# Bidding Jobs With Today's Material Costs



## airgrabber (Jul 12, 2006)

Can someone lead me in the right direction for bidding a house with today's high material costs and fuel prices. I use to charge 22.00 a hole or 3.75 per sq. foot. What are you guys doing now?


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## Bob Kovacs (May 4, 2005)

Figure out your actual cost with today's material pricing "per hole" or "per SF" if that's the way you want to do your bids. Then put a disclaimer on the proposal that the quote is valid for 1, 3, 5, 15, or whatever number of days you feel comfortable with.

My electrical quotes as of late have been carrying a disclaimer of "at time of contract award, prices will be updated based on the current cost of materials at the time of award".

Bob


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Figure what you were charging when prices were at a sane level. Then adjust according to the rate of price difference. It can be a crap shoot.


$22 a hole?!?!? I have been at or over $40 for years. 
What is your location?


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## Peladu (Jan 8, 2006)

$22 a hole?

Hey I will give you $25 a hole if you want to do a job in Chicago.

The guys here are around $45 a hole.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

The last quote from my electrician was $4.75 + fixtures and features (smoke detectors, etc.). Of course, Oklahoma prices...and he said it is subject to change as stuff is still getting higher.


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## airgrabber (Jul 12, 2006)

*bids*

Thanks for the help guys. I'm located in Wisconsin. It sounds like my prices are from 1980.LOL:laughing:


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## McElectric (Mar 13, 2006)

Here in Northern California in the Sacramento Valley, I.ve been getting $5 a foot regularly. The cost of fuel and wire is going crazy. I switched to summer rates in June.


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## mdcorreia (May 21, 2006)

airgrabber said:


> Can someone lead me in the right direction for bidding a house with today's high material costs and fuel prices. I use to charge 22.00 a hole or 3.75 per sq. foot. What are you guys doing now?


I am at $60.00 per opening and rising - arc fault, permit, fixtures, etc. other than standard devices are extra.
Insure that you keep the very low guy busy with jobs you don`t want. I say to the customer `I am extremely busy but give so, so a call.`
I agree with others, regardless where you live - 22, 30, 35 was 20 years ago.


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## Electromotive24 (Aug 4, 2006)

*Holes?*



Speedy Petey said:


> Figure what you were charging when prices were at a sane level. Then adjust according to the rate of price difference. It can be a crap shoot.
> 
> 
> $22 a hole?!?!? I have been at or over $40 for years.
> What is your location?


What do you mean by holes. I have never heard of this way of bidding I have always bid sq ft Price


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Well, those are the two schools of though. Both wind up being close to the same in the end. 

I charge a certain amount for each "opening". A three gang box for instance is three openeings. Each receptacle, switch, 3-way, GFI, etc is a set price. Lay out the job and count up the devices. Then do the math.

Sq/ft pricing, from what I have seen, is a bare minimum job for a set price per sq. ft.. Sometimes CATV, phone, LAN, are included for certain areas. 
After this all the extras start. Dimmers, added receptacles, fixture installs, added light outlets, recessed cans, etc. 
So the $2-$3 a sq/ft many guys are charging winds up being the $5-$6 a sq/ft a real job costs. 

What I don't like is for smaller houses you make less money. A small house with one kitchen, laundry, and garage is way less than a large house with one kitchen, etc. for instance.

Until I started coming to boards like this a few years ago I had never heard of sq/ft pricing either. When I heard the description of how it was done I thought it was the stupidest way of pricing, but I found out those who use it can make it work for themselves.

I _do_ figure a final "move-in" sq/ft price for the houses I do, just for comparison. This way I can guestimate prices for folks building similar homes without having to do a complete work up.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Speedy Petey said:


> I _do_ figure a final "move-in" sq/ft price for the houses I do, just for comparison. This way I can guestimate prices for folks building similar homes without having to do a complete work up.


This is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself. Speedy is doing a really good thing for himself. In business, they call this "job costing" or "job cost analysis". After you finish a given job, do some math and figure things like how much it actually cost you per hole and how much it cost you per square foot to do the work. You can even figure certain other things like how much it cost you to build the service, wire the basement, etc (if you remember to track the time for these tasks) for "unit pricing". Keeping track of this stuff on past jobs will help you tremendously in preparing future estimates. 

Consequently, I don't know how guys can wire a house for 2-3 bucks a foot. I know many do, but like Speedy, I seem to be consistantly in the 5-6 dollar a square foot range when all is said and done. Sometimes more. I guess 2 bucks a square foot versus 6 bucks a square foot is the difference between "adequate" and "nice".


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## Electromotive24 (Aug 4, 2006)

Thanks I will try looking at it that way. How do you go about getting in with new construction on houses. I am trying right now got all the paper work handled put my bid in but that is only because the builder called me how do i look for more work. I have tryed calling other builders and asking them but most have already got electricians. Wondering if there was a way to tell when new jobs are opening are how most of you got started good. I hopeing it will blow up for me but Iam just now starting. Advice anyone?


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Electromotive24 said:


> How do you go about getting in with new construction on houses...Advice anyone?


You may find, as many electricians have, that new construction is low margin work. Look more for remodeling contractors and advertise for service work. I find the margins higher on this type of work. Often, builders tell you what they pay for new work rather than you telling them what you charge. 

I just find new construction a lot of 'rush-rush' for not too much cash. If you feel you need or want that type of work, starting putting your face (physically) in front of builders. Remember, many GC's aren't in the phone book. You might have to drive around, trawling jobsites looking for the man in charge. Keep your eyes peeled...


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