Is this price fair?

[cronshd]

Hi (this is my first post)

We are having a lot fo work done on our house which includes electrical work - which our main building contractor manages by pulling in the trades with the guys he works with on projects like this.

I am continually amazed at the cost of the electrics.

here is one example:

Supply, wire and fit 12LV downlights - £960 ecxcl VAT.

Is that about right?

I keep feeling I've been a bit naive because the electrics, including VAT is now >£14k - which seems a massive amount - and that excludes some of the fittings eg in the hallway and dining pendants which we are expected to get ourselves.

How do I challenge this? Or is it the going rate?

(This is in the Home Counties).

Thanks, D.

 

[cronshd]

In all reality, If the additional work was not put in writing and no prices agreed then it is down to you to negotiate a price for it.

My suggestion as a starting point is to ask to see the invoices for the additional materials and make an offer to pay for them. You then have the labour for the additional work to deal with. If you know the time spent on the extra work and can agree an hourly/day rate with the spark. If you feel the builder has neglected his duty as the go between between you and your electrical contractor then you have a good case for not paying him.

Thanks Electromonkey, good idea - yes I will try this tomorrow and see what happens. I am not sure how long the work so far has taken - I can only recall about 4-5 days when the electrician has been on site. (This is part of what has been a 6 month project - so as you can guess the Grand Total is a {insert appropriate adjective} scary.......and keeps me awake. In some ways I wish we had not started it - although I'm sure when it has completed it will be great......

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

Not had time to digest it all but when I see "extend cables to new consumer unit £250" I smell a rat, if the consumer unit is in the same place or within a metre??, your looking at a few adaptable boxes, crimps, £20 in cable and a Few hours work if your any good

 

[Octopus]

If be asking the builder how much margin he's putting on the electricians bills - i.e. sparky bills builder £500, builder adds 30%, you get billed £714.00!!

 

[Geoffsd]

Originally Posted by Geoffsd

Having now read the list, it seems to me that it is more a list of individual jobs -
i.e. if you had to go and do any one job the price doesn't look too bad.

However you do not seem to have any discount for bulk.

As I said above though some accessories are really expensive.

Anyone else here think that these prices don't look too bad??? ...didn't think so!!!!

Read again and see if you can understand what I meant.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

Send for Dominic Littlewood & Melinda Messenger!

 

[Engineer54]

Read again and see if you can understand what I meant.

I understand what you meant Geoff, but even as individual jobs most come out way OTT, in fact there is no real reasoning between the lower and higher individual prices in this breakdown. It would have been better from the very start of this project, if they had agreed a unit price for each type of utilisation point ...ie switch point, power point, light point, ...etc, even if relating only to any extra works requested during construction period.

I know what you are talking about on the discount you mentioned too, ...that has clearly never been the intention, to give this to client at any stage!!

I believe 6K was the original price for the electrical work on this extension. New build so a doddle to wire 1st fix, and little to no making good on 2nd fix!! Now how many complete rewires of say 2 bed roomed houses can be had for that 6K?? I'd say at least two, and that's with all the hassles of chasing out, making good, etc,etc!!
So even the original 6K was OTT before they really started going to town on the client, with these relatively few extras by wanting to double the existing price.

 

[KFH]

I agree with Geofsd. Each item on its own looks OK if a one off job but when part of a complete installation it does look very overpriced. We would need to know the price of the accessories to give an accurate answer. Depending on the accessory they can work out very expensive. I was quoted £260 for a particular consumer unit that had to be special order, needless to say I went for the £110 equivalent from the same manuacturer.

If the accessories are special order there may be a lot of time spent ordering and poicking them up which you won't see. But £16,000 for 5 days on site does appear steep no matter how well the job is being done.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

I believe 6K was the original price for the electrical work on this extension. New build so a doddle to wire 1st fix, and little to no making good on 2nd fix!! Now how many complete rewires of say 2 bed roomed houses can be had for that 6K?? I'd say at least two, and that's with all the hassles of chasing out, making good, etc,etc!!
So even the original 6K was OTT before they really started going to town on the client, with these relatively few extras by wanting to double the existing price.

I am with Engineer54 on this.

Overall I'd say the builder has put between 80% and 100% markup.
As mentioned before try and have a sneaky chat with the sparky and make it clear you have no problem with what he has done.

Maybe you could take a picture of the downlights that are fitted, it would be interesting to see what are fitted, do they have expensive osram LED's fitted?

 

[Voltimax]

I always like to hear both side of the story before I comment
Saves me getting the brown end of the stick. Though I will say it looks like the op is getting a raw deal.
Not having a go at the op in any way, but I hate it when the customer thinks that when extras come up, they'll be covered in the original price.

 

[bozobro0]

Cronshd,at the end of the day you are the one that holds the monies,if you are not happy with a price then you have to have it out with the builder,and im hoping that you have withheld monies.It is difficult sometimes to question people,incase you end up falling out and i dont think you want to fall out with you builder.He is working for you,you are paying him,he does not want monies being held back at the end of his job.If i was you i would confront him ASAP,if he doesnt like it,so be it.

 

[alarm man]

Do forget we're talking home counties here, probably a contractor with premises so the costs will be higher than a sole trader, plus they have VAT too.

who's doing it..balfour's?:icon9:

 

[bozobro0]

What about the idea of having a couple of quotes done for the electrics by others in the local area to give an idea what would be charged.You would prob have to pay for the quotes but at least you would have other quotes to show the builder,and then question his figures.(Just a thought)..Rather be a couple of hundred quid down than a few grand overpriced.

 

[telectrix]

certainly giving him a beatty

 

[JamesBrownLive]

Send for Dominic Littlewood & Melinda Messenger!

You're half right

 

[Des 56]

This guy, is getting well and truly shafted, by the either the electrician, the builder or Both!!!

That iss a straight to the point opinion, and for its worth I expect, and am probably correct,that shafted is an understatement