quote from electrician, too expensive?

DamoKen

Hi, I'm after getting a quote from an electrician for various fixtures and fittings around the house, and I'm just wondering if it's a fair and competitive price. Below is a breakdown of the work I want done.

6 single plug sockets changed to double sockets.
1 extra double beside one of the (currently) single sockets.

2 double sockets in main living room on plaster board wall (no socket currently there but no brick divide as it's a partition between rooms).

1 double socket in kitchen. This would be on an area of tiles above a worktop underneath which is another socket for the washing machine etc. He's suggested for this (can't remember the name) but it's a plastic box that would cover over the tiles removed and to which the socket would be affixed.

Removing overhead light fixture and replacing with standard overhead light. Currently in one room there's a light fixture screwed into the ceiling with three extendible halogen lights. Just want a normal light hanging from a cable.

1 light in attic.

Finally telephone point in bedroom. The only point is currently in the hall and he said the easiest way to do this is just to tack it along the wall. I've more or less done this myself, it's just not the tidiest :rolleyes: .

For all of the above he's saying 600. Not sure what the going rates are, but seems a tad expensive, then again I'm no expert, hence on here hoping someone can let me know.

Also asked about the possibility of getting Cat5 between one of the bedrooms and the living room which is directly below plus terminals. He's said Cat6 is the standard now and he'd source it for me. I have though a lot of crossover cable, thought it was more or less the same as Cat5? Up until now I've used it to connect between my pc and xbox downstairs and has always done the trick. Would this not be suitable for streaming video & music?
Anyway he said they only sell Cat6 in I think it was 100 metre lenghts so for that plus the terminals alone it would be 300, I would imagine another 2 to 300 for the work as well which is twice what I'd pay for a wireless solution so not worth it!

Anyway, if anyone in the industry or who has had similar work done could let me know what they think I'd really appreciate it.

Note: I'm not bitching about the guy, seemed like a really nice fella. Just want to know what the current market rates for this type of work are.

cheers

Endymion

DamoKen wrote:

Hi, I'm after getting a quote from an electrician for various fixtures and fittings around the house, and I'm just wondering if it's a fair and competitive price. Below is a breakdown of the work I want done.

Well that really depends doesn't it. You only get competitive prices in a competitive market. Try getting two other quotes and compare prices.

6 single plug sockets changed to double sockets.
1 extra double beside one of the (currently) single sockets.

2 double sockets in main living room on plaster board wall (no socket currently there but no brick divide as it's a partition between rooms).

1 double socket in kitchen. This would be on an area of tiles above a worktop underneath which is another socket for the washing machine etc. He's suggested for this (can't remember the name) but it's a plastic box that would cover over the tiles removed and to which the socket would be affixed.

Removing overhead light fixture and replacing with standard overhead light. Currently in one room there's a light fixture screwed into the ceiling with three extendible halogen lights. Just want a normal light hanging from a cable.

1 light in attic.

I can tell you now, for what's involved it's expensive, however, your unlikely to get an electrician to do it for less.

Also asked about the possibility of getting Cat5 between one of the bedrooms and the living room which is directly below plus terminals. He's said Cat6 is the standard now and he'd source it for me. I have though a lot of crossover cable, thought it was more or less the same as Cat5? Up until now I've used it to connect between my pc and xbox downstairs and has always done the trick. Would this not be suitable for streaming video & music?
Anyway he said they only sell Cat6 in I think it was 100 metre lenghts so for that plus the terminals alone it would be 300, I would imagine another 2 to 300 for the work as well which is twice what I'd pay for a wireless solution so not worth it!
cheers

Cat6 cable is about a euro a meter. I've got it as cheap as 68 cents a meter. You can purchase it in any length you want, wholes salers will cut it off a large reil for you.

Cat5e cable is the standard cable. It can easily handle gigabet networks. Cat6 cable is newer with twice the bandwidth of Cat5e cable, however as yet I know of no commerically available home product which takes advantage of the higher bandwidth.

Cross over cable is for connecting computers directly. The only difference is that two internal wires are crossed. You'd install standard patch cable.

The module outlets can run from 7 euro up to 25 euro depending where you buy. You can get double ones with a rj45 (ethernet) and an rj11 (telephone) connection.

I recently installed two double ethernet and telephone outlets in a house, approximately 15 meters apart. cost of material came to about 45 euro. Why don't you scource the matierial yourself?

@600 euro for some ethernet ports, he's have a laugh. Do it yourself.

Sparky

€600 is probably just right for the amount of work involved.
Now is he quoting you that ex vat @ 13.5%, or is this a nixer he is doing?

6 single plug sockets changed to double sockets.
Is he installing new sockets and boxes on this, because there is a single to double gang converter on the market. Installable in less than 5 minutes.
1 extra double beside one of the (currently) single sockets.
Price depends on whether this is sunk or surface

2 double sockets in main living room on plaster board wall (no socket currently there but no brick divide as it's a partition between rooms).
Can take time if fishing to conceal cabling is required

Removing overhead light fixture and replacing with standard overhead light. Currently in one room there's a light fixture screwed into the ceiling with three extendable halogen lights. Just want a normal light hanging from a cable.
Standard rose pendant.

1 light in attic.
What type of light? A fluorescent fitting, or just a standard batten lamp for using a standard bulb?

IMO Cat5 cable will do you for now. A 300m drum of it is ~€30-€40.

You can source all your materials like sockets and boxes if you like from a wholesaler and just get him to do the labour.

1 double socket in kitchen. This would be on an area of tiles above a worktop underneath which is another socket for the washing machine etc. He's suggested for this (can't remember the name) but it's a plastic box that would cover over the tiles removed and to which the socket would be affixed.

Plaster depth box or dry lining box! Or if it's a solid wall, probably a surface double gang box.

Your best to get quotes from other lads to see how it fairs out. Then you can make your mind up.
Most contractors would do a job like this as time plus materials at an average price of €35- €55 per hour.(labour)

Most contractors have various prices all round and it depends on where they source their materials. Many will also charge a good bit if they don't want to do the job.

Endymion

Sparky-s wrote:

<b></b><br>
<br>
IMO Cat5 cable will do you for now. A 300m drum of it is ~€30-€40.<br>
(labour)<br>

<br><br>It's not that cheap, In fact it's a danm site more expensive then that. Yer mans quote of 300 euro for 300m was pretty accurate. Also, you can't buy cat5, it's cat5e. <br>

Copper

500-600 seems a fair price for the work quoted.

DamoKen

Cheers for all the replies guys, just to answer a few of your questions.

Carnivore wrote:

Well that really depends doesn't it. You only get competitive prices in a competitive market. Try getting two other quotes and compare prices.

that was always my intention, as well as commercial quotes though, I always avail of any additional opinions such as boards.ie have to offer

Carnivore wrote:

Cat5e cable is the standard cable. It can easily handle gigabet networks. Cat6 cable is newer with twice the bandwidth of Cat5e cable, however as yet I know of no commerically available home product which takes advantage of the higher bandwidth.

I wondered about this myself when he brought it up, from what I'd read previous to this it doesn't seem to be a must have item, especially for my limited needs.

Carnivore wrote:

Cross over cable is for connecting computers directly. The only difference is that two internal wires are crossed. You'd install standard patch cable.

The module outlets can run from 7 euro up to 25 euro depending where you buy. You can get double ones with a rj45 (ethernet) and an rj11 (telephone) connection.

now this is interesting. The only application I'd currently have for such a connection would be to set up a wired network between my pc upstairs and a media centre using a standard ethernet connector. For this then would the whole Cat5 cabling be overkill?
Note: I only envisage myself in the house for the next year/2 years max so future proofing is not a high priority.

Sparky-s wrote:

€600 is probably just right for the amount of work involved.
Now is he quoting you that ex vat @ 13.5%, or is this a nixer he is doing?

good question, I think this is more of a nixer but I'll ask.

Sparky-s wrote:

6 single plug sockets changed to double sockets.
Is he installing new sockets and boxes on this, because there is a single to double gang converter on the market. Installable in less than 5 minutes.

from what he said it would be new sockets and boxes, he mentioned that the single sockets being replaced in the dividing wall between myself and the neighbour would be awkward as it may be hard to put in boxes. He never mentioned a single to double converter so not sure if he knows of it or thought it applicable here.

Sparky-s wrote:

1 extra double beside one of the (currently) single sockets.
Price depends on whether this is sunk or surface

would imagine it's sunk like the current one.

Sparky-s wrote:

What type of light? A fluorescent fitting, or just a standard batten lamp for using a standard bulb?

think it's a standard batten lamp.

Sparky-s wrote:

Plaster depth box or dry lining box! Or if it's a solid wall, probably a surface double gang box.

think it's the surface box

Sparky

Carnivore wrote:

<br><br>It's not that cheap, In fact it's a danm site more expensive then that. Yer mans quote of 300 euro for 300m was pretty accurate. Also, you can't buy cat5, it's cat5e. <br>

I meant CAT5e, and I got a 300m drum last June with 10 terminations and a crimper for €86 inc VAT.
Just as an example of price.

All cable prices have gone up since.
http://www.meteorelectrical.com/products/3094