Replacing (RCD) fuse box

[Michael999]

How long would it take to replace a fuse box with a new(RCD) box?

Small 3 bed semi-detached house, with Aqualisa power showers,recently re-wired.

Why do I ask? I (upnorth) spoke to our trusted electrician who has done work for me and my familyfor the past 20 years and asked him for a price and he told me £100 for partsand 3 hours labour £100 total £200. Myson (down south) who is buying the house that needs (according to the surveyor)a new RCD unit has been quoted £350.

The price of materials is the same in the north as it is inthe south does the cost of labour vary across the country?

TIA

Mike

 

[oldtimer]

I charge £400-£500 as my theory is I would rather do 1 CU at this price than 3 for £200 each Works for me plus I remind the customer that if you want the job done right then driving the price down you will get what you pay for.

 

[Guitarist]

I think the problem here is no one wants to pay £350-£400 which is what i charge! And everyone always has that mate who does it for £200 and it doesn't get notified and no paperwork but it works so what the hell!
This is what gets my back up about our trade being a professional just dont make the difference to people!!

I think it gets ALL our backs up mate. It's pretty much the same in instrumental tuition though... I spent years in my spare time getting qualified to teach, along with thousands of pounds in lessons for myself, yet when you start talking about a professional fee, it's "only music"....

 

[1shortcircuit]

A £200 Consumer Unit upgrade?

So what are we looking at material wise?

Let's see, you can get a board for £50.00, 25mm tails for what? £26'ish so there's £76.00 in basic materials alone. So now someone is now going to spend 3 hours of their time carrying out the work. Lets say 3x£25 p/h (as I know some charge this) so another £75.00.

Now we're at £150 materials and labour.

So £50.00 pays for annual Part P registration, cost of certificate, time completing certificates and notifying work to Local Authority Building Control, Fuel and consumables?

I think not, can't see that a Part P spark who's been in the trade for £20+ years would work for such an amount.



Now then taking the garage scenario into consideration, an electrician has told you that the job will take 3 hours. So are you going to stand there with your stop watch and time him?

At the end of the day, it takes as long as it takes. The only time to worry is when additional faults are found that need rectifying at additional cost before being installed into the new CU.

 

[oldtimer]

I call this beer money CUs no questions asked and if anything goes wrong dont call me because I dont know how to fix it

 

[Guitarist]

A £200 Consumer Unit upgrade?

So what are we looking at material wise?

Let's see, you can get a board for £50.00, 25mm tails for what? £26'ish so there's £76.00 in basic materials alone. So now someone is now going to spend 3 hours of their time carrying out the work. Lets say 3x£25 p/h (as I know some charge this) so another £75.00.

Now we're at £150 materials and labour.

So £50.00 pays for annual Part P registration, cost of certificate, time completing certificates and notifying work to Local Authority Building Control, Fuel and consumables?

I think not, can't see that a Part P spark who's been in the trade for £20+ years would work for such an amount.



Now then taking the garage scenario into consideration, an electrician has told you that the job will take 3 hours. So are you going to stand there with your stop watch and time him?

At the end of the day, it takes as long as it takes. The only time to worry is when additional faults are found that need rectifying at additional cost before being installed into the new CU.

Don't forget the MCB's/RCBO's for the board mate. £50 will get you a bare-bones unit only. I pay a lot more than that for the Starbreaker units I install.

I wonder if the OP is still reading these posts

 

[StuSpiers]

you can get a fully loaded board for 50ish now.

I have no idea on quality of said board though.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-...?cm_sp=Homepage-_-Electrical-_-BGConsumerUnit

 

[Strima]

Found the BG units to be fairly good for the price. There have been problems with the screws being a little stiff and I did have one with the neutral tails for the RCDs the wrong way round but apart from that they get a thumbs up. Shame you are stuck with the populated MCBs.

 

[ipf]

has he hanged himself on a pendant?

If so, has anyone phoned 999.......I doubt it.

 

[1shortcircuit]

Don't forget the MCB's/RCBO's for the board mate. £50 will get you a bare-bones unit only. I pay a lot more than that for the Starbreaker units I install.

I wonder if the OP is still reading these posts

I was just using the cheapest price of a board that comes with a selection of MCB's, RCD's and Main switch etc just to show how little is in the job:thumbsup

It's just not worth all of the aggro for such a job. This price doesn't even reflect costs of collecting materials before hand or visits required if there were to be a return visit required.

 

[Michael999]

Prime donnes!

Some of you need some reality pills. Because you can charge someone £400 for an easy sub 5 hours work doesn't mean that you deserve it. You are not highly trained, highly qualified, doing a job that only the most intelligent can do. You all know and I know how much time and effort it takes to qualify as an electrician . . you need nothing more than average intelligence and three years part time study. Ninety percent of the population could do what you do after a few months training. Nurses need to study longer and harder, teachers need higher qualifications; you can charge what you like but if you are charging more than £30 and hour for your 'expertise' you are simply ripping off your customers. That's OK, you are not alone, I (the customer) have been ripped off many times I know it and you know it.

http://www.electriciansforums.net/electrical-courses-electrical-nvqs/11788-qualifying-domestic-installer.html

Each and everyone of my posts does not appear until it has been checked by a moderator hence it's about one a day!

 

[Guitarist]

I was just using the cheapest price of a board that comes with a selection of MCB's, RCD's and Main switch etc just to show how little is in the job:thumbsup

It's just not worth all of the aggro for such a job. This price doesn't even reflect costs of collecting materials before hand or visits required if there were to be a return visit required.

I stand corrected mate. I didn't realise they were doing units so cheaply nowadays. I only fit Crabtree, so I'm used to paying considerably more

 

[Guest123]

Prime donnes!

Some of you need some reality pills. Because you can charge someone £400 for an easy sub 5 hours work doesn't mean that you deserve it. You are not highly trained, highly qualified, doing a job that only the most intelligent can do. You all know and I know how much time and effort it takes to qualify as an electrician . . you need nothing more than average intelligence and three years part time study. Ninety percent of the population could do what you do after a few months training. Nurses need to study longer and harder, teachers need higher qualifications; you can charge what you like but if you are charging more than £30 and hour for your 'expertise' you are simply ripping off your customers. That's OK, you are not alone, I (the customer) have been ripped off many times I know it and you know it.

http://www.electriciansforums.net/electrical-courses-electrical-nvqs/11788-qualifying-domestic-installer.html

Each and everyone of my posts does not appear until it has been checked by a moderator hence it's about one a day!

I'm a fairly easy going bloke hence my super mod position as I dont take sides, treat everyone fairly and view each and every post with completely neutral point of view.

You sir have just boiled my **** beyond measurement with your totally uneducated comments!!!!!

I cannot comment further as I will end up being banned myself, you have not a clue about my industry, the initial and ongoing training I have to do to stay abreast of current regs, the endless stream of outgoing monies on the aforementioned courses, office costs, vehicle costs, constantly fluctuating material costs......the list is endless.

I hope you choose to go with your £200 CU upgrade and when the time comes to put that CU upgrade right after the cowboy that did it for £200 has disappeared of the face of the earth I hope there isn't a spark with 300 miles that will come to your aid.

Good day!:30:

 

[ipf]

Prime donnes!

Some of you need some reality pills. Because you can charge someone £400 for an easy sub 5 hours work doesn't mean that you deserve it. You are not highly trained, highly qualified, doing a job that only the most intelligent can do. You all know and I know how much time and effort it takes to qualify as an electrician . . you need nothing more than average intelligence and three years part time study. Ninety percent of the population could do what you do after a few months training. Nurses need to study longer and harder, teachers need higher qualifications; you can charge what you like but if you are charging more than £30 and hour for your 'expertise' you are simply ripping off your customers. That's OK, you are not alone, I (the customer) have been ripped off many times I know it and you know it.

http://www.electriciansforums.net/electrical-courses-electrical-nvqs/11788-qualifying-domestic-installer.html

Each and everyone of my posts does not appear until it has been checked by a moderator hence it's about one a day!

Don't call me a kebab you piece of sausage.

 

[trev]

Well said Lenny, you beat me and probably a lot of others to it. I don't think there's anything to add to that mate. Except to point out to the OP that it's spelt Prima Donna.

 

[telectrix]

apparently, the time taken to qualify as an airline pilot is considerably less than that for an electrician. when you consider rest stops and permitted flying times of an airline pilot, they are on around £100/hour.