What do you think of this quote for a builder 'aquaintance'

[HappyHippyDad]

Morning guys..

I recently did a job (partial rewire) with a builder, since then he has rang me and asked me to wire up his girlfriends small new extension. He is a decent chap and was very patient and helpful with my first partial rewire (he was the project manager). Because of this and also because I expect he will ask me to help him out on other rewires (hes just moved to the area) I have given what I think is a VERY, VERY reasonable quote, but it's just good to hear from others whether its as good as I think??

I'm unsure of the exact dimensions but the extension is a double bedroom and onsuite shower room, thats it!

Heres what I will be doing:

4 double sockets in bedroom
4 down lights in bedroom
extractor fan and 2 down lights in bathroom.
New Supply to electric shower

I will be supplying all the materials (bar the shower and 2 bathroom downlights)

I have quoted the materials at cost price (based on about 15m's 1mm, 30 m's 2.5mm, 15m's 10mm so approx £200-£240) and guessed at labour at being 2 days (I have charged £120 p/day and said if I over run I wont charge anymore)

Does that sound very good or just reasonable?

 

[telectrix]

well cheap. i'd price the total job around £600 -£800. £120 / day labour is way too cheap.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

well cheap. i'd price the total job around £600 -£800. £120 / day labour is way too cheap.

Thanks Tel,

Thats what I wanted to hear. I want it to be cheap, my normal rate is between £160-£200 p/day and a mark up of 25% on materials but I wanted this to be a good quote because of the reasons stated. Guess I just wanted some reassurance that it was a really good quote! Thanks again.

 

[ArseyDee]

With a very quick glance at those details, I'm at £800.

 

[Hawkmoon]

Yep it's cheap - sprat to catch a mackerel

 

[monkeyelectric]

I've recently done a near identical job to that and my quote was £780, to which he replied "oh is that all" damn damn blast and buggery!

 

[Kate]

umm....my day rate was £120 for a while. constantly told it was way too cheap, customers asking if i was sure etc. im still less than yours now. and still too cheap lol

No idea on materials (too lazy to think) so that is very good! Hope it works for you. x

 

[Octopus]

Your day rate should be £160 or more.

 

[ArseyDee]

The £120 per day 'attractive pricing' will probably secure the work, but that builder/project manager will then expect the same rate in the future.

 

[telectrix]

yep. up your day rate to £160 min., that's £20/hour, less overheads will leave you with £13- £15.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Ive worked in Stroud. 6 years ago the going rate for a spark was heading towards 200. Builders charged more.

 

[monkeyelectric]

I charge builders more because you're normally waiting weeks if not months for the money!

 

[Welchyboy1]

For that money its hardly worth the bother, you will be setting yourself right up there and he will expect that rate everytime afterwards

why not just cost it properly and let your astounding installation skills and superb service keep him coming back to you instead of being his busy fool

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I'm not sure if everyone's quite getting the picture. Which means it's me that hasn't explained it properly! I'm only charging him that price for himself/partner because its work I'll be doing on his place.

He's just moved to the area, seems like a decent guy and runs his own building firm. I expect he'll be looking for a spark when he's building his houses so I'm building up a bit of a relationship. I'll then be charging £160-£200 p/day for any work carried out on his new builds.

Surely you guys (and girls, sorry Kate) do a fairly good price for the builder/plumber in your firm or someone you do alot of work with?

 

[telectrix]

agree with your thoughts, but still think you are a bit too cheap. take the middle road. mark up materials by 12% and charge £140/day for initial work, but make it clear that you're doing him a favour at those prices.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

agree with your thoughts, but still think you are a bit too cheap. take the middle road. mark up materials by 12% and charge £140/day for initial work, but make it clear that you're doing him a favour at those prices.

I think that sounds spot on Tel! It probably is a bit too cheap even with the reasons I've given... Anyway.. I've sent it to him now!! I did make it clear what my normal rates are and that I'm doing him a favour.

Off to bed now... Just watched the film 'pi' and I need to stop thinking about numbers!! :wacko:

 

[telectrix]

well lets just hope it builds you up a good relationship and brings plenty of work your way. can't add smiley as forum gone ---- up again.

 

[UNG]

From experience this do the first job cheap to get in with a customer / builder etc hardly ever works as there will always be someone else doing it cheaper than you next time in an attempt to get in so you never see a return on your lost profit no matter how good your work is. Been there a few times with one of my old customers at a previous company always after at cost prices to get in with their potential customers never saw any of this avalanche of work to recoup the lost profit on the cheap get in the door jobs so after a couple at a cheap rate it was knocked on the head as there was no return on the investment

If you do secure future work you can end up stuck at a lower price level than you would like as the customer / builder will tend to ignore your one off price comments and expect their preferential rate on all jobs you will also be competing with everybody else who wants their work and going in cheap to get in.

Generally price is king and no matter how good a job you do it will count for very little unless you have a good rapport with a customer who trusts you to come up with a solution no matter how difficult the task is, as one of my customers years ago always reminded me that I was only as good as the last job I did for them

I hope your method gets you the work you expect but don't hold your breath

 

[SPARTYKUS]

...which is why reputation, and therefore recommendation, is like gold- no, platinum dust.