New Electric to Garage Workshop Quote

[SimonStevensCanes]

I've had a quote for a new consumer unit in my detached garage, connection to the main consumer unit in the house (no ground works, an armoured cable wrapped around the house then pushed through existing conduit), 3 led strip lights, 6 double sockets and 2 outside lights (supplied by me).

The house is a small 4 bed, and the garage is a couple of meters away, so nothing major.

Can anybody advise whether they think £1500 (inc vat) in the north of England is a reasonable price?

 

[Geoff_S]

I’m in the South and based upon recent and similar, I’d be happy with it.

 

[Ttrees]

Hello, this is likely not much help, but I think this is the thread I recall,
where someone actually mentioned the cost of getting a sparkey to hook up the new
CU in the shed.
Perhaps there might be other hits in the archives, interesting reading.
Good luck

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/workshop-electrical-feed-issues.127588/#post-1424141

 

[Spectric]

You have not said what size cable is being used or the distance of the run. You make it sound easy,

then pushed through existing conduit

but this can be harder than it sounds and I would say the guy would first get a drawstring through the duct using super rods and then pull the cable rather than push but it all takes time.

From the sound of it you may not have thought ahead but you have also not mentioned the purpose of your garage and if it is going to be a workshop then also consider having a 16 amp socket or two fitted as it should not add much cost if done at the same time but will cost more if done as a job later.

All copper products have shot up in price, so your cable will be more expensive but what you may not have taken into consideration is that the job is being done by a qualified person who will test and sign it off so you are also getting peace of mind, they will understand the rules around extranous metalwork and correct means of earthing. Also while this is being done use a consumer board with extra capacity to provide a level of future proofing and don't scrimp on cable size, much easier to have extra capacity than not enough in the future.

 

[Housey210]

Speaking only yesterday to a qualified sparky, £350 a day he charges! As in life there will always be someone who will do a cheaper job but are they qualified, to latest standards, will the work be signed off and certificated? Metal con unit, I would insist on, or plastic and as stated in above post, all copper has shot up! good luck

 

[Mikebart]

I've had a quote for a new consumer unit in my detached garage, connection to the main consumer unit in the house (no ground works, an armoured cable wrapped around the house then pushed through existing conduit), 3 led strip lights, 6 double sockets and 2 outside lights (supplied by me).

The house is a small 4 bed, and the garage is a couple of meters away, so nothing major.

Can anybody advise whether they think £1500 (inc vat) in the north of England is a reasonable price?

I had a quote of £1000 for virtually the same install 18 months ago Manchester area (had £2000 worth of other house electrical work done at the same time) so I would say the price is about right.
Unfortunately just because the quote might be about right doesn’t mean the work done will completed correctly or at all buts that’s another story.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

You have not said what size cable is being used or the distance of the run. You make it sound easy,

but this can be harder than it sounds and I would say the guy would first get a drawstring through the duct using super rods and then pull the cable rather than push but it all takes time.

From the sound of it you may not have thought ahead but you have also not mentioned the purpose of your garage and if it is going to be a workshop then also consider having a 16 amp socket or two fitted as it should not add much cost if done at the same time but will cost more if done as a job later.

All copper products have shot up in price, so your cable will be more expensive but what you may not have taken into consideration is that the job is being done by a qualified person who will test and sign it off so you are also getting peace of mind, they will understand the rules around extranous metalwork and correct means of earthing. Also while this is being done use a consumer board with extra capacity to provide a level of future proofing and don't scrimp on cable size, much easier to have extra capacity than not enough in the future.

It's a single car garage workshop. I'm unlikely to be require 16amp, but good point thanks.

I'm not bemoaning the cost of it or minimising the work required, I just have no idea whether it's reflective of the amount of work required.

Thanks for the feedback all, sounds like the quote is in the ballpark.

 

[Spectric]

I would say it is a fair price if it includes the materials, armoured cable always takes longer to fix and terminate and the final test to certify is not a five minute job so get the job done and enjoy the workshop.

 

[Spectric]

Metal con unit, I would insist on

Now mandatory under the regs on the grounds of containing thermal events. Armoured into plastic is never a good idea, if I ever got into that position I would use a metal JB to terminate the armoured and a short conduit to the consumer unit.

 

[Thingybob]

I've had a quote for a new consumer unit in my detached garage, connection to the main consumer unit in the house (no ground works, an armoured cable wrapped around the house then pushed through existing conduit), 3 led strip lights, 6 double sockets and 2 outside lights (supplied by me).

The house is a small 4 bed, and the garage is a couple of meters away, so nothing major.

Can anybody advise whether they think £1500 (inc vat) in the north of England is a reasonable price?

They have seen your posh sander stand and think your alright for a bob or two

 

[Jameshow]

I've had a quote for a new consumer unit in my detached garage, connection to the main consumer unit in the house (no ground works, an armoured cable wrapped around the house then pushed through existing conduit), 3 led strip lights, 6 double sockets and 2 outside lights (supplied by me).

The house is a small 4 bed, and the garage is a couple of meters away, so nothing major.

Can anybody advise whether they think £1500 (inc vat) in the north of England is a reasonable price?

At our men's shed had a consumer unit, 4 LED strips, 6 sockets in our men's shed most quotes were for £1500 but one guy did it for £800 as was sympathetic to what we are up to.

 

[ian33a]

SW England - A room refurbishment which will be replastered and new ceiling, not far from the consumer unit - 10 dimmable and adjustable LED downlights, 7 double 13A sockets, a couple of switchable 5A lighting points and certification - just over two grand with VAT.

I was suprised at the initial quote but we haven't had a quote for pure electrics for years - hope this data helps to give some perspective.

 

[MikeH]

I had my workshop connected up about a year ago. Not a million miles way from what you are being quoted for. I had already run the armoured in and had fitted all of the sockets, lights etc. myself. The sparks had to supply and lay a 13mm (??) cable from the house consumer unit, through the loft and down to the back of the house where the armoured was, it is for a 50amp supply to the workshop and test and sign everything off. A few extras while they were here, wired up a pond socket and some fairly minor bits inside the house. Took two of them two days. They supplied the metal CU and all of the RCBOs in the workshop plus the connectors for one end of the pond supply and interconnectors between the internal cable they fitted and the armoured I had fitted, about seven circuits to connect in the CU. This is in the North West. Final cost was £1900. I had used them before to rewire the house when I moved in so knew their work was good and they were good guys to work with. So I would say your quote isn't too bad.

 

[clogs]

like Spectric....
if all materials supplied thats not so bad.....VAT being a big lump of the cost.....
u need to know what sized cable he's going to use...
4/6mm is very expensive now.....actually it was never cheap....
it all gets worse if they have to dig and make a hole thru the brick work.......

my 240 elec meter is 10m from a pole with a 3 phase connection...nothing in the way and easy access, the pole is in my garden.....no roads to cross.....
just before I bought the house the rough quote from the elec supplier was €1,500 to connect up to a full 440vx3 phase supply....
the next quote 6months after buying was over €12,000......
needles to say we are going solar.....

 

[trvlr]

I got lost in all the info/advice etc. here...
But my 2cents is to advise that you get more than one or two sockets installed in the garage/workshop. Far better to have too many than too few; and those few not always where you'd like them. Install them a decent height above the floor; and have two (even three) way light switching too.

 

[highwood122]

Speaking only yesterday to a qualified sparky, £350 a day he charges! As in life there will always be someone who will do a cheaper job but are they qualified, to latest standards, will the work be signed off and certificated? Metal con unit, I would insist on, or plastic and as stated in above post, all copper has shot up! good luck

lot of money for someone with a van and screwdriver

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's 2023, not 1923.

 

[Housey210]

lot of money for someone with a van and screwdriver

its a lot of training to qualify, a lot of courses after, a lot of expensive testing equipment with ongoing calibration, regulatory body fees, a lot of insurance and a lot of responsibility! The same can be said with plumbers.

 

[Spectric]

@Housey210 see's the bigger picture, but it is a lot less training for a domestic installer who are trained to do the job but without the background understanding. There is a lot more to electrical engineering than just getting something to work, AC theory is an awful lot of maths if you want to fully understand the subject and then add in electronics for some more fun.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

It's 2023, not 1923.

what does this mean?