Is this quote out of line?

[FatBeagle]

So I got a quote for some electrical work in my detached garage.

The work is as follows:

Proposal: $1,791.00 (One Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-One Dollars)

For this amount (name of contractor withheld) will provide all labor and material to install a new 20 circuit panel in garage (120/240v), feed with 80a breaker from house panel, run new wire through existing conduit sleeve from house to garage, refeed 3 existing circuits in the garage, add 3 new 20a GFI circuits in garage, add 1 50a 240v outlet for air compressor, add 1 30a 240v outlet for welder, energize, and test all outlets.


That seems like a lot of money to me compared to things I've had done in the past. What do you guys think?

 

[kmkalf]

How far is the distance from panel to panel? Location? How far are the circuits going to be from the new panel?
To me that may not sound bad at all depending on how much materials are needed and is the garage drywalled? Open? A lot can affect prices

 

[malibu101]

What is the complexity (length of runs, locations to work through, etc. ?) of adding 3 new circuits, and length of the 80A feeder?
That can make a large difference in labor. More hours and materials equals more money.

 

[Falcon67]

Figure $500~600 parts, rest labor -say two 8 hr days - thats $75/hr labor.

 

[FatBeagle]

The run through the conduit is 15'-20' max. He wants to put the panel right where it comes in which is fine. The garage is totally open. Studs. Nothing to work around. I wanted the compressor and welder plugs on the other side of the 24' garage but if it's cheaper, they can be right by the sub panel. I need to get this quote down quite a bit. I can get by without adding the 3 new GFI circuits.

 

[uncletater]

Sounds fair to me.

 

[sublimate]

Sounds fair to me.

ditto

 

[buddyboy]

700 for parts
91 for permit
500 per day for labor and brains
job done in 2 days for 1791

or you can do it yourself

900 for parts
200 for tools
91 for permit
185 re inspection after first fail
job done in one month for 1376

 

[Modern Jess]

If this is something you're skilled at and could do yourself, that's a lot of money.

If not, that's a bargain.

 

[CNGsaves]

Sounds like detached garage ?? So your "sleeve" is buried conduit between the two buildings??

What about ground rods at both house and detached garage??

Other grounding items need brought up to code like water pipe grounding??

For VT, that's likely going rate. Sounds like lots of things you can do yourself if garage is wide open studs.

 

[themiller]

For IL - seems inexpensive.

 

[FatBeagle]

I may be looking into doing it myself. I have a couple electrician friends but they aren't close by anymore.

Or I need to **** it up and save some more money.

 

[buddyboy]

if where you live allows homeowners to do the work themselves then you should look into it, especially if you have buddies that are electricians.

lot's of info and videos on the net, get advice here and from your friends

then call your building dept and get permits and talk to the inspector and let him know your plan and get guidance from him.


check out the electrical and lighting area on this site

good luck

 

[rburke65]

I think that today...2014.... that does not, to me, seem out of line.

 

[Scott r c]

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[jimindm]

if where you live allows homeowners to do the work themselves then you should look into it, especially if you have buddies that are electricians.

lot's of info and videos on the net, get advice here and from your friends

then call your building dept and get permits and talk to the inspector and let him know your plan and get guidance from him.


check out the electrical and lighting area on this site

good luck

That is pretty good advise. The only part I would say though is to talk to the inspector about what wire size you should use. If that is what he wants to see, that is what you will have to use.

I have done this a couple of times at my home. The inspector was really great to work with.

 

[Conner]

Electricians (and plumbers) are expensive. They are skilled and that's the market. Your quote seems fair to reasonable to me.

 

[Whitworth]

What you're describing is a fair amount of heavy gauge wire for the welder and compressor, plus everything else for the sub panel. About $1000 in materials wouldn't surprise me from the Borg.

If the remainder of the quote is worth the labor and frustration of DIY, then it's fair or even a bargain.

Gary

 

[CT2012]

honestly that sounds about right. at least several hundred+ for parts and a couple of days labor with 1-2 guys. i presume they're real electricians--licensed, bonded, insured, have all the requisite tools and vehicles, etc.?

 

[PCustoms]

I'll trade you my $9k for a 75' run of 300A 480v line.

 

[CT2012]

^^ ouch. that hurts my back as well as my checkbook thinking about it.

 

[justin1795]

the labor is what kills you. theres probly some markup on the parts.

 

[kelpaso1]

Figure $500~600 parts, rest labor -say two 8 hr days - thats $75/hr labor.

700 for parts
91 for permit
500 per day for labor and brains
job done in 2 days for 1791

or you can do it yourself

900 for parts
200 for tools
91 for permit
185 re inspection after first fail
job done in one month for 1376

Are you kidding? That is a small job that can easily be done in 4-6 hours by an experienced electrician.

The OP would be better off installing all the outlets and running the wire himself and just have the electrician hook it all up.

 

[FatBeagle]

^ I agree

 

[kelpaso1]

700 for parts
91 for permit
500 per day for labor and brains
job done in 2 days for 1791

or you can do it yourself

900 for parts
200 for tools
91 for permit
185 re inspection after first fail
job done in one month for 1376

1- $900 for a pannel, beakers, some wire and box's and receptacles is no where near a thousand dollars.

2- $200 for what tools????? A drill and a 1/2-3/4 bit is all that's needed.

 

[Builder302]

Seems maybe 500 high based on what I seen. But been a couple years since I priced anything.

 

[unsinkable]

EVERYTHING is more expensive now. Materials, insurance, licensing etc.
Sounds reasonable with factors given.
I always find it amusing that people will get a "buddy" who's a backyard mechanic to work on their cars for 50 or 60 bucks an hour instead of the one hundred plus a dealer charges, then they think that a licensed tradesman charging 75 an hour is outrageous !
4 YEARS AND AN 8 to 10 THOUSAND hr apprenticeship...
You can always find someone to do it cheaper, but the threshold should remain at "qualified".
Don't get me wrong, I have certainly shaken the **** out of the money tree with my build, and I understand things are tight, get some more quotes, hire who feels good.
Don't forget to check for current insurance binder too.
Good Luck !

 

[NUTTSGT]

Knowing what a few other guys locally have paid recently to have a new service put into their houses and guessing that your cost of living up there is more than here, I'm not surprised at the quote.

 

[rockwithjason]

that's about what I get.

 

[smokejumper71]

That sounds pretty good. I am just getting my done now. 26X42 with 100a breaker 20 ft away. i had to dig trench to the it and drill all holes throughout the garage. I am running 8 banks of lighting for $2000.00. The other bid i got was $5700.00!

 

[andys]

The best way to find out is to get two more quotes. Remember that he is doing this to turn a profit beyond his fixed costs. If you are unsure then you need to compare his apples with a few other apples.

I consider if my time can be spent earning more than the extra cost of someone else's time. If the contractor costs 500 more than me buying materials but I can take two working days and either earn money or get something else done in that time, it's worth it.

 

[Scott r c]

Are you kidding? That is a small job that can easily be done in 4-6 hours by an experienced electrician.

The OP would be better off installing all the outlets and running the wire himself and just have the electrician hook it all up.

Maybe you should go knock it out in 4 to 6. I bet it takes at least 1.5 days

 

[TexasT]

x2 on get at least two more quotes. And ask the first guy to sharpen his estimating pencil.

 

[FatBeagle]

I am working on getting other quotes. One guy sounded so old that he could have been working with Edison back in the day. Left a message with another guy and waiting to hear back on a revised quote from the first place.

I'm obviously no expert or I'd do it myself, but I don't see how this amount of work could take more than 1 day.

 

[gbh]

The electricians and plumbers where my house is located are like smaller versions of Linda Evangelista and don't out of bed for less than a couple of thousand dollars.
Getting more than one quote? I hope you have plenty of spare time for people to make and break appointments.

 

[kelpaso1]

Maybe you should go knock it out in 4 to 6. I bet it takes at least 1.5 days

Well I am no electrician and I did basically the exact same as the OP except the panel was already in the garage. Yes it did take me a good day and a half to do but an experienced electrician should be able to knock that job out in less than a day.

I guess the other thing is, nobody has asked if the garage is finished. Is there insulation and drywall up? If so that would defiantly make it a 2 or more day job.

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I really wonder why you are asking here. No one here has seen the job and many here are DIY'ers. Get a couple more quotes from electricians or from an apprentice that moonlights.

 

[FatBeagle]

I really wonder why you are asking here. No one here has seen the job and many here are DIY'ers. Get a couple more quotes from electricians or from an apprentice that moonlights.

I'm asking here because many here have more experience with this stuff than I do. My expertise is in a different field than electrical. I'm really not sure why the snarky response was necessary.

 

[Ross/Kzoo]

I didn't mean it as "snarky". I couldn't imagine getting just one quote for something I wasn't familiar with. And like I said before no one on this board has seen your circumstances which could affect the price.

 

[CoopVA]

I'd charge you $1500 minimum...

The quote you got is reasonable... Get a couple more quotes though to give you piece of mind.

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