Lighting Help?

[Passat]

I am having an attached garage that is being built with my new home, it is a 22x20. I have asked the builder the cost of (7) T8 four foot dual lamp units in the garage. I also asked for 3 switches to group the lighting.

He came back with a quote of $1100, does this seem reasonable? What else do I need to ask him? Types of lights? etc.?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Lloydthumper]

I don't have many things contracted out I try to do them myself but that seems high to me. I just bought some 8ft 4 bulb t8 fixtures and paid about $40 each for them and I think the 4ft fixtures were like $25 each. If you have a general contractor doing it your paying him plus paying the electrician he is hiring I would call an electrician myself and ask him I am guessing the electrician would charge. about $600-$700 to do it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Majeztic]

$750.00-$900.00.

Don't forget the cost of the bulbs, outlet box, switches, wire, clamp connectors, conduit, and time/travel to pick up materials.

Ask your contractor what the labor price would be if you supplied all the materials. Depending on your situation, labor should be around 3-5 hours or $225.00-$375.00. Materials with a mark-up would be around $525.00.

 

[boiler7904]

Ask him the price to rough everything in and then trim it out yourself.

Why so many lights? My garage is the same size and 7 8 footers would be way too much. I'd look at 8 4 footers or maybe 4 8 footers. Should be a cost savings there.

 

[Passat]

Thanks, I can only use 4' sections due to the way beams run in the ceilings. And thanks to everyones help I am going to due 5 units, I think the 7 was a little more than I really needed.

 

[DynoDave]

I just bought some 8ft 4 bulb t8 fixtures and paid about $40 each for them and I think the 4ft fixtures were like $25 each.

Would you mind sharing your source for these?

My local electrical supply house is quoting me about $150 per fixture for 8ft. 4 bulb T8 fixtures.

 

[the dude]

Would you mind sharing your source for these?

My local electrical supply house is quoting me about $150 per fixture for 8ft. 4 bulb T8 fixtures.

Our local Home Depot sells them for about $58 but all the lighting/electrical places sell a better ballast for less money, around $52. The bulbs are extra and no reflector.

I have 8 on one side of a 28x30 and would like another 6 for the other side.

 

[Skinny_Blinky]

Would you mind sharing your source for these?

My local electrical supply house is quoting me about $150 per fixture for 8ft. 4 bulb T8 fixtures.

I found commercial grade, fast start, cold start, 8 footers with two bulbs each at Lowes and Home Depot for $48 each, then the bulbs. T8 is the only way to go.....I installed 12 of them (total) in 3 bays to cover a 40' span. The two bulb fixtures serve me well from a 14' ceiling height.

 

[Skinny_Blinky]

I am having an attached garage that is being built with my new home, it is a 22x20. I have asked the builder the cost of (7) T8 four foot dual lamp units in the garage. I also asked for 3 switches to group the lighting.

He came back with a quote of $1100, does this seem reasonable? What else do I need to ask him? Types of lights? etc.?

Thanks for the help.

In my opinon it's too high.

I'd figure about $35 - 40$ per fixture including bulbs = $280 (I mean these are 4' fixtures, not 8 footers)

Wire, switches, boxes, and any junctions will vary with specific configuration, say maybe $75 for a roll of wire, and another $40 for parts. = $115 - $125.

Labor... $250. Figure one 8 hour day at $30 per hour.

I'd have expected more like $500 - $600. The mobilization for getting the material should be part of his daily coming and going in my opinion.

 

[boiler7904]

Labor... $250. Figure one 8 hour day at $30 per hour.

The OP didn't say if it was union labor or not but my guess is that the electrician is being billed at way more than $30 an hour. In the area that I work, a union electrician is making a base wage of 36.50 an hour. Benefits add another 21.38 bringing you up to $57.88 before anyone marks his wage up. By the time it's all said and done he's easily getting billed out at $80+ an hour. Most non-union electricians are at the same rate because of prevailing wage laws in Illinois.

 

[timgr]

The cheap T8 fixtures at HD come with a cord and plug. Even if you get the better fixtures, wiring them with a 3-prong plug is no great feat. Maybe you'd want to ask the electrician not to hang the lights for you, and just run the switched outlets to the rafter locations next to where you'd hang the lights. Might keep your costs down.

I know you-all are down on the cheap Lithonia fixtures from China, but they are so inexpensive ($9.85 ea) that you can afford to replace quite a few of them before you equal the cost of the quality fixtures.