Rewiring kitchens

[Electric Magic]

Every so often I get a call to come and quote for rewiring a kitchen for a new kitchen someone is getting fitted. However, despite in my mind probably overall being a bit too cheap (I get offered over 2/3 of the jobs I quote for and I was once told that if I'm getting more than 1/3 I should put my prices up) my quotes for these sorts of kitchen jobs rarely get accepted and I sometimes get told I was too expensive (or today, "far too expensive"). I still can't get my head around why people are happy to shell out £5k or even £10k for a new kitchen but baulk at £45 per point and, in this most recent instance £300 for a new consumer unit. I'm tempted to just stop quoting for kitchen jobs.

 

[snowhead]

You're competing against the Kitchen fitters mate, you don't stand a chance.

 

[Pete999]

Every so often I get a call to come and quote for rewiring a kitchen for a new kitchen someone is getting fitted. However, despite in my mind probably overall being a bit too cheap (I get offered over 2/3 of the jobs I quote for and I was once told that if I'm getting more than 1/3 I should put my prices up) my quotes for these sorts of kitchen jobs rarely get accepted and I sometimes get told I was too expensive (or today, "far too expensive"). I still can't get my head around why people are happy to shell out £5k or even £10k for a new kitchen but baulk at £45 per point and, in this most recent instance £300 for a new consumer unit. I'm tempted to just stop quoting for kitchen jobs.

Don't know about the other guys on the forum, don't do much now I'm retired but £45 per point is a bit OTT aint it?

 

[stevethesparks]

Don't know about the other guys on the forum, don't do much now I'm retired but £45 per point is a bit OTT aint it?

Not at all.
Bog standard residential jobs are just a pain imho. In my experience, its rarely a 1st and 2nd fix, it seems the norm now to have to make several visits due to fitting in with the kitchen fitters etc.

 

[Electric Magic]

Don't know about the other guys on the forum, don't do much now I'm retired but £45 per point is a bit OTT aint it?

I charge £40 as an absolute minimum, but that's on a full rewire in a small house or flat. In big houses I charge up to £60 on a rewire and when I'm only fitting one socket I'll charge about £80. Kitchen jobs usually require 2 visits if you're lucky and 3 or more if your not. Not to mention the fun coordinating with Kev Kitchenfitter and friends. If anything I think £45 a point is low for that sort of hassle.

 

[starni999]

Yep I agree.
I've mostly stopped doing kitchen / bathroom work due to being badly undercut by kitchen fitters etc. Shop fitting is another nightmare where I get undercut.
You agree a price, you finish the job and then get "oh but you weren't here very long, I'll give you..."
Stuff that, don't need the stress.

Chris Warr.

 

[Parker27]

The majority of times I will get the work over a kitchen fitter, when customers shell out a few grand for a kitchen, understandably they want it done properly.

During your quote you show the customer in writing MWC, EIC, areas like cable zones in walls, RCD/RCBO protection for the cooker point socket, which the kitchen fitter will be unaware of and leave them with the immortal words "make sure the person that installs it signs it off".

The customer more than likely does not realise the work needs signing off and is far more likely to give the work to you.

 

[Midwest]

In my experience, most 'local' kitchen installers will use the same electrician (plumbers, tillers etc). So get in with one of them, and your prices won't be challenged, within reason. £45 seems reasonable, but others have said, you will be at the beck & call of the kitchen company, so you might want to charge more to reflect that. Quite often. I'll do a kitchen on day rate, you don't really know what mess will be revealed, when the old kitchen units are ripped out.

I've no experience of working for the 'nationwide' kitchen companies, but like some builders, you invoice might have to go through them, so they can make a nice little mark up!

 

[richy3333]

I finished 1st fixing a kitchen last week. The walls were open so made altering the wiring straightforward. The invoice was £25 more than the estimate and they quibbled! It related to an unforeseen job. It just narks cos I know they spent thousands on the kitchen units and also tried to sneak in extras that weren't agreed or discussed at outset. I also had to spend time writing out danger notices for which I can't bill, but at present they are still more concerned with their new kitchen than the fact that several aspects of their installation is dangerous.

It it does make you think that sometimes kitchens are more trouble than we all need.

 

[Pete999]

Why did you need to hand write danger notices? not trying to be funny just interested thats all.

 

[Midwest]

I tend to steer clear of doing kitchens other than with the kitchen company. Recently done one for a customer who is installing his own kitchen. Retired chap, he bought all his lights & faceplates etc, which kinda rings alarm bells. But he replied to my quote by email, but although he seems a nice bloke, its these sorts that can prove difficult.

 

[ruston]

I tend to steer clear of doing kitchens other than with the kitchen company. Recently done one for a customer who is installing his own kitchen. Retired chap, he bought all his lights & faceplates etc, which kinda rings alarm bells. But he replied to my quote by email, but although he seems a nice bloke, its these sorts that can prove difficult.

I once did a conservatory for a large national company .
The house owner was a retired construction engineer who had specialised in bridge building.
The two brickies worked to a very high standard , but that did not stop him getting the theodolite out and measuring their work. They were gutted when he told them they were 1mm out lol.

 

[uksparks]

Not at all.
Bog standard residential jobs are just a pain imho. In my experience, its rarely a 1st and 2nd fix, it seems the norm now to have to make several visits due to fitting in with the kitchen fitters etc.

totally agree.

its always a few visits and messing about,

i did a kitchen, they paid £28k for it, then quibbled at the extra £100 on the bill I gave them for extra bits and said its more than they budgeted for.

 

[Andy78]

That's because nobody budgets for electrical work when planning a kitchen.. always thought of at the last minute.
Last one I did the customer asked for dimmable led downlights, led under cabinet lights, chrome accessories throughout... Then told me my quote was more than double what they expected.
They thought nothing of throwing a perfectly good dishwasher, oven, hob, washing machine, and fridge freezer in the skip though.

 

[telectrix]

They thought nothing of throwing a perfectly good dishwasher, oven, hob, washing machine, and fridge freezer in the skip though.


​they'd have gone straight into my van and on ebay the next day.

 

[Andy78]

They thought nothing of throwing a perfectly good dishwasher, oven, hob, washing machine, and fridge freezer in the skip though.


​they'd have gone straight into my van and on ebay the next day.

I'm still using the dishwasher in my own kitchen, and my mate is using the oven
The rest of it had been sat under a weekend's rain in the skip.

 

[ruston]

That's because nobody budgets for electrical work when planning a kitchen.. always thought of at the last minute.
Last one I did the customer asked for dimmable led downlights, led under cabinet lights, chrome accessories throughout... Then told me my quote was more than double what they expected.
They thought nothing of throwing a perfectly good dishwasher, oven, hob, washing machine, and fridge freezer in the skip though.

Or even changing the £2000 granite tops because it 'doesn't look as nice as I thought.'

 

[richy3333]

Why did you need to hand write danger notices? not trying to be funny just interested thats all.

Not at all Pete.
Found a sub board with potential live exposed conductive parts. Same board was also damaged in other ways. Cut-out was over 8m from the main CU with no protection. All the entry points on a Henley block used to split the live were exposed when only 1 chamber was being utilised.

 

[Pete999]

Not at all Pete.
Found a sub board with potential live exposed conductive parts. Same board was also damaged in other ways. Cut-out was over 8m from the main CU with no protection. All the entry points on a Henley block used to split the live were exposed when only 1 chamber was being utilised.

Right, thaught maybe something like that cheers anyway

 

[davesparks]

What are these danger notices you speak of?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk