# light pole base estimating



## nailamatic (Nov 10, 2009)

I recently did a job and lost on it. It was 13 light pole bases for a parking lot. I had to drill the holes, tie and set the rebar, set the sonotubes, pour them out and wrecked them. The electrical contractor that I subbed out from rented the equipment. My material was around $3200 and my labor was $2600. He is saying that is too much. That is no mark up on materials either. Can anyone help me on figuring the cost? What is the going rate per hole?


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

nailamatic said:


> I recently did a job and lost on it. It was 13 light pole bases for a parking lot. I had to drill the holes, tie and set the rebar, set the sonotubes, pour them out* and wrecked them*. The electrical contractor that I subbed out from rented the equipment. My material was around $3200 and my labor was $2600. He is saying that is too much. That is no mark up on materials either. Can anyone help me on figuring the cost? What is the going rate per hole?


*
???????????* :laughing:

I'm assuming you meant 'erect them'.

"Going rate" means nothing. Your cost of doing business is different that everyone else's. Price the job to make money, not to 'get the job.' Otherwise, you're always losing money working your arse off.

13 poles? Material $3200? That's $246 per pole........ damn cheap if they're 20-footers or more.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> *
> ???????????* :laughing:
> 
> I'm assuming you meant 'erect them'.
> ...


Funny, I thought he meant to demo the sono tubes.:w00t::laughing::laughing:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Now if we can find out who "he" is, the one that says "it's too much."


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Enlightening subject...


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

griz said:


> Funny, I thought he meant to demo the sono tubes.:w00t::laughing::laughing:


That's what the 'crete truck driver does when he gets on-site. :thumbsup:


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> That's what the 'crete truck driver does when he gets on-site. :thumbsup:



So you got the same driver I do??:w00t::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

griz said:


> So you got the same driver I do??:w00t::laughing::laughing::laughing:



I think they're half-brothers. :whistling


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I think they're half-brothers. :whistling


Yup, they grew up in different towns together.:laughing:


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## BDB (Sep 26, 2008)

nailamatic said:


> I recently did a job and lost on it. It was 13 light pole bases for a parking lot. I had to drill the holes, tie and set the rebar, set the sonotubes, pour them out and wrecked them. The electrical contractor that I subbed out from rented the equipment. My material was around $3200 and my labor was $2600. He is saying that is too much. That is no mark up on materials either. Can anyone help me on figuring the cost? What is the going rate per hole?


For that price, I would have you do any pole base I have. The EC sounds like a shopper to me.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

nailamatic said:


> *I recently did a job and lost on it*. It was 13 light pole bases for a parking lot. I had to drill the holes, tie and set the rebar, set the sonotubes, pour them out and wrecked them. The electrical contractor that I subbed out from rented the equipment. My material was around $3200 and my labor was $2600. He is saying that is too much. That is no mark up on materials either. Can anyone help me on figuring the cost? What is the going rate per hole?


 
Clarification? You have already finished the job? Or did you just bid on the job?


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## polebaseman (Jan 24, 2011)

*polebaseman*



nailamatic said:


> I recently did a job and lost on it. It was 13 light pole bases for a parking lot. I had to drill the holes, tie and set the rebar, set the sonotubes, pour them out and wrecked them. The electrical contractor that I subbed out from rented the equipment. My material was around $3200 and my labor was $2600. He is saying that is too much. That is no mark up on materials either. Can anyone help me on figuring the cost? What is the going rate per hole?


How in the world could you spend almost 250.00 in materials for a light pole base? What size were they?
We pour 24" bases 6' in the ground 36" above ground for just under 100.00 in materials.. :thumbsup: looks like the sono tubes took you down on materials and also the labor setting them.
We use EZY form Fiberglass reuseable concrete forms no need for the sono tube and also makes a nice finished light pole base better than any from a sono type tube.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks for posting on ContractorTalk.com. Straight pricing questions are frowned upon here, as are 'Going Rate' questions. If you are a contractor seeking advice regarding your pricing structure, the Moderators of this forum would like to direct you to this pricing thread - Pricing, Estimating and Success.

ContractorTalk.com is designed for professional contractors to discuss issues and topics related to the construction and remodeling industries. 

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused. This thread has been closed.


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