanks, just nice to get a sensible post.

 

[Dcf]

I have both luckins and spons books and Richard is right there isn't prices for cutting in boxes / raggles.
i would say that to cut into hard block and fix a box to a decent standard takes between 20 and 30 minutes
soft block between 10-15 minutes.
most bill of quantities I've done have Chasing/raggles as a PC sum item.
ive also lost a few where I've allowed say 500 quid for raggling and other contractors have put "by main contractor"
the surveyor hasn't picked it up and then found my competitors 500 quid cheaper than me,until they start on site and tell them the bulder is to do the cutting out.
maybe just price it say using a second year apprentice ( if you have one) for how many weeks the 1st fix take x overheads x profit / how many linear metres and boxes there is to cut in to give you a rate
i wouldn't over anylyse it tbh.
i came into possession of a bill of quantities of a 50k job by 2 different teams
one had high PC and spot item rates vs low unit rates, the other had lower PC and spot item rates vs higher unit rates.......
there was about 1k between them.