Why so big a difference in price?

[steve_jones]

Hi All,

Just wanted anyone's views on why electricians prices are so different, had a few quotes for wiring in a kitchen, quotes came in at:

£1200
£950 (reduced to £850 when I questioned it)
£460

Went with the £460, did a great job, safety certificate the lot. I know none of you will have seen the job in question but how do people quote up for jobs and why the vast difference?

 

[Nigel]

I will gaurentee the £460 was not qualified.

Why would you go with such a cheap price when the other two are quite close? Surely this would ring alarm bells.

 

[Andy78]

Depends on the specification and work entailed, I have done very simple kitchen fits for the low price and for well over the top price.
Depends on business model and overheads which are different for each company.
Depends on the materials used. There are sometimes quite large differences in price and also quality.
There also some electricians that are great at their job but useless at business and work for peanuts.

 

[Dave OCD]

I'd like to see a picture or two of the job but maybe it wasn't that much work and the guy who did it was on the ball and not greedy?

 

[Pete999]

Rip off Merchant trying it on
Hoping to con you
Got a pic of the certificate we can have a look at? what was the extent of the work, how many sockets, lights, cooker points, bonding OK? was rge Bloke that won the work a CP Scheme member ( NICEIC, NAPIT etc) any part P notification to LABC?

 

[Andy78]

Oh, I've also seen a cheap kitchen fit where the certificate was bogus, all the results were invented, and none of the basic safety requirements were added but later needed to be at a cost of several hundreds extra.

 

[Octopus]

What was the scope of work?

The price differences could simply be the first 2 have lots of work and the 3rd had no work!

AND how did you pay? cash? BACs?

 

[GMES]

Steve you need to come back with some answers to the questions asked and then maybe the guys can give you a few answers, pictures are also useful.

 

[The Ghost]

It's the nature of a free market surely?

 

[Octopus]

This previous thread by the OP is probably a reasonable idea of the requirement:

Help needed - Kitchen fit (Electrician costs)??? - https://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/threads/help-needed-kitchen-fit-electrician-costs.133747/

 

[peterhyper]

Maybe Doctor Who was having his tardis rewired and had gone back to 1973 so got a cheaper quote.

 

[Adam W]

There's no set rates for electrical work (or any other building work), just as there could have been different costs involved. There's no saying they were even quoting for exactly the same work to be done.

Each of the electricians would have been a separate business; it could be that you've got a bargain, or it could be you get what you pay for.

What is certain is that if something goes wrong you'll have to go back to the electrician who you paid - you can't decide you've lost faith in them and expect someone else to come along and pick up the pieces for free.

 

[steve_jones]

Thanks for the replies, the work consisted of:

-Move a couple of light switch down 10 cm.
-Move power socket behind unit for dish washer.
-Make new socket for extractor fan.
-Make new socket for washing machine in the utility.
-Replace all sockets and switch faces (I have bought already)
-Place 6 down lights in the celling. (basic white - supply and fit)
-Upgrade cooker as 16A required
-Wiring in under cupboard and plinth lighting (not supply)

Took him one whole day for first fix and a few hours for second, I'd say 10 hours in total.

 

[peterhyper]

There's no set rates for electrical work (or any other building work), just as there could have been different costs involved. There's no saying they were even quoting for exactly the same work to be done.

Each of the electricians would have been a separate business; it could be that you've got a bargain, or it could be you get what you pay for.

What is certain is that if something goes wrong you'll have to go back to the electrician who you paid - you can't decide you've lost faith in them and expect someone else to come along and pick up the pieces for free.

I would more likely believe the chap who recently emailed me from Nigeria offering me a million pounds if I transferred some money for him than believing what the Doctor says.

 

[steve_jones]

I paid the bloke cash, he runs his own business just himself, had a smart van with professional artwork on the side and fully registered.

The kitchen fitter recommend him and said he has worked on many building sites with him. I should think £460 for 10 hours work is a decent rate, minus the cabling and downlights he's easy made at least £350. £35 an hour seems reasonable for an electrician, or is £70 or £110 a more reasonable rate like the other chancers?