# How to estimate re-wiring a house



## mr4160volts (Nov 26, 2011)

What's the most efficient way to estimate a complete re-wire of a house?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Make a comprehensive list of tasks to complete the work.

Use your experience to estimate how long it will take to complete.

Multiply that time by 1.2 because you are an idiot

Multiply that number by your hourly rate

That's your labor.



Make a comprehensive list of all the materials you will need and add their prices together.

Multiply that number by 1.2 because you are an idiot.

That is your materials.

Take your materials and labor and add them together with the price of any permits or licenses you need.

Take that number and divide it by .85 to cover your overhead.


Take that number and multiply it by 1.X, "x" being your profit margin.

There is your quote. 


That's how I do it, either that or I just guess.


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## Expediter (Mar 12, 2014)

Count the "gangs" (every device location, light, etc. ), multiply this number by your hourly rate, add the service entrance on the old way, multiply the service entrance price x 2 because all of the afci breakers. 

There is your price. 


Or if you want to make money and actually stay in business, spend a little more time and calculate it up. Based on anticipated count of outlets, lights and the distances between. Then give the price based on x# of outlets, and x# of lights. Using this type of pricing gives you the ability to have "extras" When the customer adds items after the bid. 

Until you have done a house or two, you may not know whether or not your price is accurate for you.


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## Expediter (Mar 12, 2014)

Your hourly rate should have your profit built into it already.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Are you talking about "estimating" or "bidding". Anyone foolish enough to bid a rewire is either foolish, or hasn't been involved in any previous rewires. First of all, if the home needs rewired, it's probably from the K&T or the old romex era. Tell the HO to gut all the walls and ceilings and then you'll give them an estimate. Not hard to bid the service but if they want to keep the walls intact, good luck. Lath and plaster, fire blocking, plaster 2" deep in stud cavities, rim joists poured full of concrete, splices in the wall, splices in the attic, K&T to romex splices, buried boxes, hidden fuse panels in the attic or closet, are just a few of the things you'll encounter.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

five.five-six said:


> Make a comprehensive list of tasks to complete the work.
> 
> Use your experience to estimate how long it will take to complete.
> 
> ...


If you are experienced with rewires, you can probably make this formula work. If you aren't, throw your shorts in the shredder now because you're going to lose them anyway.

Personally, I would likely walk away from a rewire because I don't have any idea about the time involved. If I am working with a GC who can cut and patch as required, that's a different story.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

99cents said:


> If you are experienced with rewires, you can probably make this formula work. If you aren't, throw your shorts in the shredder now because you're going to lose them anyway.
> 
> Personally, I would likely walk away from a rewire because I don't have any idea about the time involved. If I am working with a GC who can cut and patch as required, that's a different story.


Why not find a good drywall/plaster sub and add his price into your bid?


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Why not find a good drywall/plaster sub and add his price into your bid?


Yeah, that could work. Drywall and plaster is not sacred. Demo and repair is often more cost effective than time spent crawling around in attics, etc.

You're going to upset the homeowner's life anyway. Go in, move the furniture out of the way, cover it in plastic and have at 'er. We have timed reno jobs for when the HO is on vacation. I don't see why rewires couldn't be done the same way.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

You can always do it T&M.


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## nopman (Jan 17, 2015)

*thats pretty much how i do it too bud.*

:thumbsup:


five.five-six said:


> Make a comprehensive list of tasks to complete the work.
> 
> Use your experience to estimate how long it will take to complete.
> 
> ...


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Expediter said:


> Your hourly rate should have your profit built into it already.


No. Labor and profit are two differant things. You should be bidding your work as if you had a broken arm and had to hire someone to replace you.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

five.five-six said:


> No. Labor and profit are two differant things. You should be bidding your work as if you had a broken arm and had to hire someone to replace you.


Assuming you job cost these projects, what do you see as an average gross margin (on these type of jobs) using your formula? 

Everyone's overhead is going to be different, but direct costs should be pretty close for everyone, give or take a few percentage points. 

I know I've never done better then 35%. More closer to 30% GP (if I was lucky).


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## mapmd (Oct 26, 2014)

99cents said:


> Yeah, that could work. Drywall and plaster is not sacred. Demo and repair is often more cost effective than time spent crawling around in attics, etc.
> 
> You're going to upset the homeowner's life anyway. Go in, move the furniture out of the way, cover it in plastic and have at 'er. We have timed reno jobs for when the HO is on vacation. I don't see why rewires couldn't be done the same way.


Around me we have a couple GC's who seem to *like* to keep drywall/plaster. I've always wondered why that is. It's like they want to pay $120/hr. electricians (less for the contractor rate of course) to spend far more time on their remodel jobs when they have $10-12/hr. young carpenters at hand who could patch some drywall in five-ten minutes total. Never understood it.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

I always figured 2 guys x 1 hour per device + material + overhead + profit.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

flyboy said:


> Assuming you job cost these projects, what do you see as an average gross margin (on these type of jobs) using your formula?
> 
> Everyone's overhead is going to be different, but direct costs should be pretty close for everyone, give or take a few percentage points.
> 
> I know I've never done better then 35%. More closer to 30% GP (if I was lucky).


I try, but I suck at it. My wife has a much better grasp of it (I don't even know how much money I make per annum) If I had to guess, I would say 15-20%


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## Greg Sparkovich (Sep 15, 2007)

I do residential work almost exclusively. I bid "per location" -meaning a receptacle, light, switch, smoke detector,phone, etc.
The per location cost includes all "standard" materials: wire, boxes, devices, cover ...EXCEPT for light fixtures, alarm/smoke/heat/phone/GFCIs/etc. since those devices cost more than $1 or $2.
I make the customer pick out their own lights/fans/etc, because that is a time sucker; but I'm happy to advise if I see a reason to.
The price per location varies depending on the condition of the property ...eg. a gutted shell or a Victorian mansion. In a gutted shell, I ask for $75/location. It doesn't matter to me what the previous materials are since I am replacing it anyway. I most often see knob & tube, so I assume I won't be able to use it to fish ...so if I can, it's a bonus for me.
I honestly don't charge any extra for installing AFCIs, so I just charge a materials fee of $40 each and tell the customer how many circuits based on the plan/drawing and figuring about 4- 8 receptacles per circuit (knowing I am going to do more home runs is calculated into the location price).
The only sticky issue for me that has come up recently was no access to an attic which I then discovered was filled with insulation. This was in a rehab where I agreed to make neat holes @ $125/location. Fishing was not much harder (I have awesome fishing tools and LOTS of experience) and I successfully negotiated an extra $10/location -looking back, that may have been too little.

The beauty of a "per location" price is that there is no haggling (no wasted time talking to the customer) -if your customer decides that they want a 3-way switch near their bed so they don't have to get up to turn out the lights, they already know what it costs before they tell you to do it. If they decide they don't need an extra receptacle, they know what they are saving. My customers love this because it makes them feel like they are in charge.


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## Nobaddaysinak (Jan 17, 2012)

Just did one of these. Old very nice lady. Husband wired it himself. Wasn't an electrician. Basically me and another guy doing for cost. Don't know why. Couldn't say no but know I should have. Well I feel good about it and what's the point of being in business if every once in a while you can't give some charity work? It has been great working around her and having nice chats. 
Anyways we are badass and I thought my number. And it has doubled so bid accordingly. 
Cheers


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## Rickybee (Mar 30, 2015)

150 a device (switches ,receptacles)
300 per for fans or lights


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

When we hear _'rewire'_ it could mean a gut, or a fish job. 

Most guts are bid like new construction, most fish jobs are not.

Researching the local reno laws would be prudent. Here any 50% reno equates to a complete rewire. _(the AHJ will allow us to reuse any wiring with a EGC) _

Further, all Reno's have ONE common issue serving as price out impediment , the hamheads who GC it wanting to make their own rules up

~CS~


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Another huge factor is whether or not someone _is living in it_ at the time. If so, the price goes up.


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