Is this a reasonable quote for a couple of jobs?

[midiman]

Hi,

I need to get some work done so that I can get an electrical safety certificate for property.

I called in an Electrician and he suggested that I need to do the following;

1. Replace old fuse box with Consumer unit (£350)
2. Upgrade Gas and Water main earthing and bonding (£90)
3. Upgrading to all switched sockets and lights (£100)
4. Replace bathroom light with a dome fitting type (£60)
5. Installation condition report (£100)

Would you say that these are reasonable prices?

I'm not sure what amount of work needs to be done for some of them.

1. (Ok) Seems ok?
2. (Unsure) Is this a quick job?
3. (Unsure) I thought everything was switched. Maybe he means making sure that everything is earthed and the wiring is all sorted.
4. (Unsure) Is this just a case of changing the cover? Or wiring the light all in?
5. (Ok) Seems to be the normal price for most reports.

Thanks

 

[Andy78]

No idea what item three means. Item four sounds about right. The rest of it sounds far too cheap, cheap enough to be worried about the quality of work.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I call that a fair price ,wait around for a bus full of sparks will say different.

 

[Charlie_]

Are you actually getting this work done or are you checking out what you have told someone and subsequently trying to charge them?

 

[NDG Elecs]

Hi,

Firstly there is no such thing as an electrical safety certificate. Electricians issue certificates for carrying out work and can also carry out an EICR which is a report not a certificate.

It is really hard to say whether those quotes are reasonable, they certainly don't seem expensive. I would do number 5 first though myself, but £100 is not a reasonable amount unless we are talking about a one bedroom flat. My minimum rate for an EICR is £130. Any less than that and corners are probably being cut. If your board is replaced then I don't see a need for a EICR so soon afterwards.

 

[midiman]

I guess that some people work for whatever they can afford to in order to get the work. And I'm ok with that as long as it conforms to the standards of the electrical regs.

What I would like to know is what amount of work has to go into some of the above in order to justify what I have been quoted. So I can see if the cost is reasonable and I am not being taken advantage of.

For example
The bonding job could be a 10 minute change of two wires for all I know or it could be something that takes over 1 hour.

Thanks

 

[midiman]

Are you actually getting this work done or are you checking out what you have told someone and subsequently trying to charge them?

Hi Charlie, I will be getting this work done if the prices are reasonable.

I decided to get someone in after we talked about the lack of earth in my lighting switch the other night on here.

I need to get most of the above done in order to bring the place up to spec and get the instillation report.

Thanks

 

[Charlie_]

Over the last however many years you have been asking questions on how to do loads of jobs in your house..
What did he think to the consumer unit you installed for your home lab?
And didn’t you already upgrade your light switches?

 

[Charlie_]

I think you are plying your trade as an electrician and using this forum as a back up for what you are struggling with

 

[MJPD29]

I'm not sure what all of it is but it is too cheap I'd say if be questioning the standard of work and whay sort or consumer unit is going in

 

[Andy78]

I guess that some people work for whatever they can afford to in order to get the work. And I'm ok with that as long as it conforms to the standards of the electrical regs.

When it comes to cheap work you, as the customer, wouldn't necesarilly know if it complied or not. Test results can be faked, inspections can be skimmed over and invented.

If a customer asked me my opinion on those prices I'd reckon it was not an electrician that quoted and probably some chancer.

 

[Charlie_]

Definitely chancer!

And the chancery has even got the cheek to come on here and check out his prices

 

[midiman]

Over the last however many years you have been asking questions on how to do loads of jobs in your house..
What did he think to the consumer unit you installed for your home lab?
And didn’t you already upgrade your light switches?

Have you been smoking something? What has an old post about a lab got to do with anything that I am asking?

I'm hardly going to be doing the work myself and asking what needs to go into it and asking if the prices are reasonable.

Thanks i'll just get a comparison from another company.

 

[midiman]

When it comes to cheap work you, as the customer, wouldn't necesarilly know if it complied or not. Test results can be faked, inspections can be skimmed over and invented.

If a customer asked me my opinion on those prices I'd reckon it was not an electrician that quoted and probably some chancer.

That's why I am asking.

But what if they were an approved NICEIC contractor and on the register. Surely that means something?

 

[Toneyz]

You are paying for the electrician's knowledge and expertise as well as "just a 10-minute job" installing some bonding cables.