# Pricing Residential Work by the foot



## cdslotz (Jun 10, 2008)

$3 a foot will be good for any job


----------



## oldsparky52 (Feb 25, 2020)

cdslotz said:


> $3 a foot will be good for any job


I don't do resi,, but I bet you load up with work at those prices.


----------



## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Whom ever asked to you do that is probably bid shopping. Run away. 
Way to many variables for a sub contractor.


----------



## samgregger (Jan 23, 2013)

How much for a panel change? It's only 16" wide.


----------



## jw0445 (Oct 9, 2009)

samgregger said:


> How much for a panel change? It's only 16" wide.


But it's 30" long. I think your good at $15.00


----------



## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

I can tell you that a 2,400 sq ft home just went up $0.60 / sq ft because of the Romex cost increase. 
And that's with all gas appliances.


----------



## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

Is this rough in only?
No service?
$3.00 per foot is way less than what I was charging 20 years ago.
Square foot estimates will get you in trouble unless you bid really high.
You have no idea how many outlets you are going to install.
I always bid per outlet.
Outlet meaning any receptacle box, switch box, ceiling box, cable TV box, data cable box or phone box.
Service installation is separate.
Trim out is seperate.
If they want to stick to the square foot estimate, find out what the house is worth and take 20 to 25% of that as an estimate.


----------



## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

Electrical is not a square-foot trade. It's a comfort-figure for the GC, and he'll want to hold you to it if you're low.



wiz1997 said:


> find out what the house is worth and take 20 to 25% of that as an estimate.


^ there we go. Now we're pricing like lawyers, brokers, and realtors.


----------



## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

The only way I've ever done square footage pricing is for one builder. I've been doing his work since 1993. I based the pricing one a full year of houses, about 30 homes. It only includes his base package, no extras. Extras are billed directly to the home owner.
Every other job, I price out per outlet (receptacle, switch, light) then add; recessed fixtures, 240 volt circuits, bath fans, paddle fan installation, sub panels, phone, cable, ethernet, dimmers, etc.


----------



## cdslotz (Jun 10, 2008)

wiz1997 said:


> Is this rough in only?
> No service?
> $3.00 per foot is way less than what I was charging 20 years ago.
> Square foot estimates will get you in trouble unless you bid really high.
> ...


 ....sarcasm.......lol


----------



## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

u2slow said:


> Now we're pricing like lawyers, brokers, and realtors.


I generally use flat rate pricing, but some jobs require T&M pricing. I model my T&M pricing on how lawyers charge clients. Lawyers give you an hourly rate (say $420 per hour) and then charge you for every minute of their time you use ($7 per minute). Additionally, they charge you for their costs (travel, filings, forms, etc.) and I don't know if they markup those costs, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do. Bottom line: lawyers don't give away anything.

So if you have a lawyer working on a case for you and you call that lawyer on the phone to ask some questions, the meter starts running. My contracts state if you call me up to ask questions, the first five minutes are no charge. After that, you get charged my hourly rate by the minute. If you want me to make a list of materials for you so you can buy your own, I charge for that time. If you want me to review the electrical plan, I'm charging for that. If I'm subbing for you and you insist I attend a meeting, I charge my hourly rate plus a travel charge.


----------



## u2slow (Jan 2, 2014)

@Coppersmith heh ya, lawyers do all that too. I was more thinking in the scope of earning a % off the top.


----------



## rnr electric (Jan 29, 2010)

My bottom dollar with a sq ft bid is $8.00 psf. BUT I supply or install NO recess cans at this price. This is base bid with no lighting. 
I review the plans and determine how custom or not it is and adjust accordingly. I have several homes that are north of $13 psf plus cans added. I am never the highest or lowest bidder so it seems to work for me, other people would rather count every opening and that’s what works for them.
BUT NEVER.. give a customer (without a disclaimer) a “rough idea” of a sq ft price because they will use it against you for too high or want you to stand behind that number if you are low!


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

cdslotz said:


> $3 a foot will be good for any job


Either you’ve never wired a house in your life or you are just making a joke. 3 dollars a sq ft was 25 year ago prices whenNM was 13 dollars a roll, there was no such thing as arc faults, and recessed cans were not popular 


oldsparky52 said:


> I don't do resi,, but I bet you load up with work at those prices.


Absolutely but he won’t last long



SWDweller said:


> Whom ever asked to you do that is probably bid shopping. Run away.
> Way to many variables for a sub contractor.


Amen


rnr electric said:


> My bottom dollar with a sq ft bid is $8.00 psf. BUT I supply or install NO recess cans at this price. This is base bid with no lighting.
> I review the plans and determine how custom or not it is and adjust accordingly. I have several homes that are north of $13 psf plus cans added. I am never the highest or lowest bidder so it seems to work for me, other people would rather count every opening and that’s what works for them.
> BUT NEVER.. give a customer (without a disclaimer) a “rough idea” of a sq ft price because they will use it against you for too high or want you to stand behind that number if you are low!


Yep!


----------



## Wardenclyffe (Jan 11, 2019)

Use Metric Feet,...


----------



## emailmeck2000 (10 mo ago)

I bid 4/2ft, without service or temp power but I read out there I people are bidding 2-3/2ft What? At 4/2ft if I had to hire somebody at 30/hr I would loss money. Don't understand how I can make money in new construction.


----------



## Coppersmith (Aug 11, 2017)

When pricing a job you must include every one of your costs and a fair (or better) profit. If you don't do this you will lose money. People who lose money on jobs go out of business eventually. Therefore if it costs 30/hr to hire help, then that's what it costs and you must include it in your bid. If that makes you too expensive for this job, then move on to another job. Don't attempt to lower your price. Find better paying jobs. BTW, new construction is the worst paying of any electrical job.


----------



## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

This thread originated in 2021. I can tell you that since Feb. 2020, for a 2,400 sq. ft house, material alone has increased $0.88 /sq.ft.
With the price of oil jumping, Romex will sky rocket because of the plastic on the wire. Romex is already more expensive than MC cable.
I bought $12,500 worth of Romex last week, anticipating an increase soon.


----------



## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

NoBot said:


> This thread originated in 2021. I can tell you that since Feb. 2020, for a 2,400 sq. ft house, material alone has increased $0.88 /sq.ft.
> With the price of oil jumping, Romex will sky rocket because of the plastic on the wire. Romex is already more expensive than MC cable.
> I bought $12,500 worth of Romex last week, anticipating an increase soon.


I wonder if PVC is going to jump too? Doesn’t oil go into making it?


----------



## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

I was told by a wholesale supplier that PVC is not only going up, it's going to be hard to find.
I also bought PVC last week.


----------



## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

emailmeck2000 said:


> I bid 4/2ft, without service or temp power but I read out there I people are bidding 2-3/2ft What? At 4/2ft if I had to hire somebody at 30/hr I would loss money. Don't understand how I can make money in new construction.


$4 per square foot? What town?


----------



## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

NoBot said:


> I was told by a wholesale supplier that PVC is not only going up, it's going to be hard to find.
> I also bought PVC last week.


Wow, I hope this doesn’t continue. Thanks for the warning.


----------



## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

Tennesseetilley said:


> I have been out of Residential for a little bit. I was asked to price a new construction by the sqft but based on prices of wire I need a little help from someone already doing this.
> 
> Thank you in advance.


Well.... You can't go by me. With prices going up every day coupled with all the shortages, I have gone to strictly "Time & Materials." Most of the builders won't go for that, but a fair number of them will because they have started to quote the home owners the same way.


----------



## Wardenclyffe (Jan 11, 2019)

...


----------



## emailmeck2000 (10 mo ago)

Good ? Better stock all plastic products romex go higher woo this is not sustainable?


readydave8 said:


> $4 per square foot? What town?


Yes that is what I am find. On a smaller job 2ft works as long as you add for can lights for larger job only use it as a guide line neither method really works if you use outlets on a large great room due to the cost of wire you'll loss but if you use 2ft you won't get the job. I don't know the answer other than command since. There is a method of using wall length charging $7-8 per linear ft. I haven't use yet but seem reasonably


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MHElectric said:


> I wonder if PVC is going to jump too? Doesn’t oil go into making it?


Have you bought any PVC lately?
it’s what we used to pay for rigid. 
it’s crazy.


----------



## Pr-02211968 (May 9, 2018)

we are paying $100 for a stick of 2"rigid


----------



## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

Pr-02211968 said:


> we are paying $100 for a stick of 2"rigid


I thought it would be higher than that by now


----------



## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

3/4" PVC sch 40 is $1 per foot


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Pr-02211968 said:


> we are paying $100 for a stick of 2"rigid


Rexel published prices are $143 for 2” rigid, $49 for 2” PVC


----------



## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Southeast Power said:


> Have you bought any PVC lately?
> it’s what we used to pay for rigid.
> it’s crazy.


I did a exterior lighting job in January, and everything was run in 3/4” PVC. I believe it was $10 per stick. That was pretty expensive. Haven’t checked the prices since.


----------



## ckelectricandmore (10 mo ago)

Tennesseetilley said:


> I have been out of Residential for a little bit. I was asked to price a new construction by the sqft but based on prices of wire I need a little help from someone already doing this.
> 
> Thank you in advance.


I don't know but I only use ft2 as a guide, but 3/2ft seem on the low side. this means you would wire a 2000 2ft house for 6k witj unlimited can lghts and circuits. My price would be along the lines of 10k plus 15$ per can light. No service interior 200 amp panel would be include trim kit if not supplied add 25/ech. Does this sound high?


----------



## ckelectricandmore (10 mo ago)

Southeast Power said:


> Rexel published prices are $143 for 2” rigid, $49 for 2” PVC


yes it's 100/stick at lowes and HD


----------



## ckelectricandmore (10 mo ago)

readydave8 said:


> $4 per square foot? What town?


st. louis mo


----------



## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

It can vary so much on the house, it’s not always the best way to do it. We’re doing a small 1950s single story 2 bedroom. There probably won’t be but 4 can lights and maybe (2) 3-way switch circuits for lights. 100 amp service included. I told them dependent on how crazy they want to get with lighting, them supplying fixtures/fans, them removing the bottom 2’ of plaster in every room, and how hard it is to cut switches into the plaster, plan on $6-$8 a foot.


----------

