# Estimating-Price per opening



## excellencee (Feb 20, 2008)

First you need to know your costs. A guy with 10 highly paid technicians with new trucks, medical, retirement, etc. is going to have a higher hourly cost than a guy by himself, on his wifes insurance, driving a 1975 Ford Courier. Labor rates, material prices vary by region. Every crew works differently, different skill levels, different motivation levels. I gurantee they work differently with the boss than they do without him there. All this enters into your costs and therefore your price. I bid per opening. In my case, I need about $100 per opening old work base. Don't base your rates on me, base them on what you need to cover costs and make a profit!


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## waco (Dec 10, 2007)

I used twenty-five dollars per opening on new work, but I never used a per-opening price on old work rewires because rewires depend too much on how the house is built; access; size and etcetera. Rewires I usually do for a flat rate of anywhere from $1500.00 to three or four thousand with consideration for any service work. Materials separate.

Funny thing about rewires. I've run into some folks who would rather risk losing the house to fire than put money into a rewire. I guess different localities have differing occupancy requirements and, as far as I know, no insurance providers care if the wiring is old or new.

Then too, we have the guys who tell everybody that knob and tube is a good, safe system. Of course, it isn't the open runs of K&T, but the messes at each opening that create the problems.

I'd like to see local jurisdictions require houses to be sold with upgraded electrical systems. Seems to me, if new construction requirements are good for residential, then they are good for all residences.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

waco said:


> I used twenty-five dollars per opening on new work,


When was this? 1992?
:laughing: :001_huh:


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## bcsparks4 (Aug 7, 2008)

Thanks for you input guys I appriciate it, I'm retired, work by myself.


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## waco (Dec 10, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> When was this? 1992?
> :laughing: :001_huh:


No, as late as 2002, but then, I have low overhead and, as I wrote, new construction is a whole different matter.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

So for anyone using POP what is a going rate in your area?


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## billjames (Aug 9, 2008)

> First you need to know your costs. A guy with 10 highly paid technicians with new trucks, medical, retirement, etc. is going to have a higher hourly cost than a guy by himself, on his wifes insurance, driving a 1975 Ford Courier. Labor rates, material prices vary by region. Every crew works differently, different skill levels, different motivation levels. I gurantee they work differently with the boss than they do without him there. All this enters into your costs and therefore your price. I bid per opening. In my case, I need about $100 per opening old work base. Don't base your rates on me, base them on what you need to cover costs and make a profit!


Start out small, in unfamiliar territory, I know too many people that lost thousands bidding jobs.


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## ralph (Apr 6, 2008)

In the southeast ( sav GA ) i use 50.00 per opening.
Im still busy as heck.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I am right about fifty per opening for new constriction and 125 per opening on remodel.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

Iwww


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## threewire (Jan 28, 2008)

Are these prices per opening all your charging or are you charging for "extra stuff?" Is the service included?

For residential I charge $25 per opening to code but that doesn't include the service or low volt or anything else.


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## guschash (Jul 8, 2007)

Bklessler, what your problem, we are here to learn from each other.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

oops I posted that under the wrong thread, there was an another thread where a kid posted his homework questions from his school work.


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## excellencee (Feb 20, 2008)

I'm at $41 per opening new construction. That doesn't include the service. 3-ways, 4-ways, fans, cans, etc. are always more. If its a cookie cutter, code minimum than extras are double. I've gotten as much as $125 to rough wire a fan (1 switch). I have a spread sheet on my cell phone that I can recalculate per opening on the road.


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## ralph (Apr 6, 2008)

excellencee said:


> I'm at $41 per opening new construction. That doesn't include the service. 3-ways, 4-ways, fans, cans, etc. are always more. If its a cookie cutter, code minimum than extras are double. I've gotten as much as $125 to rough wire a fan (1 switch). I have a spread sheet on my cell phone that I can recalculate per opening on the road.


Thats a great idea.sure beats using a calculator @ 65 mph.


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